Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Hey all

I've done my intro so starting a log seemed like the next logical step!

My 2009 goals were
complete a sprint distance triathlon - have finished two and loved them!
increase overall fitness and lose bodyfat - ongoing project...
complete a 10k race in October - done in just over 1 hour
generally work on fitness for hillwalking/climbing

2010 goals

tackle the short course Hebden 2010 challenge - an offroad half marathon in January!
complete an early season open water sprint triathlon
assuming above goes well, train for olympic distance triathlon
complete the coast-to-coast cycle route with work colleagues http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/aboutc2c.htm 147 miles
complete the Rob Roy Way with my mum plus our three dogs, camping and carrying our own gear http://www.robroyway.fsnet.co.uk/ 92 miles round where I grew up
contemplate entering the Aberfeldy middle distance triathlon!!! Though I suspect I will be looking to do this next year really

Last 2 weeks training:

Sunday long run-sort of! it ended up being a run with route finding, stile climbing and mud wallowing too! Was out 1hr 45mins, av pace 16min/mile, and about 6.3miles - felt really good actually but too much walking because of the mud/path/stiles etc.

Monday rest

Tues 2 mile run at reasonable pace

rest of the week was a washout - much too busy

Friday gym again - 15min X trainer, 15min row, 40 min treadmill, planks

Saturday too much time stuck at a desk = jammed SI joints

Sunday Road event (I don't like calling them races!) 5.25miles all on road with some nice hills. Despite a sore back, not enough fluids and only 5 hrs sleep (plus 2 hr drive over) finished in 51mins 15 secs and no walking at all *yay*

Monday REST! my quads are really burning

Tuesday 30min recovery run, felt good but not much in the way of reserves

Wednesday 30min swim session

Aiming for a longer run on Thursday morning, gym programme to get some weights in on Friday, rest Saturday and then a long run on Sunday...

And a decision to start logging my food *gulp*

Wednesday 2nd Dec
Breakfast: 1/2 tin of baked beans, glass of smoothie
Post swim: 1 banana
Mid-morning: one homemade flapjack (mostly oats, seeds and some treacle)
Lunch: 1/2 can of spicy mixed beans with some brown rice, one slice toffutti cheeze, apple, pear
Snacks: 2 Nairns oat biscuits, 1 x rye cracker with yeast spread
Dinner: homemade sweet potato and chickpea curry with brown rice
other stuff: 4 (little) squares of soy chocolate

Hey there! I'm training for my first triathlon next spring - plan on doing a few sprints next year.

oooooh lovely to 'meet' more triathlon fans! Its just so amazing! Will pop over and read your log

Good luck with your Triathalon!!!!

Thanks love your website btw


So yesterday was fairly successful in the sense that I didn't overeat though I did seriously notice being waaaay more obsessed with food with having to write it down!

Today is a little challenging because I was hoping to get out for a run, but my back is feeling very dodgy. Been to see my osteo and I'm on strict rest for 24 hrs and then take it easy *grumble*

Anyway, onto the food!

Brekkie: porridge with soy milk and a small handful of raisins, half glass of smoothie
Snack: 2 rye crackers with yeast spread
Lunch: homemade veg and barley soup, brown bread and hummus (probably ate more than I needed to)
2 squares of dark chocolate
Dinner: spicy beanburger, carrots and broccoli with gravy *yum*, some left over smoothie

So - are you bored yet?!

No exercise as still strictly taking it easy, back was hellish after osteo but much better after mum sent some healing. Hoping to make it to the gym for a workout planning session later.

Food:
Brekkie: 2 oatibix plus soy milk and a dribble of agave syrup
Snacks: 2 x pears, 1 banana
Lunch: 2 x falafel and chilli dressing sandwich (best I could do in a meeting!), glass fresh orange

continued (because I'm bad and forgot to log over the weekend!)

Snack: 2 slices toast and Pure spread
GYM - just a workout planning session though
Dinner: spicy beanburger, carrots, broccoli and gravy

Pub!: 4 x alcoholic ginger beers *yum*

Saturday

Gym session - mostly weights and a little cardio, most work on upper body - awful programme so looking into finding a decent personal trainer now *sigh* On the plus side I loved doing the freeweights bits and definitely want to do more

Food:
Brekkie: Porridge and banana with soy milk, smoothie
Snack: apple and pear, caramel soy decaf latte
Lunch: two veg samosas
Snack: 1 slice toast and tartex
Dinner: memory fail!

