Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but not to the site. Been visiting for inspiration since I started bodybuilding and became vegan, which happened a year ago, almost simultaneosly. Was obese (198 lbs at 5'7") and one day just decided I've had enough with being fat, sick and always tired. I started a diet and working out at home, doing cardio and using light weights. A month later I enrolled at a gym, and started working out seriously with free weights. By that time I had started following a vegan diet without even intending to. I started eliminating animal products out of convenience. A friend gave me a pair of books that introduced me to the vegan lifestyle, bringing awareness to animal abuse and such. I never looked back or regreted my decision. As for bodybuilding, I started investigating in different sites and found lots of help with the exercises, but not the nutrition. I stumbled into this site and found lots of ideas. I lost a total of 82 pounds, have managed to build muscle, but I'm still getting the hang of bodybuilding as a vegan. I tend to lose weight easily and I'm kind of stuck right now, in muscle growth I mean. I have no support in my country, to my knowledge there aren't any vegan bodybuilders, so I want to change that.

Welcome to our community!

Great to have you here!

All the best and welcome aboard!

-Robert

Thank you Robert for your warm welcome!

This picture pretty much summarizes my vegan fitness journey. I'm currently on week 6 of a 12 week body conditioning program (Jamie Eason's LiveFit). After I'm done with it, I'm gonna hire a professional coach, for I want to get this body ready to compete in July. I ordered Robert's book "Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness" to nail the nutrition/supplementation part. To my knowledge there aren't any vegan bodybuilders competing in my country, even the top experts in the field here ask me where do I get my protein or make rude comments about me trying to get ready to compete on a vegan diet, even suggesting I should at least eat eggs or include whey/casein protein shakes in my diet... I have a deep sense of commitment to what I do and a huge self imposed responsibility of teaching the bodybuilding community in my country that it is possible to build muscle on a plant based diet. I need all the help/support I can get!!!

Wow wonderful progress!! Keep up the great work!

Thanks! Working really hard to achieve my goals!

I am participating in a contest called "Create an Inspiration" organized by Fierce Forward. One has to submit a picture that pretty much represents your "fitness you" and write a message that will inspire others to take up a healthier lifestyle. To vote for me, you just need to like my picture.

I'm not much into popularity contests, and gave some serious thoughts to even entering this one, it is not my usual move, but one of my goals this 2012 is to move out of my confort zone and "do stuff" that makes me "antsy" to gain confidence. The weight came off, but confidence it's taking its time to surface.

Anyway, I need my #veganfamily to support me on this one. To win means a lot for I think I have a powerful message to spread.

To support me and back me up on this one, just go to the link below and like my picture. If you wish to leave an encouraging comment, feel free to do so. You may also support me by sharing the picture on your wall and encouraging your friends to like it as well. Thank you all for your time and support. Being part of this community has positively impacted my life in MANY ways. I want to emulate Robert Cheeke by providing a positive example others can relate to: a real person losing weight and getting fit in a healthy way. Again, thank you for supporting my cause!

@TheFitnessGirla

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3 ... fid=0&_rdr