Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Hello everybody,

I would like to join this forum with my aim and desire to put on about 5kg of muscle. (I have made a bet with my bf that I can do it even on my vegan diet:).

I have been working out in a gym for about 4 years. I have been vegan for more than a year. Anyway, since I have changed my diet to vegan I have lost about 5 kg of muscle (it was caused by wrong nutrition - not enough calories for weight lifting) for I'm the one who believes that women have to train heavy! Sooo I want to improve it! I have started to eat better - i added more carbs into my diet and.. I have gained 1,2kg of muscle during few weeks.

So as for my measurements:

weight: 51,8 kg = 114,2 lb

muscle: 24 kg = 52,9 lb

fat: 7,8 kg = 17,2 lb (15%)

water: 32,4 kg = 71,4 lb

BMI = 18,4


My aim is to put on the "lost muscle":). My new training programme for next 6 weeks is PUSH/PULL/LEGS. I will work out 4 times a week with weights (A, B, rest, C, A, rest, cardio, B, C, rest, A, B, rest, cardio etc.) and I will add an hour session of light cardio on non training day.

Tomorrow I will start with my Push (chest, shoulders, triceps) training session! I can't wait to my gym!!! I'm really addicted to iron:).


Lucca

A. Chest, Shoulders, Triceps (Abs)

First day of my new 6 week programme. I love early morning weekend work outs. I got up with a lot of energy and after a nice and big breakfast and my lovely cup of espresso (I'm addicted to coffeine before work outs ) I hit the gym. I felt that my strenght has been increasing. I have recently added more carbs into my diet - the nutrition really works magic:)!

My training:

Bench Press - 3x 6-10

Incline Bench Press - 3x 6-10

Butterfly Machine 3x 10-12

Barbell Shoulder Press 3x 8-12

Multipress shoulder Press (behind head) 3x 8-10

Reverse Butterfly Machine 3x 8-10

Triceps Bench Press 3x 10-12

Triceps Pulley Pushdowns 3x12

Abs ( I always change my abs routine)

Awesome, go get those kg's and further prove Vegans can do it

_________________
Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.
- Bruce Lee

B. Back, Biceps (Abs)

What an amazing feeling!:) It is about two hours after my training and I already feel my back muscles screaming . I love this programme, it's very intensive and what more I love compound exercises.

Wide Grip Pull ups 3x 8-10

Lever Wide Grip Seated Row 3x 8-10

Barbell Bent Over Row 3x 8

Cable Seated Row 3x 8

Ez Barbell Curls 3x 10-12

Level Preacher Curls (arms high) 3x 8

Abs

Now time for regeneration and a lot of wonderful healthy vegan food:)!

To VeganResistance: Thank you very much!! I will do my best:)

REST DAY


51 kg = 112,4 lb

I will weigh myself every monday as a first thing in the morning to be able to spot the progress:). I feel very well now when I eat more carbs. I have more energy and the morning "dizziness" at work has dissapeared. (Sometimes I also feel tingling in my hands during work out-any ideas what it could be? I've read it could be the sign of lack of iron...)

What I feel the most after the yesterday's work out is my back. Seems I did a good job there:). I can't wait to "return" to my body the lost 5kgs = 11 lb of muscle from the last summer:))).

Now I've had pretty yummy banana cinammon hemp protein shake! I love it!

Tomorrow is my leg day! yipee! (My legs seems to react the best on lifting cause I always gain first the muscle there - I can already feel it on my jeans:)))lol

C. Legs
(25.10.)

Squats 4x 12-15

Hacken Squat 3x 15

Leg Extension 3x 12-15

Leg Curls 3x 8-10

Standing Leg Curls 3x 10

Sled Standing Calf Rise 3x 15

Hammer Seated Calf Rise 3x 15

It was really intense and once I had to even go and sit down, lol . Today I can't SIT:)).


Today:

A. Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press - 3x 6-10

Incline Bench Press - 3x 6-10

Butterfly Machine 3x 10-12

Barbell Shoulder Press 3x 6

Multipress shoulder Press (behind head) 3x 8-10

Reverse Butterfly Machine 3x 8-10

Triceps Bench Press 3x 10

Triceps Pulley Pushdowns 3x12

Abs

I did the same routine as on Saturday plus I had a sparing partner today so I could go even more heavy on bench press. I also added weight on shoulder front press. Happy!

CARDIO DAY

6am-7am (love early morning cardio supported with light breakfast -soy joghurt and banana and my lovely strong espresso:))

20 mins eliptical
20 mins stairs machine
20 mins running

streching

Even though I'm in the phase of building muscle | feel like I can't omit cardio. Whenever I stop doing it my stamina decreases and I feel mentally not very good. I think that if I do 1-2 sessions of an hour cardio on non-training days it won't cause any harm to my plan. I will provide my body enough calories and carbs so it does not need to get energy from muscles.

Btw. My legs are sooo sore after my Legs day training. This training suits me well.

I will eat a lot to provide my body energy for tomorrow's back ad biceps work out:)).

An hour of machine cardio when in the bulking phase is too much. The only hour of cardio that I do is walking outside to help me mentally. Just a nice 20 minute session to appease your endorphin addiction should be enough, during the bulking phase in my experience.

