Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

So, i decided with the amount of free time i have at the moment i would start a blog about my gym escapades, not to mention my recent switch to veganism. Feel free to give any advice as i am always willing to take it.

So, i've always loved animals and felt empathetic towards them anytime i see one unhappy (or not treated as well as i would treat it - DAMN paternal instincts!). I think this comes from growing up with a lot of pets, coupled with mother being raised on a farm... but whatevs. So i recently decided that i would no longer support an industry that hurts something i care about and made the most obvious choice of going vegan (looks like i moved away from Texas just in time, lol). However, this did worry my family a bit as they are now concerned with me getting enough nutirents/calories in my diet. This stems from me having issues with food since i was severely overweight about 3 years ago and actually developed an eating disorder over the last year which now has me standing 'strong' at around 160lbs. Im 6'3'' with a fairly large frame so you can imagine the gangliness that ensued. However, like i said, i recently moved and am now miles away from a lot of what sunk me into depression/distorted eating and am ready to get back in the gym to start training and getting healthier. Not thinner, not HOOOOGE, but healthy mind and body wise. The steps for doing this have such far come in the form of a membership to LA Fitness, a new workout plan and working up to eat around 2500 calories a day to put a little meat on.
Buuuuut, enough boring McBorings... lets get down to the nitty gritty:

The Training:
Day 1
Power cleans 3 reps to max, 1x3 5%, 3x3 10%
Back Squats 10 reps to max, 1x10 5%, 3x10 10%
Bench Press 10 reps to max, 1x10 5%, 3x10 10%
Push Press 10 reps to max, 1x10 5%, 3x10 10%
Leg press 4x15
Machine rows 3x10
Chin ups 3x10
Back extensions 3x15
Leg lifts 4x10 hold to 10 seconds for last 3
Side lifts 4x10 each side

Day 2
Deadlifts 10 reps to max, 1x10 5%, 3x10 10%
Shrugs 10 reps to max, 1x10 5%, 3x10 10%
Bent Rows 10 reps to max, 1x10 5%, 3x10 10%
Military Press 10 reps to max, 1x10 5%, 3x10 10%
Flys 3x10
Lunges 3x20
Romanian Deadlifts 3x10
Dips 3x10
Medicineball situps 5x10
Russian twists 5x10

Day 3
Power cleans 5x3 10% of max
Back Squats 5x10 10% of max
Bench Press 5x10 10% of max
Push Press 5x10 10% of max
Curls 3x10
Tricep extension 3x10
Calf raises 5x15
Bent lat raises 3x10
Isometrics 5x45 second hold
Side isometrics 5x25 seconds

Day 4
Deadlifts 5x10 10%
Shrugs 5x10 10%
Bent rows 5x10 10%
Military press 5x10 10%
Leg extensions 3x10
Leg curls 3x10
Chin ups 3x10
Upright rows 3x10
Back extensions 3x15
Medicineball situps 5x10
Russian twists 5x10

*Everyday there is a little more than 30 mins on the stationary bike and ab work (crunches and sidelifts)
Im also saving a little dough to buy a bike as im finding it would be alot easier than taking the car around town.

Also... The Diet:
4am - Two whole fruits
7am - Another Whole fruit
10am - 1/2c oats in water with blueberries, banana, 3 slices fakin bacon
2pm - (postworkout) boca patty with 4c broccoli, whole mango
6pm - varies: Beans and brown rice with veggies, tofu scramble with a sweet potato (totals about 500 cals)
9pm - If still awake ill have a cup of Hi-Lo cereal with blueberries and soymilk or an almond butter sandwich on ezekiel bread

Getting ready to get off to the gym... will update soon!

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

Hi-lo cereal! I remember that from back in the day. I could totally go for some!

Oh yeah, the Hi Lo is most definitely a throwback. Almost as good as having s'mores... almost.
Also, today there were two new discoveries from being a new vegan: Dried and pitted dates are a little too sweet and avocados are better than any mayo ever could be. The FOOLS who rely on mayo.

