Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Long time lurker, finally registered and starting to get serious.

I'm a long time cyclist since birth and vegetarian since '96. Vegan since 2004.

I ride a bike for general transportation twelve miles per day, on weekends for leisure and/sport anywhere from 20 -60 miles per day (brevet, MTB) and some long distance touring. For the last two months this has not been the case due to time constraints but the general cycling outline will pick back up in Feb./ March. I practice martial arts (mostly against a heavy bag at this point) with a back ground in Hapkido and Jeet Kun Do. I lift weights, dumbbells exclusively, just because it's what I started with and after some internet research deduced that free weights are generally a good way to go vs. machines save some specialized application.

I'm 32 yrs old, Male, 5' 11", 160 lbs, est. 19% body fat (average between skinfold and body measurement method).

My goal at this point is to get down to 12% +/- body fat while retaining the lean muscle mass I have. After that point I will establish a new goal.

Average calories burned during winter months: 2,750

Average Daily Calories Eaten: 2,347
Grams Calories %-Cals
Fat 80.9 691 29 %
Saturated 10.2 87 4 %
Polyunsaturated 27.2 232 10 %
Monounsaturated 36.6 312 13 %
Carbohydrate 301.8 1,189 50 %
Dietary Fiber 63.3
Protein 130.5 490 21 %
Alcohol 0.4 3 0 %

I have been tracking this for some time now.

My lifting consists of M-Sat and Sunday being a rest day. I perform 10 minutes of cardio and/or heavy bag work prior to every workout for warm-up. Monday and Thursday I perform chest back and arms, Tuesday and Friday I perform legs and shoulders, Wednesday and Saturday I perform cardio and abs. I keep the workouts under an hour, usually right at about 45 minutes and I do not skip workouts.

I use a six week schedule.

Weeks 1 and 2 are modified compound sets where I lift two sets, 10-12 reps of each exercise with a 90sec rest between sets,

weeks 3 and 4 I superset exercises, 12-15 reps, 3 sets of each grouping with a 60 second rest between super sets,

weeks 5 and 6 I use giant sets, 8-10 reps, 4 sets of each grouping with a 60 sec rest between sets.

After 6 weeks I repeat. The entire time I am upping weight and/or reps until I reach failure. I also alternate exercises for variation.

Abs and calf are much higher reps, usually around 20 -25.

cardio days are 20 min weeks 1-2, 30 min weeks 3-4 and 40 min weeks 5-6.

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated as my weight and measurements haven't changed in 3 months. I can provide detailed body measurements and foods eaten. thanks in advance!

Awesome.

Welcome, seems that you have a solid diet, and good training methods as well. very cool

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Lifts:
250 Bench
445 Deadlift
335 Squat

its good to see you've come out of the shadows

two things id really like to get into: cycling and martial arts.

lots of respect for being veg for as long as you have, thats really cool. and keeping tabs on your nutrion too, love that. what are you using to track everything?

thats a pretty advanced schedule youre following, looks like i'll be learning more from you than you will from me.

but no worries, bc there are quite a few very intelligent people here at vbbf.


welcome!

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“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
~Teilhard de Chardin

Hey welcome to the forum!

So what carbs are you eating?

Thank you. I'm not getting the results I'd like.

Thanks! The routine is good, my strength improves very quickly. I'm using FitDay right now.

Thank you. I'll post some of my typical days below:

01/12/2009 2947 calories, 123 grams fat, 379 grams carbs, 118 grams protien
.5 cup of oats, .25cup of pecans, .25 cup of raisins, 2 cup black coffee

2 slices whole wheat bread, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp of blueberries

4 oz of cooked brown rice, .3 block of tofu, .5 cup raw carrots, 1 cup raw green cabbage, 1 cup raw spinach, .25 cup of raw sunflower seeds, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 tsp unpacked brown sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1 cup soy milk, 1 banana, 3 tbsp rice protien powder, 1 tbsp baking chocolate powder, 1 tsp cinamon post workout meal.

1 cup lentils, 1 cup quinoa, 1 cup collard greens, 1 tsp ginger root, 4 clove garlic, .25 cup carrot.

1/13/2009 3098 calories, 100 grams fat, 418 grams carbs, 163 grams protien
1 cup of high protien cereal, 1 cup soy milk, .25 cup raw almonds, 1 cup black coffee

two slices whole wheat bread, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp preserves

1 cup raw green cabbage, .25 cup peanuts, 24 grams wheat gluten, 16 grams ground flax seeds, 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce.

1 cliff bar

1 cup soy milk, 3 tbsp rice protien powder, 1 tbsp carob powder, 1 banana, 1 tbsp peanut butter post workout meal.

