Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I just read Robert Cheeke's "Vegan Bodybuilding and Fitness." I couldn't put it down! It was like it was telling me what I need to do to promote veganism in my own way. I want to become the best vegan bikini model I can be, both for myself, and to prove that it IS possible to be strong and gorgeous while following a healthy diet, saving animals, and helping the environment! I started training today, and hope to compete sometime next year, anywhere from March to August depending on my progress. Any advice?

You look like youre on the right track!

Welcome to the board.

Great! What does your diet and training look like at the moment? People will best be able to give advice once they know the kind of thing you're doing now.

This is my food journal from yesterday, and is pretty typical of how I eat.
meal 1: 2 scoops rice protein (120)
1/2 cup steel cut oats (150)
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (20)
meal 2: apple (70)
meal 3: salad to go from whole foods (500)
pre-workout: 2 scoops rice protein (120)
post-workout: 1 scoop vega (100)
meal 5: shake with banana, cocoa powder, spinach, 2 scoops rice protein, broccoli: (250)
meal 6: almonds with cocoa powder...wow apparently I'm through a chocolate phase! (200)

I used to do mostly running and workout videos, but last week I started getting back into lifting weights at the gym. I'm lifting one body part per day, 4 exercises per body part, followed by 15 minutes of abs, then 15 minutes of cardio, 6 days a week.

and here are some front pics, it only lets you post 3 at a time! These are my least favorite angles, which is why I was going to attach them last :p

great booty here I come! Today was my off day from the gym, so I spent some serious time reading Oxygen Magazine, various forums on competition, and reading many many many posts by Robert Cheeke!

Meal 1: 2 scoops brown rice protein powder (120)

1/2 cup steel cut oats (150)

1/3 cup blueberries (30)

1 tbsp cocoa powder (10)

meal 2: apple (70)

meal 3: spinach, bell peppers, tempeh and almond salad (300)

meal 4: vega (100) and apple (70)

meal 5: shake with green superfood powder (30) 2 scoops brown rice protein (120) brocolli (15) banana (70) and 3 strawberries (30) and 2 tbsp cocoa powder (20)

meal 6: almonds (180) 1/3 cup frozen blueberries (30) and 1 tbsp cocoa powder (10)



I'm still going through a chocolate phase, but I think the unsweetened cocoa powder has the perfect dark-chocolate flavor! Until I stop craving it, I don't feel bad about eating it!

I was so frustrated at the beginning of my workout today! It was triceps day, and because I work out with a GUY it’s hard to compare my non-existent arm strength to his massive muscles! My arms were still sore from arms last week at the gym, and close-grip bench presses were NOT happening no matter how hard I tried! Luckily, the last part of my workout ROCKED because I got to try out all the awesome glutes exercises I read about yesterday in Oxygen Magazine Glutes edition My legs were shaking by the end…shaking=progress? We’ll see! Oh, and the cocoa powder obsession ended today as quickly as it started a few days ago…what’s up with that??

meal 1: 2 tbsp brown rice protein (120)

1/2 cup oatmeal (150)

1/3 cup blueberries (30)

meal 2: 1 apple (70)

post-workout: vega (100)

meal 3: tempeh (160) and shake with banana (70) 4 strawberries (50) cocoa powder (20) coconut oil (100) and green superfood powder (30)

meal 4: apple (70)

meal 5: Salad with tofu, hummus, cucumbers, tomoato slices, and 2 dolmas with no salad dressing at Dushanbe Teahouse (500?)

meal 6: frozen blueberries (30) and almonds (180)

I love Oxygen magazine. I just finished their newest regular issue and found so many articles extremely helpful. I will have to check out the glutes edition because that is my least favorite part of my body. I don't plan on participating in any competitions but I certainly would love to look that way. I have anxiety issues and I can only imagine how bad they would be if I were to sign up for a competition.

Today actually felt really great at the gym! I've felt so sore these past couple of days I thought it would only get worse, but maybe my muscles are actually adapting! Either that or I'm mentally getting used to the workouts. Either way, it was nice to have a workout that felt like it rocked my arms but didn't leave me completely dead afterwards. I worked biceps, abs for 15 minutes, and then 15 minutes walking at a 9.0 incline on the treadmill at 4.2 mph. My legs were super sore from yesterday and it felt good to walk it out! Later today I went and got this beautiful salad from Whole Foods for dinner, which I've been doing once or twice a week lately. The only thing that's hard about that is I'm not sure the calories in the salads I make! Do you think that's an issue early on in my training? Should I be restricting my calorie intake more or does it look like I'm doing okay? I want to make sure I build muscle, but I don't want to have to seriously cut when it comes closer to competition; I don't want to have to lose more than 5lbs when I'm a month or too out from the competition; I want to make sure I'm where I should be!



meal 1: 2 tbs brown rice protein (120)

1/2 cup steel cut oats (150)

1/3 cup blueberries (30)

meal 2: apple (70)

post-workout meal: vega (110<- the vanilla flavor has 10 more calories than the berry flavor but tastes SO much better in my opinion!)

meal 3: green superfood powder (30) banana (70) strawberries (50) cocoa powder (20) coconut oil (100) spinach (15)

meal 4: delicious whole foods salad with tofu, lots of veggies, blueberries, strawberries, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and no dressing (500? 700?)

meal 5: banana! (70) cherries (70) cocoa powder (10) some almonds (80)

Your salad was probably only 300-400 calories depending on how many beans and tofu you had on it. Looks yummy!

How far away is the competition?

honestly, I can't find one in Colorado next summer, I don't think they post the comp dates that far ahead of time. I just decided to train for a competition last week, but I've made it my goal to compete within the year. I want to be as fit, confident, and ready as I can be. I'm still learning so much, I feel like I need to get a lot more knowledge about what I want to do. Do you have any suggestions, resources?

Hey Amanda!

Welcome to the TEAM!

Sorry for the late welcome....been traveling like crazy. Been getting your enthusiastic emails though. Awesome stuff!

Great to have you here.

Keep up the awesome work and keep in touch.

All the BEST!

-Robert

I just got some vegan workout shirts in the mail yesterday, and will be wearing mine that says "Shiny Happy Vegan" when I do my gym workout today!!

Awesome!

I was so excited because today I found some awesome resources online! I'd been looking for a great book on competing in bikini and hadn't found anything until today; the book is sold out but should ship after they restock (after Sep 28th) so I should have the book soon. I also ordered a dvd on bikini comp poses and that should get here sometime next week. The video also talks about competition basics and shows footage from a competition, so that will be great to look into! Today I worked shoulders, abs, and did some stairmaster. I know that eventually I can look the way I want to, I just wish I was there today! It's Friday and I'm excited to take a weekend off from school, hang out with friends, and hopefully hit up the farmer's market tomorrow

meal 1: 2 tbsp brown rice protein (120)

1/2 cup oatmeal (150)

1/3 cup blueberries (30)

meal 2: apple (70)

post-workout: vega (110)

meal 3: salad with tempeh (160) spinach (15) olive oil (100) carrot (20) bell peppers (15)

meal 4: nectarine (70)

meal 5: miso soup (30) with onions (5) carrot (20) edamame (120)

also acorn squash (80)

meal 6: 1/3 cup frozen blueberries (30) almonds (180) and cocoa powder (20)