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Surely it hasn't escaped your attention of late that the someone who spend their days engrossed in the science of nutrition have been coming up with a lot of new theories, and unearthing a few old ones, to further confuse the issue of what to eat to keep our stomach smiling. Take a look around and you'll find books on all raw diets, Biogenic diets, 'Eat to Win' theories and food combining. lf you are daft enough to buy all these books - as I am - but then I admit to being insane!, you'll find quite a lot of conflicting opinions (surprise, surprise). However, there is one sure way to find out what works and that is to try them and see. Well I am known as something of a willing guinea pig (must be something to do with my hairy arms and legs!) and so I have tried them all, and lived! As a result, each month I will be bringing you my findings on each one - take out your yearly subscriptions now! However, before we get into the meat of the experiment let us start with a look at a long established approach to muching, namely vegetarianism. Now it seems to me that quite a few sportsmen these days are coming to rely less and less on red meat in their quest for size. True, for same it is still the only way for them, but a great many others are coming to rely on white meat and fish for their protein intake. Why, same are even going as far as advocating a vegetarian diet in their attempts to create the ultimate physique. At this point it would seem worthwhile to point out the various classes of vegetarian residing in our planet today. There's the lacto vegetarian who includes all dairy products in his/her diet except eggs, and then there's the lacto ovo vegetarian who includes all dairy products and eggs. The strict vegan diet is not really recommended for the aspiring sportsmen, excluding as it does all animal products. You see the problem with the vegan diet is that it relies entirely on plant foods for protein. Now it is a fact that plant foods are usually lacking in the essential amino acids Lysine, Methionine, Threonine and Tryptophan. However, by adding eggs and dairy products to meals containing vegetable proteins it is possible to complement the amino acids and thus improve the amino make up and muscle building potential of the meal consumed. On the other hand, vegans would argue - and they would be right - that by combining two complimentary incomplete proteins e.g. wheat, rice or corn complimented with beans, soybeans, lentils or peanuts it is possible, as all amino acids reach the bloodstream at once, to achieve a protein structure equal to that of steak! (stares of disbelief from cows all over the land!). Once again though, there is a drawback to all this, as anyone who has shared a room with a vegan will no doubt be aware! Beans and veg in large quantities do tend to cause rather a lot of er - flatulence. Another problem with the vegan diet is the fact that if you leave out dairy products for a considerable length of time your body tends to lose the ability to produce digestive enzyme lactase. This enzyme is necessary for the digestion of lactose (milk sugar). On returning to a less strict diet including dairy products, you may find that your body just can't handle them anymore (milk at any rate) due to diminished lactase production in the gut. If you weren't wanted would you stick around? This happened to me when I tried this diet a couple of years back for around six months. In all fairness, there is probably someone out there who finds that a carefully constructed and supplemented vegan diet works wonders for his/her training progress. Then again, isn't it also the case that one person can build massive thighs from high rep squats while another person stretches the tape measure with low rep heavy poundage squats. It's a case of 'what works for one doesn't necessarily work for all'. We are all different! The steak till it comes out of your ears theory of increasing athletic performance has long since disappeared and athletes are turning increasingly to other sources of protein to balance their diet. As regards the vegetarian diet in general, it is important to consume as varied a selection of foodstuffs as possible. Follow this two week wonderkid around the supermarket during this 'virtuous veggie' spell and don't be surprised to see him loading up with cornflakes, spaghetti and the odd apple or carrot to ease the conscience. No wonder he felt awful and gave up! Vegetarianism is no excuse for a poor diet. It is still necessary to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Indeed it is vital for the aspiring athlete. Foods should be selected from the following four categories: 1) Grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. 2) Vegetables. 3) Fruit. 4) Milk and Eggs. The careful use of dietary supplements is also essential to anyone following a restricted diet. Amino acid tablets, multi vitamins, minerals, protein powders, brewers yeast tablets, and various other nutritional supplements are carefully manufactured to help you, so use them! You'll find advertisements and order forms from most of the major companies contained in magazines. Assoc, don't be afraid to ask for advice from these companies. You'll find that the majority will be only too willing to answer your questions and advise you as to supplementation. Of particular note in this instance is 'Ultimate Nutrition' products who not only produce highly informative information sheets on the likes of weight gain, weight loss and muscle growth, but also offer a unique personal advice service to their customers. When you consume too much protein over long periods, toxins build up in the tissues. The vegetarian diet allows the body to cleanse itself and detoxify the poisons built up. This is due to the high roughage content of such a diet. So there you have it, a flying visit to the world of the veggie burger. There was a time when all those indulging in such 'unreasonable behavior' were labeled' cranks'. I should know, I carried this label for long enough! However, it is a fact that most of these people continue to pursue a vegetarian diet and seemingly thrive on it. True, there are those for whom the diet held no magic and who gradually drifted back into the butchers shop. The point once again being that there is no universal road to success. Each person has their own individual pathway (my, how poetic!). It just takes time and patience to discover it. Vegetarianism may not be suitable for everyone but it may just be worth a try, especially if you seem to be getting nowhere on your present regime. Remember though, a diet of lentils and lettuce does not constitute a balanced vegetarian diet!