Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Rob,

Since you are only a week away from competition, I am wondering how many times a day you are drinking Vega and also when exactly you are drinking it? (eg. pre-workout, post-workout, in the am, pm, etc).

Give me the details on what you diet is going to be like from now until competition day.

compash

Just a heads up, he was at work all day and now he's in Eugene with Topher working on the movie...so don't be offended that he hasn't replied right away
Poor guy has a cold too He's not letting it slow him down though! I don't know how he has so much energy, he just keeps going!

Hey Nat,

I like to use Vega about 3 times a day, usually morning, mid-day and after workout. I like berry flavor the best.

I'll try to get some sort of list of what I eat up on here, but here is a short list just off the top of my head.

Morning
-Fruit (bananas, oranges, apples)
-Vega
-Protein bars

Snacks
-Nuts (Almonds, cashews, peanuts)
-Dates
-Veggies

Lunch
-Tofu
-Tempeh
-Asparagus
-English cucumbers
-Green peppers
-Broccoli
-Red Potatoes

Dinner
-Tofu
-Tempeh
-Beans
-Broccoli
-Green veggies

I keep my foods pretty strict this time of year, getting ready for a contest. So no pasta, rice, processed soups, bagels, cereals, soymilks, etc.

I try to keep carbohydates a bit lower and protein high. I also try to eat 6-8 times a day and only supplement with Vega products, Zinc, Vitamin C, and maybe a couple of other things, but that's about it.

So that's kinda how I do it. I'm sure we all do it a bit differently but those are the things I eat right now.

-Robert

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Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

hey, thanks for the detailed response Rob.

ya, I really wanted to like vega, and the berry flavour isnt bad at all, but after trying the Pure Trim, nothing else tastes as good.

you should really give the Pure Trim another shot. I found that it mixes better than vega so I am confused about your experience with it.

YOu are supposed to shake it, wait 30 seconds and then shake it again if you dont like using a blender. But I gotta tell you, with a blender, I have never tasted a smoother, better blending vegan powder before.

I also noticed that the Pure Trim is slightly lower in fat than the vega too.

The pure trim shakes have become a staple in my diet.



peace

Hey Nat,

Cool you found something you like so much. I know you struggled for a while to find a protein powder you liked a lot.

I have a few favorites and for the record Vega isn't my very favorite as far as taste, I just think it's the best. So when I get ready for competition I take out a lot of the foods that may taste really good, but are not the best nutritionally and the same with protein powders.

I think some soy protein from Holland and Barrett in England and GeniSoy here in the States are the best tastiing ones, but they are just protein, nothing too special about that. They taste great, have great consitency and I could drink them all day, but I like the other benefits from Vega, pluse I know the formulater and founder and know what principles he stands on they've also done a lot of help Me and Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness.

For contest prep, always best to eat clean, healthy foods, keep carbs under control, processed foods get kicked to the curb for the most part and certain veggies like asparaus and english cucumbers are added to the nutrition program.

We all have our own favorite ways of getting ready from a nutritional and training perspective and some of the foods listed in my previous response are how I do it.

I also like to do cardio 4-6 times a week for 45 minutes each session and I still continue to train with heavy weights and practice posing each day so my body is used to sqeezing and tensing muscles for an extended period of time.

I also do some tanning, some chilling out because it's a stressful time and try to stay positive and motivated.

Well, off to Portland for a photo shoot now. Topher will probably drive because I had my toe operated on today (ingrown toenail)

All the best, I'll let you know how things continue to progress. Megan and Kourtney painted me last night with tanning spray

-Robert Thin Thin Tan Him

_________________

Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

Hey again Rob,

SO I am just wondering how you cook your food when close to competition.

Eg. How do you prepare your tofu and tempeh? Yur veggies?

If you just steam or bake these items with no oil, vegan margarine/butter, etc. then how do you add flavor?

See, what has stopped me from competing in the past is the discipline required during the short time immediately before contest. I love food too much to ever be able to get down to single digit body fat levels. I just cannot eat bland food for more than a day or two, and of course, this makes it difficult to compete b/c you need that discipline to be able to go that last mile before contest day.

But we'll see.

Actually not.

You won't find a person that loves food more than i do

A competition diet for vegans is considerably different than a diet for omnis.
Eating bland is only required in the last ten days or so. Cutting down fat is best down slowly. I keep my bodyfat low in off-season (not hard for me, though) and thus don't have to do a hardcore diet.

I'm looking forward to accompany you on your precontest-preparation

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No one said it would be easy.

Thanks Alex!!

Yes, ten days - that is what I was referring to when I said "short period of time immediately before competition."

10 days is a lot for me to go without salt or oil. Especially salt. I think many months ago I had posted a post in which i declared that I am a salt addict (and a pop addict).

Before competition you need to cut sodium (as you and Rob know). That for me would be almost impossible. Maybe for a day or two but not 10 days So therefore, I wont be able to compete.

Hey, Topher was supposed to help me kick my salt and pop addiction.

Anyway, let me know if you disagree with my take on any of this.

cg

*pssst*

*in low voice*
Hey CG!

I'll tell you a secret!

I manipulate the sodium level in a different way:
I increase my sodium intake to at least three times normal 6 days before competition. Before it was normal for the whole diet. (At the same time i increase my water intake.) The day before the competition, i reduce it back to normal. ~24 hours before the show (that is ~3p.m.) i cut the sodium completely and stop drinking.

So you see, no need for tasteless food in your diet.

Any other excuses?

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No one said it would be easy.

ME TOO.
But, I've realized I put waaaay too much salt in stuff, and I just don't like how 'unnatural' soda is...So, I'm currently making a concerted effort to reduce both those things in my diet. I don't have money for soda right now, so that's not too hard, but salt is tougher. I've been trying to leave it out of my cooking, and I think once I get used to it will be no problem because veggies taste good on their own, I'm just used to the saltier taste.
It's tough!!! I admire those of you with more dietary discipline than I have!

Damn Alex you would be a great coach - you really know how to kick my ass.

Be gentle with me though - I am sensitive Cancer baby.

What do you mean "I would be"?!

I AM a great coach

And i am always gentle, to the ladies

I know several ways to kick your ass gently, plus some ways so gentle you don't even notice when i kick you

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No one said it would be easy.

Coach me too, coach me too! Except, I like it rough Seriously. I need someone kicking my ass right now.

Nat, I have no doubt that you have plenty of willpower for whatever you want to do! I agree with ya that salt is yummy, but if you really want to compete I'm sure you can do whatever it takes

Megan,

Topher and I will kick your A$$ if you want. Just ask. I know we eat strange foods, but that is because we are both short on money and just eat as much protein as possible.

But tonight Topher totally helped Dave make dinner. We shopped at Whole Foods and picked up some tofu and lots of veggies and Topher was his cooking coach.

And I can get myself in gear nutritionally as I've been doing (notice all the bags of chopped up veggies in the fridge) but just being short on money sucks (as all of us in the Vegan Bodybuilding House know).

Ok.....Road Trip!

-Thin Thin Traveling Him

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Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

ROADTRIIIIIIIIIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!