The use of the term “plant-based” diet has been incredibly popular and trendy, especially in recent years. However, “plant-based” has no explicit definition. The term can be used to describe anything from vegan to semi-vegetarian—meaning a diet may include limited amounts of animals foods including fish, dairy, and meat.

For the sake of avoiding confusion and keeping this article concise, I will define plant-based as an eating pattern that is exclusively based on plant foods such as grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds (AKA a vegan diet).

In this article, I’ll introduce you to the concept of plant-based eating as a climber, review some important areas of focus, and offer some basic tips on how to optimize your plant-based (or vegan) diet so that you feel and perform your best!

This is not a discussion on ethics, or a persuasive essay on plant-based eating. This is strictly a source of information for climbers interested in transitioning to or optimizing their vegan diet, because making any changes to a diet needs to be done so healthfully.

While a plant-based diet can seem simple enough at first glance, there are some potential nutritional obstacles that can keep you from feeling your best.

With a little planning, transitioning to or optimizing a plant-based eating style is not difficult at all. Every person is different and a diet that is 100% plant-based may not be feasible for everyone, however, plant foods offer great health benefits, and almost every one out there can benefit from consuming more of them!

Optimizing Your Plant-Based Diet

The concept of eating plant-based seems simple enough. Fewer animal products, more plants, right? It’s nearly that simple. However, there are a few things to consider about your diet as a plant-based athlete to ensure that you are properly nourished and adequately fueled:

1. Understanding your caloric needs
2. Getting all the micronutrients your body requires for optimal function
3. A general understanding of macronutrients
4. Your meal timing

Let’s take a closer look at these things…

UNDERSTANDING YOUR CALORIC NEEDS

Chances are, if you’re reading this article you’re at least a relatively active individual. Your body goes through a lot when you’re training, climbing or exercising. Therefore, eating both before and after your climbing or training session is likely going to help you perform and recover better. 

Depending on the length of your training or climbing session, eating during your session is important as well to keep your energy levels high and reduce the likelihood of bonking, or running out of energy. 

Consuming balanced meals throughout the rest of the day containing adequate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat is incredibly important — even on your rest days. 

Sufficient energy consumption is critical for:

• Maximizing the effects of your training
• Promoting adequate tissue repair for recovery
• Maintaining or promoting lean body mass
• Meeting your overall nutrient needs

Let’s chat about under-fueling… It’s not uncommon to under-fuel as a plant-based individual, as it can be unintentional. Here are some ways we unintentionally under-fuel as climbers.

1) Too much fiber and food volume

Plant foods are typically bulkier in volume and contain higher amounts of fiber, so they tend to fill you up pretty quickly. This can be a useful tool in some cases such as weight management, but as an athlete this can potentially be a detriment to your health or performance. Sometimes we need to focus on consuming more calorically-dense or lower-fiber foods in order to meet our energy needs before filling up on lower-calorie vegetables and fiber.

For instance, instead of eating a big leafy green salad with some beans for protein, consider adding tofu or tempeh for adequate protein, in addition to complex carbs (such as quinoa, brown rice, farro, sweet potatoes, beans), and some fat in the form of nuts, seeds, avocado, and/or an extra virgin olive oil based salad dressing.

These additions will not only add more nutrients to your meal, but will make it more satisfying and satiating because your body is getting the energy it needs to sustain itself. It’s easy to fill up on vegetables, but ultimately this can leave you feeling sluggish, depleted of energy, and potentially bloated or digestively upset.

2) Not consuming the right type of fuel

Additionally, healthy eating and eating adequately are not mutually exclusive. While getting the majority of our nourishment from whole, nutrient-dense foods is extremely important, it’s equally important to make sure that we are achieving sufficient energy intake to support our training and recovery. Some of the foods we are generally taught by the media to be “unhealthy” are actually incredibly important to proper fueling as climbers!

So, in order to ensure that we are not under-fueling, and that we are providing the right source of energy at the right time (will cover this more in depth below), we sometimes need to consume more processed forms of foods around our training or performance efforts. These foods are not “bad”—they are simply less nutrient-rich.

Of course, ultra-processed foods should be minimized at a population level as they are easy to over-consume and there are health consequences for eating them in excess. When the vast majority of your diet consists of ultra-processed foods, you lack vital nutrients in your diet that keep your body healthy and functioning optimally.

