Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I'm pretty sure that the answer to my question is that it's NOT possible but I'll give it a shot......

I'm wondering how exactly it is possible to eat a diet that is high in protein (I try to go for 100g a day or more), highish in fat (say 20-30% cals from fat), and lowish in carbs. The reasons why I'm interested in going lower carbs are:

-If I'm eating carbs, I'm not eating protein or fat (well, I know that beans have both but they're much higher in carbs that protein)
-carbs don't keep me full! Two hours later and I'm starving again
-I can't seem to get more cut with the amount of carbs I eat (right now I'd estimate about 70% of my cals--or more--come from carbs)

I'm frustrated because I'm at the point where if I want to take it to the next level (increase strength, hypertrophy, get leaner), I'm going to have to eat more protein and less carbs. But I can't draft up a diet plan that achieves that. Carbs always turn out to be the easiest choice!!!! I read the profiles of the body builders/fitness models on the main pages and I just can't believe that they get to that aesthetic with a vegan diet! I can't see the light right now, can't see how its possible. I'm at the point where I'm ready to buy a meal plan from someone who can come up with one that will help me achieve my goals. But all the coaches/experts I've asked aren't familiar with a diet for a vegan/vegetarian (I'm the latter).

I know what my options are for protein, its not a new concept for me. But I started lifting heavy two years ago and I just can't seem to progress/get beyond my plateau with the current way I eat. It seems all I do is eat carbs!

Any advice on how to go about drafting up an eating plan that will give me lots of protein and fat and little carbs?

Thanks!

i only eat 105 carbs a day, 130 protein, and 70 fat and im super weak. but im getting lean....maybe just slowly try to tweak it.

Those numbers sound pretty good! How do you do it??

They are only good numbers for a 5'4 27 year old female with a goal weight of 120 for a bodybuilding competition with no expectation of gaining any more muscle or having decent stength. The macros were assigned to me by my coach who is a pro bodybuilder. This is a temporary thing (just a few months). i am significantly weaker, although much leaner, than i was when i was lifting heavy and low reps and bulking up. I may extend the diet until september for another contest if the first one goes well, but after that this is not sustainable at all. I get a cheat meal once a week where i can eat whatever i want, which is usually like 1500 calories or more..(do not try this at home lol - my coach approves this, says it jump starts your metabolism and is good for you psychologically as well as psychologically, but is amazed at how much i can eat). i am assuming you are male? and perhaps taller than me, and likely lifting more, so i wouldnt recommend it for u. however, you may want to try to replace some of your carbs with protein, maybe shoot for about 50% carbs, see how you feel and look, which should be plenty to give you enough energy to keep lifting big, and more protein for muscle growth. percentages are important but also the total number is important, which you did not reveal. also timing and combo of meals is important according to my coach (although the IF ppl would argue differently, and i respect that as it does work for people). i was definitely eating way too many carbs and unhealthy things when i was bulking and not spreading out my macros very well. i also drank alcohol on weekends. all these things can contribute. you may also want to look at how clean your diet is. as far as how i do it, i have little energy or motivation for anything not bodybuilding related, my life revolves around my meals and the gym (i was invited out last night, didnt go as it was cheat night and i was in a food coma) and i use a lot of caffeine, diet soda (BAD IDEA), amino acid supplements, and drink a gallon of water a day. i also eat six times a day, each meal has about 220-280 calories, total of 1565 calories a day. i make sure to take multivitamins and minerals as well.

Super firm Tofu. 17g protein, 9g fat, 1<g carbs. It's basically meat... lol

you can't live on tofu alone!

To the original poster, I don't think low carb is the only way to get super lean. Look at Derek Tresizes pre contest diet and he consumes a whole heap of carbs (as do many omni pros)

You can base your diet around it though. Tofu scramble with mushrooms, onions, and peppers for breakfast, Tofu with a few cups of cooked greens for lunch, big salad with Tofu nuggets and red wine vinegarette , sauteed Tofu with asparagus or green beans or whatever, and maybe throw some broccoli in there somewhere. If you wanna go low carb, Tofu is your best friend.