Sunday

8.6mile run at steady pace with some walking, all on trails or in bogs (!) up on the Moors

Food:
Breakfast (run out of soy milk): tin of beans with some grated cheezly, green smoothie
Food while running: 1 SIS energy gel, half a trek protein bar
Post run: carton choc soy milk, banana, half a clif protein bar
Other food (confused eating day): 2 packs salted crisps, some rye crackers
Dinner: chapatti, curry (pulses, bean sprouts), brown rice, smoothie

Monday

Rest day (much needed) and for various reasons *grin* spent most of it in bed *blushes*

Food: chapatti and tartex, rye cracker and same, smoothie
Lunch: 6 mini veg spring rolls, apple
Dinner: cheese free pizza with caramelised onions, spinach and other yummy stuff

Tuesday

Brekkie: 2 x oatibix, tsp sugar, rice milk

Tuesday

Evening swim: 200/200 arm/200 leg/400 then back started to tweak so called it a day

Food:
Brekkie - 2 x oatibix, tsp sugar, rice milk
Snack - pear, apple
Lunch - veg and barley soup, can of pepsi (bad mog!)
Snack - banana, apple
SWIM
Dinner - bolognese type thing with soy mince, pulses and veggies with cauliflower

And coz someone asked - I do drink lots too! Its just that unless its sugary or caffeine I don't bother to list. Mostly I drink plain water, very weak black tea and same of green tea/rooibos

Wednesday

Brekkie: Porridge, soy milk and banana
Snack: banana, small glass smoothie

Lunchtime running club - hill repeats, pyramids and speed work for 45 mins *ouch*
Drank 500ml sports drink before and during

Lunch: left overs from last night, small amount of rice
Snack: 2 slices toast

Xmas dinner out but was poorly so didn't really eat any of it. Ended up having small bowl of vegan chili late in evening

Thursday

Brekkie: 2 slices toast and jam
Snack: none
Lunch: spicy beanburger in a roll
Snack: small bottle coke

No exercise today as had osteo appointment. Did weigh myself out of curiosity and was down to an amazing 11st2lbs, BMI 26, BF 32% though I suspect that has a lot to do with not eating much yesterday and not being totally well!

Hope you're feling better
Post us your suggested programme then!

Looking good!

Hope you're not too ill.

I'll post the UTTERLY USELESS programme when I find the bit of paper in a wee bit

Still feeling a bit queasy tbh which is not like me, but it will go soon, have a long run planned for tomorrow!

Thursday dinner was a strange concoction of Seitan (not impressed by the texture) with panfried spinach, carrots, peppers and garlic. And new potatoes from my garden
3 digestive type biccies

Friday

continued rest from osteo day and feeling a bit queasy so decided not to do much apart from some gentle dog walking.

Brekkie: porridge + soy milk, smoothie
Lunch: pasta, mung beans, garlic 'sausage' and mayo
drinking lots of tea and water but really feeling rather queasy still which is not like me at all
Dinner - not sure, don't even want any!!

Friday dinner ended up being out for Thai which was rather nice but I really didn't eat much, not normal for me at all!

Saturday:
Brekkie 2 oatibix and soy
Snacks: 2 glasses smoothie
Lunch: pasta salad with mung beans, frys polony and garlic
Dinner: pie on sweet potato and carrot mash with lots of gravy

Gym: worked on weights and really got into it for the first time in ages! Felt so good to be working smooth and slow , though I have little/NO faith in the instructors and the programme they have given me. Will post about that in a bit too!

Chest press 2 x 15 reps at 5kg (per hand)
Tricep overhead extension 2 x 15 reps at 2.5kg (per hand)
Bicep curls 2 x 12 reps at 5 kg (per hand)
Leg press 2 x 15reps
Standing row 2 x 15reps at 13.5kg each hand
Squat using smith machine (5kg plus bar) 2 x 10reps
Lunge as above 2 x 10 reps per leg
planks and crunches

Sunday: felt really queasy this morning so ended up taking the day to sort of recover *sigh* maybe been doing too much?

Brekkie - tiny bit of porridge, then gave up. 1/2 glass smoothie
Lunch: a jam sandwich *pathetic*
Dinner: small bowl lentil curry and 2 chapattis

Monday:

Gym - cardio session to make up for not running yesterday.
10 min w/up on rowing machine, 30min on X trainer, 20 mins hard on treadmill (2.77miles), stretching and crunches/planks

Brekkie - 2 oatibix + soy + smoothie
Lunch - 3 slices toast and tartex
Sneaky snack - soy dacaff caramel latte, brownie
Dinner - left over lentil curry + 1 chapatti

Hmmm, this can prove an interesting discussion as there are as many programmes and training styles as there are trainers ....
Personally I'd ditch any isolation exercises, like biceps curls and tri extensions, in favour of compound exercises - those that work more than one muscle group at the time. Chins/pull ups are great for chest/shoulders and biceps and push ups would work again both chest and tris (and I had them coz I can't do them!) - and are excellent core exercies too. Try combining planks with push ups, i.e. do a set of push ups but instead of resting hold a plank for, say, a minute (I nkow the theory, doesn't mean that I can manage it in practice! ).
I'd prolly also prefer to do a 2 day split, i.e one workout only lower body and one only upper body, I reckon you'd get more out of your strength training that way. On those days I'd leave cardio strictly for warming up, i.e 10 minutes easy going on the treadmill or rower just to warm up and then hit the weights.
Just my 2p's worth, fully expect to be slated now by someone with years of experience!

hmmmmm I like your ideas and can try to make the gym more than once a week though twice is probably all I have time for? My priorities are:

support my running
build functional muscle in my upper body especially my back
improve core strength

if that helps?