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ANTJUANE SIMS, THE CROSSFIT VEGAN BODYBUILDER
“YOU HAVE TO CHEAT! I’m talking about doing cheat reps. It seems that
real growth comes from sacrificing form, just a little, to get those last few
reps.”
Name: Antjuane Sims
Occupation: Health and Fitness Educator
City/State/Country: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age: 41
Height: 5′ 6″
Type: Crossfit (current focus), bodybuilding
Weight: 157
Q: Tell us about the path that led Antjuane Sims to vegan bodybuilding?
I started getting bored with chicken, from purchase to preparation. The
texture began to bother me, too.
I didn’t look forward to eating another chicken meal. Besides, meat is way
more expensive than vegetables. So instead of chicken, I figured I
would change it up a little by eating turkey, goat, and bison.
However, the same thing happened while eating those products.
I got bored eating them, and those products were just as expensive, not to
mention I experienced the same uncomfortable stomach issues.
More than purchasing and prepping, I began to notice how my stomach would
react when I ate those meat products.
My stomach would get warm inside, and sometimes, I felt like the meat wasn’t
breaking down completely.
“Although there is no argument that the smell and taste of meat is good,
the fact is, it doesn’t digest well in our system.”
I wanted to make a change.
At the same time, my friend was beginning to experiment with juicing.
I didn’t think I would get enough calories by juicing, but I decided
to eliminate meat from my diet and add in the carbs.
A major part of this decision had to do with the many documentaries I watched
regarding the effects of meat on our cellular health.
After watching those documentaries, I was convinced that my performance would greatly improve if I eliminated meat from my
diet, because my cellular health would improve.
I decided to conduct an experiment on myself before sharing my decision with
others.
“I didn’t have bodybuilding in mind when I made the
decision to go meatless, but I did want to have better internal health and
improved performance in my workouts.”
As a result, I’ve noticed that my strength has increased and my recovery
time has improved.
My body feels cleaner on the inside. Making the decision to go meatless did become a bit of a
challenge when I finally factored bodybuilding into the equation.
The challenge was what to eat in order to maintain my size or even to put on
muscle. Over these past few years, I have been able to slowly
figure out what works best for me.
However, in the initial stages of my transition, it was pretty difficult
because I didn’t know which foods would be beneficial in achieving my goals.
Although I’m still learning, I’ve primarily been eating more complex
carbohydrates for size and super foods for nutrients and energy.
Q: Ideal vegan meal plan for putting on muscle:
As I continue to learn, it appears that one of the best things to do is eat
complex carbohydrates:
- Sweet
potatoes
- Yams
- Quinoa
- Brown pastas
- White
potatoes
- Squash
- Oatmeal
- Buckwheat
- Black rice
- Red rice
- Brown rice
- Wild rice
These are my staple superfoods:
- Avocados
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Black seed
- Goji berries
I’m still learning, too. It’s best to choose foods that you like. In other
words, choose what tastes good to you. Usually, the difficulty is with
breakfast. For me, I have a smoothie and half cup of cooked buckwheat for breakfast.
In my smoothie, I use:
- Two cups of
organic rice milk, or any other nut milk
- 1 frozen banana
- Hemp protein powder
- 2 tablespoons
of goji berries
- Teaspoon of
black seed
- Teaspoon of turmeric
- Half a stick
of cinnamon
- Tablespoon of
sunflower seed butter
- Couple of ice
cubes
In my cooked buckwheat, I put:
- 3 dates
- 1 tablespoon
of sunflower seed butter
- 2 tablespoons
of mixed nuts
- Powdered
cinnamon
Again, find out what you like to eat, and have that for breakfast.
Some people feel the need to have breakfast food for breakfast, while others can eat lunch and dinner
foods for breakfast.
If you are fine with eating lunch and dinner foods for breakfast, then have a sweet potato or yam for breakfast. Add mixed nuts, cinnamon, and kale or
chard or spinach or any other green leafy vegetable.
You can also have polenta with kale or spinach or any other leafy green for
breakfast, too.
If you are a fan of tofu, you can easily make a tofu scramble for
breakfast with whole wheat toast.
“The bottom line is to find out what non-animal based foods you like, and eat
from that list.”
It also helps to go online to read various recipes to give you ideas of what to prepare and
what foods to eat.
“I don’t think it’s important to eat every three hours as we’ve
been taught, but I do believe you should eat when you’re hungry.”
Remember, keep it simple. When you try to overcomplicate it, it becomes
overwhelming and you can become easily discouraged. Lastly, don’t be afraid to
eat those complex carbohydrates!
Q: Philosophy on supplements:
I believe if one has a nutritional deficiency, it’s a good idea to take quality vegan supplements. For me, that
includes creatine and B12. With so many options on the market, you really have
to do your homework. I would suggest to stay away from any capsules that are
coated with magnesium stearate, as this could be toxic to the digestive system.