My macros break down to around 204g protein, 106g fat, and 125 carbs. 2300 cals (-500 from my maintenance of 2800). I'm trying low carb as an experiment, since I've always eaten high carb I figured I might as well give it a try, I have to say, I actually feel really good (Only been doing it for a week though) and I've already lost some fat.

you can't live on tofu alone!

To the original poster, I don't think low carb is the only way to get super lean. Look at Derek Tresizes pre contest diet and he consumes a whole heap of carbs (as do many omni pros)

I could never do it, Im at 5k of food and barely gaining weight :/

The rule on metabolism, you can either go high carb/low fat or high fat/low carb(survival metabolism).

The body always prefers glucose over fat for fuel however by going high fat/low carb, you're forcing the body to use fat for fuel instead of glucose.

You can lower your fat intake, 5-10% of total calories and up your carbs, or you can lower your carbs and up your fat intake.

One note of caution, low carb/high fat is not for marathoners, runners or anyone doing long-term strenuous activity.

low carb/high fat is for a sedetary, not much exercise individual.



How many grams in carbs are you eating daily?

Thanks for the additional info!

I am female, 32, 5 foot 8 and 135lbs. I'd estimate by body fat around 20%. I'd be happier at a lean 145lbs.

I'm not sure how many carbs I currently eat but I'd estimate they make up about 70% of my diet.

As for eating so much tofu....is that much soy product really that good for women? Especially a woman who takes birth control pills?

Thanks for typing all that out

I generally eat clean in that I don't consume sugar, I don't slather my food with flavoured sauces, I don't eat a lot of convenience foods (save for tofu nuggets and such), I hardly drink booze (maybe 2 drinks a week, if that), no soda. I DO drink coffee though (black) and I feel like I eat a lot of carbs. I know the answer woudl be to reduce the amount I eat but it doesn't make sense to me as to how to do it. Most of what I eat is a carb (fruits, veggies, quinoa, granola, beans, dried fruit, etc.).

Between meals and snacks I must eat at least 6-8 times a day. I have to keep a more recent food diary but I'd guess I eat on average 2000 calories a day. I'm always hungry and I feel like I'm always eating. In terms of IF, its not for me. I can't wake up in the morning and not eat. I don't function well on an empty stomach and I get spacey and homicidal, lol. As for vitamins and minerals, I have osteoporosis, a vitamin d deficiency and my iron and B12 are borderline to being too low. I take supplements for all those.

Why do you say you are weak or low on strength? Is it because body builders train for size/hypertrophy but not at all for strength?

135g protein isn't that much, and you don't have to get all of it from Tofu, I just do that cause it's cheap lol. Throw in some hemp seeds and chia seeds, maybe some seitan (I think that's low carb... isn't it?), 2 tbs of nutritional yeast is 8g protein and like 7 carbs, even get some protein powder and make a shake. As for soy being bad for women... I read that it may actually prevent breast cancer. I think most of the things we hear about soy are half truths that have been blown out of preportions, and downright made up conspiracy theories.

Breast cancer happens for the same reason why we gain weight, the stored fat in the breast is prevented from being metabolized.

Paleo is known for their low carb/high fat. Those that follow paleo know that carbs prevent fat from being used as energy(fat metabolism), hence the body stores the fat and uses the carbs as fuel. Also, of course excess carbs get converted to fat and are stored.

Those that follow paleo also eat more protein and they know that excess protein gets converted to glucose through gluconeogenesis however like fat mebolism is inhibited by carbs(glucose metabolism), so is gluconeogenesis.

I actually don't know how well low carb/high fat works with eating Vegan because its the bodies survival mechanism, when a person runs out of food, they kill another animal to survive. Animal flesh is the only natural zero carb/high fat food you'll find on the planet. So.. I wouldn't know how well soy or more precisely how vegetable fats work on low carb/high fat.

Keeping carbs between 50-100g per day is for weight loss on a high fat/low carb diet.
Keeping carbs between 100-150g per day is for maintanance on a high fat/low carb diet.

I prefer high carb/low fat because it keeps the body clean. See what works for you.