Processed food is an ambiguous term. While the topic can be a whole article in and of itself, the best thing to know is that processed foods exist on a spectrum from minimally processed to ultra-processed. Generally speaking, the more processed a food becomes, sometimes the less nutrient-dense it becomes. But this isn’t always true – Processing and nutritional value do not necessarily have a linear relationship. From a nutritional standpoint, even some ultra-processed foods can provide key nutrients. For example, protein powder is considered ultra-processed, but it can be a very useful and healthful food.

> Some examples of unprocessed/minimally processed foods (foods that are obtained directly from plants or animals and do not undergo any alteration): whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables, fresh or pasteurized dairy milk or yogurt without sugar, nuts without salt or sugar, raw meats, fresh and dried herbs, eggs, beans and legumes, etc.

> Processed foods (products manufactured by industry with the use of salt, sugar, oils, or other substances added to natural or minimally processed foods): cooked vegetables, cooking oils, vinegar, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, freshly made cheeses, freshly made bread, beef jerky, canned fish, nut and seed butters with added salt and sugar, tofu, hummus, pasta, pasta sauce, plant-based milks, butter, honey, etc.

>Ultra-processed foods (made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods, derived from food constituents, or synthesized in laboratories from food substrates or other organic sources): pre-prepared (packaged) fish or meat or vegetables, packaged breads, chocolate, pre-prepared burgers or sausages, dairy milks, sweetened juices, sugary drinks, crackers, chips, fruit snacks, breakfast cereals, luncheon meats, protein powder, protein bars, etc.

For more information on processed food classifications, read this reference adapted from NOVA Food Classification system which was designed by Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, School of Public Health,
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

3) Exercise-induced reduced appetite

Another unintentional way that we under-fuel as climbers is that we sometimes experience a reduced appetite during or after training. It’s not an uncommon occurrence. When we exercise, our body’s temperature increases, and we have surges of stress hormones which suppress our appetite hormones. This mechanism can last for a few hours after training, which can be problematic especially with athletes who are training for long periods of time or multiple sessions a day, putting them at risk of low energy availability (LEA).

In a nutshell, LEA, or low energy availability, occurs when calorie intake is insufficient to meet the demands of both exercise and basic physiological functions like growth and development, muscle recovery, hormonal functioning, and more. Many adverse health and performance effects can occur, such as decreased performance, excessive soreness, fatigue, recurring injuries, menstrual dysfunction, lowered bone density, compromised immune health, etc.

LEA can develop due to a climber’s intense exercise regimen or large energy expenditure coupled with a decrease in appetite due to exercise. Essentially, you are over-training and under-eating. A general recommendation to avoid LEA is to eat enough to cover your basal metabolic needs in addition to your non-exercise and exercise activity. Make sure you’re eating regular meals all throughout the day, pay attention to the structure of your meals including protein, carbs, and fats, and include a proper pre-training and/or post-training snack.

4) Tight schedules

Lastly, many of us have hectic schedules that sometimes do not allow enough time to cook or eat! So, we end up grabbing whatever is the most convenient item or skipping/going long periods of time in between meals. This is why meal prepping and planning can be extremely beneficial.

While you don’t HAVE to meal prep, there are a myriad of benefits:

• Supports consistent food intake & ensures you don’t under-fuel
• Consolidates tasks, and therefore saves you time
• Lessens your stress about daily food labor
• Helps prevent feelings of food scarcity
• Saves you money by decreasing takeout & delivery costs

If knowing how to meal prep is a struggle for you, consider asking yourself these questions:

• What type of meal sounds good to you?
• What vegetables do you actually enjoy eating?
• What is your source of protein, carbs, and fats in the meal you want to prep?
• What do you have time or skills to prepare?
• What do you already know how to make?
• What leftovers do you look forward to eating?
• What is quick and simple?
• How can you use core ingredients in different ways?
• What can you access and afford?

These questions should help guide you in your decision making and hopefully help remove some mental or emotional barriers that you have. Again, you don’t HAVE to meal prep, and I won’t pretend to know your unique circumstances, but the benefits are plentiful and will help you align with your health and performance-related goals.

