The previous school of thought: In order to get big and strong, you need to eat meat, and lots of it. But now, tons of vegan and plant-based athletes are proving everyone wrong. In fact, recent research from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that vegan athletes get the benefit of a higher intake of carbohydrates, fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other micronutrients than omnivores. And all of that can contribute to prime performance, whether they're lifting weights or running miles.