Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I've been lifting for several years now, but I peaked a couple years ago and never did anything about it until now.

Now's the time to take it to the next level.

I'll be posting my eating log as well as my training log here.

My workouts are composed partially from my own knowledge, gleamed from experience, and partially from stealing innovative sessions out of all of y'alls training logs.

I'll be checking in here constantly, and I invite constructive criticism, as I'll be incorporating your suggestions into my routines immediately.

I'm currently 6'0 and 150 pounds. My goal is to add between 10 to 20 pounds of muscle within the next 2 years, vegan style.

Thanks for checking my VBB blog out!

back day at the gym. still kind of worn out and sore from snowboarding sunday. when i went to try and do pullups, i couldn't. my abs are too sore and doing pullups stretched them in a strange way. skipped that. the hyperextensions felt amazing.

lat pull downs
18 @ 70lb
10 @ 110lb
10 @ 110lb
8 @ 120lb

hyperextensions
18
18
18
15

cable rows
10 @ 110lb
10 @ 120lb
10 @ 120lb
10 @ 120lb

bent-over dumbbell rows
10 @ 60lbs ea hand
10 @ 60lbs ea hand
10 @ 60lbs ea hand
10 @ 60lbs ea hand

didn't have my roommate OR ipod with my tonight, so that's lame. also, what's up with people smelling like cigarettes in the gym?

i'm going to sleep, but here's my eats for the day

730 am - 2 slices of peanut butter toast, 12oz H20
900 am - 1 cup oatmeal w/ 1/2 cup blueberries
1030 am - 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 12oz H20
12 noon - Whole Foods Black Bean Soup + baguette, 12oz H20
2 pm - 1/2 pound grapes, 12oz H20
5pm - 1/2 cup brown rice + leftover chickpea curry (w/ spinach & tomatoes)
730 pm - GYM
830 pm - post workout smoothie (strawberries, blueberries, mango, 1 heaping scoop rice protein, 1 heaping scoop hemp protein, soymilk)
930 pm - entire bunch of asparagus + one head of broccoli + 3 carrots, 16oz H20

need to work on getting more calories in. ain't that the challenge.

yesterday (wednesday 3/16/10) was a bad day. had a raging headache by noon, and definitely was not feeling up to getting into the gym. i still ate alright, not enough, but alright.

8 am- 1 1/4 oatmeal, 12oz H20
9 am- 1 cup sunflower seeds
1030am - odwalla fruit smoothie, bag 'o chips
12 noon - 2 chipotle tofu tamales (400 cal)
2 pm - 2 chipotle tofu tamales (400 cal)
NAP
630 pm - bowl of leftover green bean casserole
730 pm - 2 cups spinach, 1 avocado, 3 carrots

no gym today (3/16/10)

today (thursday, 3/18/10) was much better. got a lot of food in (still working my way up to the intake i want) and got a lot done in the gym. no headache, no excuses. i'm trying to track calories. it's tough. i'll get better at it with time, i'm sure.

730 am - 1 1/2 cups granola w/ raisins + soymilk, coffee
830 am - odwalla bar (200 cal), 12 oz H20
1030 am - 1 1/2 cups trail mix (300 cal), 12 oz H20
1230 pm - white bean & roasted garlic soup, baguette
2 pm - hummus & red pepper wrap (200 cal)
5 pm - 1/2 large yam + can of hominy (~400 cal)
630 pm - GYM
815 pm - smoothie: 1 cup mangoes, 1 cup blueberries, 1 banana, 2 cups soymilk,
1 heaping scoop of: rice protein, hemp protein, Vega
945 pm - 2 cup spinach, 1 avocado, 1 carrot, 1 1/2 cups of broccoli
1030 pm - 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked

all of y'all who break 4000 cal per day are INSANE, brah. but i'll get there.

gym workout tonight consisted of chest, triceps, and a little biceps. flew solo again tonight, but remembered my iPod.

*ea delineates in each hand -- i use that alot

bench press
20 @ bar
10 @ 95
10 @ 135
9 @ 155
5 @ 165
5 @ 165

decline bench machine
6 @ 90ea
6 @ 90ea
6 @ 90ea
6 @ 90ea

pec deck machine
6 @ 150
7 @ 150
6 @ 175
7 @ 175

dips (i haven't done these in FOREVER they are way harder than i remember...)
5
5
5
5

overhead tricep extensions (1st time ever using free weights )
10 @ 35
10 @ 45
7 @ 65
5 @ 65 (ow! i need to lower the weight and focus on form next time.)

hammer curls
10ea @ 22.5ea
10ea @ 22.5ea
8ea @ 22.5ea
8ea @ 22.5ea

machine overhead tricep extensions
10 @ 100
10 @ 115
8 @ 115

took me about an hour. im going to sleep. late!

