Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

So, I have been gradually trying to get back into the gym since I went Vegan cold turkey. I am having some trouble trying to get back to the weight I was tossing up before I cut out the animal products. Even though I have been gradually building back up, I have noticed that I am experiencing dizzyness halfway through my workouts and have to sit down for a few minutes until it dissipates.

I think I am eating enough prior to workouts (packing in some carbs for energy), but it's weird. Thoughts anyone?

I mix me a blender concoction and sneak it into the weight room in a red Nalgene bottle that make the contents look like mere water (the only thing allowed in there). I sip it at intervals between sets and never get tired or dizzy--and I used to get both. My recipe: a small apple, small banana, three massive frozen strawberries, a heaping spoonful of orange juice concentrate, and a sprinkle of chlorella. Nuthin' like a natural sugar high to zoom you through your sets. I save the protein for post-workout. Try something that sounds good to you and see what happens. You'll work something out, don't worry.

Baby Herc

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Really? Is this the gym with the lunk alarm?

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I work out at a city rec center with an incredibly well-appointed weight room that just happens to be right across the street from my house. As a city facility, they have a long list of rules, not least among them being that no food or drink is allowed in the building excepting water. They sell snacks, though, of course. I'll bet a closer examination of my Nalgene bottle would bust me but luckily, they love me there. They let a lot of other people get away with murder, too, like nuts working out in flip-flops and ludicrously dangerous handling of the weights but I guess we're all floating under the same radar. I encourage others to bring their own protein shakes into the weight room, too. I guess I'm just a muscular civil-disobediant at heart.

Baby Herc

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This is good advice! I am going to try this during tomorrow's workout!!!

Are you always properly hydrated before and during your workouts? That used to be a problem for me until I started drinking water constantly.

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I had another thought: if you went vegan cold-turkey, there may have been a little detox action. I know for a fact that a body can go through all sorts of weird symptoms while it's getting rid of the stuff it no longer wants--some of the biggest hits are fatigue, weakness, nausea, lightheadedness, and dizzyness.

To get rid of toxins, the body has to take them out of wherever they were being stored (fat, muscles, certain organs) and dump them into the bloodstream so they'll make it to the kidneys, skin, and liver to be filtered out. Whatever's in your blood, you feel (think alcohol) so if there's crap in your blood, you feel like crap. Some toxins can be converted into benign stuff, even reabsorbed by the body. But others have to take the whole journey to be discarded. Saunas are great for getting it out through the skin, deep breathing and rhythmic exercises (running, walking, etc.) are good for getting it out through the lungs via breath. Drinking tons of water assists the body in getting it out through the blood; the thinner the blood, the faster it moves and we all know how copious amounts of water helps the kidneys. And the king of all detox tricks: rest. You'd be surprised how much internal work it takes to cleanse a whole body of something.

If the symptoms are uncomfortable, then scale back your vegan shift if it feels right and go at it more gradually. Otherwise, try drinking plenty of water, stretching, walking, meditating, deep breathing, and lifting weights gently until you feel your old powerhouse self again. It'll happen.

Baby Herc

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going vegan cold turkey...
lol

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I know, I loved that one, too.

Baby Herc

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Well, the smoothie / natural supplement suggested by Baby Hercules definitely seems effective. Moreover, you might need to increase your water intake to stop this dizziness.

Water, water, water

I was having this especially during squats a few years ago. It got so bad I thought I would pass out and almost did during a workout. I went to the doctor and I had VERY high blood pressure and had to go on meds.

Maybe, just maybe, I can come off of them once the vegan diet settles in. Who knows.

I since bought a home blood pressure tester and it is great for piece of mind.

You may want to see the doctor if it gets disturbing. Better safe than sorry with blood pressure and all.

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High carb, low fat, whole foods. Any questions?

Only time I ever have dizziness is if I am doing something like a heavy set of leg presses and then suddenly stand up, I have to grab onto something and close my eyes for a second or two till it passes. Only happens sometimes, but never a problem.
I have always found eating about two hours before my workout and normally something like oatmeal and an apple gets it done for me to get through a good workout. My workouts never really go beyond an hour.

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Drink water, keep hydrated!!!!! This happened to me once, and it was scary.

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