Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I've been training since November. I recently took a picture to see if I've progressed in anyway. I was really disappointed!
I feel I have lost fat around my chest due to almost 2 months of hard cardio. But there are no muscle gains! I've been doing mainly compound movements 3 times a week.
I feel its my diet thats letting me down. Although now I have cut out most of the unecessary carbs, I eat between 100-150g. Protein I have trouble meeting. I can barely get 162g (1g per 1lb body weight).
I need seriously help guys because this is frustrating. It cannot all be down to protein.

Please see pics below (The insert image link ain't working btw):

November 2008

http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image ... ov2008.jpg

http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image ... ov2008.jpg

March 2009

http://img200.imagevenue.com/img.php?im ... _548lo.jpg

http://img101.imagevenue.com/img.php?im ... 2_15lo.jpg

No its not working hard enough. 3 times a week isnt going to cut it. Not if you want results, maybe for maintenance, but not really for that either. I feel guilty if I miss more than one day a week... And I try not to ever have a completely down day.

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What are you eating? What exactly are you doing at the gym?

We'll need more information to suggest changes you can make.

I've been following a plan VeganEssentials put together for me last month.
Along with this I do 40 minutes of cardio 3 X weekly



Prior to this I did the 5X5 workout for around 1.5 months.

My eating plan is roughly:



This is a guide but I pretty much follows this.

Thanks guys

As far as your workout goes, you should be lifting a weight that you can lift 6-8 times with good form. If you are doing all three sets of eight and it's tough, but you probably can do more, you aren't pushing yourself hard enough. The last one should feel like hell. Hell with good form.

Annnnd going vegan would help. Lots of animal in your diet. No variation and all processed. Eat mostly whole fresh foods, and mix it up a bit.

I do fail at 8 reps for most of my exercises. I've only been doing this routine for a month. I feel I do push myself and I feel totally exhausted at the end of my session

I cannot go completely vegan. I'm not really considering that at the moment. But I still will try vegan recipes if it helps.

What exactly do you mean by eating unprocessed stuff? I looked into tempeh and seitan but I don't have an incubator.

I do eat tofu, soya, lentils, beans and nuts.Thats about the only thing I can think of with high sources of protein.

Not enough calories?

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Yeah, gaining muscle while losing fat is not so easy. Pudh, if you have been losing bodyfat it means you have been on a calorie deficit which is not an optimal condition for building muscle. Id think you best bet would be to first try to gain muscle and then lose bodyfat, or vice versa.

To start adding more "unprocessed" foods you should just try adding more fresh fruits and vegetables. Based on your sample day, you don't have any fresh uncooked fruits or vegetables after breakfast.

I would also recommend going vegan, and yeah, it's going to seem like a lot of people have a vegan bias here, but that's expected. But really, it's not because we're trying to be preachy or convert some new person to veganism. It's because we believe a vegan diet is the best diet you can have for athletic performance and optimal gains. I guarantee a vegan diet will help you gain muscle AND lose fat if you do it right.

I know that switching to a vegan diet is tough (at least it was for me) but why not start by switching to a vegan protein supplement. Soy is great, but I prefer hemp protein. Rice can be good too. Anyways, this is just my 3 cents.

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I can't go vegan guys! I can still eat what you guys are. I'm a vegetarian.

It almost feels like converting to me

I have alot of vegetables in the indian dishes I cook at home.

So what whole foods will be good for me?

Are you in the "I wont go vegan" camp, or is it just something you are not ready to go through with right now?

Yeh I don't want to go vegan.

Its not really about going vegan is it guys?! It's not like vegans get exclusive foods that others can't get.

I just need help with my program and eating style. I can incorporate vegan foods in my vegetarian diet.

Haha, I don't push Veganism on anyone, but look where you are.

Here, well, yes, it is about going vegan. That's 50% of vegan bodybuilding man.

Being Vegan would change so much.. I have a client who swears that cheese was the cottage cheese on her thighs.. and she had be just vegetairian for almost 30 years... Now shes pushing 60 and has a 6 pack.

_________________
http://www.liftforlife.com/alyx_luck_and_jimi_sitko.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83cdJbztw3g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lEUynhgMg8

The reason is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk?, but Can they suffer? - Jeremy Bentham 1748 - 1832

Guys I'm on this forum coz it has good people with good advice on it.

Its the only site that caters for vegis that don't eat egg and fish.

So thats y I need the help.