The Plant-Based Protein Swap That’s Keeping Me In Shape

I signed up for my first obstacle course race on a whim. It was during a time in my life when I wasn’t in shape, but doing it reignited the competitive spark I had in high school, so I signed up for more. It didn’t take long before I was competing in every obstacle course race in the area. I saw my body change, and I felt stronger than ever.

I’d been racing competitively for about two years when I tore my labrum from overtraining in 2015 and needed surgery. Recovery would take time because it involved my hip, but I told myself, in a couple months, I’ll be back at it. Fast forward three years later, and I’m coming up on my third hip surgery.

Going through a recovery process as an athlete, I prioritize making conscious choices about what I eat to help my body stay strong and perform to the best of its ability. I try to incorporate as much protein into my diet as I can to maintain muscle mass, which you can lose after surgery. My go-to way to get 10 grams of protein in a serving is Bolthouse Farms® Plant Protein Milk.

Incorporating plant-based protein into my diet helps me reach my goals, both big and small. In the past two years, fueling with plant protein has become easier and, importantly for me, more delicious than ever. I love using Bolthouse Farms Plant Protein Milk every day in my smoothies, coffee, and cereal for a boost of both protein and flavor.

These days, I’m listening to my body so much more and learning not to measure my strength based on how much I can lift, or how far I can run, or how long I can hold a plank. Strength is not just defined by your finishing time after a tough race—it’s what you can go through in your recovery process while working on your mental and emotional self as well as the physical.