Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Good work so far!

Though, I do second the notion that you won't want to cut calories too far. I learned my lesson the hard way, putting yourself into extended starvation mode only shoots your metabolism in the foot and will make it that much harder to lose any extra fat in the near future (more than likely, your body will be eating away at lean mass on such a restricted calorie diet unless it is loaded with tons of protein and BCAA supplements). Based on your height and build, I'd strongly suggest that you don't go under 2000 cal/day, and on days you're training, definitely go higher as you can't build muscle on a caloric defeceit. You can gain a bit of strength just from putting your body to use via lifting for a bit, but those gains will come to a grinding halt all too soon if you're not getting the proper fuel.

Just don't cut those calories too far, it's no fun having to re-learn all the points about how much your body needs when you crash hard from inadequate caloric intake over an extended period of time!

9-29-2010

Squat 5x5 65 lbs
Bench Press 5x5 55 lbs
inverted rows 9,6,4
mod push ups 15,12,10
Reverse Crunches 25,20,20

yesterdays calorie intake 2231 (85 grams protien, 382 grams carbs, 60 grams fat, 86 grams fiber)
todays calorie intake 2099 (74 grams protein, 421 grams carbs, 30 grams fat, 92 grams fiber)

I am trying to raise my calorie intake.I think the higher the weights i go the more i'll start to eat.but yeah i need to add more beans and nuts that are calorie dense.but yeah i am working at it..

I think on Friday i am going to raise everything 10 pounds instead of the usual 5 and see what happens.

anyways time to do some cardio.

Listen to VeganEssentials. I'm training up my mate, he's making great weight loss, and we do strength training too. The newbie gains last for only so long and then strength gains will start to suffer. We knew this was going to happen, I said after a while he'd have to be taking in a caloric excess to make gains.

But difference is with my mate, our main goal for him is fat loss at the moment. With most people who start with extra body fat who want to get lean muscle is to get the muscle first (eat more, lift heavy), because if you cut bodyfat first there's going to be nothing there to show. My friend has good genetics and without working out a lot in the past you could see already he has a lot of lean muscle mass. After the first 7 weeks strength gains had started to slow, will be a lot of maintenance lifting till he hits his weight target probably!


Stronglifts 5x5 page starts with "StrongLifts 5×5 is the popular training program that will make you gain muscle and strength while losing fat".

Then you get yesterday's blog http://stronglifts.com/should-you-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/

I think stronglifts is a great beginner program and they have decent pages on exercise form/technique, but some of the claims on the site and endorsements are ridiculous. Diet pages are awful too - actually some real bad advice in there.

Wouldn't recommend it. It doesn't matter how light the preceding weight is, it's better for your body to gradually adapt to the heavier weights. Not just for strength, your technique (especially-this is why stronglifts starts you at an empty bar), joint strength, recovery. I've seen a lot of people to eager to pack on the weight and get injured.

Be patient man, it'll get heavy before you know it. You're adding 15lbs a week to your squat and 5-10lbs on your other lifts.

You don't need to be absolutely done in at the end of a workout for it to be effective!

thanks for the advise Chewy.

calorie intake
9-30-2010 3077 cals 134 g P, 540g C, 53g f
10-1-2010 2622 cals 91 g p, 494g c, 57g f

wasn't able to get to the gym yesterday do to overtime at work so i made do with my adj dumbbells for my workout.I tried to do pullups at work using crossbeams but didn't work out to well.dumbbells isn't the same so hopefully the overtime won't be a issue or i just have to go to the gym after work.

Front Squats 5x5 70 pounds
Overhead Press 5x5 55 pounds
Deadlift 1x5 110 pounds
crunches 35,35,30

later on today when i get back from my grandfathers Birthday party (should be interesting with my vegan ways surrounded by not so vegan ways people, one of which likes to heckle me on facebook posting stupid eating red meat comments and such.., at least the restaurant has a salad bar) I plan on doing at least a half hour on my Spinning Bike and hopefully go to the park and get some negative pullups done to make up for yesterday..

love the title of your log and some nice workouts too!

That's very rude of him to heckle you like that.... I hope you are able to find vegan food and have fun at the party!

And yes, I started a log! Thanks for noticing. It didn't feel right to post on your training journal if I didn't even have one going.