Meeting energy needs is the first nutritional priority for athletes, yet this need is often neglected! Your body requires energy to function, so neglecting these needs is a recipe for disaster.

Our daily energy needs vary considerably among individual athletes and depend on many factors such as your sex, body size, current body composition, body composition trajectory, training regimen, and non-training activity patterns. 

Consuming adequate (or above adequate) calories and getting the proper energy intake your body needs has the benefits of:

• Increased energy and mood
• Better recovery and sleep
• Better performance and training gains
• Increased muscle mass

Having some knowledge of how much energy you need to function in your basic, everyday activities in addition to training for your climbing goals should help you meet those energy needs and consume a healthy, well-balanced diet.

In adults, the daily energy requirements are made up of various components, including the energy needed to maintain normal body functions (BMR), digest food, support training and non-training activities, and support recovery from exercise.

In a lot of cases, your daily energy requirements are often higher than you think they are as a climber. Working with a nutrition professional can help you get a firm grasp on your individual needs.

MICRONUTRIENTS

Vitamins and minerals are classified as micronutrients—in contrast to the macronutrients carbohydrate, protein, and fat—because the body needs them in smaller quantities. However, that doesn’t make them unimportant. Getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals is critical for both overall health and athletic performance!

Both vitamins and minerals are key regulators of numerous bodily functions, many of which are critical for exercise and performance, such as energy generation and maintenance of skeletal health. Many vitamins and minerals also play a role in immune function and help protect cells from oxidative damage.

Most vegetarian diets can meet their need for vitamins and minerals by consuming a diet that provides adequate energy and consists of a variety of wholesome, nutrient dense foods (e.g., whole grains, legumes, leafy greens and other vegetables, fruit, and if acceptable, dairy and eggs). 

However, some climbers make chronically poor food choices resulting in a poor intake of certain vitamins and minerals, and others may be at risk for deficiencies if they chronically restrict food intake, are dieting, or avoid certain food groups. 

For vegan or plant-based climbers in particular, you’ll want to keep an eye on: 

• Iron
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B12
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Calcium
• Omega-3’s (DHA/EPA)
• Iodine

These nutrients are found in lesser amounts in plant foods, and must be thoughtfully and strategically planned into the diet to ensure the overall nutritional adequacy of your diet. Once you get the hang of it though, including these things in your eating pattern will become second-nature to you and you won’t have to think about it again.

Here is where you can find some of the above nutrients:

• Iron: lentils, chickpeas, spinach, quinoa, tofu, chickpea, peas, dark chocolate, fortified foods, etc. Extra tip: Try to cook them in a cast-iron skillet, and/or pair these foods with a source of vitamin C for optimal absorption, such as red bell pepper, citrus foods, broccoli, etc.
• Zinc: beans, chickpeas, lentils, walnuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, oats, tofu, spinach, etc.
• Selenium: brasil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, wholegrains, tofu, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.
• Calcium: calcium-fortified tofu, plant milks and yogurts are the best sources for vegans. Other useful sources include kale, tahini, dried figs, almonds, etc.
• Omega-3’s (DHA/EPA): chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemps seeds, walnuts, etc. This is a challenging one to achieve optimal intake, so sometimes an algae-based omega-3 supplement may be necessary.
• Iodine: seaweed and iodized salt. Another challenging one – a dietary supplement can typically be useful here.

NOTE: I didn’t include vitamin D and vitamin B12 above because the only reliable sources of them for vegans are fortified foods and dietary supplements. Vitamin B12 can only be found in animal-based foods – plant foods do not produce it, so fortified foods and supplements are the only proven reliable source (yes nutritional yeast contains B12. No, it will not supply an adequate amount).

Optimal vitamin D can be difficult for anyone to get regardless of their dietary preferences, so a supplement may be necessary, but it’s important to check the public health advice in your country and get your blood levels checked. Also, keep in mind that vitamin D supplements are not always vegan-friendly, so if that’s something that’s important to you, then you’ll need to check and make sure it’s coming from a vegan-friendly source.

In particular, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and iron should especially be monitored on a vegan diet. Getting these lab tested is an important part of understanding the status of your current health and how it is changing over time as the foods you consume and your overall lifestyle shift.

