Protein for Plant-Based Athletes: How Much You Really Need + My Daily Intake Breakdown

Greenletes Podcast

Greenletes Podcast
Protein for Plant-Based Athletes: How Much You Really Need + My Daily Intake Breakdown
Mar 17, 2026
Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD

Protein is everywhere right now, but how much do plant-based athletes actually need?

In this episode, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about protein on a plant-based diet, inspired by a question I’ve been getting a lot lately: “How much protein do you eat in a day?” I’ll share my real numbers (and how I figured them out), plus what they actually mean for performance, recovery, and body composition.

We’ll cover:

  • How to calculate your personal protein needs (without overcomplicating it)
  • Why plant-based athletes may need to think about protein a little differently
  • The truth about “incomplete” proteins (and why you don’t need to stress)
  • The best high-protein plant foods (and how to build balanced meals)
  • How to time your protein for better recovery and appetite control
  • Whether protein powders and “high-protein” products are worth it

 Want help putting this into practice? Join Fuel Better: Nutrition Coaching for Plant-Based Runners to get personalized guidance, meal frameworks, and support to fuel your training the right way. Get a month free now!

Have questions or want to request a show topic? DM us @greenletes

Check out Natalie's book 📕: Planted Performance



Episode Artwork Protein for Plant-Based Athletes: How Much You Really Need + My Daily Intake Breakdown 19:32 Episode Artwork The 3- Step Fueling Framework To Master Your Running Nutrition 21:31 Episode Artwork Electrolytes for Runners: How Much Sodium You Actually Need for Hydration & Performance 30:47 Episode Artwork How to Fuel on a Plant-Based Diet When You’re Too Busy to Meal Prep or Track: 3 Simple Principles To Follow 10:19 Episode Artwork Postpartum Running & Underfueling: What Most Moms Don’t Realize with Stephanie Darby, RD 48:57 Episode Artwork Ask Me Anything: Fat Intake, Soy Protein, Bone Healing & Post-Workout Headaches 27:07 Episode Artwork Do Plant-Based Runners Really Need Supplements? 20:48 Episode Artwork How to Tell If You’re Underfueling Your Runs (Even If You Eat Healthy) 20:24 Episode Artwork The Plant-Based Athlete Blueprint: The 5 Core Principles I Teach All My Runners 23:08 Episode Artwork From Surviving to Thriving: Lessons From 2025 and a Plant-Based Runner’s Game Plan for 2026 15:33 Episode Artwork Fuel or Fiction: The Biggest Running Nutrition Myths with Marathon Nutritionist Kristy Bauman, RD 39:08 Episode Artwork Philly Half Marathon Recap: The 4 Changes I Made To Run My Fastest Half Marathon In Years 26:30 Episode Artwork Unlocking The Joy In Fueling & Exercise: The Science Behind Happiness with Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN 41:18 Episode Artwork The Hidden Cost of Under-Fueling: Why Female Athletes Lose Their Periods & How To Get It Back with Reilly Beatty, MS, RD, CSSD 35:10 Episode Artwork How to Lose Weight Without Losing Performance: The Truth About Body Composition for Athletes with Alex Larson, MS, RD 42:18 Episode Artwork Fueling the New York City Marathon: Carb Loading, Race Day Breakfast & Plant-Based Tips 14:26 Episode Artwork How to Be a Faster, Stronger Runner, at Any Age with Claire Bartholic of The Planted Runner 40:38 Episode Artwork My Pulmonary Embolism Story: What I Learned After a Life-Threatening Postpartum Emergency 27:54 Episode Artwork Greenletes Is Back! What We've Been Up To & What’s Ahead for Plant-Based Athletes 7:55 Episode Artwork Should athletes monitor their blood sugar during exercise?-- with Erin Palinski-Wade RD, CDE, LDN, CPT 26:39 Episode Artwork A Deep Dive Into Iron & Athletes: Foot Strike Hemolysis & How Iron Relates To Cognitive Decline & Cancer-- with McKale Montgomery, PhD, RD 33:58 Episode Artwork The Psychological Side of Sport: How Your Mental State Affects Performance--with Dr. Kensa Gunter, PsyD, CMPC 29:44 Episode Artwork Nutrition for Mountain Sports: What Trail Runners, Ultra Runners, Hikers, Cyclists & Skiers Should Eat For Their Sport-- with Vic Johnson, MPH 36:49 Episode Artwork Answering your questions: vegan B12, metabolism, hunger on a plant-based diet & more 37:09 Episode Artwork Why (and how) mental fitness should be part of every athlete's training--with Sun Sachs 37:32