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Vegan Bodybuilding
Revealed
Vegan Bodybuilding
101
In this article,
we present everything you need to know about vegan bodybuilding, including
scientific research and common misconceptions.
I
also put together a sample vegan bodybuilding meal plan toward the bottom.
Many
of the fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders today are hesitant to go vegan due to the fear of compromising
their fitness goals. However, the only obstacle they face is the lack of education about vegan bodybuilding.
“Luckily,
we know that you can get your protein source from many different ways: you can get it through vegetables if you are a vegetarian.
I have seen many bodybuilders that are vegetarian, and they get strong and
healthy.” ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Vegan
Bodybuilding Experiment
The
YouTube video
below is about Joshua Knox, a recreational bodybuilder that
works at Google, who tries going vegan for a week.
After
reflecting on the experience and noticing how easy it was, Joshua tried going plant-based for thirty days.
That turned into over 1.5 years. He talks about how following a vegan bodybuilding diet lead to massive strength
and endurance gains.
Joshua
also cites health benefits like how his cholesterol went from 196 to 120
in a short period of time. Even if you’ve seen this before it’s certainly worth
watching again.
Video
- A
vegan bodybuilding experiment: Joshua Knox at TEDxFremont
Vegan Bodybuilding
Myths
The
vegan lifestyle has always been considered a
hindrance to bodybuilding due to many unverified opinions from media and
society. A quick reality check will help you differentiate fact from fiction in
the vegan bodybuilding space:
Myth 1 — “All
vegan foods are healthy.”
Not
all vegan food items are healthy, including junk food such as chips, French
fries, ice cream, etc. Healthy preparation is equally important, even for veg
food items, and should be considered along with the food type (e.g., whole
foods should be preferred over processed foods).
Myth 2 — “Essential
vegan food is more expensive than meat.”
Contrary
to popular belief, a vegan diet is actually not more expensive than
meat. A plant-based diet comprises of fruits and vegetables,
i.e. fresh produce, which is usually more affordable than processed and packaged
food.
Myth 3 —
“Bodybuilding/bulk-up needs more animal-based protein than plant-based
protein.”
Plant-based proteins are equally effective for bulking
up as their animal-based counterparts. In fact, plant-based proteins are also rich in antioxidants, which help in recovery after
exercise. The YouTube
video below provides a useful overview of vegan protein sources
Myth 4 —
“Vegan food does not have enough proteins/essential nutrients.”
Absolutely
false! A balanced vegan diet covers all the essential macro
and micronutrients you need to achieve your bodybuilding goals. Many athletes and bodybuilders are now turning to vegan diets primarily because it offers the same
benefits without the dangers of a meat-based diet, including heart disease for red meat eaters.
Video
- The
Best Sources of Plant Based Protein
Muscle Building
Process
While
many of us go to the gym to build lean muscle and get into great shape, we
often do not see the results as planned. Why? This is largely because working
out alone is not a sufficient method to achieve the desired result.
Muscle
building is a time-consuming process that requires the right combination of
training, diet, and rest, none of which can be left out. It’s like a recipe —
after all, what would bread look like without flour?
Here
are a few explanations of the science behind muscle growth to help you
fine-tune your routine:
Our
muscle cells are made up of fibers that are the basic unit of contraction. To
build muscles, you have to put greater stress on these fibers than what your
body is used to. A heavy workout, especially with high load and low reps
exercise, damages these muscle fibers, initiating the muscle repair process.
The
repair process takes place when you rest after a workout. The body treats this
as an injury and overcompensates by increasing the thickness of repaired muscle
fibers, leading to muscle growth called hypertrophy.
Since
these muscle fibers are essentially proteins, growth will occur when the body
synthesizes enough proteins, with the help of food items consumed. Therefore,
it is very important to supply the body with enough proteins to aid muscle
rebuilding. The body also needs carbohydrates to facilitate the process.
