Olympic Athletes & Their Food: 10 Quirky Facts You Never Knew

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Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis follows this diet...

mostly plant-based. The American former track and field athlete had a legendary athletic career and attributed his best performances to when he was following a vegan or vegetarian diet, starting from 30 years old. He also said he got his protein from lots of lentils and beans. Lewis is just one of many Olympic athletes who follows a plant-based diet. "It's a myth that muscles, strength, and endurance require the consumption of large quantities of animal-based foods," he said.