Road Test: The Game Changer meat-free diet

After watching hit Netflix documentary The Game Changers, James Mortimer made huge changes.

Former NZ Commonwealth sprinter James Mortimer has always eaten meat. Could a Netflix documentary change his mind about where he gets his protein from?

The promise

Anyone who has grown up around sport, or has been lucky enough to make a career of it, knows the importance diet plays in ensuring you're in peak physical condition.

For me, that has always meant protein from meat, an array of veges and low-GI carbohydrates. It's the way I've always eaten and seen the best results in terms of performance.

But when I heard Lewis Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Australian Olympic 400m runner Morgan Mitchell had converted to veganism and vegetarianism, I decided to check out their stories on the Netflix documentary The Game Changers.

Their results were astounding: claims of reduced inflammation, increased performance and stamina and a host of other health benefits.

By simply reducing my meat intake and increasing sources of vegetable protein, could I feel better and reduce the pain and inflammation in my now-retired knees and joints?

The history

Ahead of school athletics days my parents, and plenty of others, would encourage us to add more meat and potatoes to our plate - what kid is going to say no to extra meat and less spinach?

We have long viewed a traditional meat-and-three-veg diet as a healthy way to live and generally consider meat as our main protein source.

Though the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics does recommend athletes often require more protein than your average person - in order to recover properly from higher activity loads - New Zealanders, in general, are eating six times more red meat than they should, according to OECD data.

Red meat consumption is recommended at just 16 grams a day. This equates to one small serving a week, according to an EAT-Lancet report, far less than the 35kg we consume individually each year.

Over the past decade, however, the amount we consume has declined and we are reportedly eating less beef and lamb in particular.

James Mortimer representing New Zealand in Queensland in 2016. Photo / Ryan Roselli

The science

The Game Changers documentary points to countless healthy eating studies being funded by food companies in the US that aim to make their product seem ideal for athletic performance.

Director of Yale University's Griffen Prevention Centre Dr David Katz contributed to the documentary and says: "The formula works beautifully for people selling food. It works beautifully for people selling drugs to treat the diseases that bad food causes."

Katz also argues that an animal-based diet, where foods such as meat, eggs and dairy are the foundation of most meals, decreases overall health, increases the risk of numerous diseases and reduces life expectancy.

"Conversely, the more plants you eat, the healthier you tend to be, decreasing your risk of many major diseases while increasing the quality and length of our lives."

In a paper published by the National Academy of Sciences USA, Marco Springmann of the Programme of Future Food at Oxford University, notes the effect reducing meat could have on mortality: "... unhealthy diets and high body weight are among the greatest contributors to premature mortality ... Transitioning toward more plant-based diets that are in line with standard dietary guidelines could reduce global mortality by 6–10 per cent."

A study led by researchers at the University of Auckland found that even so-called "moderate" amounts of red and processed meat increase our risk of bowel cancer, which kills three people every day in New Zealand.

As for inflammation, a 2015 study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that all 600 participants following a vegan diet for three weeks significantly reduced their C-reactive protein (CRP), a key marker for chronic inflammation.

Likewise, data from 17 studies published in the US edition of Public Health Nutrition found that following a vegetarian or vegan diet for two or more years was associated with lower CRP levels.

The reality

I was always the guy who asked: "Where's the meat?" and didn't feel fully satisfied if it was missing from a meal.

However, after just a week of meat-free eating where I instead ate legumes, mushrooms or meat-free alternatives like Quorn and Beyond Meat, I felt I had a lot more energy and the inflammation from years of high-performance sport appeared reduced.

Avid burger eater and ex-athlete James Mortimer tucks into meat-free eating. Photo / Getty Images

I decided in week two to take things further, changing to nut milk in my coffee and on my cereal.

I continued to feel alert and full of energy. The discomfort I've previously experienced from some exercise and carrying my 8-month-old son was also noticeably less.

The verdict

I eat vegetarian around 95 per cent of the time now, adopting a somewhat flexitarian diet which allows me some meat meals.

By doing this, it makes the change easy - if I want a burger while dining out, or chicken wings while watching football, I have them. It's about balance and enjoyment.

As a burger lover, alternative menu items like Burger King's new Rebel Burger certainly make the change tastier too.

I don't miss meat, which is surprising given my former life as a guy who based his diet around it.

Whether or not I could have gone meat-free when I was competing though, I'm honestly not sure.

While I recommend giving meat-free life a go to see how you feel, I also recommend doing your own research and speaking with your GP to see whether it suits your lifestyle and health goals.