Vegan Bikini Contest Prep -SAMANTHA SHORKEY, FIRST EVER VEGAN WNBF BIKINI PRO

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

Samantha Shorkey is an inspirational example because she’s the first ever vegan WNBF bikini pro and she has a pleasant personality and good sense of humor to match her beautiful outsides.

And well, the constant questioning of my diet inspired me to not only want to impress them with an above-average “healthy-looking” appearance but to blow their minds when they saw just how “Jacked on the Beanstalk” I could get on stage.

Samantha’s Profile

Name: Samantha Shorkey
City: Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)
Age: 32
Height: 5’7″
Type of training: Bikini competition
Weight/Competition Weight: 135 lbs /125 lbs
FB: facebook.com/JackedontheBeanstalk

Supplements

• Multivitamin
• Vegan BCAA
• Glutamine
• Plant-Based Protein Powder

When and why did you became a vegan?

I grew up in a small “hunting town” outside of Ottawa, Ontario in a log house in the middle of the forest. We didn’t have cable TV, we had nature.

My mom was my biggest hero, always feeding the birds, raccoons & deer, taking in stray cats and even raising orphaned baby squirrels. Sometimes we would have 30 deer behind our house and it would literally break our hearts to see them disappear every fall when hunting season was on.

I just couldn’t understand how people could hunt and kill such beautiful, sweet creatures. So at the tender age of eight, I became vegetarian. I went vegan in 2011 when I learned more about the dairy industry and realized that animals were still dying because of my milk and egg consumption.

When and why did you start to compete?

I’d always enjoyed going to the gym but I didn’t get serious about weight training until I dated a personal trainer for four years. It was a horrible relationship and for a year, we were doing the long-distance thing. I was basically miserable and wanted to get in really good shape to “blow him away” when he finally returned.

I bought a weight bench, barbell and dumbbell set off Craigslist and did “at home” style workouts in my tiny bachelor apartment for that entire year. Every time I was upset, I’d hammer the weights like a beast!

Eventually we broke up and I graduated to a “real” gym. I’ve been in love with bodybuilding ever since that ghetto, little home gym.

I decided to compete because I’m an ego-maniac and I love a good challenge. I suppose I’ve always been pretty strong and healthy because people were always surprised to hear that I didn’t eat meat.

And well, the constant questioning of my diet inspired me to not only want to impress them with an above-average “healthy-looking” appearance but to blow their minds when they saw just how “Jacked on the Beanstalk” I could get on stage.

What are the advantages of being a vegan as a competitor?

I think my skin looks better and younger than many other women my age and it’s easy for me to maintain a healthy weight year-round. It’s so true that when you eat healthy, you feel healthy. And when you eat like crap, you feel like crap.

“I definitely have more energy as a vegan and I just can’t help but feel good knowing that everything going into my body is clean, unprocessed and grown from the earth.”

I tell people all the time “I can be perfectly healthy AND compete without consuming any animal products so why would I?”

What does your diet while preparing for a competition look like?

Like most bikini competitors, to get really cut right before their competition, I eat asparagus constantly (a natural diuretic) and consumed dandelion root (another natural diuretic.)

Diuretics help to flush out the sodium and excess fluids in between skin and muscle.

Asparagus contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, which not only helps to flush out the fluids but it helps rid the body of excess salts too. And salt (sodium) equals bloating—something you definitely don’t want on stage.

“I also cut out water starting the day before my show.”

Generally speaking, in terms of diet, (whether training to compete or not), I get most of my protein from tempeh, tofu, beans and high quality, plant-based protein powder. I like mixing them with hemp or brown rice protein powder.

My go-to starchy complex carb sources are yams, squash, quinoa, and oatmeal. For fats, I love almond butter, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and flax seed oil.

Favorite food in your bikini competition vegan diet?

Protein pudding. Chocolate Vega Sport mixed with water.

