Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I am about 260 pounds and I can't take it anymore. I am a 39 year old male. Married with 3 kids (10,11,13). I want to be healthy and strong for my family and their offspring. I have lots of energy but no motivation. I am an I.T. Manager so I sit in front of a PC all day. I love the idea of being a Vegan but have no idea where to start. Also. I want to loose all this disgusting fat that I am hauling around. Power is everthing in survival so here is your chnce to be in COMPLETE CONTROL! So I bow down and surrender myself to anyone who has the POWER. I need someone to tell me 2 things (for now, baby steps). One... How do I start to become a Vegan? Two... Is the best way to loose all this fat to start walking then jogging then running? Thanks in advance to anyone out here, you may be the one who can save my life (not suicidal, just unhealthy).

Welcome to our community!

I'm sure you'll get a lot of helpful feedback over the next few days and throughout your time on the forum. The best way to become vegan is to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet immediately and animal-based foods will fall to the wayside. If you find meaning in your decision to be vegan you'll also not be tempted to eat animal-based foods because they will naturally turn you off and living a vegan lifestyle becomes very easy and natural.

There are lots of approaches to take and I'm sure you'll get a lot of ideas being passed around as to whether you should eat whole foods right away or more "transitional" foods (soy or wheat-based meat substitutes, non-animal based cheeses, etc. I think a combination is a great way to go. Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, legumes, beans, in their original whole food state, but also play around with vegan burritos, sandwiches, pizza, and more comfort foods like perhaps you're used to.

The key is to start immediately. Cut out animal foods immediately, incorporate more plant-based whole foods immediately and start exercising immediately, even if that means going for a walk after reading this.

Taking action is the most important thing we can do and then consistent behavior (training and eating well regularly) facilitate positive change.

Explore around the forum and have fun!

We're so glad to have you here!

All the best!

Robert

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Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

Back around 2000 I was around that weight too, at 5 11, though I had a good deal of lean tissue, but I also had a big gut.



I am a programmer. I've weighed in the 180s the last several years.



The two most helpful things you can do are:

1. Learn vegan nutrition yourself

2. Learn now how to make 5 recipes you REALLY like, as in you can see yourself eating those recipes over and over again.

Vegan nutrition is simple. However many new vegans don't bother to learn the TINY amount they need to know, they get bad information or they simply don't bother applying what they have learned. This leads to them becoming slightly malnourished, not feeling so great and then quitting.

There is a LOT of bullshit out there regarding vegan nutrition ( "FUD" in our field ). That is especially true on the internet and even on vegan web boards. A lot of people who do not know what they are talking about will speak with an air of authority to you as they give you misinformation.

You can read this short post I have on my blog about where to find brief, reliable vegan nutrition information from reliable sources:
http://beforewisdom.com/blog/?page_id=462



Covered



There is no one answer. The most important thing to keep in mind is that if you are out of shape you are also weak and weak in ways that can cause injuries depending on what exercises you choose, how fast you get into those exercies, etc.

The best thing you can do is to have an orthopedic surgeon or his/her physical therapists check you out. That of course may not happen unless you have an injury, but some places work with fitness buffs.

Your next best option is to shop around for a good trainer to get you started.

Another option is to visit a podiatrist, have him check out your feet, have him recommend footwear and then start walking in tiny amounts building up slowly. If you control your portions walking can take fat off of you just as much as running will, it will just take longer, but it is much safer.

At the same time, start stretching and doing some basic strengthening exercises. Yoga can be good for getting you started and almost every gym these days has a yoga class.

John Walker, the engineer who created Computer Aided Design (CAD) was large his whole life. After he made his fortune he got sick of it and asked himself if he could become rich, why couldn't he lose weight? He decided to approach weight control as an engineering problem, since engineering is what he knew. He has a free online book and software system. It is called "The Hackers Diet". I was in an online forum where several people above 300 lbs lost it all that way, near painlessly.

Here is my account of how I did it and some resources:

http://beforewisdom.com/blog/?p=255

HTH

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• Vegan Mock Meats At Subway? Make It Happen!
• Finding Reliable Vegan Nutrition Information

"The plural of anecdote is not data." (Roger Brinner)

wow! Great info. Thanks a ton. I will check out your blogs. I will definately checky the hacker's diet. Sounds like a perfect fit. The stretching thing sounds good too. I feel like my body is craving stretching. Kinda weird but I have noticed "that" for a few years. Like something inside me is saying " get on the floor and randomly stretch like a kid throwing a fit". HA. I know, I know. Thanks alot for your input.

