Being an athlete, you have to consider whether your meals have enough of everything you need. As a vegetarian, you are forced to be creative, which I find makes me more adventurous with my cooking. Following a strict diet based on performance can be tedious, but because I enjoy the variety of my diet, it makes it easier to follow. ... If any cyclists are thinking of becoming vegetarian, then I would suggest giving it a go. There's definitely no harm in trying it! Be prepared to be experimental and open to new foods – you can't just take out meat from your existing meals, you need to learn new ways of eating.