Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I like this idea of having a blog to track my workouts. I think it will keep me motivated, which has been a problem lately. My goals are to become a faster runner, biker, and swimmer, loose a couple pounds, and try to tone up, basically just become more fit overall. I am gradually reducing the amounts of animal products and processed crap in my diet. My biggest stumbling blocks for this are going out to eat (or just to drink), going over friend’s houses, and my well intentioned yet meat and white bread eating husband.

I am purposely starting this blog on a Monday after having an unhealthy weekend because I am considering this a fresh start. I took my dogs for a walk first thing this morning and it was downright chilly!! I decided to take advantage of this cool weather and go for a short jog with Dini, my older dog. I haven’t run with him in some time and forgot how slow he is and how much he likes to stop, so it was kindof frustrating and not the greatest workout, but I like making him happy. Then I went to the gym to work my legs & core.

So far to eat today I had a Clifbar brand recovery drink (I really need to get a good protein powder!), an apple and a pear cutup and mixed in my oatmeal with a little hemp protein, some barley veggie soup, a tempeh sandwich on wheat toast, a cup of chocolate hemp milk heated up in the micro, and half of a luna bar. After reading all that, I’ll make a point to have a vegetable based dinner!!!

Good job Lisa
I like reading the part of taking your dog for a walk

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Robert wrote:
My knee muscles look totally sweet where I'm holding my weiner.

Hey Lisa,
Don't worry about a protein powder or any heavy protein source for that matter. You'll be much better for it as an endurance athlete. I'm not saying to avoid protein but if you eat enough food to sustain your training you'll naturally be getting enough protein for an endurance athlete.

Hey thanks for the comments! I decided taking the dogs for a short walk every morning is a nice way to wake up. I get moving a little first thing, end up drinking less coffee, and it keeps the puppy out of trouble.

veganpotter, what do you usually have to eat after you work out? My trouble is I have a really big appetite and if I eat mostly carbs I'm just hungry again in a couple hours.

I'll tell what I eat
I'll bring food with me and eat before durning and after. And you need carbs and lots of easy digestive carbs. Like fruit !
Durning it's usually dates, banana's, and engery bars.
Before it's lot's of watery fruit, my supplements and a green drink...
Right after I eat another engery bar, a couple of bananas, and dates.
In a couple of hrs I'll make a smoothie with some vega in it.
Then a huge salad for dinner. and maybe some more greens before bed.
But that's me, and I find that I needed to experiment with my own body.
And after a year I'm still experimenting
I remember my transition and it was hard, so just take it slow. You're doing it!!!

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Robert wrote:
My knee muscles look totally sweet where I'm holding my weiner.

Tasha,
What kind of energy bars, green drink, and supplements do you take? You don't eat any grains, nuts or beans at all?

Thanks to you and everyone for the advice already given and the TONS of advice I'm sure I'll be asking in the future.

I sprout legumes, and some grains. I don't eat a lot of eat nuts. Only cause they don't agree with my stomach. I replace it was an avacado instead.
I take a vega bar, I would love to try the smart monkey bar. But they don't come here in Canada. You can also make your own in a food processor if you have a lot of time on your hands. Supplements, I take a B12, Cordycepts, green magma, maca root, and Vega.

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Robert wrote:
My knee muscles look totally sweet where I'm holding my weiner.

Ok, Ok, The peer pressure got to me. I just ordered a Large tub of Berry Vega from Food Fight. I figured if all of you buff guys & gals take it, there must be something to it. I realy looked around to try to find it to buy a sample pack from a store first, no luck, so I'm hoping I like the taste enough.

Yesterday was a good day. In the morning I went to the gym and swam intervals and worked my back and shoulders. I weighed myself while I was there: 154! Ugh! I’m going to sign up for a half marathon soon that has an “Athena” division. Well, I guess I officially qualify, but would I really want an award for being the fastest “big” girl there? I’m thinking I’d rather not. Anyway, last night I joined a group for a track workout. We ran 3 X 1 mile with 2 min recovery. This was a very challenging workout for me and I’ll make a point to do this one more often.

I think I ate pretty well too. I had a protein drink, pb & banana sandwich on wheat, some coffee with soymilk, barley veggie soup, a huge salad with spinach, carrots, squash, sunflower seeds, three different grain based salads, and mangos, and dinner was a pepper stuffed with soycrumbles, rice, black beans, onion & tomato. Oh and a mango berry non dairy frozen dessert.

This morning I slept in. I plan to go to the gym after work to bike & work my chest & arms. So far I’ve had a coffee & soymilk, a pear & an apple. I brought veggie barely soup to work and I plan on hitting the wholefoods salad bar again for lunch. I should go food shopping while I’m there.

I know that when I trained for a marathon, I started gaining weight because I was taking in too many carbs. For some people with super fast metabolisms, they're body just burns and burns them (such as Veganpotter), but I've always had to watch my carb intake very closely. I am a women in my late 30's and no matter how much cardio I do.... I HAVE to watch the carb intake or I will start piling on pounds.... like Tasha said... I rely on easily digestible carbs like fruits and veggies (for me more veggies than fruits though).


