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Elena29 - The veg diaries


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Hello everyone! I'm Elena, I'm from Greece and I'm heading to 26 years old. I have been lifting for about 4 years now with ups and downs, following a "traditional" animal protein diet with meals such as eggs and oats for breakfast and stuff like chicken and rice etc. I once cut off meat from my diet for about 8 months, I always wanted to do it due to ethical reasons. I had no idea about vegetarianism, I didn't even know there was such a thing as veganism! You see, in Greece we are so far behind from stuff like that. Greeks are huge meat and dairy eaters.

I "had" to go back to eating meat since my pathologist advised me to, since my blood test were bad back then, although I myself felt great. It was in that time (2013) when I came across veganism. For a person like me who has grown to a country with eating habits that contain meat and dairy, it seemed pretty difficult to follow such a lifestyle. I compromised and I said that if I "have" to eat meat, at least I would follow a diet that fits my gym goals.

 

Weights: my other love! I love how my body and my self confidence have changed through training, it's part of my life. And I do believe that one can achieve great results in combination with a vegan diet. I love all those foods, fruits, veggies, grains, cereals, everything! I just have no idea how this system works. I don't know how to combine foods, which time of the day I should eat more or less of which food group... So here I could use any help given.

 

As far as my training is concerned, I will write everything down later to give you a better idea.

 

My current weight is 58 kgs and I'm 1,66 m tall. My goal is to shred some fat and work on my muscles. Nice to find you all!

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So, as I promised, I will write down my current training program. The truth is that I have been off gym for about a month. I work Monday-Friday 8-16:00 and plus I have studying and other priorities in this period of time, which (for me at least) made it hard to combine everything. At the same time I'm looking for another job, so I had to go to interviews and stuff like that. It was a much stressful period, at least till last week. I've been experimenting with food, I tried to do something like a raw food challenge but I broke it both times due to stress and cravings (that time of the month, ladies will get me).

 

Anyway I ended up realizing that we should listen to our bodies and have balance. Eating clean and giving our bodies variety through nutritious food is the best we can do. As far as the food part is concerned, I would very much like your help. So far I've started a plan consisting of 5 meals pretty much like this (I won't write down the amounts, just the combinations so as you can see and help me out with them and the macros):

 

Meal 1

Oats with 1 tbsp of flaxseed, cinnamon and a medium banana

 

Meal 2

2 pieces of fruit (this time around is usually apples)

 

Meal 3

Combination of beans/legumes and rice/buckwheat with some type of greens on the side

 

Post workout

1 scoop of soy protein isolate (I have the vanilla one from myprotein)

 

Meal 4

Same as meal 3

 

Meal 5

1 scoop of the soy protein along with some nuts or nutbutter (in off-gym days I may have some greens on the side)

 

 

As far as my training is concerned, I went back on track since this Monday. I am thinking of a 4-day split program till the end of February so as to make time for the rest of my priorities but still keep in touch with the gym. So, day 1 I did chest, arms and cardio, day 2 I did legs and cardio, day 3 I will do shoulders and cardio and day 4 I will do back and cardio. My cardio in the moment is 30' each time post weights. I also have a static bike at home and I do fasted cardio for 30' usually in the weekends or in off-days as I did today.

 

Thanks in advance!

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Hi Elena,

 

Am not big on given nutritional advise, its my belief that diets are cultural, moreover many (and I have done too) overthink nutrition. That being said, your diet looks ok to me, if you ever felt you require more protein you could perhaps experiment with hemp, rice and pea protein powders, but thats about it. Training wise, am not a fan of cardio as a means of losing fat, nor am i a fan of using cardio as a means of improving cardiovascular efficiency (I can go into more detail on this if hou want). Train with progressive intensity, get a well balanced diet (btw, the world wont stop spinning if you have brownie or oreo cookie now and then...enjoy life), and get adequate rest / sleep, and youll not go to far wrong.

