Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I have been a lurker on this site for a while. I decided that it was time for me to start contributing. I saw Roberts post about 2012 updating logs, and it really made me start thinking. This is an absolute great idea. So thank you Robert for the motivation that I needed!! I feel that this is going to be another way for me to stay accountable for my progression to a healthier, happier me. By sharing this part of my life with you all. I am a bit nervous, but excited at the same time.

I am also going to post some before and in between pictures. I am a bit uncomfortable even looking at the before pictures, but I am hoping that I can help even one person get motivated to become healthier, and happier.

A few things about me. I am 24 years old, and have been a vegetarian for 3 years now. I am going to be going full vegan starting on the 1st. I feel its time

I am 5"6, and at my heaviest I weighed almost 300 pounds The before pictures you will see I was around 270. The in betweens were taken Thanksgiving and Christmas of this year. I now weigh 197 pounds. My goal right now is to lose more weight, and get to a healthy weight that I am happy with.

I am by no means an expert on exercise and weight lifting, but I get by. My bf and I have been going at this together for almost a year now. I lift weights about 4 times a week, and do cardio about 4 times a week as well. I usually do it in splits, different body groups on different days. Chest/tri ..back bi...sometimes shoulder/tri...legs/abs...etc. I'm not sure if this is the way I should be doing this, but it seems to be going well so far! I LOVE lifting weights, and I HATE cardio!!! I really really REALLY need to work on getting my cardio better!! I feel that is what needs to happen to help me lose weight.

Congrats on your success so far, that's incredible. Hope to share success stories!

Lance

Thanks Lance!

I forgot to take a notepad with me to the gym today, so cant post fully accurate details, but will post what I remember

Today was legs day.

Smith machine, behind neck squats 10 pounds on each side 4 sets, 36 reps total
Seated leg extensions machine 4 sets 36 reps total, 30 pounds
Leg press, 45 pounds each side, 3 sets 30 reps total
Seated leg curl 30 pounds, 4 sets 36 reps total
Standing calf raises 50 pounds, 3 sets, 30 reps total
Seated calf raises 45 pounds, 3 sets, 30 reps total

20 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Hills mode, level 5

If anyone is reading this, how does that sound? I am not too knowledgeable yet on how many sets/exercises/reps i should be doing. So many different sources of information out there!

10:00am- Fresh fruit/veg juice made with 3 kale leaves/stalks, 1 large carrot, half a lemon, one red apple, half of a cucumber, small piece of ginger, 2 stalks of celery

12:00pm- Cliff bar

2:00pm- 1 cup of blueberries

3:00pm- large salad with broccoli, carrots, cucumber and chick peas. Fat free greek dressing

6:00pm salad, minestrone soup, 1 c blueberries, 1/2 c brown rice

8:00pm bean burger made with black beans, oats, and spices, and a whole wheat wrap

Today is my rest day, my entire body is sore lol! Hoping to get to the gym for at least some cardio later, but the snow might prevent that. Might end up tread milling indoors today

Looking forward to following your success!

Thanks so much for joining and for jumping in and getting involved in our forum. We have an awesome community here, as I'm sure you've noticed.

All the very best with your goals and Happy New Year!

-Robert

It looks like you're doing well. Make sure to get enough protein. Hemp is great!

Thanks Robert!!! You are such an inspiration!!!! And thank you john! I have hemp and pea protein, have to start using it more lol!

Another snowed in day, attempted to go to the gym, got too nervous, and SLOWLY inched my car back home lol. Did 30 minutes on the treadmill, and a few bodyball exercises.

Food.
Bora bora bar
pop chips
4 dates
dehydrated apple slices

1 c almond milk 2 tbs hemp protein



Stuffed zuccini which consisted of: Zuccini, quinoa, black beans, carrots, tomato sauce, bread crumbs

Protein smoothie- 1 scoop pea protein, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 0.5 tbs black strap molasses, raspberries, mango,oats

roasted chick peas

Calories- 1525, carbs-237g, Fat- 39g protein-71g

Shoulder/abs today.

Smith Machine shoulder press- 30x 30
Dumbbell shoulder shrugs- 20 each arms 30
Side db raised 10x 30
Front db raises 10x 30

ab machine 20x 50
ball crunches 50

30 minutes on the treadmill, walk 2 mins, jog 2 min intervals

Wow, today was a great day!! It has been snowy, freezing and miserable the past few days..and today..it was sunny and warm!! How weird!! I took one of my dogs to a local trail for a 3 mile walk/jog. I seriously suck at cardio.. I feel like im dying the whole 30 seconds I can run lol.

Might go to the gym later as well!

A couple of pics from today

Hi Haylee! Great job with your journal! Thanks for sharing your awesome pictures!

Congratulations on your long-term successes with weight loss and for your consistency! How is the veganism going?

All the best!
Karen

Some good workouts there - but I'd ditch the smith for a barbell. Smith machines fix your range of motion so aren't the best

Kareno- I'm struggling with it to be honest. Ive made some mistakes, but giving it my best. I never realized how many things have dairy/egg in them. Its ridiculous!! Not to mention how freaking hard it is to find something that doesn't contain some kind of soy!!! ( I limit soy as much as I can because of a health issue I have, recommended to not have much of it) And Ty for the comment!

Itsjustrobbieok- Thanks for the feedback!! I will have to try using a barbell sometime, but I don't think Im ready yet. Im pretty weak, and I shake/have terrible coordination, so I fear I will fall over lol.

I forgot to update yesterday, so probably will have two updates today

Yesterday:
bB Bench press 3x30 25 pounds
db flys 3x30 15 pounds each arm

Overhead tricep extensions 3x24 15 pound db
One arm cable extension 3x24 15 pounds i believe it was

db shoulder side raises- 10 pound each arm
shoulder press with smith machine- 25 pounds 3x30

2.20 miles on the treadmill, 40 minutes at 3.5 fast walk
10 minutes on elliptical trainer


I find that I have a hard time doing some exercises, mostly shoulders, because my right shoulder is lower than the left, and my elbows hyper-extend. Does anyone else have this problem?

Also, I stepped on the scale this morning, and I finally hit my 75 pound loss mark!!! So excited!! It took me 3 months to lose 15 more pounds, I hit a plateau, but hopefully this is me breaking through it. I have never seen 190 on the scale before!!! At least not since I was a child lol

You will do to begin with - a smith machine won't help you build the stabilisers to help though. Drop some weight and try then work up. Better to do it sooner than later!