Training today:
*Tripped and fell earlier today and whacked my shoulder pretty hard to took a couple lifts more easily, all in all it was a good workout. Love going to the gym at like three-ish cause its less crowded, i dont do well with people in my lift-bubble.

-Started off with 35 mins on the stationary bike at lvl 9
Deadlift: 3x10 100lbs(2 50lb DBs)
Bent Over Rows: 3x10 35lb dbs (these were taken easy)
Shrugs: 3x10 180lbs
Military Press: 3x10 30lb DBs
Flyes: 3x10 25lb DBs
Romanian Deadlifts: 3x10 60lbs (gonna try for 80 next week, really wished the gym had a 70lb ez bar. Note: figure out how much the weightless EZ weighs)
Lunges: BW (will do weighted next week)
Dips: 3x20 (just used a bench so it was a little easier and felt good enough to do more)

Workout went well, again the gy was crowded so i didnt have to worry about sweaty mcSweatser getting into my bubble. Also, the ipod was definitely my friend today with tracks such as 'Superbeast' and 'Thriller' (RIP). The only thing was i got home late so im about to pass out into a food coma and i have to be up in about 8 hours (interning for a morning radio show). Worried i didnt get enough food in, but tomorrow is my rest day so ill be sure to get some good meals in there.

Also...... HARRY FRIGGIN POTTER is coming out tomorrow. Are you psyched? It doesnt matter, in psyched enough for the both of us! Now, if only they had tofu pups at the theater....

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

Yay Harry Potter!!! I'm going tomorrow morning.

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vegan for the win!

So, nothing really to report at the moment. Yesterday was the scheduled rest day which, of course, was filled with Harry Potter goodness. P.S., if you have not seen it by now then you need to change that this weekend. its good for kids as well as adults (kid you not) and was not merely an excuse for Hollywood to make a quick buck but it was actually a movie with a good story.

Then i pulled an all nighter for work so i was fooling pretty lethargic by the time i usually go to the gym. Decided to fall asleep by the pool (love Florida) for a bit and got some good vitamin D action while reading another chapter in 'Becomming Vegan'. But needed to get a little activity in so i swam for about 15 mins and am planning to do a little bodyweight exercises tonight after dinner. Am thinking about changing the emphasis of my workouts to be more geared toward bodyweight lifts and light freeweights to build more of a foundation as i feel im not concentrating enough on form during my lifts which i know wont do me any good in the long-run.

Feeling a little guilty actually taking two days for myself and not making it to the gym, but am totally planning to go tomorrow and then catching a baseball game with the stepfather/brother later that night. Proves to be a good time had my all. Will update again tomorrow, till then peace and love!

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

So Harry Potter is still holding strong as one of the best movies in the series so far, im actually gonna go out on a limb and say THE best. Now to the good stuff.

Got to the gym and finished up the weeks workouts friday and saturday. I occaisionally like to save the weekends for myself but I dont really have much outside of training and my radio internship. Also the gym was not crowded in the least on saturday so it actually might turn into a more normal routine for me.

Friday:
Power Cleans: 3x4 60lb (need to up this is week, but form is better every time)
Bench Press: 3x10 85lb
push press 3x10 25lbx2
Back Squat: 3x10 170lb
Machine Curl: 60lb
Kickback: 3x10 12lb
Seated Calf Raise: 3x15 145lb
Bent Lateral Raise: 3x10 12lb

Saturday:
Deadlift: 3x10 100lb
Shrugs: 3x10 180lb
military Press: 3x10 60lb
bent over row: 3x10 50lb dumbells
Leg Extension: 3x1 120lb
Leg Curl: 65lb
Chin ups: 3x12 (assissted
Back Extension: 170lb
Upright Row: 45lb

*All in all the workouts felt good, feeling a bit more motivated, but i still think I need to up the food intake due too a little lack of motivation coupled with lack of sleep. I've really gotta push myself to do this due to my mindset but i feel more motivated. I suppose i should mention i have food issues sue to growing up as a chubby (ok FAT) kid and after dieting from 330 to 210 and plateauing my priorities got kinda out of whack and i dropped down to 160 where i am now. Not the right way at all, which greatly impacted my health, but thats beside the point. The point is that im ready to get back into lifing and am really trying to put good weight on while keeping to my vegan diet (which i am totally loving BTW!). Apologies for rambling i just feel that if im going to be honest anywhere its gonna be on my blog. Also, i figured since there is A LOT of knowledge floating around these boards i would greatly beneit from being clear about my goals and asking for some advice.