the last week has been hectic; it's been difficult to balance work & eating enough to feel that going to the gym would be productive rather than counterproductive.

here's my log for tuesday, 3/23/10:

730 am - bowl o' grits (200 cal)
900 am - 1/2 cup oatmeal (160 cal)
1000 am - soy yogurt (160 cal)
12 noon - lentil & spinach soup + baguette (~200 cal)
2 vegan choc. chip cookies (~150 cal)
3 pm - 1 cup trail mix (560 cal)
5 pm - 2 carrots, 1 cup cauliflower, 2 cups broccoli, full bunch of asparagus (~200 cal)
7 pm - vega sport smoothie [1 cup blueberries, vega sport, soymilk] (~250 cal)
730 pm - GYM
9 pm - 2 cups cooked brown rice, 1 block sprouted tofu (650 cal)
SLEEP

~ total calories for the day: 2530

my gym routine on 3/23/10 was chest, tris, and bis again

bench press
25 @ bar
15 @ 95
7 @ 135
6 @ 155
5 @ 165
5 @ 175

dips
10, 9, 8, 6

pectoral fly machine
10 @ 80
8 @ 80
8 @ 100
6 @ 100

hammer curls
10ea @ 22.5 ea
9ea @ 22.5ea
6ea @ 22.5 ea

overhead ez curl bar tricep extensions
10 @ 35
10 @ 35
8 @ 55
8 @ 55

preacher curls
8 @ 65
8 @ 65
8 @ 65
8 @ 65

Wednesday, 3/24/10

830 am - 3/4 cup oatmeal (240 cal)
930 am - lots o' coffee
10 am - package of peanuts (400 cal)
crinkle cut chips
12 noon - spinach and lentil soup (~200 cal)
2 pm - odwalla smoothie (320 cal)
5 pm spaghetti (630 cal)

total calories for the day = 1750

Ate terribly today, and was falling asleep on the couch, so ended up going to sleep early.

Thursday, 3/25/10

9 am - oatmeal (140 cal)
945 am - soy yogurt (160 cal)
1015 am - odwalla smoothie (260 cal)
noon - lentil bolani (560 cal)
2 pm - 1/2 cup brazil nuts (450 cal)
6 pm - green smoothie [1 cup mangoes, 1 cup pineapple, 1 cup blueberries, 1 avocado, 1/2 cup spinach, 2 scoops vega,
soymilk] (~900 cal)
8 pm - GYM
930 pm - can of veggie chili (? let's just say about 300 cal)

total calories for the day = 2770

worked upper back and shoulders

lat pull down
12 @ 80
12 @ 100
9 @ 120
9 @ 120

rear delt machine
10 @ 40
10 @ 50
9 @ 50
6 @ 55

reverse grip lats
12 @ 80
10 @ 100
10 @ 110
8 @ 120

military press
10 @ 85
8 @ 105
8 @ 115
7 @ 115

cable row
12 @ 100
8 @ 120
6 @ 140

lateral raises
10 @ 12.5ea
6 @ 15ea
10 @ 12.5ea
10 @ 12.5ea

shrugs
10 @ 90
10 @ 90
10 @ 115
8 @ 115

Friday 3/26/10

830 am - 1/2 cup oatmeal (160 cal)
10 am - 1 cup oatmeal (320 cal)
1130 am - 2 bananas, soy yogurt (200 cal)
1230 pm - 2 Amy's Kitchen pot pies (520 cal)
4 pm - 1 uncooked cup of lentils (600 cal)
630 pm - GYM
915 pm – a pizza [onions, spinach, carrots, pinenuts, “cheese”] (1300 cal)

total for the day: 3100 cal (woot! )


legs today!

squats
12 @ bar
8 @ 115
8 @ 135
8 @ 155
6 @ 165

lunges
8ea @ 30ea
6ea @ 30ea
6ea @ 27.5ea
6ea @ 27.5ea
6ea @ 27.5ea
6ea @ 27.5ea

hamstring leg curl
10 @ 45
10 @ 60
9 @ 60
9 @ 60

seated calf raises
35 @ 65
35 @ 65
35 @ 65
25 @ 65

Saturday 3/27

830 am - vega smoothie (1 cup mangoes, 1 cup pineapple, 1 cup mixed berries, 1 banana, 1 cup soymilk, 2 scoops vega, H20)
(~300 cal)
900 am - 1230 pm - animal shelter (a whole bunch of coffee and water)
1 pm - 2 Bob's Red Mill buckwheat pancakes (400 cal)
2 hash brown patties (280 cal)
230 pm - GYM
4 pm - 3 cups spinach, can of kidney beans, 1 1/2 cup edamane, 1/2 cup brazil nuts


so my thinking has always been that I should load in on some carbs before the gym, and give them about an hour or so to digest a little. if anyone sees egregious error in my thinking, let me know!

