For the benefit of those that are not from India, or from a cricket-playing nation, Ishant Sharma is a member of the Indian cricket team that recently beat the world-champions Australia at thier home-turf without breaking a sweat. Ishaant had a major contribution in this effort, and took 14 wickets in the series with an average just above 20.

Now this post is not about how good Ishaant did. It’s about his coach’s comments that he wants Ishaant to eat meat to put on some bulk.

http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?id=14618614

I find that disturbing. I guess he has no idea that noone really needs to eat meat. Take a look at  vegetarian body builder Mike Mahler’s comments in his site:

One of the biggest problems that people tell me about on a vegan diet is the difficulty in gaining muscle. They usually state that they could not find enough high calorie sources to consume to put on weight rapidly and got discouraged. The bottom line is that they were not consuming enough protein and fat. To gain weight rapidly, eat 1-1.5 grams of protein for each lb of lean bodyweight. Thus, if you weigh 200lbs and have 10% bodyfat, eat 190 to 285 grams of protein per day, every day. Start off on the lower end of the scale and work your way up.

Next, get an ample supply of quality fats in your diet. Almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and pistachios, are all high quality sources and are loaded with both protein and fat. Also, add a tablespoon of flaxseed oil to your salads and protein shakes. Next, unlike the weight loss advice, eat several servings of rice, potatoes, and bread. The key to gaining weight rapidly is an abundance of calories. Thus, do not hold back and have 6-7 high quality meals a day. Also consider having a protein shake before and after workout as well as before bedtime. When you go shopping load up on tofu, tempeh, lentils, avocadoes, nuts and seeds, and high calorie fruits such as bananas, tropical fruits, and try adding some coconut milk to your routine as well.

SO, there you go Mr. Coach, ask Ishaant to be what he believes in and guide him on what he needs to do on the field instead of coaching him about changing his diet. Well, at least that’s my opinion.