Hormones
such as testosterone also play a role in bodybuilding by stimulating the
protein building process. While the male body produces enough testosterone
naturally, some bodybuilders use steroids to induce synthetic hormones in the
body to accelerate the muscle building process. This practice should be
avoided, as it does more harm than good for the body.
Not
providing enough rest to the body can actually reverse the intended effect. It
can put the body in a destructive state, with irreversible damage to the
muscles. The rebuilding process peaks around 24-48 hours after the resistance
exercise. As such, each muscle should rest two to three days before repeating.
“Macros” Explained
Macros
(macronutrients) such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are the essential
fuel for bodybuilding. Good knowledge of various types of nutrients, including
their role in muscle development, can help you create a perfect diet plan for
any bodybuilding goal.
Protein:
One
of the most important and clearly the most popular macronutrient for muscle
building is protein, which is needed for building, repairing,
and maintaining muscle fibers. Proteins are comprised of amino acids, some of
which are naturally produced in the body (non-essential amino acids), while
others have to be supplied through our diet (essential amino acids). Amino
acids are further discussed later in this article. Some types of proteins are
absorbed much faster and easier than others.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates
are the source of energy you need in order to hit the gym. Some people avoid
carbs under the assumption that carbs make them fat. However, a certain level
of carbohydrates is essential to perform routine exercise, because deficiency
of carbohydrates can make the body resort to breaking down proteins for energy
source.
The
two types of carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates, the quick energy source
readily usable by the body, and complex carbohydrates, slow-burning energy
sources that take longer and are more work for absorption by the body. The YouTube video below does a great job of explaining the
science behind carbohydrates.
Video
- Types
Of Carbohydrates - What Are Carbohydrates - What Are Good Carbs And Bad Carbs
Fats:
Though
fats are unpopular among bodybuilding community, a controlled consumption can
actually be useful for the body. Since fats are the densest form of energy,
they are used to fuel the body’s day-to-day activities. The two types of fats
are:
Saturated fats: These come from
animal fat products such as cream and cheese, and fatty meats such as beef.
These should be avoided as they contain cholesterol and increase the chances of
heart disease.
Unsaturated fats: These are the
healthy form of fats that actually provide energy and help with absorption of
essential vitamins. Common items such as nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocado,
and canola oil are a good source of unsaturated fats.
Micronutrients:
Fiber:
Fibers
are low-calorie foods that can help you feel full during the diet period. It
slows down the digestion process, thus delaying hunger and keeping your calorie
count in check. Furthermore, it helps in the absorption of protein, making an
indirect contribution to bodybuilding.
Water:
Drinking
enough water to keep your body hydrated is essential for many reasons.
First,
it helps in clearing toxins and metabolic wastes from the body in the form of
urine. A high-protein diet leads to accumulation of toxins such as urea and
ketones, which are washed away with water.
Second,
water helps in the transfer of nutrients to the muscle cells of the body, a
very important task in bodybuilding.
Third,
during a workout, your body loses a great deal of water in the form of sweat,
and drinking more water replenishes this.
Video
– How
Many Calories a Day to Gain Muscle or Lose Weight
Determining how
many macronutrients you need: A quick way to keep a track of your
macronutrients is to measure the required calorie intake for your body and then
distribute those calorie intakes among the three macronutrients (i.e.,
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.)
An
average person needs 15-16 calories per pound of bodyweight for maintenance —
for example, a 160 lb. individual would need ~2500-3000 calories per day. And
these calories can be converted to macronutrients by weight using the following
conversion factors.
·
Proteins:
1 gram = 4 calories
·
Carbohydrates:
1 gram = 4 calories
·
Fats:
1 gram = 9 calories
However,
this requirement depends on many different factors for each individual, and
there is no one fixed answer for everyone. A few key factors that
determine the macronutrient consumption rate are listed below:
Age:
In general, the body’s macronutrient requirement goes down with
age.
A child needs more macronutrients during the growth phase of their body than an
average adult needs for the maintenance of their body. During old age, the
body’s metabolism slows down, thereby compromising its ability to digest
macronutrients. Undigested macronutrients accumulates as fat in the body.
