Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

1/29

Hey Iron Clad Ben! Yes, I'm LFRV, 100% raw fruits and veggies at this time. I've been working on this lifestyle since last February with 2 months 100% in the beginning and then eating low fat vegan cooked dinners but I am now back at it 100% since the new year and feeling awesome. It took me a little less than a month to start feeling super awesome but I have a history of digestive issues and other ailments so I am still healing. Looks like you are doing well with 80/10/10 as well. Keep kicking ass! oh and btw, my smoothies are all 32 oz. I fill up mason jars and bring them around. I usually do 8 oz. of water plus fruit and most smoothies come out to 550 cals (weighted verification). I have been able to increase my calories or at least the amount I can consume in a meal recently after struggling with stomach pains from overload of some sort (probably due to the healing process and/or using dates as a staple until I could get these bananas into a ripe rotation). Fruit management!

workout from 1/27:

squats (high bar, ass to grass): 72.2 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets
ohp: 43.6 lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets

legs are sore! happy with my form and getting all the way down into the hole. I have been fatigued from my past couple workouts and have pushed myself too hard in the past so I am going to focus on 2 lifts per workout and see how it goes. I want to feel great after a hard workout, not knocked out. So this workout was very taxing and I felt a bit fatigued but I know I went into it hungry and need to it more next time.

workout from 1/29:

flat bench: 77.2 lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets
rows (bent over, straight back, almost down to the floor): 77.2 lbs x 10 reps (too heavy, didn't get full ROM on some reps), 63.6 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets
chins: 5 reps

felt really good today and left the workout feeling good as well. i didn't push it too hard and am happy with the effort...still sore legs from squats. just had a special coconut water, date, mango, banana smoothie - so good!

jesse

1/30

Finished up yesterday with ~3000 cals. I would like to get more in but ran out of time.

I felt great after my workout yesterday so I'll stick with 2 major lifts per workout for now.
I'm a bit sore today. My lower back gets sore from rows...not sure if my upper back is getting hit hard enough. I had been doing chinups for a while...maybe I'll switch to pullups. I might add these to my deadlift day or do a few sets at any of my workouts when I have good energy.

I took measurements yesterday so I'll see where I'm at in a month.

My goals are still perfect health and gaining lean mass.

1/31

Still on the up and up....

ate ~4000 cals yesterday!

16 oz. orange juice
4 banana smoothies
1 banana/spinach/raspberry smoothie
3 mangoes
16 oz. orange juice
zucchini noodles w/ big salad of baby spinach, spring mix, tomato, celery, mango, avocado, and sprouts w/ lemon/lime juice - took me like an hour to eat this!

deadlift workout tonight.

2/1

yesterday's workout:

Deadlifts: 135 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets
crunches: 2 x 10
curls: 40 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets
planks: 2 x failure
pullups: 4, 10 negatives

~3500 cals:
16 oz orange juice
4 banana smoothies
1 date smoothie
handfuls of baby spinach
16 oz oj
1/2 pineapple - my tongue stings!
spinach soup w/ spinach, cucumber, tomato, avocado

feeling good again at this workout but definitely taxed. had some stomach issues during the workout as i ate too close to the start. felt great after drinking some oj and eating pineapple after the workout. the pineapple made my tongue sting more than usual. spinach soup tasted like cucumber...i'll have to tweak the recipe. i want to eat more greens but i don't like chewing on them for an hour so i'm working them into smoothies and soups as well as munching.

2/2

Another good day yesterday:

2 mile walk at lunch - beautiful weather!

~3700 cals:
1/2 mini watermelon - not very good
32 oz oj
2 banana smoothies
2 date/blueberry smoothies
handfuls of baby spinach
1/2 pineapple - much better than yesterday
spring mix salad w/ tomato, avocado, sprouts
spinach soup w/ spinach, tomato, avocado, sprouts
zucchini noodles w/ tomato, sprouts, lemon juice

i have 3 shows in the next 3 nights with various bands. pumped!

2/3

yesterday's food:
~4200 cals
32 oz oj
2 date/blueberry smoothies
2 banana smoothies
celery, baby spinach, broccoli sprouts
1 banana/coconut water smoothie
1 banana smoothie
16 oz juice of kale, parsley, carrot, apple

felt good and had a good show last night. local crowd, a lot of fun. i didn't get as much sleep as i'd like last night and i'm a bit tired today. i'm planning on a squat/ohp session tonight before i go out again to play another show.

Hey Jesse! Great job with your journaling! I'm one of the VB&F team members, and we got your email request to have your journal reviewed for eligiblity. We'll be shipping out prize packages beginning mid-month! Great job! Hope you'll stick around the forum and continue to post and be a valuable member of this online community!

All the best,
Karen

2/6

Thanks Kareno!

