I had also started a vegan diet. Not for myself, just to support my daughter (who lapsed early on and never went back). But as I worked out I noticed I started feeling more and more run down, even though I wasn't really working *that* hard. My muscles seemed to be recovering just fine, but my body as a whole was wearing out.
I didn't go to the gym the Friday before we left.
Saturday and Sunday in Las Vegas it was 20F at night and 35F in the day. We were in and out and in and out all weekend, mostly out and walking for miles and miles. By the time Monday rolled around I was full on sick.
Then I started thinking, and I don't think I have ever seen in any running magazine the suggestion to start a vegan diet. And it doesn't really make sense to: You need a lot of protein, you need a lot of carbs - that's why runners don't follow low carb diets either, we *burn* carbs. And I can't imagine that weight lifters follow vegan diets either.
So that diet is out. I'll continue to cut out most dairy, certainly cheese. I'll cut down on eggs unless I need them to cook. And I'll keep the meat down to chicken and fish, which I usually do anyway. But I'm not cutting meat out entirely, no matter what - and no matter what anyone else says.
I've been sick for a week now and not really any better than I was on day 2. I am certain that my body was completely run down and depleted of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy when I got the bug and it was able to dig in deep. I know you can live healthy on a vegan/vegetarian diet, but I am okay with the diet that I think is best with me.
All I'm saying is, don't start a vegan/vegetarian diet when you're working out hard unless you really know what you are doing. This was one of those "duh" mistakes that I won't make again.