Everything said above, plus:

YOU have to be in control. YOU have the power, you just have to use it.

I know you were leading into those questions, but I want to emphasize that you need to own yourself. Look to others for information and guidance, but realize that you are responsible for yourself. Take that power, own it everyday, and you'll be able to achieve the results you seek.

I also wouldn't worry about sitting in front of a desk all day. I've been a sysadmin for the past six years and I'm in the best shape of my life right now. Sitting around while you work isn't the problem... it's all that other related stuff: drinking soda, going out to lunch, etc. that does us in. Maybe your plan will cause some hardship, skipping happy hour, skipping takeout, etc., but what really matters? You do. Don't let others own your life, own it yourself.

(I'm not sure that this is exactly your situation but it's what I've commonly seen happen with others.)

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Never been a stupid question in the history of the Universe, skullyard. We are all experts on some things, amateurs in others. Everybody on this forum started somewhere. They made changes, screwed up a little here and there, made some adjustments as they went along, and learned what was right for them. No two people in here do it the same. The only one single, unifying goal in here is that we all want to feel good.

So, wherever you start, whatever you do and however you do it, make sure it feels good. I cannot stress that enough. If it doesn't feel good, you're not going to want to do it again tomorrow. Or the next day. Or next year. Start with what is easy to do, makes sense to you, and is fun. You'll be a success from the get-go that way and your confidence will build on itself. When you make gradual changes, your mind and body will assimilate them effortlessly and there won't be any backlash. Do one thing today and do it really well.

Don't make the mistake of punishing yourself or your body for where you are right now. There's nothing wrong with where you are. Your body is an amazing machine and it's just been following orders, doing the best it can to keep itself on an even keel with what it's been given. Be happy that it's working so well and depositing the extra stuff as fat. Some people's internal machinery doesn't work that efficiently and they go through hell every day. You are pretty healthy, overall, and smart, and you have the freedom to go wherever you want from here. Now, THAT'S power.

Motivation is doing something because you fear the consequences if you don't, inspiration comes from within. It's an internal fire. Do this for yourself because you want to. Leave everything and everybody else out of the equation, even your family, and find a handful of reasons that support your goal for you alone. Because you will be going to that gym alone most days, eating alone as a vegan around a table of omnivores, being your own coach when things get tough. It's gonna be you and you as a team, so "get your coach on."

MOTIVATION: "I want to get rid of this disgusting fat."

INSPIRATION: "Man, it will feel so good to wear ass-huggin' jeans on casual Friday and get over-the-shoulder glances from the women at the office."
"God, I love taking off my shirt at the park and feeling the sun on my chest."
"It's gonna be great to know I look sexy when I'm covered in sweat."
"I'm going to have so much fun eating huge amounts of delicious food and never worrying about my weight."
"I'm looking forward to the day when a guy approaches me in the gym and says, 'You look like you know what you're doing, could you tell me if I'm doing these military presses right?'"
"I'm gonna love playing outside with my kids and wearing them out!"
"One day soon, I'm gonna overhear my wife say to her girlfriends, 'He's in even better shape than when we met. I can't get enough of his arms! They're like rock!'"
"When I reach my first goal, I'm celebrating the hell out of it and doing something fun that I haven't done in a while, just to treat myself."
"It's hilarious when people guess my age and undershoot it by five years."
"Man, that 45 pound dumbbell felt like nothing!"
"Here comes my kid again, wanting to show me off to his/her friends. I feel like the neighborhood celebrity."
"Wow, my in-laws never listened to me so closely before, it's like they're hanging on every word. I guess I must be pretty hard to ignore when I look this good."
"Ha, ha! I can't believe my friends are actually asking me how to become vegan, too, after giving me all that crap about it last year."
"Is that really MY chest in the mirror? I am one freaking POWERFUL son of a bitch!"

Now, do one thing that you can do today. Do it well. Feel good about it. Do it again tomorrow. Add more. We are excited as all hell for you.

Baby Herc

PS: If it feels right, take BEFORE measurements/photos/weight so you can get a rush out of seeing how far you've come. You can crop the pics so no one will know you who are.