Describe your diet off season:

My diet doesn’t change that much in the off-season, just more “cheat meals” and bigger portions. Generally-speaking in terms of diet, I eat a lot of tempeh and protein powder for protein. I get my starchy complex carbs from sources like yams, squash and oatmeal. And for fats, I love my almond butter and coconut oil!

I pay close attention to macronutrients when trying to maintain a healthy weight and preserve my hard-earned muscle. Macros (for those who don’t know) are nutrients that provide calories or energy. Nutrients are substances needed for growth and metabolism.

There are three macronutrients: Carbohydrate, protein, and fat. I get 50 percent of my daily calories from carbs, 30 percent from protein, and 20 percent from fats.

What is your favorite food off season?

Dates dipped in peanut butter. Chocolate anything. Pretty much every vegan dessert that Whole Foods sells.

What is your favorite quinoa dish?

Quinoa Salad with Pecans & Dried Cranberries

Describe your training for a competition (favorite exercises, weekly training schedule, etc):

When I’m training for a show, I’m doing a lot of cardio! Anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour every morning (depending on how close to competition I am.) A lot of high intensity interval training (HIIT style) cardio like running and walking lunges on the treadmill, the Stairmaster, Stepper Machine and peddling on the exercise bike, ass always off the seat.

“With bikini division, there isn’t really a bulking period so I generally never allow myself to get any bigger than about 135 lbs. (I’m 5’7). I basically just add in more cardio over time and very gradual calorie reduction to lose any extra weight.”

I also change my weight sessions as I get closer to competition by incorporating more sets with higher reps i.e. from three sets of 12 to 4 x 15 to 5 X 20. I will also do a lot of supersets so that my weight sessions are also a cardio workout—burning even more fat.

The only things I go really heavy on are the muscle groups that I really need to build i.e my shoulders and glutes. For these areas, I do a lot of drop sets (starting as heavy as possible and lightening up with each set.)

Describe your training off season (favorite exercises, weekly training schedule, etc):

After just winning my pro card last weekend, I’m taking a long break from intense competition prep and training. That means I’m doing both cardio and weights every second day which works out to four days of exercise and two or three rest days per week.

I only do 15 – 20 minutes of cardio in the morning and about 45 minutes of weights in the afternoon or evening. My current training program is an upper/lower body split. So I’ll do upper body one session then lower body the next but I switch my program every six weeks or so.

Where can we find you online regarding vegan bodybuilding?

I’m just another vegan fitness freak who has a blog all about being a vegan fitness freak. Except I’m brutally honest and have a pretty rad sense of humor. Oh AND I’m the first ever vegan WNBF bikini pro.

Facebook fan page is www.facebook.com/JackedontheBeanstalk
My blog is www.jackedonthebeanstalk.com
Twitter handle is @SamanthaShorkey
Instagram is @samshorkey

For more ideas related to vegan bikini contest prep, watch this video - Vegan Bodybuilding 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 Bikini Contest Prep

 

Vegetarian Bikini Competition and Bodybuilding - SOUTH AFRICAN PLANT-BASED POWERHOUSE

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

Suskia Strafella is 21year-old South African powerhouse and at a majestic 5’9″ she is making a name for herself as a plant-based warrior in the bikini division.

I believe that vegetarian bodybuilding is growing…you will digest faster and you will have more energy… I felt like meat gave me less energy…it’s a great way to decide what your body really needs and what it lacks.

Suskia’s Profile

Name: Suskia Strafella
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Age: 21
Height: 5’9″
Type of training: Bikini competition
Weight: 132lbs

Supplements

• BCAAs
• Glutamine
• CLA

Why did you become a vegetarian bodybuilder?

I became a veggie about 2 weeks ago, mainly due to the fact that my body cannot properly digest animal meat. I feel the hormones in chicken and red meat are negatively effecting my body and stop me from reaching my goals as an athlete as I tend to miss meals because I dread eating another portion of meat!