Every body is different, but depending on your age,

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Hey Lisa I think you're so awesome to enter in races. It took me awhile to enter in them. One of being shy and lack of confidence. But one race I got hooked on the race bug. The more races I enter the stronger my confidence lifted.
Now I'm training for cyclocross, and I have no idea what the heck I'm getting into. But it's going to be awesome. Thanks for reminding me how easy it is just to go for it. You have a great impact on people.
Keep up the hard work !!!!
Also don't worry about your weight. You'll be shedding off weight in no time.
Congrates on buying your first vega I hope you like it !

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Robert wrote:
My knee muscles look totally sweet where I'm holding my weiner.

Veggieprincess, thanks for the advice. I think I'm going to gradually add more fruits & veg & less pasta/rice/potato/bread. As it is my digestive system is trying to get used to the extra fiber, so I think I'm going to take it slow.

Tasha, it blows my mind that I could have an impact on someone here, thanks!!! I started racing when I moved to this area, its very runner friendly and I joined a running club full of super nice poeple who really don't care that I'm slow. I started out this summer training for a tri and a fall marathon. The marathon training took a back seat to many other things and I've decided not to run a marathon this fall, just some smaller races and group runs to enjoy being out there with others. The marathon is just too taxing for me right now. Good Luck with the cyclocross, that sounds crazy!!! I'm sure you will have fun.

After work yesterday I rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes & weight trained my chest & arms. I had a really yummy dinner, BBQ tempeh with oven roasted sweetpotatoes onion & carrots. I had a good night's sleep, but I woke up groggy, and stiff. I had ot get up extra early to walk the dogs before meeting up with some fellow runners. I was very thankful of my 1 mile warm up before meeting with them because I wasn't feeling too fast. Turns out only two other women showed up & they were both faster than me. I pushed myself to keep up for 3 miles, then told them to go ahead and I jogged home for another mile. It was an excellent run really.

I tried stretching in the shower, but I still feel sore. I think my body is telling me to take it easy tonight. I'm also really hungry/headachy. I'm going to try a vegan takeout resturant I heard about for lunch today.

wow I am so full right now. I went to this all vegan takeout place. It was a bit of a drive from work, but well worth it. It's called Zizi's and its in Merchantville, just in case any other New Jerseyans are reading this. I got a mango smoothie "with green power" and a crispy "chicken" salad. I downed the wonderful smoothie before I got back to the office and I couldn't finish the salad it was so big. But the "chicken" was wonderful. It really tasted not the same as but BETTER than chicken fingers I think (its been a while since the last time I had chicken fingers). Ahhhh I'm going to be making that trip alot. And my headache is gone, I was definetly really hungry.

I'm glad you're heading towards a different direction. It gets better everyday!:)
I was wondering if you were suggested or if you do crosstraining?

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Robert wrote:
My knee muscles look totally sweet where I'm holding my weiner.

Tasha,

I always enjoyed a variety of activities instead of just running all the time. I think it makes someone fitter overall. A few years ago when I decided to run my first marathon I followed a training plan that included two days of crosstraining and only three days of running, I liked that plan alot. Now that I'm interested in more tri's it makes sense to do more biking and swimming. I work with weights to help shape my body.

Unfortunatly I didn't wake up this morning for any kind of workout. I was really tired!!! When I did get out of bed I felt very tired, headachy, and hungry! I tallied up the calories I ate yesterday and I think it was around 1600-1800, which I guess should be my goal for a woman weighing 154 and trying to loose a couple pounds, but its probably a lot less than I am used to eating so I'm going to make a point to eat enough today. So far I've had coffee with soymilk, a banana, a mug of oatmeal with flax, sunflower seeds and other good stuff in it, and I'm currently drinking the second half of a protien drink I forgot I left in the work fridge. I'm stocked up with fruit and brought a stuffed pepper and broccoli rice & beans, so I should be good to go!

After work today I'm going into Philly for a hash run, which I am really looking forward to. If you are not familiar with it, a hash run is like a game where one or two runners (the hares) mark out a trail usually using chalk, and the rest of the runners (the pack) have to try to follow it. There is also drinking and silly singing involved, it's a lot of fun.

Wow is the weekend over? It's kindof nice just to be sitting at my work desk on a Monday morning! I feel like I can finally relax. I ended up missing the hash run Friday because I was having car problems. I was really bummed about that. A friend picked me up & we went to a couple bars. I'm getting better at only having a couple drinks, I used to definatly drink too much.

Saturday morning was really nice to sleep in, took the dogs for a long walk, then went to the gym. I just did my back abs & chest. I did some housework & then felt really tired, so I took a nap before going to a party.

Sunday morning was a beautiful trail run with the group. We had great weather. I got a little lost and then ended up trying to keep up with a couple of guys who are faster then me, so it was a great workout. I ran a total of 10 miles. My legs were very tired at the end, but overall I felt good. I guess I'm ready for that half marathon next weekend! The rest of the day I hung out with my dad watching football.

Even though I went to bed early last night, I still didn't want to get up this morning!! I'll have to go to the gym after work. I'm not sure when it came, I guess Saturday afternoon, but this morning I noticed I recieved a package in the mail from Robert- vega snack packs- yes!!! I had a chocolate one for breakfast along with coffee & an apple.

I still have a faint headache, It's been almost a week now with the off & on headaches. I'm not sure what is causing them, but I would love to get rid of them. Any one have any ideas? Maybe it's just allergies? I feel tired too.