The idea that you cannot build muscle as a vegan is a myth. It is totally possible to build muscle on a vegan diet; just look at UFC fighter Mac Danzig. He has been kicking butt as a vegan since 2004, and don’t forget the countless vegan body builders and athletes out there who are living proof. Getting strong and muscular as a vegan is not only possible, but it is pretty simple too. Here is a list of some things you need to know if you want to get in shape on a vegan diet.
Where Do You Get Your Protein?
In order to build muscle you need protein – we all know that. But you need meat to get protein, right? Wrong. Just ask an herbivore like a gorilla or an ox, two of the most powerful animals on Earth. They would probably say, “You can get your protein from a balanced diet that is full of plants.” And they would be right. In Mac Danzig’s own words, “The fact of the matter is, even if I did eat meat I wouldn’t be so focused on my protein intake. I wouldn’t worry that much about it because you get enough protein if you have a balanced diet.” Your balanced diet should include…
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates give you tons of energy. Too much could turn into fat, but if you are working out regularly (which if you are reading this you probably are) you can expend that energy and convert it into muscle. Not getting enough carbs can decrease both your performance at the gym and your muscle mass. Brown rice, whole grain bread, fruits and vegetables are great sources of carbohydrates that help sustain your energy you throughout the day. On the other hand, there are processed carbohydrates like pasta, candy and white bread. Stay away from them for they do not provide sustainable energy. And while you are getting your carbs, do yourself a favor and get your…
Fats
Getting enough fat in your diet makes a huge difference when it comes to building muscle because it slows the energy absorption of carbohydrates, allowing you to sustain its energy even longer. Fat also helps boost testosterone which is crucial for building muscle. But you cannot just cram cake and ice cream down your throat because there is a big difference between fat that hurts and fat that helps. It would not hurt, for example, to eat an avocado with your meals, to replace vegetable oil with coconut oil and chocolate chips with nuts and seeds. These kinds of healthy fats will actually help you get stronger. Also, if you want a muscular body make sure you are getting enough…
Calories
It is super important to get enough calories in your diet because they are a major source of energy. When you exercise, you burn calories which means you need to restock and refuel regularly so you can keep up with your workout regimen. If you work out hard but find it difficult to physically eat enough calories, consider the following: cook your food so you can eat more of it; make smoothies and juice so you can take in larger quantities of calories more easily; eat small meals throughout the day, about five or six times. Here is a simple test you can take to figure out how many calories you need to eat based on your activity level. But do not get your calories from just anywhere, get them from a…
Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Vegan Diet
That sounds like a mouth full (no pun intended); however, if you want to be the strongest, most muscular vegan you can be, then you really need to be a whole-foods, plant-based vegan. The reason being is because you could eat candy for every meal of every day and still accurately call yourself a vegan. But in order to be your strongest self, you need to avoid the crappy processed stuff. People who convert to a whole-foods, plant-based vegan diet experience a much welcomed energy boost, which allows them to bring more intensity to their workouts. They often find they do not need to spend as much time recovering in between workouts either, which allows them to kill it at the gym more often and thus build muscle.
I hope this was helpful to you as you embark on your vegan strength journey. It is good to experiment and see what works best for you since no two people will react the exact same way on any given diet or exercise program. I would love to hear about your progress in the comments below!
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