I started competing in April this year, I started because I wanted to challenge myself, it was always a dream of mine to eventually step on stage although I was so scared of the prep and the commitment. I’ve always been the type of person to say I’m going to do something and then I end up disappointing myself because I either give up half way or I don’t meet my high expectations.

What does your diet look like while preparing for a competition?

In the past, I only ate chicken and hake with broccoli and asparagus and pineapple before 3PM and carb loaded every 4th day with sweet potato. Now, my diet will consist of tofu, beans and lentils and all of my favorite high protein greens like spinach, broccoli, string beans and asparagus.

What is your favorite food during prep diet?

Egg whites!!! With cayenne pepper for that buuuurn.

Off-season diet?

I try keeping my diet pretty consistent, as I don’t enjoy yo-yo-ing my diet and my body.

That’s possibly the worst thing you could do to your body. I eat everything in moderation and still keep to consistent meals, every 3 hours and high protein! With a sneaky cheat meal every weekend! I love my morning berries with Futurelife and enjoy almonds and pumpkin seeds during my snack time.

Favorite food off-season?

Definitely the biggest bowl of my Dad’s Napolitano pasta and a jar of Nutella

Favorite quinoa dish?

Love quinoa with lentils, brussel sprouts, red kidney beans and broccoli.

Vegan supplements that you use?

I feel that vegan BCAA and Glutamine are an absolute must for any woman who trains twice a day and at high reps to prevent muscle loss and dehydration. CLA are also a miracle in mobilizing fat for fat loss. But that’s all, I recommend using as little supplements as possible, your body can only absorb so much at a time and there are only 24 hours in a day. Don’t’ ever reply on supplements for energy, a good physique or overall weight loss and health.

Describe your training for a competition (favorite exercises, weekly training schedule, etc):

I start off at 6am with my morning cardio spinning/cycling of 30–45 minutes and finish off with an intense ab workout every single day. I then do my evening weight training after work. I really enjoy my cardio sessions as I have so much more energy for that being in the early AM!

When it comes to my resistance training, I incorporate a lot of high reps, super sets, giant sets and barely any rest in between my sets unless I’m about to throw up! My high reps and different training techniques are quite a new method for me so let’s see how it goes with my future prep!

My favorite workout is hands down back day! Love my pulls and row. Nothing better than that burning pinching hot back sensation.

Describe your training off season (favorite exercises, weekly training schedule, etc)

Pretty much the same although my cardio is down to only 3 times a week and kept at 30 minutes… otherwise everything stays the same. Some days I prefer doing heavier weights and lower reps to build some bulk.

Do you think vegetarian bikini competition and bodybuilding will go mainstream?

Obviously I’m going to be very optimistic about this, as it’s what I believe in and because I’ve seen the difference and I’m starting to understand it better. I do however believe that everyone’s body is just so different and you need to listen to your body. If you want to eat meat, do it. If you want to eat veggies only, do it! Nothing is stopping you from being your absolute best aside from yourself!

I believe that vegetarian bodybuilding is growing and people need to realize that you can build a beautiful, healthy and muscular physique without all the animal meat and proteins.

There are ways and a means to do it; you just have to be prepared and armed with knowledge.

What advice do you have for anyone interested in becoming a vegetarian bodybuilder?

As above, be well educated and know that you don’t need animal protein to build muscle, so don’t fear becoming a veggie due to false information. You will feel healthier, stronger and look better due to lack of processed animal hormones.

You will digest faster and you will have more energy (just to bust that myth too). I felt like meat gave me less energy and made me quite sluggish especially at lunch time. It’s a new challenge and it’s a great way to decide what your body really needs and what it lacks. Go for it, you have nothing to lose (literally).