Thats all for this time, till then peace and love!

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

I thought this was my least favourite movie of the series. Well, maybe Prisoner of Azkaban would win that title.

I'd say Order of the Phoenix was my favourite.

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vegan for the win!

Im gonna say my favorite Potter moment to date is the last 30 minutes of order of the phoenix, then half blood prince, then the goblet of fire, THEEEEENN the complete order of the phoenix, followed by a nap.

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

haha, I love this! I sooo wish they did! although, I have to admit that I haven't been to a movie theater in a very long time

great blog! keep up the good work!

I have had food issues too... though more with overeating after restricting my diet and in times of stress than ever under-eating. I was a chubby kid too with many self esteem issues, my dad used to make me peanut butter and BUTTER sandwiches for lunch, who does that?! needless to say I didn't have very good role models for healthy living growing up. We can rise above it, though!

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---megan---
http://www.myspace.com/ellaandfinnsmom
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
-Theodor Seuss Geisel

Oh man, got another one for you... My mothers speciality.. Peanut butter, banana and Mayo on wonderbread. Two years later she notices im overweight and she was surprised? Having happy/healthy kids is going to be my number one concern when the little ones come into play. This actually got me thinking if i wanted to raise my children vegan or not. I think im going to impart my beliefs and ideals on them but im not going to force them down their throats. I know, for me at least, the quickest way to get me to not do something or to do the opposite is to tell me what to do... so im not for doing that to other people let alone my kids.
What am i going on about, i dont even have a girlfriend

So... yesterday was a depressing wonder brought to you by a downpour. I had the shoesies on and the ipod all blaring and was met with a downpour on the way out the door. This depressed me to the point of only getting in a little cardio and some abwork.

Today, though, was met with wonder to the power of 24! The day started with my favorite fruit in the world right now, the powerful Bosc Pear! Then i was off on the hunt to look for a bike and bought a pretty awesome schwinn from the local international retail giant. (target). Then my journey brought me next door to whole foods and a new purchase of garbanzo bean flour, pretty awesome stuff. Then it was time for a workout.

Biked to the gym
Power Clean: 3x10 60 (felt awesome)
push press: 3x10 50 (gonna stay here for one more week)
bench press: 3x10 90 (upped it by ten and it was AWESOME!)
Back Squat: 3x10 170 ( focussed more on form and did some of the best movements to date!)

Leg Press: 3x10 180 (gonna up this next week)
chin up: 3x fail (assisted)
machine mid row: 3x10 100
Back Extension: 3x10 180
*biked home and jumped on some tofu like it stole something

Felt good to get back into the gym today, the sun was out and so were the bugs (ew). Think im gonna start tracking my food as well since im still sure im not getting enough calories in. Would anyone know of a good diet for me to look at until then? Any advice is always appreciated and, until next time, 'Do or do not, there is not try'

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

wow, ok... I think that is worse than mine!


As far as raising your kids vegan, I take the not shoving it down their throats route... I tell my 5 yr old exactly what meat is, all the gory details and I show her some of the less disturbing (read: bloody) videos on peta's website, she still eats chicken sometimes when she is with her dad and she eats cheese a few times a week... my husband is omni so we have cheese in the house but no meat of any kind, ever. I give her the tools to make the right choices, but I don't want her to rebel later... so like you said, I don't shove it down her throat. My 2 yr old on the other hand has never eaten meat, he even spits out cheese (which I have never seen a kid do). His favorite foods are tofu and salad, he guzzles soy and almond milk. He is definitely my little vegan boy. I feel bad because I didn't start my daughter out as well as I did my son... I was just vegetarian when she was born so I gave her cows milk as a toddler and even some chicken baby-food too, I was misguided but I still feel really guilty about it. I think that the food you start them out with really stays with them for their whole lives, and makes a healthy lifestyle much easier for them. Sorry, that was a total tangent!