Gender:
Men
typically require higher amount of macronutrients than women do, because they
have a larger body (both height and weight) and more muscle mass. However,
pregnant women and lactating mothers have increased metabolic needs that
require additional protein intake.
Body type
A
lesser known but very important factor to determine your macronutrient requirement
is your genetics. Depending upon your metabolism rate, your body can be
classified as one of the three categories below:
Ectomorphs: These are hard
gainers whose bodies just refuse to bulk up due to a fast metabolism, which
burns calories very quickly. The ratio of macronutrients that ectomorphs
typically need to hit is 50 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 20
percent fat. They need to consume on average 750-1000 calories more than their
maintenance calories to bulk up.
Mesomorphs: This is the
ideal body type to have, as it reacts perfectly to diet and workout routine. An
ideal diet for mesomorphs would be around 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent
protein, and 30 percent fat. Since their metabolism is not as fast as
ectomorphs, for bulking up, their body needs just 500 more calories than that
for maintenance routine.
Endomorphs: These are the
people generally referred to as overweight. They appear large, with fat
accumulated around their waist area. Due to a slow metabolism, their body accumulates
fat very quickly, and they have to make a conscious effort to keep a check on
their calorie intake. They should keep their carbs to a minimum, with an ideal
ratio of 25 percent carbs, 35 percent protein, and 40 percent fat. Food intake
should be 200-500 calories lower than maintenance calories.
Protein
consumption based on fitness targets: Since most of your body parts are
made of protein, you need a constant supply of protein to maintain the overall
health and function of the body. However, if your fitness goal is to bulk up or
lose weight, you need even more protein because of the accelerated muscle
breaking and rebuilding process.
Vegan Bodybuilding
Diet
Plant-Based
Nutrients vs. Animal-Based Nutrients
“Animal-based
protein is the same as plant-based proteins” — this is a very common
misconception that can be debunked with readily available facts.
Your
body does not absorb the protein directly in its current form. Instead, when
you consume a high-protein meal, it is broken down into its constituent amino
acids in the stomach. These amino acids are then transported via your
bloodstream to various parts of your body to aid in muscle tissue maintenance,
repair, and growth.
The
body then selectively combines these amino acids to form different proteins to
make up most solid matter in the human body, including eyes, nails, hair,
muscles, skin, heart, etc.
There
are about 20 known amino acids that mix up and twist together to make up to
50,000 different kinds of protein. These are divided into two categories based
on their synthesis mechanism:
·
Around
10 of these amino acids are naturally produced by the body. These are called
non-essential amino acids.
·
Remaining
amino acids cannot be manufactured internally by the body. These are called
essential amino acids, since they have to be supplied by a balanced
protein-rich diet.
The
primary purpose of consumed proteins is to supply the body with essential amino
acids. While both plant- and animal-based proteins can provide essential amino
acids, they primarily differ in amino acid profile. This profile determines the
rate at which the absorbed amino acids are put to use in our body.
Animal-based
proteins containing “substrate” amino acids are more readily available for our
own protein synthesis, since these amino acids are similar to those found in
humans. Plant-based proteins contain simpler amino acids that need more work
from our body to be converted to usable forms.
In
addition, one needs to consume more variety of plant foods to get all essential
amino acids compared to lesser variety of animal foods for the same purpose.
However, plants come with added benefits of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and
antioxidants.
Being
a vegan does not mean the same boring diet every day. That said, vegan or not,
bodybuilding diets tend to be boring and repetitive. A well-planned vegan
bodybuilding diet is a great way to enjoy a variety of food options and to meet
all your nutritional needs simultaneously. Here, we discuss what you need to
know about a highly effective plant-based diet.
Protein
sources:
Almost all vegan foods contain some amount of protein, but the key here is to
choose the most effective food items for proteins. Soy products are the most
common source, along with chickpeas, lentils, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, broccoli,
walnuts, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and corn.