For more ideas related to vegetarian bikini competition and bodybuilding, watch these 2 videos below –

Vegan Bodybuilding Diet with IFBB Bikini Pro Natalie Matthews

 

Vegan Bikini Competition Prep | My EXACT Training & Nutrition

 

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 – Vegetarian Bikini Competition and Bodybuilding

Bikini Competition Tips from Former Ms. Bikini Universe

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

FORMER MS. BIKINI UNIVERSE (VEGAN BODYBUILDER) LOVES MEDITATION

“Thirty days after going vegan (and [I was shown] how to incorporate plant-based proteins), I lost 10 lbs. of inflammation and started feeling better.”

Name: Marzia Prince
Occupation: Owner of The Healthy Housewives, Gaspari Nutrition sponsored athlete, professional fitness model, certified fitness trainer, plant-based nutrition expert, published writer for Natural Muscle magazine, fitness editor for Viva Glam Magazine, vegan nutrition blogger for FitnessRx for Women Magazine, Sun Warrior Ambassador.
Age: 40
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 135 lb, 125 lbs (contest ready)
Type of Fitness: Bikini competitor, vegan bodybuilder, yoga
Fitness Accolades: 2007 Ms. Bikini Universe, IFBB Bikini Pro
Website: www.marziaprince.com
Facebook: facebook.com/marziaprincefitness
Instagram: instagram.com/marziaprince
Twitter: twitter.com/marziaprince

What uncommon activity do you schedule into your daily routine?

Positive self-talk and self-love. Most often, we give ourselves to our family, friends, and work so that we forget about ourselves. I am not talking about just gym time sculpting the body or a pedicure, but reading to enrich ourselves positively and telling ourselves it is ok in life day to day.

I am HUGE on reading books about self-love and acceptance. The sooner you love yourself and accept who you are, life is so much better! Also, I started meditating a few years back, and now I meditate daily.

How did you get into meditation? How does it help you?

I write for Natural Muscle Magazine, and I always pick a topic that relates to health and write about it.

I was so intrigued with it that I picked up a few books about it and researched it on the Internet. It took lots of discipline and practice in the beginning, because I am very high-energy.

I fell in love with it because meditation helps balance my energy. I feel like it is very personal me time to help keep my life centered.

“I try to do it first thing in the morning to set my intentions (and get centered) for the day, but sometimes that doesn’t happen due to my hectic schedule. If that happens, then I do it at night to decompress.”

Deep breathing and letting go of unwanted energy and thoughts help me cleanse my mind.

If you are new to it, I highly suggest Tara Stiles and Gabrielle Bernstein for meditation books and videos. I just love them.

They helped me embrace my health bliss. I am truly at a great place in life!

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome in your life?

Self-love and acceptance have been the biggest obstacles. I was my biggest critic to myself for so many years.  I can honestly look in the mirror now and love the person back.

“I had to learn to get out of my own way.”

I had to learn to love myself even through all my mistakes, and it was ok to fail. Failure has been my best teacher so far in life. I have learned so much about myself that I am constantly learning how to be a better person for me, my family, my friends, my clients, and anyone else I cross paths with.

Why did you become vegan? How has your health improved?

I initially became vegan due to health issues. Before Paleo was popular, I kind of followed a Paleo type of diet for competition dieting (without the bacon and butter!). I have always been a tall thin girl. Lifting weights gave me curves.

When I started learning about a bikini competition diet, I had a bodybuilder competition coach that told me to eat all this meat to gain more muscle.

They said I was “too skinny” (I was 5’9″ and 130 lbs), so he put me on a “meat competition diet.”

I have always been a natural bikini bodybuilder, so I ate organic chicken, turkey, and wild fish at that time. I never was a fan of red meat. So I never ate that.

“The meat competition diet worked at first. I looked good for shoots, competition, and appearances. But after years of eating that way, I started gaining weight, and not good weight as in muscle. I was gaining inflammation and ballooned up from 130 to 160 lbs.”

I was breaking out on my face, holding a lot of water, and feeling sluggish. My energy levels were shot! I still did not want to believe my diet was the issue.

