Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Hello,
I'd like to disclose that this is completely new territory for me. I have no clue what I'm doing!!! I've been vegan for right about a year and gluten free as well. My fitness history is like a series of hills. I never really have gotten where I want to be...recently I've gained nearly 20lbs after a cancer diagnosis. I'm going to be fine. I'm very lucky that what I had was slow and easy to treat, but it still provided a mental setback.

Oh and my reason for getting into body building is because trainers at my gym are jerks about me being vegan. Basically I want to be a good physical specimen when I'm out and about sporting vegan t-shirts and tanks...May sound like a weird reason, but seriously if one more person asks about protein I may choke them! Then not only do they ask the debate the topic...I feel like I need a stack of journal articles on hand at all times! I just want to be living proof I guess. I've been thinking about this for a long time and getting on my scale this morning after a week of food journaling only to see my weight up another 3 lbs...

I guess I'm starting with diet and weight loss first. I have to lose about 30 lbs overall.

Thanks,
Linda

Well, you found all the good-looking vegans, so I'd say you're on the right track!


Everybody's is, it's just that some people are vocal about it and admit it and some people prefer to have you believe that they picked up one dumbbell and magically transformed into Jay Cutler overnight.


The grand majority of every "healing" is mental. The mind-body connection is mind-blowingly powerful. Did you know that most people's illnesses (especially cancer) immediately worsen right after their diagnosis? Because before the diagnosis, their body was working hard on its own to fight something and it didn't have the added stress of worry to contend with. Worry knocks a body right on its ass; you'd think the experts would have locked onto that by now. Doctors rarely sit down with you and say, "Here's what we found but don't worry about it. People heal from this all the time. It's not a cause for alarm. Just relax, live well, get lots of sleep, eat excellent food, I'll work with you. I've had patients who were free of this in a matter of months." Nope, instead they read you your own obituary while you sit there in that thin paper gown on that cold metal examination table, spewing forth a stream of scary statistics that actually have nothing to do with you, all to cover their legal liability. Insurance company: 1, Patient Health: 0. All you have to do to make a perfectly well person really, really sick is add worry. The last century of medical science discovered the intimate electrochemical symphony of the human brain; maybe this century will standardize its actual use.


I'm confused...why do the trainers' opinions matter, again? Are they in your employ? Do you have the authority to tell them you are only interested in learning weight lifting technique and not nutrition? If you have to be in contact with them, why not say, "Thanks, but I'm on a custom nutrition program personally designed for me by a specialist." Just don't mention the specialist is you! If they inquire further, blow them off by saying, "It's between me and my doctor," or "You know, I came here to lift and I only have an hour, I really want to get at it." If they still won't shut up, fire them and find another gym.


Put away your scale--in fact, give it away. Seriously. Body builders are known for confusing scales with their solid mass. The BMI is crapola. Ask yourself, if you could be in perfect shape, and I mean PERFECT--gorgeous, vivacious, ripped, skinny jeans, youthful, bouncy, glowing, etc.--but you actually weighed 300 pounds, would you agree to it? I mean, nobody would know about what the scale actually said, right? They'd only see the hot body. So, who cares? There are a lot of petite female fitness models who weigh 140 pounds, yet can slide right into a size 2. Which number do you think they care about more, the 140 or the 2? Ditch the scale. If you can't bare not to know that number, then weigh yourself once a month directly in between menstrual cycles. In the end, though, your clothes will tell you all you need to know.


Think of it instead as transforming a certain percentage of your body into lean muscle. It shifts the focus off of where you've been and puts it squarely on your goal. Don't think of fat as bad, you do need a certain amount of it to function. Just think of it as redesigning your body. You're a sculptor now, and no matter what you look like, you are always a work of art!


Welcome! Kick off your shoes and stay awhile.

Baby Herc

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Hi Linda,
Welcome to the forum. I have recently lost a friend to cancer and had a scare with another loved one as well. It must be real eye opening? Even though you mentioned it was slow coming and easily taken care of. Things like that must be motivating to carpe diem (Can't spell that).
Hope you enjoy interacting with us here and I'd love to hear more of your story. Even if you think its boring, its interesting for many of us to know what it feels like after having a life changing experience, like a cancer scare.

-Dylan

How's it going? Where did you go to highschool? just kidding. But seriously where did you go? My wife and I are in the same boat and in your backyard so, welcome. Becca and I are more than happy to share and take advice and it's nice to have a local on the boards.

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