Other than that, research the options and find out which ones work best for
you. However, by sticking as close to whole food nutrition as possible, you will consume
plenty of vitamins and minerals for your body’s needs.
Q: Describe your training regimen:
Working out is an interesting topic. What may work for me may not work for
you.
Ultimately, when you work out, you want to be focused, intense, and have a
purpose.
“Personally, I change my workout almost every time I train.”
Here’s what that means: the next time I train a certain muscle group, I’ll
either do more reps, less reps, change the angle, tempo, etc.
“I even change the amount of time I rest in between sets. The
number of reps I perform varies from eight to 20.”
Sometimes I even do 50 reps, depending on my workout program.
I suggest starting with the basic/ traditional muscle group combinations.
Those would be chest with triceps, back with biceps, legs with shoulders.
That makes a three-times-a-week workout program.
If you’re looking to put on muscle, make sure the wait is
heavy enough where you can only do between eight and 12 repetitions per set. Do
a minimum of three sets per muscle group, and try doing four different
exercises for the major muscle groups, i.e. chest, back, legs, and shoulders.
For the smaller muscle groups, you can do two sets with higher repetitions,
such as 10 to 12. Currently, that is the way I’m training. However, I’m
separating my shoulders and legs, so I’m working out four days a week instead
of three.
When I work out, I use a slow tempo when I lower the weight. I go for a
four-second count in the negative. I have a workout manual, including photos,
that I will be releasing later this year with more detailed instruction and
explanation of how to get back to the basics of exercise.
Q: What part of your daily routine is the most consistent and
has helped you the most?
The most consistent part of my daily routine is prayer. I start the day and
end the day with prayer. Acknowledging the one who has given me life, food,
protection, and the ability to help others is priority.
If I don’t pray for strength and guidance from the Lord, it’s as if I’m
telling Him I can do this on my own, and I know I can’t. It also gives me the
opportunity to petition for the well-being of others, as well as ask for His
protection over them.
Q: What have you changed your mind about in the past 10 years?
I’ve realized that it’s important to follow your passion. My mind has
changed from following/building others’ dreams to fulfilling mine. It doesn’t
matter what area of interest; find what interests you and go for it.
I believe more people would be happy if they did something that they were
passionate about, instead of doing something just because they have to pay the
bills. Pray for guidance, and follow your calling. We all have a purpose, we
all have talent, so find yours and go for it!
Q: Fun fact most people don’t know about Antjuane Sims?
I had my very first victorious Muay Thai fight match in Thailand versus a
local Thai fighter. That was one of my most incredible traveling experiences as
well. Thai people are incredibly warm, kind, and hospitable.
In fact, my favorite food is Thai food. When I was there, I thoroughly
enjoyed all the food I ate. One of the benefits of living in LA is that there
are plenty of Thai food restaurants. It’s great to have so many options.
Q: What three pearls of wisdom would you tell your 18-year-old self?
I would tell myself that I don’t have to have the answer for everything
or have to do everything. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know” and “I need help.”
I believe as teenagers, we tend to think we have all the answers to
everything in life. The “shocking” reality is that we don’t. Also, as an
athletic teenager, I felt that I didn’t need any help in carrying out physical
tasks. I felt that if I was strong enough to do it, I could do it on my own.
“At this stage in my life, I know that it’s okay not to know something
and it’s okay to ask for help.”
Another would be to be friendly even to people who are mean to you or
mistreat you. Fighting fire with fire is not always the best solution. Kindness
quenches fire.
Q: How much sleep do you get? How do you relax?
This is my area of defeat. I don’t sleep enough. Sometimes I get between
four to six hours of sleep. There are times, though, when I get a good seven,
but that hasn’t been too often lately. I relax by laying down during the day if
I get a chance. I call that my recovery session.
Q: What tips can you share that have led to your success in bodybuilding?
YOU HAVE TO CHEAT! I’m talking about doing cheat reps. It seems that real
growth comes from sacrificing form, just a little, to get those last few reps.
Having a training partner is great! They can help you cheat with better
form. In life, it’s the opposite. Cheating is a no go. Again, having a quality
character that is shaped by the discipline of committing to a workout program, overcoming the obstacle of giving
up, focusing in on getting the job done, and helping others in the process can
all be gained from working out.
Q: Where do you think vegan bodybuilding is going in the future?
I believe that door is opening. I’m excited to see the attention “healthy
eating” is getting, and I believe more people will adopt that lifestyle. I can
see it making an impression on non-vegan bodybuilders once they gain the proper
understanding and education. It took me a while to wrap my head around it, but
knowledge is power.
For more ideas on the ideal vegan meal plan for putting on muscle, watch
this video - EASY
HIGH PROTEIN MEAL PREP 2020 | LOSE WEIGHT & BUILD MUSCLE!
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 – Female Bodybuilding Trends and Myths