I was “eating clean,” and there was no way my nutrition did that to me. I was very disciplined to that diet. It wasn’t till I landed in the hospital with kidney stones that the doctor said it was my high consumption of meat.

I was like “WHA???” So he turned me over to a registered dietitian, and she suggested I do a vegan detox diet cleanse for 30 days. I was resistant! I was like “No way! I am going to lose all this hard-earned muscle eating lettuce. I am skinny, and I need to keep my weight for competition and shoots.” LOL! I had no idea at that time!

I have always been a disciplined person, so I listened to her. Thirty days after going vegan (and she showed me how to incorporate plant-based proteins), I lost 10 lbs. of inflammation and started feeling better. It was enough to sell me it was healthier for me. I started researching vegan bodybuilding, and you can say the rest is history!

Years later, I gained 10 lbs. of muscle on a vegan diet. Who knew!

Why do you feel a competition diet can only be done short-term? 

Whether you are a meat-eater, vegetarian, or vegan, I believe a competition diet is short-term. You can’t live on that diet forever. It is missing important nutrients and calories to sustain life. It can be done only for a shoot or competition to achieve a certain look. You want to live life to the fullest and nourish your body every day.

There’s definitely an advantage to being a plant-based athlete, I’m leaner and more muscular compared to when I was eating meat. I never have to worry about gaining a ton of weight on the “off-season.” I’m only 5 lbs. off from a shoot or stage.

I adjust my nutrition to my goals. As a trainer, I believe the body is always changing. You are not going to look the same at 30 years-old than you do at 40 years-old. Things change. Goals change. Life changes.

I used to workout and eat for looks. Now I work out and eat for health.

Favorite easy vegan dessert recipe?

Yonanas! If you haven’t heard of this machine, you have to get it. You freeze your favorite fruit and put it through this machine and it makes a soft serve. Summer is coming, and this is a must! If you want abs and dessert, then this is the dessert to eat. My favorite recipe is 1 large frozen banana and 5 large frozen strawberries. You press through machine, and it makes strawberry ice cream. You have to try this, here’s an instructional video.

How would you describe your nutrition program?

I LOVE FOOD! When I discovered that you can eat more food being plant-based and retain your muscle and weight, I became a lean, mean, plant-eating machine. I eat all the time. I eat a ton off plant-based food.

I still apply my bodybuilding principles. Only this time, it’s vegan bodybuilding. I eat plant protein, clean carbs, and healthy fats. Easy and simple, except I don’t count calories anymore. I don’t miss that!

What are some common misconceptions about vegetarianism?

“Where do you get your protein?” I used to get so tired of hearing that worn-out question. I understand now that people seriously have no idea where I get my protein. I feel like I need to educate people on this.

I practice patience with a smile and educate them. It is the only way. Vegetarianism is still a new concept among the fitness and bodybuilding world. People are still blown away when you tell them where you get your protein.

What advice can you offer for vegetarian bodybuilders and athletes who are just starting out?

Take it meal by meal and day by day. It is trial and error when you first began.

“What works for me may not work for you. I have trained so many plant-based athletes, and I have to say no two are alike.”

Trial and error helps us determine what works for them. I can give them a base to work with, and then we specialize to customize their nutrition. Most beginner vegetarian bodybuilders think you are going to give them that magic format. Uh no, trial and error determines the format!

If you have to pick only three exercises, what would they be and why?

Only three seriously? LOL! Tough call! Large muscle group exercises that works a ton of muscle groups at once like pull ups, lunges, and planks. Upper, lower, and core. Have to get all three.

What are the three biggest trends you see in fitness right now?

Online workouts from: HIIT exercises (High Intensity Interval Training), at-home body weight exercises, short on time workouts.

What three unique tips can you share that have led to your overall success in life?