I am glad that the sun came out for you (but yuck about the bugs!)! You should check out Brendan Brazier's book... 'The Thrive Diet' I think it is called, or I think it was published as just 'Thrive' in the U.S. if you are looking for a good vegan diet. I haven't read it but I think a lot of ppl on this forum have.

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---megan---
http://www.myspace.com/ellaandfinnsmom
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
-Theodor Seuss Geisel

<---- worst blogger ever. Been pretty MIA recently but work has been atrocious since im like the only intern that shows up there to work out of two. Couple that with me being there only a month and a half and I get pretty tired to say the least. Speaking of tiredness, i need to start getting some more sleep. I have had insomnia like whoa recently and i know my body is looking up at me and asking WTF? So, thats one thing to work on this week.

Secondly, i have changed the routine. Prepare to be shocked body as the 'Stronglift' program comes into play. Its three days a week focussing on compound lifts and bodyweight exercises. I really liked this one sice it was only 3x a week and i can spend the other four days focussing on work and recovery. That being said, i had my last go with it on saturday...

Workout A: (8.2.09)
Back Squat: 1x5-130, 5x5-180
Bench press: 1x5-warmup with bar, 5x5-80(form felt awesome but i still feel like a weaky mcweak)
Inverted Row: 2x12, 1x11
Push Ups:3x20
Reverse Crunch: 3x15

When you first read it you dont think its going to take very long in the gym but i was there for like an hour! Felt good afterwards and ready to up the weight this week and bring on the soreness! Dont ask me why but im loving the soreness. Also, looking into fitday in order to track my cals and make sure i recover well enough so i can lift heavier sooner. That... and it is time to go against what ive been doing for such a long time (diet mode) and focus more on an adundance of health.

Lastly, it has officially been a month since the switch to veganism. I must say, there have been times when it has been difficult but that really only comes from times when we go and eat out. But even then i still find something and im always satisfied with my salad and baked potato in terms of nourishment and nturients. That being said, the only thing im looking inward about is the vegan switch just being my attempt as an excuse to faster a case of Orthorexia. Regardless, its something to pray about and meditate on so that is what im off to do. Will get back to the blog with the new diet but until then, PARTY LIKE A ROCK STAR!

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

So, today was an interesting/stressful day. I didnt get all my meals in cause i spent the better part of my day in a honda dealership negotiating with the only people there that didnt speak a word of english. There were some there, im sure of it... i think i even heard them while i was talking to other people. But all in all, i walked out with a new awesome vehicle and a tumbly that was grumbling for a massive bowl of oats.

The workings:
Overhead press: 1x10 80, 1x10 90, 5x5 100 (i didnt really keep TOO MUCH track of the weight with these cause the place was REALLY crowded so i had to use a machine. But got some good reisitance in)
Squat: 1x5 140, 1x5 190, 5x5 175. ( had it to 180 last week but i slept like hell last night and was feeling a bit weak)
deadlift 1x5 95
Chin ups: 3x10 (assisted)
Prone Bridges: 3x30sec

I probably could have gotten a couple more chins in there but, like i said... i was feeling a bit in a fog. I actually ended up loosing control of the weight on my second set of squats and dropped 190 lbs. Thank God i was on the smith machine otherwise there would have been weights rolling around, childrean screaming and running away.... what i like to call the 'Indiana Jones' situation.

The food:
9:30 - cup of Hi-Lo with plain soymilk and blueberries
<day in the honda dealership>
3:00 - oatmeal with come pureed pumpkin, few cherries and a few almonds, 1 banana
6:00 - banana bread larabar (totally my favorite)
8:30 - half a can of Black Eyed Peas, stir fried peppers and wilted spinach, faux meat crumbles on a whole wheat roll
-definitely not enough at the end of the day i dont think, but it all tasted good if i do say so myself-

Today is through and tomorrow is full of possibilities. I totally need some new fruit.
STAY STOKED!!!!