Calcium
sources:
Milk and dairy foods are highest in calcium. However, dark green vegetables,
such as turnip and collard greens, kale, and broccoli, are good plant sources
when eaten in sufficient quantities. Fruit juices and soy milk are also rich in
calcium.
Omega-3
unsaturated fatty acids: These are essential for the heart, brain, skin, and
joints. A few of the commonly available sources of fatty acids include canola
oil, soy oil, walnuts, ground flaxseed, and soybeans.
Iron: A lack of red
meat can cause deficiency of iron, a common concern among vegans. Good plant
sources of iron include dried fruits, whole grains, nuts, green leafy
vegetables, seeds, and pulses. Foods rich in vitamin C should go along with
iron, as vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron in the blood. Green leafy
vegetables are rich in both of these.
Vitamin
B12:
One of the important vitamins not easily available in vegan food is vitamin
B12. An easy way to meet this deficiency is to consume vitamin B12 supplements.
It’s also found in fortified nutritional yeast, some supermarket cereals, and
fortified soy and rice milks.
Vitamin
D:
Another missing vitamin in vegan food is vitamin D. A quick and easy way to
generate vitamin D in the body is to get exposure to the sun for 15 minutes per
day. However, if you have an indoor job with little or no time for exposure,
vitamin D supplements are the way to go.
Eating
Habits
Now
that you know the science behind bodybuilding and the nutrients that can make
it happen for you, it is time to roll up those sleeves and make a plan for your
fitness goals. Remember that a disciplined execution of the plan is equally
important as the plan itself.
Meal
frequency: Although
this topic is up for debate, some experts say you should eat every two to three
hours to constantly replenish the body’s nutrient levels. Besides the three
main meals of the day, eating protein-heavy snacks in between is beneficial for
bodybuilding.
Conversely,
other experts say it doesn’t matter, as long as you meet your targeted
macronutrient totals for the day. What should you do? Try one method for 90
days and see if it’s working for you. Different things work for different
people.
Don’t
skip meals:
This is more targeted for those who compete at a high level. Skipping meals is
a bad idea because it may alter your body’s nutrient absorption mechanism —
e.g., if you don’t supply the body with enough carbohydrates on time, it will
start using proteins for energy. This could mess up your muscle growth process
due to deficiency of proteins.
Distribution
of nutrients: Post-workout
meals should be heavier on carbohydrates, while later meals of the day should
have more protein content in them. This is because the body will convert
excessive carbs to fat if you sit around all day. That said, try to have a
consistent ratio of macros with each meal throughout the day.
Drink
lots of water: When
you are not eating, the body is digesting previously consumed food, allowing
for the absorption of nutrients into the body. Water is essential for this
process, so the body should be drinking up during non-meal times.
Knowing
the disadvantages of non-vegan food compared to vegan food: It is hard to
resist the temptation of meat, as it is considered an easier source of protein
in one’s diet, though not an ideal one for multiple reasons. Besides damaging
the environment and causing animal cruelty, some of its harmful effects on
health can be a warning sign for vegan bodybuilders and even meat-eaters.
High
levels of saturated fat and cholesterol content in some cuts of meat increase
the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Processed
meat is usually loaded with sodium, which is a serious concern, as it often
leads to high blood pressure, stroke, or heart failure.
The
most common form of meat, red meat, takes longer to digest, and excess
unabsorbed meat can affect the liver.
Excess
consumption of meat can increase iron intake in the body. This can lead to
excessive iron content in the brain and may increase the risk of developing
Alzheimer’s disease.
Answering Common
Concerns
Whole vegan food
vs. processed vegan food:
Once
you decide to go vegan for environmental, ethical, and/or health reasons, it is
extremely important to stick to the right kind of vegan food. Eating processed
fast food like pasta, burgers, cookies, etc., even if they are vegan, defeats
the health aspect of this commitment. You should instead stick to plant-based
whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, etc.