10-4-2010

I managed to be lazy all weekend.should have at least some cardio on one of the days, really need to start kicking my ass with that.

anyways todays workout and what a busy one it was an AM and PM session today

am workout
One hour walk (total time) to and back from gym
Squats 5x5 80 pounds
Bench press 5x5 65 pounds
Inverted Rows 8,6,4
Push Ups (no moderations this time, i am moving up in the world) 8,6,5
Reverse Crunches 25,19,15

10 minutes on the crossramp machine after workout


PM Cardio:
Ex Bike 20 minutes
Rowing Machine 5 minutes (this seemed kind of pointless)
Elliptical machine 25 minutes ( got heart rate up to 150)
shot hoops to cool down for 5 minutes


Keeping Calories over 2000 calories on a mostly raw food diet.I am reading the 80/10/10 diet Book and it is really making some good sense to me...

10-6-2010

Squats 85lbs 5x5
Overhead press 65lbs 4x5,1x4 (my first failure, i couldn't get that last rep up so i will stick to the same weight on monday)
Deadlift 130lbs 2x5
Chinups 135lbs 10 reps, 125lbs 5,4 reps
Prone Bridges 3x30 seconds
Burpees 1x12

10-7-2010
45 minutes cardio at the gym (elliptical machine, bike) + walk home (about 2 miles or so)


10-8-2010

Morning:
Squats 90lbs 5x5
Bench press 70lbs 5x5
Barbell Rows 45lbs 5x5
Push Ups 10,6,3 (at least i hit double digits on the first set, last set
Reverse Crunches 30,20,20
Burpees 1x12

Afternoon 20 minutes of racquetball hitting (bought a racket today)..almost took my head off a few times, lol..it was fun though + walk home (2 miles)

Diet..slowly getting into the raw food thing I have been going all raw food until dinner time, so i can use up all the food i have and not have it just sit there (canned beans, Amy's soups....) still working my way to the 80 10 10...

spend most of yesterday helping a neighbor rip off and put on a storm door but got some walking in earlier in the day.bought some flax seed, braggs raw apple cider vinegar, raw blue agave to use with it.

also bought a weight scale that measures bodyfat..my weight is 187.8 with a bodyfat % of 28.8%..So I think i need to pick up the cardio a little more to make up for the extra calories i have been consuming, last thing i want is to hit 200 lbs again unless i look like a linebacker then it is okay, I am starting to feel stronger and i am starting to see a little definition in my calves.I think the Stronglifts is helping a lot and now that i am testing my muscles a bit more now with the added weight, it is only going to start helping more.hell I actually enjoy getting up at 3:45 in the morning getting ready to hit the gym at 5 am before work. definitely in this for the long haul

10-11-2010

Squats 5x5 95lbs (3 digits starting Wednesday )
Overhead Press 5x5 65lbs
Deadlifts 2x5 140 lbs
pull ups with 135 pound assistance 9,6,5
Prone Bridges 3 x 30 seconds or so...
Burpees 15

I felt it was a decent workout, wish i could make some progress with the chin ups.I need to do what chewy suggested with the negative reps i think.still need to do cardio on a regular basis, probably in the evening after work just need to figure out what would be best.

I have decided to add Insanity earlier then planned..with me eating more for the strongliftsi have noticed my midsection and weight has increased.so i need to do something to counter that.I am going to do the fittest today (Tuesday)..

Just got done with the Insanity Fit test, OMG was this a struggle i am still panting as i type....lol

Switch Kicks: 90
Power Jacks: 32
Power Knees: 61
Power Jumps: 24
Globe Jumps: 11
Suicide Jumps: 10
Push-Up Jacks: 9
Low Plank Oblique: 45

10-13-2010

Morning Stronglifts Training

Squats 5x5 100lbs
Bench Press 5x5 75lbs
Inverted Rows (Modified 3rd notch from the top of Smith Machine) 20,18,12
Push Ups 6,4,4
Reverse Crunch 20,15,16

Push Ups i think dropped because of the fit test the day before.I expected this.Not sure why Reverse Crunch dropped but i am happy to be at 100lbs on squats.


Evening Insanity Training Day 2 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

My Body quit on me with the last set of basketball drills but i had my heart rate up to 153-158 throughout the whole video i did do.Except for the stretching.I am happy with the result.I will make it through the whole video next time.

also got my swimming trunks in the mail today so i have another workout option at the gym with swimming, or as most people will say when they see me..192 pound flounder flopping around in the water...


anyways day three of insanity tomorrow then on Friday i will do insanity in the morning and weight training at night due to overtime.Gym opens at 5 am and i have to work at 6 am...not a whole lot of time to work with.


Diet is still a mess especially when i am at home..I am pretty strict when i am at work or away but when i get home i turn into a junk food junkie..I really need some self control...kicks self in ass...

I also Got Roberts Book in the mail today from Vegan Essentials..I got reading to do....

Remember inverted rows are harder as the bar gets lower, try moving it down a notch or 2 every workout.

And with reverse crunch are you reducing the counterweight (assuming you're using one), or are you holding onto something solid?