_________________
Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

So, remember when i dropped the weight on Tuesday? Well, now that the adrenaline has stopped pumping and keeping the pain at bay... my neck if KILLING ME! Today i couldnt even bring myself to do inverted rows as i could barely keep my neck straight, i think im just gonna warm shower it up and hope that helps. Also, im planning on getting a few more Z's tonight, which ive been lacking in this whole week and am really looking forward to catching up on since i dont have to go to work tomorrow morning

The Workings
Squat: 5x5 180
Bench: 5x5 80 (smith machine so im using my best guess)
Upright Cable Rows: 3x10 80 (felt like a loser not doing the inverts but i told myself there would be time for those later)
Push-ups: 3x20 (going for 25 on the next workout, super stoked!)
Inverted Crunch: 3x15 (theseare getting easier as well, gonna up the last set to 20 next workout and see how i feel about that.)

Food has been horrible today as i was out with a bunch of friends and the only thing they could all agree on was the all american hamburger. Thank goodness they had a green salad on the menu (which had to be covered in salsa and pepper since the only dressing in house was a homemade ranch). Still, it was a wonderful day filled with awesome people and alot of awesome Vitamin D from the sunshine. The only thing is i am NOT looking forward to getting another meal in rigth before bed and feeling all stuffed as i drift off to neverland. Eh, i quess thats what they invented 30 Rock on DVD for.

Also, i frequented a new LA Fitness this day and let me tell you it was extremely nice. Not only that but they played the theme from 'footloose' and it totally got a little toe tappage happening.... which i love!

and, last thing, i need to name my new car. (I BOUGHT A CAR... LIKE A FRIGGIN ADULT AND WHAT-NOT) And while i love it i do not know what to name her/him yet. Any ideas?

Here she is, IDEAS?

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Pan-clay-ke.com<-- Not just for breakfast anymore

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try" -Yoda

http://channels.isp.netscape.com/atplay ... floc=wn-nx
Your Car's Personality Reveals a Secret
Who knew? Cars may be inanimate objects, but they have personalities. The characteristics you give your car--from gender to a name--reveal a secret about you, specifically your propensity for road rage.

Colorado State University psychology professor Jacob Benfield says knowing the personality of drivers' cars is a better indicator of how aggressive they will be on the road than knowing the drivers' own personalities, reports The Washington Post.

In this survey of 204 college students, all of whom owned a car, Benfield assessed the degree to which the students gave their cars human characteristics. The results were similar to previous research:

About 50 percent thought of their car as masculine or feminine.
About 25 percent named their cars.
Each student took a personality test that measured his or her propensity toward road rage and aggressive driving. Then they took the same test again, but this time, they were given these instructions: "Imagine that your vehicle had a personality. Now rate the following items based on the vehicle's personality."

The results? The students who thought of their vehicles as being male or female "scored significantly higher than non-gender-vehicle drivers on verbal aggression, physical aggression, use of vehicle, driving anger and pejorative labeling/verbally aggressive thinking," Benfield and his colleagues report in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

This is where it gets really interesting: The personalities of the drivers and the cars were not the same. In fact, "the perceived personality of the car sometimes was a better predictor of aggressive driving tendencies than the owner's personality," writes Post reporter Ricard Morin.

Example: People who think of their car as friendly are more likely to be polite drivers, even if they are not particularly friendly people themselves. "If people perceive their Corolla to be a jerk, they might drive more aggressively than if they thought their Mustang had a nice personality," Benfield told the Post. Naming the car had no effect on road rage tendencies.

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Happiness is a personal choice!
I am the sole source of all my sadness and joy.

"The logic of worldly success rests on a
fallacy: the strange error that our perfection
depends on the thoughts and
opinions and applause of other men."
Source: Thomas Merton