MACRONUTRIENTS

Macronutrients are the different building blocks that make up the calories in the food that we consume. There are three main food macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. They are all equally important and necessary for optimal health!

Depending on your goals, how much you want to consume of each macronutrient can vary. No matter what your goal is, however, each macronutrient is important, and most active climbers do not gain anything through restriction.

Here is a brief breakdown of each macronutrient:

PROTEIN

Protein provides amino acids, which are building blocks that are needed to form the structural basis of most of the body’s tissue, including skeletal muscle, tendons, hormones, enzymes, red blood cells, and immune cells. Protein is necessary for building and maintaining muscle by aiding in repairing muscle damage after training. As an athlete, it’s essential for recovery and building strength!

If you are plant-based, do not fall victim to the myth that you don’t need to pay attention to your protein intake. As athletes, climbers require more protein than sedentary individuals. 

Excellent sources of protein for vegan climbers to focus on: tofu, tempeh, lentils, bean-based pastas, edamame, soy curls, beyond or impossible meat, protein powder, etc.

Notice I didn’t include beans, nuts, or seeds in the list above. These foods are excellent to include in your diet, but you have to consume relatively large amounts of them to obtain the proper amount of protein you need.

Foods such as beans/legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc., are great ways to add to the protein content of your meals and top off your nutrient needs, but they shouldn’t always be the protein ‘focus’ of every single one of your meals.

Intake

Depending on your goals, the typical protein range is 1.6 – 2.2g/kg bodyweight/day. For a 150lb climber, that’s anywhere from 110-150 g of protein. There is microscopic, if any, benefit above 2g/kg bodyweight.

Further protein considerations for plant-based individuals:

• Consume enough leucine: Consume leucine-rich sources of protein with every meal (aiming for 2-3 grams per meal). Leucine plays a role in muscle protein synthesis, promoting recovery and adaptation from exercise. The richest sources of leucine comes from animal foods, but leucine can be obtained in smaller amounts from tofu, tempeh, lentils, oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, etc. If it’s unreasonable to consume enough leucine through the consumption of whole foods, you can consider a supplement with your meals. A good, quality plant-protein powder should contain an adequate amount of leucine as well.
• Supplement with creatine: Creatine serves as an energy substrate for muscle contractions and is typically found in meat and fish. While our bodies make a small amount of creatine, vegans/vegetarians have lower amounts of creatine in their body, due to a lack of animal products, and can therefore benefit from supplementing.
• Lower digestibility rate: It’s a fact that plant proteins have a slightly lower digestibility rate than animal protein. Consuming approximately up to 10% more protein than omnivores can help account for the lower digestibility if you want to be extra cautious, but this is not particularly necessary.
• Enjoy soy foods: Soy protein is highly digestible, is a high-quality protein supplying a wide variety of amino acids, and is a safe and nutrient-dense source of protein. Please enjoy soy-based foods daily, if you would like to do so.

CARBOHYDRATE

Carbohydrates provide most of the energy we need! They properly fuel our muscles and brain, helping to optimize our training, performance and health.

Plant-based diets are sometimes naturally carbohydrate packed, as carbohydrates are obtained from foods such as fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, etc. That being said, bad training or performance days can occur if you don’t understand the importance of carbohydrate as fuel.

Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver, and help prevent muscle breakdown during exercise. Muscle and whole-body fatigue develop at about the same time that glycogen stores become low. Meaning, carbohydrates typically increase your capacity to exercise longer before exhaustion.

Aside from their fueling aspect in athletes, carbohydrates provide fiber, which improves blood glucose and insulin sensitivity, aids in lowering cholesterol, promotes a healthy microbiome, and helps you feel satiated after eating.

Additionally, fruits and vegetables provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals which the body needs to maintain good health.

Intake

Carbohydrate intake is highly variable and depends on several factors including your body size, age, non-exercise activity (such as standing, walking, cooking, cleaning, running errands, fidgeting, etc), health history, dietary preferences, stress, the fuel demands of your training and your training adaptation and body composition goals, etc. 

While we should focus most of our energy on obtaining carbohydrates from whole food sources, carbs in their more “processed” or packaged forms provide a quick source of energy when/if needed, can help individuals reach their carbohydrate or caloric needs without filling up on fiber, and can be enjoyed in a balanced diet. 

