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Fitness-focused vegan Dénes Marton recently set out to explore just how real protein panic can get during a one-week group trip to Costa Rica. In a recent video on his YouTube channel Daynesh, he documents his effort to stay fueled and fit without relying on protein powders or bars while hiking, exploring, and eating his way through the country.
“Have you ever felt anxious about going on vacation because it would throw off your diet?” he asks early in the video. “Especially as a vegan, it can feel like getting enough food, especially protein, can be a challenge. Like, am I going to die?”
Read more: 5 Practical Travel Tips From A Vegan Explorer
From the outset, Marton sets a personal challenge: enjoy the local food, skip the supplements, stay active, and see if he can maintain (or even build) muscle by the end of the trip. “At the end of the week I’ll go to the gym,” he says. “And we’ll see if I lost any muscle.”
A trip packed with hikes, animals, and rice and beans
The adventure begins at a vegan hotel, where Marton seems optimistic. “For the beginning of the trip, we’ll be eating at least here in the hotel…let’s see what they got for us.” At breakfast, he loads up on the traditional gallo pinto (rice and beans), a tofu scramble, vegan bacon, tortilla, fruit, and soy milk coffee. “Tofu is super packed with protein,” he says. He adds soy milk to his coffee and highlights what a great source of protein that is too.
Fueled by this hearty meal, the group of vegan travelers heads off for a volcanic hike at Parque Arenal. Later, a packed lunch reveals a mixed bag: hummus and veggie sandwiches, some with chickpeas. “Let’s see what our protein options are here. So a lot of people don’t know this, but white bread actually is like decent in protein…hummus is going to have protein.”
Not all meals hit the mark. “The first sandwich I showed you might be one of the saddest lunches I ever had.” Juice and fruit at the suspension bridge park don’t help much either: “There isn’t much protein in that…that’s tea.”
At one point, after a full day of hiking and little protein, Marton jokes: “This might be the day that I die.”
Still, Costa Rica makes an impression. “The nature here…is just incredible. It’s one of the best places I’ve ever been…every day is just more impressive than the last.”
Do you really need to stress over protein?
Late in the video, Marton interviews a fellow traveler who’s been vegan longer than Marton has been alive.
“What tips would you have for anybody who is nervous about getting enough protein while they’re traveling as a vegan?” Marton asks.
The answer is clear: “Don’t be nervous. It’s a nonissue, really. I’ve been doing this for 35 years. I’ve never counted calories…you eat a whole food plant-based diet and you get enough calories, there’s no way you can become protein deficient.”
He adds: “The real challenge would be trying to develop a plant-based diet that is lacking in protein…assuming you get enough calories. I think that’s the biggest mistake: people don’t eat enough. You gotta love eating if you’re going to be whole food plant-based. It’s easy, just eat when you’re hungry. Eat until you’re full.”
Marton admits the conversation gets to him. “That chat had me thinking, maybe I did get enough protein on the trip.”
The gym test – and the unexpected truth
At his next stop, Mexico, Marton hits the gym to test whether the trip damaged his gains. He’s nervous – the elevation in Mexico City is high, and he worries about his breath during bench press. But not only does he hit his usual weight, he sets personal records.
“That was kind of easy actually…I haven’t hit 80 kilos in over a year and a half,” he says, stunned. “That’s a PR for the last two years. Hell yeah!”
In the end, Marton lands on the same conclusion as his long-time vegan travel buddy: “Despite what seemed like I wasn’t getting enough protein on the trip, it turns out I was. Lesson learned. Sometimes we obsess and worry so much about protein, but the reality is, as long as you’re eating enough food, you’re probably getting enough.”
Bottom line? Stop stressing. Eat enough. Enjoy your trip.
For more content on plant protein and vegan travel, check out Marton’s YouTube channel.
Read more: A Day Of High-Protein Vegan Meals – Featuring Homemade Seitan