Read as many books as you can, take as many courses/classes as you can. Life experiences help pave the way to success! Life has truly begun for me in my 40s. I thought the 30s were awesome until I hit 40.

I feel so blessed, I want to bless others. There is something to say about knowledge and life experience. I have always been a late bloomer in life. Just because you are taking longer than others doesn’t mean you failed. Always be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second rate-version of somebody else.

For more ideas related to bikini competition tips, watch this video - Q&A : ALL THINGS BIKINI COMPETITION | Tips and Advice for ALL Competitors/Future Competitors

 

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 Bikini Competition Tips

VEGAN DETOX DIET CAN BOOST WORKOUT PERFORMANCE

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

When it comes to nutrition, very few things sound more intense or more restrictive than a vegan detox diet. The interesting this is, when you dig a little deeper you’ll discover it has potential benefits for you in the gym.

What is a Vegan Detox Diet?

A typical vegan detox diet revolves around fruits, fruit juices, and teas. These fruits are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and serve as digestive aids.

Although balanced vegan diets tend to be lower in protein than traditional carnivorous diets, they do meet the dietary needs of adult men and women.

According to nonprofit health organization, The Vegetarian Resource Group, almost all foods except for alcohol, fats, and sugar provide some protein.

Vegetarians can get protein by eating everything from lentils to chickpeas, peanut butter, soy milk, spinach, whole wheat bread, broccoli and kale.

In 2008, these detox diets gained popularity when Oprah Winfrey gave it a try. Unlike intense and risky Master Cleanse-style diets that allow only for little more than lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup, vegan detox diets are safe and won’t shock your system. Going vegan, even if only for a short time, is one of the very least radical forms of detoxification you’ll ever find.

Cleansing, rather than weight loss, is the main objective of a detoxification, although dropping extra pounds could be a welcome side effect. Vegan detox diets come in several forms, some requiring strictly organic food and others requiring strictly raw food. No matter which diet you choose, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and sugar should have no part in it.

Remove Toxins from Body

The whole point is to remove toxins from body that have been building up in your body over the years. Believe it or not, your body is full of toxins even if you eat healthy and exercise on a regular basis. In David Ewing Duncan’s National Geographic article, “Chemicals Within Us,” he describes the devastating impact of everyday chemical exposure.

“Each year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reviews an average of 1,700 new compounds that industry is seeking to introduce. The agency approves about 90 percent of the new compounds without restrictions. Only a quarter of the 82,000 chemicals in use in the U.S. have ever been tested for toxicity.”

Not only do chemical toxins come from our landfills, factories, medications, agricultural pesticides, and household cleaning products, they also come from the meat that we eat.

Animals regularly consume toxins in their food, the water they are given to drink, and the soil they make their homes on.

Humans absorb the toxins when they eat these animals’ meat. A 2012 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) study estimated that Americans eat a yearly average of 52.3 pounds of beef, 57.4 pounds if chicken, and 43.5 pounds of pork per person.

However, according to a recent National Public Radio (NPR) Health Analytics Health Poll, attitudes are changing and 39% of Americans are eating less meat than they did three years ago.

Benefits as a Vegan Bodybuilder or Athlete

First let me say, not all vegan detox plans are created equal, and you have plenty of dietary freedom within the confines of one. Vegan Ironman triathlete, Brendan Brazier, is living proof of how a plant-based diet can make you more athletic and competitive.

Brendan is a two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion and an outspoken advocate for the vegan lifestyle. He and other professional vegan athletes credit much of their success to their detoxifying diets, which boost nutrition density, fight stress, increase energy, improve mental clarity, balance hormones, and facilitate restful sleep.

Protein is essential for athletes to build muscle and increase endurance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that women between ages 19 and 70 consume 46 grams of protein each day and that men between 19 and 70 consume 56 grams of protein each day.

Some of these diets only allow natural fruit-based products, but they are high in sugars and they don’t have the nutrients you require as an athlete.