The right mix for a plant-based athlete is typically one that includes both whole grains and some more-processed versions of carbohydrate.

Not all carbohydrates are created equal! Different carbs eaten during exercise may be utilized at different rates. Ideally, the carbohydrate you consume during exercise is rapidly emptied from the stomach, does not need digestion or is digested very quickly, is absorbed quickly, and can be used immediately by muscle.

Here are some examples of different types of carbohydrate:

Whole, complex carbs that are high in starch, fiber and nutrients that are great for overall health include: potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread or pasta, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, beans, lentils, old fashioned rolled or steel cut oats, some fruits, etc.

Carbs that are lower in fiber and are digested more quickly include: white rice, white pasta, granola, graham crackers, animal crackers, pretzels, Rice Krispies, some fruits, etc.

Simple carbs that are rapidly digested include: cookies, honey, energy gels, sports drinks, gummies, fruit snacks, anything made with sugar, etc.

If life were a video game—like Super Smash Brothers—I like to think of carbs as a whole as your main weapon, but the more processed forms of carbs or simple sugars as your special attack. 😉

Determining EXACTLY how much you need involves trial and error and might vary according to your training or performance sessions.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for carbohydrate is 130 grams per day for anyone over the age of one year, which is a number based on the amount of glucose required for optimal brain and nervous system function. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Medicine recommends that ~45-65% of total calories we consume each day should come from quality carbohydrates (whole grains, veggies, etc). For example, if our daily energy need is 2000 calories, it would be recommended that we consume 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrate per day.

For most climbers, the sweet spot is typically 3-6 grams of carbs per kg of BW per day. Sometimes more. Rarely less. For a 5’10” man weighing 175 lbs, that’s anywhere from 238 – 477 grams of carbohydrate. (You can find your weight in kg by dividing your weight in lbs by 2.2). Again, these numbers are going to depend on a multitude of factors mentioned above.

FAT

Fat is a necessary component of your diet! It provides essential fatty acids and associated nutrients such as vitamins E, A, and D, and aids in the absorption and transport of not only these nutrients but other fat-soluble phytochemicals found in plant foods as well.

Fats play an important role in growth, development, cell function, nerve function, energy and energy storage, immune function, healthy skin, and maintaining healthy levels of hormones.

While dietary fat is essential for our overall health, large amounts of fat should typically be avoided before or during a high intensity training or performance session. Fats cannot be metabolized by the body fast enough to produce energy to maintain high intensities. Fat also slows digestion, and is more difficult for the body to break down, leading to potential digestive discomfort.

Intake

The amount of fat in your diet should make up the remainder of energy intake after protein and carbohydrate needs are met. A general recommendation is 0.7-1.2g/kg BW and preferably no less than 20% of total calories. For the 5’10” man weighing 175 lbs, that looks like 56-96 grams of fat per day.

Some individuals like to skew the amount of fat they consume based on training vs rest days — i.e. leaning a little more heavily on fats on rest days, and leaning more heavily on carbohydrate on performance/training days. This is all up to personal preference and intake recommendations can vary. 

If we were to speak in minimums, however, consistently eating less than 20% of your total energy from fats can cause sex hormone production to slow or stop, negatively impact lean body mass retention, strength, fertility, libido, mood, energy levels and sleep. A good place to start would be 1g/kg BW/day.

Great sources include: avocados, olives, extra virgin olive oil (or any type of oil), nuts, seeds, soy foods, etc.

FUEL TIMING

Consuming the right food before, during and after your training or performance efforts can be highly beneficial for optimizing training or performance. The goal of timing your nutrition is to provide fuel for the brain and exercising muscles, help prevent dehydration, and provide the building blocks for recovery. 

BEFORE A SESSION

Ideally, when we eat a meal before a performance event or training session, the goal is to provide just the right amount of carbohydrate, fluid and protein to prevent hunger, low blood sugar, and stomach or intestinal discomfort.

If consumed three to four hours before exercise, a high-carb meal can restock glycogen stores in the muscles. If consumed half an hour to two hours before exercise, carbohydrate may serve as a supplemental fuel in addition to your muscle and liver glycogen stores. 