The dizziness is iron deficiency. Been there, done that. It would help you to have it checked out (as in the long run it will stifle your progress). I also requested the blood report, so I could look at it and see if it was either a B12, folic acid, or iron deficiency. And then I supplemented accordingly. No biggy for me. I just figure that sometimes you can't eat enough of certain nutrients when you lift heavy and torture your body in the way that I do.

Thank you very much, Gaia,

as for the iron deficiency that is exactly what I have found out at the Internet. It started when I stopped taking VM-75 vegan multivitamins from Solgar. My body gave me this answer:) - weak nails and hair, diziness and tingling hands during heavy work outs.

That's exactly what I thought - the heavy training consumes a lot of important nutrients such as minerals. And we need to give it to our bodies back if we want it to function in gym (at work, at school...) for 100% . I've started to take my multivitamins again and all the problems actually dissapeared.

I was also experimenting with salt - I did not consume salt for about 3 weeks and it was really terrible. So now I better do not experiment with anything and eat lovely vegan food with a stress on a lot of carbs and healthy sources of fat.

Regarding the cardio, I will try to limit it then for 30 mins.

B. Back, biceps


Barbell Bent Over Row 3x 8

Wide Grip Pull ups 3x 8-10

Lever Wide Grip Seated Row 3x 8-10

Cable Seated Row 3x 8

Ez Barbell Curls 3x 10-12

Level Preacher Curls (arms high) 3x 8

Abs


Today I have enjoyed every minute of my training. I changed the sequence of the exercises at the beginning (because the machine for assisted wide grip pull ups was engaged:) and it was even much better. I started with Bent Over Barbell Rows, this exercise always warms up not only my back and but also the whole body. Then when I did my Wide Grip assisted Pull Ups I could go two times more than the previous time. I think my back needs more warming up series than just one.


Today I also improved my Ez Barbel Curl - I took 20kg (44lb) barbell and did 4 and a half:) of repetitions, whenever I could not go for more I grabbed back my former:)) 15 kg (33lb) barbell and finished the serie of 10 repetitions. I hope next week I will do at least 6 repetitions with 44lb and I will be one step further:)) yipeee!

People also say that my arms seem to be more filled:) So I'm happy that there seems to be a little progress when eating more. I know it is all about right nutrition and fueling the body.

I hope you also have a fantastic day accompanied with heavy workout for 100%!

Tomorrow REST DAY!

C. Legs

Squats 4x 15 (35 kg = 77 lb)

Hammer Hacken Squat 3x 15 (20 kg = 44 lb)

Leg Extension 3x 12 (38 kg = 81,5 lb)

Leg Curls 3x 10 (23 kg = 50,7 lb)

Standing Leg Curls 3x 10 (each leg) (6,25 kg = 13,8 lb)

Sled Standing Calf Rise 3x 15 (21 kg = 46,3 lb)

Hammer Seated Calf Rise 3x 15 (5kg = 11 lb)

Abs - super set - Abs Crunch Machine 3x 15 ( 23kg = 50, 7 lb), Reverse Cruches 3x 15-20 (BW)

I am soo happy I was able to increase weights everywhere! I love hardcore legs sessions, especially deep squats at the beginning of the workout. It makes my legs feel like in fire:). I will also add some more calories into my diet, because I feel the change already as for the strenght and energy plus my sweatshirts and jeans seem to be more tight lol.

Tomorrow Rest Day!:(

TWO REST DAYS
(31.10, 1.11.)

I can't wait for tomorrow's Chest, Shoulders and Triceps training! Two days off were too long for me.

My weight 52,7 kg = 116,2 lb (happy it has been increasing!

A. Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press - 3x 6-10 (25kg = 55,2 lb)

Incline Bench Press - 3x 6-10 (20 kg = 44 lb)

Butterfly Machine 3x 10-12 (28 kg = 61,7 lb)

Barbell Shoulder Press 3x 8-12 (15 kg = 33 lb)

Multipress shoulder Press (behind head) 3x 8-10 (10kg = 22 lb)

Reverse Butterfly Machine 3x 8-10 (21 kg = 46,3 lb)

Triceps Bench Press 3x 10-12 (12,5 kg = 27,5 lb)

Triceps Pulley Pushdowns 3x12 (35 kg = 77,2lb)

Abs (3 exercises)

Today I felt so weak!!! Even though I was looking forward to my training (as always), fully motivated and encouraged to go heavy. I have not done any improvements in weights

Hope tomorrow is going to be better! Pull day! I'm going to fight:))

B. Back, Biceps


Barbell Bent Over Row 3x 8 (35kg = 77 lb)

Wide Grip Assisted Pull ups 3x 8-10 (35kg = 77 lb)

Lever Wide Grip Seated Row 3x 8-10 (28kg = 61,7 lb)

Cable Seated Row 3x 8 (35 kg = 77 lb)

Ez Barbell Curls 3x 10-12 (15 kg = 33 lb)

Lever Preacher Hammer Curls (arms high) 3x 8 (7,5 kg = 16,5 lb)

Abs (3 exercises)

Today I had better feeling, more energetic and relaxed. It is also about stress I guess - when I have busy days at work I can not work out for 100 % at gym:( When my mind is relaxed I can fully concetrate on my muscle work. And I love strong coffee before my training, it makes magic with me .