Sugar
content in processed food is much higher than whole foods, which makes it
difficult to keep a count of your calorie intake.
Whole
foods generate less waste for the environment. A simple example will
demonstrate this. A processed box of vegan cookies requires many more resources
from the environment than a bag of apples (e.g., trees for paper and packaging,
electricity for baking, etc.)
Whole
foods make you feel fuller for a longer duration, thus mitigating your craving
for more food. You are likely to feel hungrier after eating a box of cookies
than after eating an equivalent number of apples.
Need of protein
shakes with vegan diet: If you are a vegan bodybuilder or
athlete, you will need to incorporate vegan protein powder into your meal
plan. Why? It is virtually impossible to hit your target amounts of protein
from vegan food alone.
Especially
if you’re a guy like me who weighs 225-230 lb. — can you imagine the amount of
beans and quinoa I would have to eat?
That said, if you are
a garden variety vegan (pun not intended) who doesn’t train hard in the gym,
then a whole food, plant-based diet doesn’t necessarily need protein powder
supplementation.
Getting Started
Congratulate
yourself for reaching the end of this lengthy article. If you are reading this,
then you are really motivated to leave meat and make the commitment to a
healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Making a sudden switch to a vegan
bodybuilding diet can be difficult and often impossible for daily meat-eaters.
One
way to transition to a vegan bodybuilding diet is to gradually reduce the meat
in your diet while increasing fruits and vegetables. Here are a couple of tips
to help you get started:
Get connected. Find vegan
bodybuilding communities online. There is power in numbers and it will help
keep you accountable. Reach out, ask questions and let others help you with
your journey. Remember, they have been where you are and can relate.
Get motivated. It is difficult
to give up meat just for kicks. A habit change that affects your lifestyle
requires much more motivation. So read up on why you want to be a vegan (you
have probably started on this already). Key areas to study include animal
rights, personal health benefits, its effect on the planet, etc.
Ramp up. Each week,
increase the number of meatless meals in your diet. Find ways to include fruits
and greens such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and collards in your daily
meals. You can also try one or two veg recipes in your weekly meal plan and
gradually increase the number with time.
Substitute meat
with veg products. Take your preferred recipes and substitute the
meat with something vegan. For example, make fajitas using extra-firm tofu
rather than chicken. You will be surprised at how many dishes taste very
similar with these simple substitutions.
Branch out. Scan the
Internet for vegan menus. Buy or borrow vegan cookbooks. Check out ethnic
restaurants to sample new vegan cuisines. The more variety you bring to your
vegan diet, the more likely you’ll meet all your nutritional needs.
Tell friends and
family.
If you are serious about being a vegan, tell your friends and family about it.
Discuss your reasons and commitments on this issue. This commitment will give
you additional motivation, since it is easier to cheat oneself than to cheat
others.
Vegan Bodybuilding
Meal Plan
(inspired
by Robert Cheeke’s vegan bodybuilding meal plan)
Meal
#1
·
Vegan
protein shake
·
Lemon
water
·
Banana
Meal
#2
·
Tofu
scramble
·
Assorted
fresh vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, peppers)
·
16
ounces of water
Meal
#3
·
Burrito
with rice or quinoa, greens, beans, and avocado
·
Small
green salad with omega 3-6-9 EFA Oil
·
16
ounces of water
Meal
#4
·
Almond
or peanut butter with sliced apples
·
16
ounces of water
Meal
#5
·
Large
green salad with steamed green vegetables and tempeh
·
Bowl
of carrot/ginger soup
·
16
ounces of water
Meal
#6
·
Almonds
·
Vegan
protein shake
·
16
ounces of water
Estimated
Totals:
·
Total
Calories = 4,000
Total grams protein = 200g
Total grams of carbohydrates = 660g
Total grams of fats = 70g
Total water consumption = 104 ounces (factoring in water for protein drinks
too)
Video
- Plant-strong
& healthy living: Rip Esselstyn at TEDxFremont
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 Bodybuilding
