Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I want to start bodybuilding but every meal plan seems to be based towards men. Do women need as many calories and protein as men? I can handle training like a man but I don't know if I can eat like one anymore.

_________________
I do because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn't.

I don't make excuses... I make results

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

I would take the meal plans and tailor them for you by portion sizes. Since you are just starting out, I would eat normal size portions for yourself. Then as youprogressively increase your weights during your subsequent workouts, I would then increase the portion sizes, and thus the calories would also increase. That way your body can gradually switch gears and utilize the extra calories for the repair of your muscles from your workout, and not just dump it into storage (aka: fat deposit) at the beginning
.
I would make sure the meal plan you are looking at, has many different items to eat, and not just protein shakes and protein bars as the main course of the meal (they should just be to supplement your diet with extra calories and extra protein as you keep increasing your workouts/weights go up - in other words, you don't really need this right at the start).

And Yeah! Another vegan female weightlifter/bodybuilding may be in our midst!

I have been working out for the past year but nothing like bodybuilding. Was mostly trying to lose weight but the more I lose the more I want to get into bodybuilding. I don't eat the meal or protein bars but I do drink protein shakes and I can say I am not a fan.....

_________________
I do because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn't.

I don't make excuses... I make results

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

Then you should just progress into bodybuilding. Just start lifting heavy and smartly. The eating will follow naturally. And if you just keep eating what you are already (like the protein shakes) then you should still lose the bodyfat, but start gaining muscle mass (though you might still weigh the same!).

Rock on! I tried a little running after a leg work out just to kill any extra energy I had in me and I was doing 20 sec laps. Mind you I was the poster child for everything unhealthy; soda, smoking, nasty fatty junk food and couldn't run a lap to save my life. I quit smoking, gave up soda and now eat healthy and am making small daily gains in the right direction

_________________
I do because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn't.

I don't make excuses... I make results

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

Gendered meal plans are silly, in my opinion, because it's all about the individual, their stats, and their goals. Of course a 6'6" male is going to have to consume more than a 5'3" woman, you know? To structure your diet plan, just take into account your caloric needs based upon your current stats and tailor them to gaining muscle mass - meaning finding your maintenance and then gradually increasing your intake so that you can start putting on mass. And there's no need to rush that because you want to make sure you're gaining more muscle than you are fat. So, so need to over think it or worry about "eating like a man" - you just gotta eat like a bodybuilder!

_________________
"When in doubt, squat and run hills." - Jim Wendler

IRON MNTN // LOG

As a bodybuilder, this should not be the case. Your leg workout was not physically draining enough. You need to use that extra energy and focus it into lifting weights. I have what I call noodle legs after I get done with my leg workouts (and yes, I have been known to "trip" over a piece of paper on the floor of the gym on my way out). If you still have energy left over for a run, then you are not pushing yourself completely with the weights. This is where you need to work on getting a BBer's focused mentality of lifting weights heavier and heavier in order to build muscle, eating for the repair and recovery of thrashed muscles, sleeping for the repair and recovery of muscle, and finally, looking at the muscle growing from all the hard work you are putting into it.

Running is nice though. You can do it for a warmup (like 10-15 minutes at a moderate rate) before you weightlift, or at a separate time - like morning cardio, evening workout - or even on a separate day for a cardio component of your routine (like on your day off from weightlifting).

I am not a cardio person believe me I dread it like the plague....

_________________
I do because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn't.

I don't make excuses... I make results

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

So after I read your post again, it was more like an affirmation of your healthy lifestyle you've now embarked upon. Like you were saying to yourself, "See I can run now! Even after a Leg workout!"
That is so inspiring for oneself.
Enjoy the next affirmation that comes along - because I am sure there will be many more (I know that I have had alot of them. And each one is as much fun as the first!).

I started actually lifting yesterday. I realized I was really short changing myself. I was able to add 20-30 lbs to everything I was doing. Was completely amazed. It felt wonderful to challenge myself and push my body to see what it could do for me:)

_________________
I do because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn't.

I don't make excuses... I make results

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

This is awesome! Keep at it!

_________________
"When in doubt, squat and run hills." - Jim Wendler

IRON MNTN // LOG

I am finding out that if I take a rest day I go completely nuts.... even if I do yoga in the morning. I went ahead and did turbokick last night and it did the trick!! I was able to relax and even sleep on my rest day. Now if only I could figure out my diet a lil better....

_________________
I do because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn't.

I don't make excuses... I make results

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

I know how you feel about rest days....but I've been getting used to them. I push myself so hard that now I cant even imagine lifting today, as my back and arms are in total pain. I need my recovery days, but I'm lifting really heavy, with many of my sets to failure! When I was running I couldn't get enough of it, and it's a perfectly fine attitude to have! do you have goals of being in a BB contest? Is your city in Missouri very vegan friendly or do you have trouble? What do you mean when you say you wish you could get your diet right? I am a total vegan junk food addict (I have a bagel with tofittu every morning for breakfast and a chipotle burrito for dinner every night!) but I'm getting off the stuff on March 1 for at least 3 months so I can hopefully do a contest.

_________________
Darth Vader from Sandlot once said, "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." Then he later died.
https://www.facebook.com/BigMeeeeech

Just follow IIFYM! Seriously. Also, now I want a burrito.

_________________
"When in doubt, squat and run hills." - Jim Wendler

IRON MNTN // LOG

Haha an ass-load of sodium doesn't fit anybody's macros! I just went to check and by end of day i'll be at 2900 cals which is good but the sodium is ridiculous! But I do have really good blood pressure (tested last month). I think today was particularly bad because of the can of progresso lentil soup I ate which packed in 880 mg of sodium. I'm happy with every other nutrient. I've even started drinking OJ and apple juice for more cals and energy. Some people might say 100 grams of sugar is a lot but whatever. And tomorrow is my birthday so pizza night is on (bringing my own daiya to our family's favorite Italian restaurant).

Fat 57.7g 19.4%
Saturated Fat 15.8g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 4,649.2mg
Carbohydrates 394.9g 59.1%
Fiber 61.8g
Sugars 103.6g
Protein 143.9g 21.5%

_________________
Darth Vader from Sandlot once said, "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." Then he later died.
https://www.facebook.com/BigMeeeeech