One of the most important aspects of any detox diet is water intake. Not only do you need to rehydrate at the gym, but your body needs water to flush out the more toxins when you start eating healthier.

Since you’ll be eating more fruits and vegetables, you’ll need more water to stop constipation before it starts. Aim to consume at least 64 ounces of water each day, and keep track of your habits in a diet journal.

Suggested Detox Diet Plans

In the morning, start your day off with a detoxifying yoga session. You can take class at the gym, flip on a YouTube video, or simply do a couple cat/cow stretches beside your bed.

Make the switch from morning coffee to green or herbal tea. Or you can sip lemon water, which is known to detox the liver and stimulate the bowels.

Eat a light breakfast to give your body the energy it needs to start the day. To get your fruits, try papaya, banana, pear, raspberries, and grapes. Soy milk and whole wheat toast are also great options. Try blending up your own vegetable juice with beets, carrots, celery, tomatoes, radishes, and parsley for a mid-morning snack.

Salad is always a great option for lunches because there’s so much room to experiment and have variety. Try making your own spinach salad with a mustard vinaigrette dressing with carrot ginger soup. A side of steamed broccoli will give you that extra protein boost you need for a post-work gym session. Step away from the daily grind and go for a walk after lunch to keep your muscles active and your mind at ease.

As you begin your vegan detox diet, don’t change a thing about your daily workout routine. Pay attention to your body and notice how you feel as it begins to rid itself of toxins. Make adjustments in your routine as necessary, based on your strength, energy, and motivation.

You can whip up an easy and detoxifying dinner with a cup of brown rice, an ounce of tofu, and a side of antioxidant-rich fruit salad. Seaweed salad, steamed cauliflower, green beans, and snow peas are also great options.

Check out Dr. Luke Fortney’s sample recipes for more detoxifying ideas. After dinner, drink a cup of soothing chamomile tea and have a quiet, relaxing evening to wind down and reflect upon your progress.

Become a Well-Oiled Machine

Although there is no exact indicator to suggest that your body is craving detox, there are a good number of telltale signs. A University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health study found that detoxification can relieve stress, improve your mental state, and decrease negative emotions.

In addition to improved brain function, detoxification helps maintain health and balance in the liver, gallbladder, gut, kidneys, skin, lungs, and lymphatics. If you feel fatigued, experience mood changes, headaches, bloating, weight changes, weakness, soreness, or bowel changes, your body could probably benefit from detoxification.

You should understand that a detox plan is more than just a diet change. If your body is functioning better (a “well-oiled machine”), your workouts will be better and you’ll be more likely to accomplish your fitness goals. To get the most benefit from your vegan detox diet, exercise every day, especially out in nature.

Work up a sweat on a regular basis in a hot yoga class or sauna. Make time for self-reflection, in the form of breathing-focused meditation and long walks. Whether you can make a one-week, a one-month, or a lifetime commitment to detoxifying vegan foods, your body and mind will thank you immensely.

For more ideas related to vegan detox diet, watch this video - What I Eat In A Day| Balanced Vegan Diet

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 Detox Diet for Bodybuilding

 

MEDITATION FOR BODYBUILDING - WHY BODYBUILDERS SHOULD PRACTICE MEDITATION

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Build Muscle & Lose Fat By Eating Plants

Meditation Benefits for Bodybuilders

Early in life as children, we are conditioned to cease being “human beings” to become “human doings,” so we can be productive members of a capitalistic society (another discussion for another website).

A primary feature of meditation is to re-condition ourselves to a state of be-ing again—being fully enveloped and permeated by the present moment.

What does that have to do with vegetarian bodybuilding?

Well before the UW-Madison study was conducted, other mindfulness-based trainings have shown positive effects on inflammatory disorders, which can be common among athletes and bodybuilders.

In fact, the American Heart Association has made public statements linking meditation to the prevention and intervention of inflammatory conditions, heart disease, and stroke.