A good strategy is to aim to consume 1-4g/kg carbohydrate in the 1-4 hours prior to your workout, depending on the intensity in which you intend to train or perform. How much improvement you can expect from eating a pre-session meal can depend on things like how long and intensely you plan to train or perform, how well you’ve eaten in the preceding days, whether you plan to fuel during exercise, and your choice of carbohydrate.

Consume a larger carbohydrate meal (providing 1-4g/kg BW) three to four hours before exercise, and/or a small meal or snack (providing 1-2g/kg BW) one to two hours before exercise. 

If it’s been a while since your last meal or snack and you need something a little extra, a 15-30g carbohydrate snack may be consumed with water 5-20 minutes before exercise. This is a great time to consume more “simple”, “processed” or packaged forms of carbohydrate.

DURING A SESSION

Consume around ~15-60g/hr of carbohydrate for intense training or exercise lasting ~120 minutes or longer to minimize the risk of decreased glycogen availability: aka reduce the likelihood of ‘bonking’ or running out of energy, and to perform better for longer. You can initiate this shortly after the start of exercising.

If you plan to be outside climbing, projecting, or performing most of the day, include a meal with moderate protein and moderate fat to help keep your energy levels stabilized and prevent under-fueling, along with your 15-60g/hr of carbohydrate.

If you’re sweating a lot, try to drink enough fluid to maintain body weight. If you can’t accomplish this, drink as much as you can tolerate to help you prevent a decline in performance. An easy way to optimize hydration is by drinking small amounts every 15-20 minutes.

AFTER SESSION

The goal of a post-exercise meal is to provide the nutrients necessary for recovery and training adaptation by consuming a mixed meal providing carbohydrate and protein soon after a strenuous performance or training session.

If you plan to exercise or train again in the next ~8 hours, carbohydrate intake of 0.7g/kg BW 20 to 30 minutes after initial exercise is recommended to help restore muscle glycogen levels and enhance muscle recovery and muscle protein synthesis. 

Consuming protein along with carbohydrate after training supplies the necessary amino acids to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Aim to consume 20-30g protein, or 0.25-0.3g/kg BW for a more exact target, anywhere from 30 minutes – 1 hour after training depending on when your last protein feeding was, and how soon your next full/balanced meal is.

TLDR?

The closer you are to your workout, it’s probably better to have a quick digesting carb with low fiber and fat content (aim for less than ~5 g of fat or fiber) to ensure quick digestion. The further away from your training, it’s wise to eat something higher in fiber to slow digestion and make sure you get to your workout with higher energy levels (whole grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc). Make sure you get adequate protein within a few hours before and after training.

THE TAKEAWAY

At the end of the day, the “perfect” diet does not exist, especially when you factor in that food is not only fuel. It is pleasure, culture, celebration, tradition, family, connection, memories, etc. 

If you subscribe to a plant-based or vegan diet, or are interested in transitioning to one, make sure you’re doing so under the influence of your own personal values. If you’re not, the likelihood that your diet will be sustainable long-term is slim. 

Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that whole food plant-based (or vegan) diets are not inherently healthy. Meaning, if the diet is poorly designed or not managed appropriately, this can impact your athletic performance and overall health. 

Luckily, you can follow a plant-based/vegan diet while still eating optimally for health and performance—it just takes a bit of education and planning initially.

Over time, as you implement the principles outlined in the article above, you will become more and more confident in the changes that you’re making and eventually, they will shift from requiring daily attention to being effortless parts of your lifestyle!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shaina Savoy is a Nutrition Therapist Master and passionate rock climber living in Las Vegas, Nevada. While she thrives on a vegan diet herself, her main objective is helping climbers excel at their sport with an adequately-fueled diet. She firmly believes diet is a personal matter–everyone’s dietary needs are different in the same way that everyone’s bodies are different. She believes that everyone deserves to feel empowered when making decisions with their nutrition and that they deserve to enjoy a balanced, sustainable relationship with food.

Shaina currently works with climbers interested in fine-tuning their nutrition and fueling smarter to climb harder! She does remote coaching and can work with anyone from anywhere in the world. Her 1-month nutrition coaching package includes: a 60-minute initial video consult with a 30-minute follow up mid-month, and unlimited text or email support all throughout.

You can apply to work with her here.