Click HERE to Find Out How You Can
Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants
A
shift is starting in mainstream nutrition. Health-conscious bodybuilders and
athletes are moving towards vegan diets for building muscle.
Vegan
bodybuilding is all the rage these days.
As
concerns over environmental damage, health effects, and animal cruelty
associated with factory farming continue to grow, many laypersons, health
professionals, and athletes are advocating a shift to plant-based nutrition.
Among
their ranks are professional vegan bodybuilders like Torre Washington,
vegan bikini competitor Samantha Shorkey and former Ms. Bikini
Universe Marzia Prince, vegan strongman competitors like world record
holder Patrik Baboumiam, and vegan professional athletes like David
Carter (defensive lineman – Oakland Raiders). These athletes and others
like them are giving us a glimpse at the future of fitness….and the future
looks plant-based.
Clearly, professional vegan athletes are kicking some serious butt on the world’s stage.
Even Arnold
Schwarzenegger, the greatest bodybuilder of all time, recently made a statement
about how we should try to go part-time vegetarian.
If
you’re ready to take your bodybuilding to the next level, follow the advice of
the pros and give a vegan diet a try. You might be amazed at the
difference.
The Basics
of Vegan Muscle-Building
When
you look at the facts, a vegan bodybuilding diet makes lots of sense.
In fact, it’s not that different from a meat-based bodybuilding plan.
To build muscle (or to lose fat), the meal plan for a vegan and a meat-eater are
essentially the same in terms of nutrient and caloric intake. It
all boils down to dialing in your macronutrient intake to the right ratio,
based on your fitness goals (and physical/biological status).
Essentially,
there are three steps for building muscle mass with vegan foods.
First,
building muscle requires taking in a protein and caloric surplus (eating more calories
than you burn metabolically and through exercise) from healthy whole food
sources like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans/nuts.
Second,
you will also need to create the demand for more muscle through intense weight
training.
Finally,
you will need adequate rest to fully heal and recover (rest is when we
technically get stronger).
What is a
Whole-food, Plant-based Diet?
The
key to successful veganism isn’t shoving your face with chips and
Oreos instead of steak, instead, it’s all about eating a plant-based, whole-food diet filled with all the
nutrients your body craves.
In essence, a
whole-food, plant-based diet is centered on whole, minimally refined plants. It’s a diet
based on vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains—and it excludes
(or minimizes) meat, dairy, and eggs, as well as highly refined foods like
bleached flour, refined sugar, and oil.
The
key to success with a plant-based diet is knowing your daily
macronutrient needs.
Planned
meals with appropriate macronutrient ratios will build strength and muscle for
most bodybuilders and athletes, regardless of their diet. When a variety of
whole foods of sufficient quantity is consumed daily, vegetarian bodybuilders easily can meet their
macronutrient requirements from plant-based sources.
How Many Calories
Do I Need?
Daily
calorie requirements for bodybuilders will vary depending on your age, weight,
fitness goals and gender.
Here’s
an example:
Age:
35
Sex:
Male
Height:
6’0”
Activity:
5+ days per week
Goal:
Gain 2lbs of muscle per week
This person should
consume 4,184 calories.
To
calculate your daily calories, visit: MyPlate Calculator
How
Much Fat Should I Consume?
Fat is essential for many body functions, including hormone
production. A good rule is to consume 0.5 grams (or less) of fat per pound of bodyweight. For
our 210lb vegetarian bodybuilder, this means 105g or a little lower is ideal
(no lower than 75g or 80g).
Again, the goal here is to target whole foods as your source.
Fats from nuts, seeds, and especially avocados are ideal.
Protein Needs for Vegan Bodybuilders
A major concern for many bodybuilders contemplating going vegan
is protein. Top athletes frequently worry that plant-based foods won’t provide
them with enough, but creating a muscle-building vegan meal plan is easier than
you think.
People always ask me how I get my protein and then look at me
funny when I tell them, “Food.”
A vegan diet of dark green, leafy vegetables, fruits,
rice, or pasta provides protein levels more than sufficient to add
or maintain muscle, although creatine and iron may need to be
supplemented. Plant-based protein powders are also high-quality sources of
protein and can help fill in the gaps for vegetarian bodybuilders.
Consumption of plant protein, as opposed to animal protein, has
also been shown to have positive benefits like retarding cancer,
reducing atherosclerosis, increasing insulin sensitivity (preventing fat gain),
and protecting against degenerative diseases.
The idea is to consume more protein-dense whole foods like
seeds, nuts, beans, and whole grains. They tend to be the most calorie-dense
plant foods, and calories are a precious part of the equation when it comes to
vegetarian bodybuilding.