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Just do it! It's not late, I started with healthy diet and exercises when I was 32, and lost 37 pounds (17 kg) in 5 years. I am still amazed how my body changed and how it looks younger then when I was 25. Just learn simple vegan recipes, avoid fat or use it moderately (also healthy fats like olive oil and seeds, for some time), avoid simple sugar (use barley malt, fruit and dried fruit when you have cravings), and do some yoga to help you build outer and inner stamina to be able to stick to your plan.
In my opinion, it is not good for you to run when you have extra weight. Try walking fast and do yoga, again -it's best! Then, when you loose some fat, start jogging.
All best! You have the power!

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My progress pics: http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=21924
My training diary: http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=22216

Everything that's been said so far. Don't let people tell you that it isnt a healthy way to eat. That is not true in the slightest if done right. Just make sure that when you start transitioning to a vegan diet that you don't just eat white floury carbs like pasta, rice, cereal, bread, etc. Stick to whole grain breads, pasta, brown rice, and not sugary cereals. Also experiementing with vegetables, fruits, beans, and different vegan sources of protein like soy, quinoa, tempeh, seitan, etc. And if you buy something and don't like it, just try something different, not all vegan food tastes the same. Take veggie burgers for instance. There are so many it can be overwhelming, but I can guarantee that there is one out there that will appeal to your taste.

Exercise is also important of course, even if it is just walking in the beginning. Just try to do something. Glad you're here! The animals thank you!

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The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes the achievement possible.

There's your motivation. Every day 24 / 7. Just get the ball rolling. Once you do, there's no stopping!

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Kick Ass & Conquer!

If you don't do it for yourself it might be more difficult to find the motivation you need. Do it especially for yourself, it is your health, you'll feel better and healthier, then the others around you will congratulate you.


Sitting all day is not good for the body. Even if someone sits with perfect posture, it is not natural to sit for so long and it will affect the circulatory system. So you might want to change job, or at least sit on a gym ball, which will work your muscles and force you to find a more natural posture.


Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Some seeds and nuts. Some grains and legumes. Drink water. Maybe some hemp protein shakes sometimes. Don't eat animal products. 1 month is 60 meals, you can allow yourself 6 to 10 cheat meals per month. Those cheat meals are not made of animal products, but just special meals that you can allow some things different without feeling guilty, and enjoy eating, tasting, etc. It can be simply to eat a bit more than usual, or more sweet or fatty food, etc, or veggie burgers, etc... What I do is I eat mostly raw vegan, but 6 to 10 meals per month I eat cooked food.

You can walk as much as possible during the day, like to go to your job or to go shopping. You can do jogging or running if you want. But you don't have too. You can just lift some weights in the gym or at home, train hard, never skip a training session, and you'll succeed. The basic rules is just to burn more energy (calories) than what you eat.

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"Do your best, don't worry, be happy" - Meher Baba

I would recommend you read Dr. Neal Barnard's Breaking the Food Seduction it's a great intro into vegan-ism for health reasons.

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“Life is like a movie, if you've sat through more than half of it and it’s sucked every second so far... No one should blame you for walking out early.”

I agree with the idea of learning recipes for five things that you really like. What are some of your favorite foods now? We can help you figure out how to veganize them.

A really good cookbook is helpful in showing you that vegan food is awesome, delicious, and creative. Veganomicon is a great book, with lots of healthy recipes, that don't rely on pre-packaged foods (for the most part).

http://www.amazon.com/Veganomicon-Ultim ... 233&sr=8-1

As for walking, any exercise is good exercise. I like biking myself, because it's faster and I enjoy zipping down the bike trail.

You can even exercise at your desk! If you're like me and work a job where you're exposed and you're shy about being seen, you can wear ankle weights, cross your ankles, and do short lifts under your desk. I dance in my chair a lot (which is really just me flexing my butt muscles) because my job is boring and it keeps me awake. Do you get breaks? Go for a walk! Every little bit helps.

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/f ... -your-desk

In January 2010 i weighed 250 pounds I decided to go Vegetarian and by June i was at 174..since then i have gained 10 pounds, I did this by eating alot of mixed greens, Bananas, Amy's Vegan frozen food line, Lentil Beans, Veggie Burgers and lots of walking and various cardio which i did about a hour or so 4-5 times a week plus lifting weights...now i am ready for my next step which is mostly raw foods and a more scheduled weight training program...

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