chest, biceps

flat bench dumbbells
12 @ 40ea
11 @ 45ea
10 @ 50ea
6 @ 60ea
5 @ 70ea
6 @ 70ea

standing cable curls (biceps)
10 @ 30ea
10 @ 40ea
6 @ 50 ea
6 @ 50 ea
8 @ 40 ea

incline dumbbell press
10 @ 45ea
6 @ 55ea
6 @ 55ea
6 @ 55ea

close grip pullups
4, 10, 8, 6

dumbbell flyes
12 @ 20ea
10 @ 30ea
6 @ 30ea

Different things seem to work for different people. Some people like to workout on an empty stomach, some eat a little protein beforehand, etc. I usually eat an orange and a cliffs bar right before I head out the door. Not sure how well that works though, to be honest. It doesn't seem to have much bearing on my energy level.

Great log! Keep up the hard work!

Yeah, I on the other hand have a big bowl of oatmeal immediately before I leave for the gym. Not enough carbs or too much time between a meal and the gym and I have shit for energy.

Tuesday 3/30/10

730 am - vega smoothie (1/2 cup mixed berries, 1 cup mangoes, 1 cup pineapple, 2 scoops Vega, 1 cup soymilk, 1 banana, little H20)
1030 am - 3/4 cup oatmeal
1 pm - MASSIVE salad -- mixed greens, arugula, olives, cucumbers, onions, 1 avocado, 1/2 tomato, carrots, peppers, sunflower seeds, plus some other stuff that i've forgotton. no dressing. don't dig on dressing, man.
630 pm - MASSIVE serving of homemade spring pea + asparagus risotto (SO F'ING GOOD)
8 pm - GYM
945 pm - 2 MASSIVE PB&J sandwiches, tablespoon of flaxseed oil, soymilk, water.


some days its just so hard to keep track of calories & even harder to get the proper amount in.

if i had to guess, today would be around 2000 calories. tops. i'm not cutting it for someone with my goals & metabolism. this is frustrating! can i just start chugging pounds of walnuts, peanuts, and almonds? those are highly calorific, right? argh.

gym tonight was chest, tris, and shoulders. rested sunday & monday.

warmed up for about 8 minutes on the bike, then headed for the bench, where despite my poor eating habits on both sunday and monday, i had the best day i've had in a long time, although it may not look good to y'all, it felt good.

bench press
20 @ bar
10 @ 135
6 @ 185
5 @ 185
4 @ 195
3 @ 200

seated dumbbell press
10 @ 30ea
10 @ 40ea
9 @ 40ea
8 @ 40 ea

cable crossovers
12 @ 50
8 @ 60
8 @ 60
5 @ 60

side lateral raise
10 @ 10ea
10 @ 10ea
10 @ 10ea
9 @ 10ea

rope pulldowns
12 @ 45
10 @ 60
10 @ 80
10 @ 90
7 @ 100

Thursday 4/1

april fools!

730 am - granola
830 am - oatmeal
10 am - soy yogurt
1130 am - bananas
1230 pm - 2 slices pizza
1 wholefoods bar
kombucha
230 pm - brown rice
530 pm - quinoa
730 pm - vega/spinach smoothie
8 pm - GYM
1030 pm - cap of kidney beans

2450 cal today

a friend came over right after the gym and i couldn't find the time to eat something. i was upset with myself today, but whatcha gonna do.

gym was back but i started feeling weird towards the end and wasnt feeling hitting a couple more things

deadlifts
12 @ 95
10 @ 135
6 @ 185
6 @ 185

bent over db row
10 @ 65
10 @ 65
8 @ 65

wide grip row
10 @ 90
12 @ 110
8 @ 130

hammer curls
10ea @ 25ea
10ea @ 25ea
10ea @ 25ea

Friday 4/2

730am - granola
930am - brazil nuts
1030am - soy yogurt
huge break in eating here because my coworkers' errands take precedence over my lunch hour
130pm - massive salad
530pm - pasta
630pm - GYM
800pm - 2 "bacon" + avocado sandwiches

total for today was about 3000 cal. lotsa H20 in there too!

gym was LEGS

squats
12 @ 115
10 @ 155
4 @ 185
4 @ 185
5 @ 185

hack squats
10 @ 90
8 @ 140
8 @ 140
8 @ 140
8 @ 140

hamstring curls
10 @ 75
8 @ 75
8 @ 75
8 @ 75
8 @ 75

seated calf raises
25 @ 90
25 @ 90
20 @ 90
20 @ 90