This recent study also showed that meditation correlated with faster physical recovery after stressful situations. Bodybuilders and athletes performing in any sport can benefit from quicker recovery times after moderate to extreme exertion.

As sports meditation coach George Mumford explained, “When we are in the moment and absorbed with the activity, we play our best.

That happens once in a while, but it happens more often if we learn how to be more mindful.”

Additional reasons you should make time to mediate on a regular basis:

• Better focus while training in the gym, which leads to higher intensity
• Ability to cope with physical pain
• Helps stabilize emotional and hormonal imbalances
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Deeper sleep leads to faster, more complete recovery

Mindfulness Meditation Creates Positive Molecular Changes and Leads to Faster Physical Recovery

A recent study by researchers in Wisconsin, France, and Spain proved that mindfulness meditation creates positive molecular changes in the human body. The results of the study, which was published in the “Psychoneuroendocrinology” medical journal, investigated the effects of intense mindfulness practice with a group of experienced meditators and a group of untrained control subjects.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that shows rapid alterations in gene expression within subjects associated with mindfulness meditation practice,” commented study author Richard J. Davidson, founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds and the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After eight hours of mindfulness practice, the experienced meditators exhibited a range of molecular and genetic differences, including positively altered levels of gene-regulating machinery and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes.

Interestingly, this correlated with faster physical recovery from stressful situations.

Even though the subjects who were inexperienced in meditation engaged in quiet and peaceful activities for those eight hours, they experienced no genetic changes whatsoever.

Therefore, Davidson and his fellow researchers concluded that mindfulness practice can lead to positive epigenetic alterations of the genome. “Our genes are quite dynamic in their expression and these results suggest that the calmness of our mind can actually have a potential influence on their expression,” Davidson said.

Not Just for Skinny New Agers

Mindfulness meditation isn’t one of those hippie fads where you sit cross-legged in an incense-filled room, chanting mantras in a foreign language. In actuality, mindfulness meditation is the practice of focusing your mind on the present, while being fully aware of your thoughts and without judging yourself.

Being mindful means making a conscious effort to pay attention to your inner self and notice where you are right now, rather than fixating on the past or worrying about the future.

When practiced over time, this practice transcends thinking and activates our consciousness to “see above the clouds.” Knowing that you’re eating is not the same as mindfully eating.

Being aware that you’re working out is not the same as mindful strength training. Once you can incorporate mindfulness into your bodybuilding and/or fitness routine, you will see more purpose in your actions and more passion in your goals.

Applying Meditation to Your Own Life

First, let me say that here in the West, we have developed a culture around meditation and yoga practices that suggests that they are effeminate (unmanly). The reality is meditation and yoga was originally created by men, for men in ancient India (where vegetarians thrive) around 1500 BCE.

According to the team’s Dr. Bruce Lipton, your genes’ activity can change on a daily basis, and you can actually alter their activity by simply changing your  perception.

As Dr. Lipton explained, “Your mind will adjust the body’s biology and behavior to fit with your beliefs. If you’ve been told you’ll die in six months and your mind believes it, you most likely will die in six months. That’s called the nocebo effect, the result of a negative thought, which is the opposite of the placebo effect, where healing is mediated by a positive thought.”

Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice:

• Guided meditation is a great way to get started because it verbally walks you through what to do.
• Try not to be hard on yourself when your mind starts to race with thoughts or wander off.
• Don’t judge or expect an experience. Just be…and allow (even if it’s your mind racing).
• Focus on your breath, it has a calming effect.
• Try listening to relaxing music or nature sounds to quiet your mind.
• Don’t ignore or suppress thoughts as they arise; simply be aware of them and let them pass like clouds through your mind.

For more ideas related to meditation for bodybuilding, watch these 2 videos -

Meditation 101 for Bodybuilding Training

 

Post-Workout Meditation

 

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 – Meditation for Bodybuilding