gym-going vegan questioning popular protein beliefs

[Nym]

hey there.

i've been living vegetarian for the last three years, excluding a rare trip to visit my parents' farm in Falmouth, VA. i grew up on this farm and recently moved to Redwood City, California. Once i could no longer get any of the home grown dairy, eggs and meat which i occasionally would enjoy, i had no interest in participating in the unsustainable and outright nasty factory animal scene.

i moved to Redwood City and now i work as an Americorps volunteer in an elementary school. this was a good opportunity for me to go vegan, and so far it's been so, so good. it's been incredibly easy. i am always hungry, and i'm always eating. foodstamps give me ample funds with which to buy fruits, vegetables, and tons of dried rice, beans, etc.

i got a gym membership and have been enjoying going to work out and run. i am 23 years old, 160 pounds and 5 feet 11 inches tall. i'm a male human, lucky enough to have good genes and a nurtured predisposition toward healthy foods. right now i'm probably in the best shape i've ever been, and it's fantastic.

i'm training for "parkour," a type of martial art where you essentially run away from your opponent and allow him to sustain horrible injury as he tries to catch you. it's a nice philosophy which lines up well with some of the vegan principles i've come across - what is the most efficient way to get from point A to B? what kind of dietary judgment should i use in order to be my strongest?

however, this is my first gym membership. i will be seeing a trainer on Thursday to help me build a routine and give me some other advice. he will be telling me - you need this protein shake and that one, and in general you will need to supplement your diet with protein.

i do not believe this. i am an intuitive eater, and i feel that my body tells me quite accurately what i need. i've read about what to eat before/after the gym, and so i gear accordingly. before, i eat oatmeal with a banana mushed into it and a little bit of peanut butter/lot of cinnamon/flax seed to accommodate other necessary bits n pieces. after working out, i return to a bubbling slow cooker full of a bean/lentil/vegetable stew, or some other high protein-low fat dinner. all is mawed upon with lots of water/green tea/chamomile

otherwise, i enjoy loads of brown rice/barley combo with stir fried/steamed vegetables. i am a massive fan of quinoa, either as a rice replacement or simply served with pesto. i eat tofu, as well, and make a lot of hummus. only two of the meals that i eat on a weekly basis lack protein - one, the quick "tired after a long day" spaghetti and tomato sauce, and two, an eggplant jicama and spinach sandwich.

i'm not going to the gym to "get big," i'm going to become a more efficient, toned human being. i am not seeking to gain so much muscle as increase its density and endurance.

any input on this massive first post would be appreciated.
thanks for your time
nym