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Getting very low bodyfat as a vegan


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Hi all, I have been on an internet forum before and do know how to use the search function. It's possible that there is the specific info out there I'm looking for and I just suck at searching so please don't blast me.

 

I've been following what I'd call a mostly plant based diet for over a year. I grew up and was a heavy meat eater until this time (usually over a lb of meat a day ), and have been a lifelong athlete. It caught up with me and I was in my mid 30's feeling ultra drained of energy all the time, started to put on bodyfat and other physical problems.

 

I've turned it around diet wise eliminating dairy completely and almost all meat (I might eat it 1-3 times a month). The ethical thing has been bothering me for a while now, it would really be no big deal for me to completely eliminate meat and I feel like it's the right thing to do.

 

With that said, I feel that a commitment like that would be a great launching point for a health and fitness goal. I've been very lean with a 6 pack in my life but I was in my 20's, lifting a lot, doing tri training and only working 2-3 days a week. I got to single digits by eating a very low carb, high protein meat 'n veggies only style of diet.

 

Obviously this isn't going to be possible as a vegan, at least not without eating a crapload of faux-meat products. So I'm a little lost as to how to accomplish rippedness (heh heh) as a vegan. I'm currently 5'11", 165-170 lbs and est 15% BF using calipers. So fairly lean and ALMOST abs showing. My current diet is something like:

 

BR: Coconut milk, protein powder, 2 bananas

Snack: Kale + fruit smoothie and a handful of nuts

Lunch: Whole wheat tacos w/lentils, verde and veggies

Snack: Lara bar or granola

Dinner: Big salad with avocado, pumpkin seeds, cranberry and watermelon (avocado is the 'dressing')

Snack: Roasted salted peanuts (yeah I know, probably not the best choice) + fruit

 

I don't really count calories and maybe that's an issue. I also occasionally indulge in some microbrews.

 

In terms of workouts I get in 6-8 hours of mountain bike riding and running a week + 3 strength training sessions.

 

Sorry about the long winded intro and description, I'm an engineer. To sum up I think what I'm doing is great for energy and riding bikes, but if I want to get serious and ripped how should I go about it?

 

Fairly recent pics:

 

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Not far to go!!!

 

Probably get some differing opinions but here's mine.....

 

Secret will be not just in what you eat but when. For a starting point your listed typical day looks pretty good. Some suggestions might come based on where in your 5-meal cycle you're working out.

 

Mantra that has been working for me (and gotten just a bit more abs that you have in your photos -- after YEARS and YEARS!!), eat for what you just did, or what you're going to do.

 

So first question really is, why the protein powder? I'm going to guess that BR is a banana smoothie?

 

After sleeping and getting ready for your day, assuming its a smoothie, I'd say add more to it. I find banana really takes over the smoothie so chucking in some kale, some chia, some hemp maybe and whatever other fruits you have -- will always taste like a fruit smoothie but with the added micros and fiber.

 

with all that written, then relooking at your post, sounds like you've got that covered in your AM snack...haha.

 

My BR currently is breakfast bowl, usually containing oatmeal, steelcut oats, chia-sometimes, berries/fruit, almond milk, sometimes a bit o'coconut oil. Filling, balanced for my usual morning at work. Alternatively, will cook up some quinoa w/lentils, peppers, onions, maybe some lightlife sausage, seasoning..eaten alone or sometimes w/toast. Keeps well too so you can cook up a batch and have a few meals out of it.

 

Like you, I don't count calories either.

 

What I found to really break out my abs was adding into my weights and cardio some intense full body workout (i.e. fighting). Hits my core from all angles functionally with kicks, knees, grappling, punching (rips shoulders too!), etc.. Keeping everything else the same, this is what did it for me.....mixed in with some planking, israeli situps, kimora situps, .....

 

So, for seriously ripped, fighting (think Krav maga, or muay tai, probably even some old-school boxing would work) took it to the next level. Getting to some parkor (spelling that right?) or some Spartan type of workouts would probably work too. Running 3-5 miles no problem. Biking too. Weights. Going 1:30 to 3:00 min rounds sparring kicks ass as it works strength, endurance, cardio, core and your brain all in one intense go.

 

And if into podcasts...check out Rich Roll (vegan ultraman) and currently I'm into Mike Dolce who trains MMA fighters for UFC and talks a lot about pre-fight leaning up. Non-vegan, but principles seem sound to me for daily living, eating clean, and timing of right nutrients before/after workouts....

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