Best of luck and will follow your progress

Rob

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Hi Elena,

 

Am not big on given nutritional advise, its my belief that diets are cultural, moreover many (and I have done too) overthink nutrition. That being said, your diet looks ok to me, if you ever felt you require more protein you could perhaps experiment with hemp, rice and pea protein powders, but thats about it. Training wise, am not a fan of cardio as a means of losing fat, nor am i a fan of using cardio as a means of improving cardiovascular efficiency (I can go into more detail on this if hou want). Train with progressive intensity, get a well balanced diet (btw, the world wont stop spinning if you have brownie or oreo cookie now and then...enjoy life), and get adequate rest / sleep, and youll not go to far wrong.

Best of luck and will follow your progress

Rob

 

First of all, thanks for your time! I have also passed through phases when I was super strict with my diet and also phases when I was all loose. I have found that balance is key. I know how much better it feels to be able to be flexible but I also want to know that what I eat supports my goals and effort and also nourishes my body. That's the occasion.

 

I have read some opinions in the past that were very positive about progressive intensity as far as burning fat is concerned and my ex coach was encouraging me to try something like fewer kgs-faster moves during each exercise so as not only to help muscle growth, but also burn more calories. I don't know, I don't think I could ever give up traditional cardio. I love weights, but I have mostly combined them in my mind with muscle growth and body shaping and toning. I have also never tried hiit, I would like to.

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Hi Elena,

 

I must clarify, when I say progress intensity, I referring to overload. Something to note Elena with regards to fast and explosive lifting, theres been research studies the were conducted with subjects standing on force plates that were connected to oscilloscope measuring devices. The studies indicated that repetitions performed quickly produced peaks and drops on the oscilloscope, it revealed that a 100lb barbell can excert anywhere from 500lbs of force to zero force. Such erratic variations of force is extremely dangerous to the joints, connective tissues.

Moreover, the same studies also revealed that once the rate of repetition speed exceeds a certain rate, momentum takes over almost entirely and thus, almost eliminates all muscular involvement. Based on what seen and heard from working in a local hospital for a number of years, I can tell you that injuries from high impact exercise (especially hiit) are more common that most would believe. I recall one individual (a healthy 22yo male) who's femur literally snapped in half while doing hiit sprints on a treadmil, that one was an eye opener for me. Is there a better way? Yes, null out the effects of momentum and inertia, lift slowly and controlled, smooth turnouts, accentuate that contraction position in exercises and the negative portion etc.

 

Lifting in such as way, is not only safer and kinder to the joints and connective tissues, by it becomes pure muscular effort, which not only increases the workload on the muscles, but also the myocardium (the heart muscle). Arthur Jones (creator of Nautilus and godfather of HIT) did research that showed conclusively, that several weeks of well conducted strength training program can cause improvements in cardiovascular efficiency the years of steady state activity can not. Jones research was done in the early 80s, its since been replicated many times over.

 

The idea the musles and "cardio" are some how seperate was predicated on false assumptions, there is no way of isolatating the two. The myocarduim services the muscles, not the other way around, meaning, the harder the muscles are made to work...the greater the "cardio" benefits that are to be had. If fat loss is the goal, thats almost entirely a case of consuming fewer calories and controlling insulin.

 

Hope this helps

Rob

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Thanks a lot for your time and all the info! So, what you say is that the best way is to gradually use heavier weights, train with progressive intensity. I assume that this also means evolving strength wise...

 

 

So far by following the diet plan I posted in my previous posts for 2 weeks now, in combination with 4 weight workouts per week and 30 minute cardio sessions of medium intensity (quick walking on the treadmill and static bicycle so far) I have seen very quick results as far as looking leaner is concerned. I have noticed improved water retention, flatter stomach, nice muscle pumps during training. All these really get me going!

 

From this Monday I'm thinking of starting a 6-day circular program with 2 rest days each week, so as to work body parts with more detail. I was thinking of chest and calves, arms, quads and glutes, *rest*, shoulders, back, *rest*, hamstrings and glutes. Abs will go in arms and shoulders' day and cardio will be 30' after my weight sessions. And we'll see how it goes.

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