1 cup quinoa, .5 cup lentils, 1 cup collard greens, 4 clove garlic, 1 cup raw carrot, 1 cup green beans, .25 cup vinager

rest of week continued on next page...

cont-

1/14/2009 2202 calories, 63 grams fat, 301 grams carbs, 155 grams protien
high protien cereal, 1 cup soy milk, .25 cup raw almonds, .25 cup raisins, 1 cup black coffee

1 cliff bar

2 high protien/low carb whole wheat tortilla, .3 block tofu, 1 cup romain lettuce, .5 cup tomato sauce, .5 cup black beans

3 tbsp rice protien powder, 1 cup soy milk, 1 tbsp carob powder, 1 banana

3 tbsp rice protien powder, 1 cup soy milk, 1 tbsp carob powder, 1 banana, t tbsp cinamon post workout meal

.5 cup lentils, 1 cup cabbage, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp raw ginger, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp vinager, 1 cup raw spinach

1/15/2009 3062 calories, 93.8 grams fat, 360 grams carbs, 207.8 grams protien
.5 cup oats, .25 cup pecans, .25 cup raisins, 1 tsp brown sugar, .25 cup banana chips

1 tbsp peanut butter, .25 cup crushed peanuts, 1 tbsp preserves, 2 slice whole wheat bread

1 oz whole wheat pasta, 7.5 oz chili beans, 7.5 oz kidney beans, .5 cup tomato sauce, 1 tsp cumin, garlic, chili powder

.25 cup high protien cereal, .5 cup grapenuts, 1 cup soy milk, .25 cup almonds

3 tbsp rice protien powder, 1 tbsp cinamon, 1 cup soy milk, 1 tbsp carob powder, 1 banana post workout meal

1 cup brown rice, 113 grams wheat gluten, 1 tsp olive oil, 13 grams ground flax seed, 1 cup broccoli, .25 cup oj

etc.

Maybe cut your carbs some and up the protein?

_________________
Lifts:
250 Bench
445 Deadlift
335 Squat

My protien is usually at or above 1 gram per pound of lean body wieght. The carbs are mostly fiberous and not being absorbed as far as I understand it. I do have some absorbed carbs but theyre just enough that I don't feel like I'm gonna die when I get out for a bike ride. Also, I have a limited budget and although I'd like to modify the diet slightly by purchasing more protien powder/meal replacements that are high protien, low carb etc. my food budget is shared by my spouse and kiddo so I can't be that selfish . I'm open to help though if you folks really think there is room for improvement. I could post my family's weekly grocery list for modification. Looking at it I could cut the teaspoon of sugar on any given day... I don't know. How about some specific adjustments and substitutions?

Perhaps you have some suggestions? Our food budget is 100 dollars per week.

me too.

_________________
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
~Teilhard de Chardin

40 min cardio: bike ride.
Abs: 25 crunches, 25 leg lifts x4 no rest.

your diet looks pretty solid to me. I agree with zack though as to up the protein. i too am on a budget and here's what i do to get about 140-150 g per day on the cheap:

Vital Wheat Gluten flour you can buy in bulk for about 3-5 dollars a pound but one pound makes almost 300 g protein!!!! You can make a very simple seitan recipe with this by mixing the flour with water (the exact ratios will probably be on the bulk bin or package you buy) kneading the hell out of it, cutting it up, and simmering the pieces for about an hour in veggie broth. There are fancier, tastier recipes, but this wokrs in a pinch, then you just jazz it up with spices and sauces anyway. tons'o'protein there (and the family will probably love it as well)


Also trueprotein.com sell "gemma" protein-its just their name for pea protein for about $5 a pound with shipping. each pouns contains about 15 servings of 25 g or protein, so at $0.33 a serving, its hard to beat. good in smoothies. trueprotein also sells rice protein and hemp protein for much cheaper than you'll find in retail....if your buying your rice protein in retail jars-stop. save yourself the money and spend it at this site instead.

tempeh and tofu are good protein sources, but can get pricey fast.

as far as the rest of your diet. i'd say it looks good. if you want to up the protein and maintain the same calories, cut out some fat (til its about 20-25% of your daily intake, and add the protein there. I see that your goal is to cut down, so unfortunately, you may just have to try dropping your daily calorica intake in general a little bit (250 a day?) just make sure to keep that protein high, or you'll be losing too much muscle and not enough fat.


hope that helps some.

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the beginning is always today.

Sunday was a rest day but I went out for an hour long social biking excursion at the request of my siblings, nothing intense.

Week 6:
Moday: Chest, Back, Bi's and Tri's.

10 min heavy bag warm-up.

As zack and danisays to do I will be purchasing the gemma, upping the protien and attempting to cut a few calories and carbs. I will begin next week when I begin a new 6 week cycle. Thanks for the suggestions.

HI, welcome on the forum.

Your diet seems good, 1gr protein per pound of bodyweight is good and don't be afraid of carbs, it provides energy.

I like working with supersets too; no time to waste !

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