Most vegan foods contain protein, and so long as you eat
enough throughout the day, you will get all the amino acids required to build
muscle. From there, you can simply supplement your protein (and
macronutrient) deficit with protein shakes like many other bodybuilders.
How
Much Protein Do I Need to Build Muscle?
To build muscle with a vegan diet, you should start
with one gram of protein per pound of body weight. So, if you weigh 210lbs
and want to weigh 220lb, try to consume 220 grams of protein daily (your
kidneys will be fine).
“I know vegan bodybuilders who need more protein, and I know
some that need less. It’s about discovering your personal numbers to hit
through meticulous journaling.”
Keep in mind that the average person who doesn’t train hard and
doesn’t put the same physical demand on the body needs much less protein.
Should
I Use Vegan Protein Powders?
Yes, but do your research and be selective.
If you sift through some labels, you may notice that some
protein powders use ingredients (chemicals, preservatives, etc.)
that resemble a science fiction cocktail you would feed an alien. In
other words, some protein powders are healthier than others, and the best
ones are mostly derived from whole foods with few ingredients
that you can’t pronounce.
The two vegan protein powders that I use are made
by Garden of Life and PlantFusion.
Coping
with Common Vegan Nutrient Deficiencies
The
biggest risk of veganism is vitamin B-12 deficiency,
since B-12 is absorbed solely through diet, and for humans, there are no
reliable plant sources. Meat, eggs, and dairy products are all sources of B-12,
as well as organically grown plants that have been fertilized and therefore
“contaminated” with the vitamin-producing bacteria found in manure.
With poor B-12 metabolism, vegetarians are at increased
risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Yet this
dietary deficiency can be easily remedied with supplements (available in
generic form) and fortified cereals or dairy products.
Besides vitamin B-12, authors from the University of British
Columbia (Vancouver) writing in the journal Nutrition found that other
nutrients of concern for vegetarians include zinc, vitamin D, and calcium.
While predominantly in animal products, they can also be obtained in fortified
soy milk and whole grain cereals.
Once these issues are addressed, vegan or vegetarian sources of
protein become just as effective for thriving health and building strength and
muscle. Diets high in unrefined plant foods have consistently been associated
with benefits in lifespan, immunity, cardiovascular health, and improved
athletic performance.
Vegan Bodybuilding Meal Plan
If you’re ready to take your bodybuilding to the next level,
this vegan meal plan is designed to get you there.
Please keep in mind that eating at certain times can increase
the effectiveness of your nutritional intake. Here’s an example for a 210lb man
who wants to weigh 220lbs:
Meal
1
·
16 oz fresh raw juice (kale, spinach, parsley, cucumber, celery,
ginger, green apple, and lemon)
·
Protein shake with 2 servings of vegan protein powder, 1
cup almond milk, and 1/2 banana
Meal
2
·
1-2 servings of tofu and spinach scramble (see recipe
below)
·
2 cups oatmeal mixed with 2 tbsp pumpkin almond butter
Meal
3
·
Muscle-building black bean veggie burger with 1/2
avocado sliced on top
·
1 large kale salad with mixed greens and tomato
Meal
4
·
2 cups oatmeal with cinnamon
·
1 apple with 2 tbsp almond butter
·
Protein shake with 2 servings of vegan protein powder, 1 cup
almond milk, and 1/2 banana
Meal
5
·
1/2 pack seitan
·
1/2 pound steamed broccoli
·
Couscous and lentil salad
Meal
6
·
Vegan protein powder with 1 cup almond milk
Approximate
totals for the day
·
4,100-4,200 calories
·
220g protein
·
550-600g carbs
·
90g fat
Bonus
Recipe: Tofu and Spinach Scramble Recipe
This tasty recipe is an easy way to fill up on powerful protein.
Eat up!
*Makes
only two servings
Carbs: 27.5 | Fat: 14.5 | Protein: 21 | Calories: 317
·
14-ounce package firm tofu drained and cut into cubes
·
1 tbsp coconut oil
·
6 cups fresh spinach, chopped
·
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
·
1 cup cooked quinoa
·
1 lemon freshly squeezed
·
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
·
1 tsp ground turmeric
·
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
·
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper, optional
To
get more ideas about vegan muscle-building, watch this video - HIGH
PROTEIN VEGAN MEAL PREP
Author
Bio:
Chris
Willitts (creator of V3), is the founder and owner of Vegetarian Bodybuilding.
V3
Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a mixture of science and author’s advice, providing users with optimal diet and
exercise. This system is designed for vegans and vegetarians only.
A
lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of
professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising
its progressiveness and efficiency.
The
program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your
potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this
system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any
carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in
your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of
proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead
of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and
bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a
plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to
prove it.”
To
find out more, visit the website at V3 Bodybuilding – Vegan
Muscle-Building Meal Ideas