Workout from 2/3:
Squats: 72.2 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets
OHP: 43.6 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets

I got a little wiped out after 3 shows in 3 days with late nights/not sleeping as much as I like.
I have a little head cold now and skipped my workout yesterday.
My appetite was not as strong as it had been until last night so I was down around 3000 cals...would like to be closer to 4000. I tried a new savory raw dish last night, Cauliflower Rice, and wrapped it up in some red cabbage leaves and romaine leaves. Made a mango/tomato/chive/date "mango chutney" to go with it and it was really good.

Maybe I'll do my BP/Row workout tonight if I'm feeling up to it but my main priority is still to be as healthy as possible so I may just need to rest.

Thanks for sharing your journal this month. I am helping out and you are approved and will get a prize package. I can relate to you because I am the same age and close to the same size 6'2'' 150lbs. So Checking out your workouts and what you eat was interesting/helpful to me personally as well. I hope you continue to do the training journal even though the month is over.

-Dylan

Thanks C.O.! I have been lurking for a long time so I'm happy to be posting now.

2/7

Still have a slight head cold but it has not gone lower than my head so I think it will clear relatively easy. I have been able to fight off these colds well recently without getting as sick as I used to a couple years ago. I am hoping I can get to where I'm not even getting colds at all.

Yesterday's workout:
body weight: 134.0 lbs
BP: 81 lbs x 8, 77.2 lbs x 9, 72.2 lbs x 10 x 3
Rows: 68.6 lbs x 10 x 4

Felt a bit tired and not so strong due to my health but still a decent workout.
I would really like to feel energized before, during, and after my workouts. I usually workout after a full day at work where I am sitting in front of a computer so I'm kind of worn out in a way. My weekend workout usually feels much better. I still feel like I need to eat more/absorb more of what I'm eating. I am still in a healing phase so I will be patient and do my best. Seriously wish I had access to better fruit...I have been having trouble getting enough ripe bananas and they will not ripen for weeks in my house as it's so cold or something...

Yesterday's Food:
~3600 cals
32 oz oj
2 date/blueberry smoothies
2 banana smoothies
1 banana/spinach/raspberry smoothie
zucchini/cucumber noodles w/baby spinach/arugula/red cabbage w/tomato/mango/chive/date/lemon sauce - wrapped some of this up in romaine leaves

2/8

Yesterday's Workout:
body weight: 134.0 lbs
Deadlifts: 145 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets
Curls: 43.6 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets
Crunches: +10 lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets

Felt pretty good. Still getting over this head cold. All the sets were tough but I felt pretty good at the end...not super worn out. I ate a head of lettuce at lunch so maybe that is a good thing to do on workout days. I usually just do fruit all day and greens at night so I can get it as many calories as possible but even with the lettuce I was able to get in almost 4000 cals.

Yesterday's Food:
~3900 cals
32 oz oj
2 date/blueberry smoothies
2 banana smoothies
1 head of boston lettuce with 4 dates - wrapped dates in leaves...good stuff.
1 banana/spinach/raspberry smoothie
big bowl of zucchini noodles, cucumber noodles, baby spinach, red cabbage w/ tomato/mango/chive/date/lemon sauce - also made some wraps of this in iceberg lettuce leaves.

2/9

Got in a 2 mile walk at lunch yesterday.

Food from yesterday:

~4000 cals
32 oz oj
2 date/blueberry smoothies
2 banana smoothies
1 heart of romaine w/ 4 dates - made wraps again.
1 banana/heart of romaine/raspberry smoothie
2 zucchinis spiralized, handfuls of arugula and baby romaine, broccoli seed sprouts, 1 rib celery chopped w/ tomato/mango/chive/basil/lemon sauce - made lots of wraps with iceberg lettuce and ate the rest - had half the mango diced up after - so good.

Feeling good/better...not 100% or super awesome yet...almost...I've been close...I just have to get out of this sickness cycle...I've been getting about 9 hours of sleep a night so that should help.

2/10

Went for another 2 mile walk yesterday during lunch.
Beautiful sunshine though quite cold...rolled up my sleeves for some exposure.

Food from yesterday:

~3300 cals
ran out of oranges so no oj. picking up a case of org valencias tonight!
1 mango
2 date/blueberry smoothies - becoming my favorite
3 banana smoothies
1 head of boston lettuce - another new favorite...so tender.
1 stalk celery + handfuls of baby romaine - craving greens!
big bowl of zucchini/cucumber noodles, more baby romaine, cut celery w/ tomato/mango/chive/lemon sauce - wrapped in iceberg and romaine leaves - crushing greens!

squats/ohp training tonight.

Recipe or ratios for that tomato/mango/chive/lemon sauce? Sounds gnarly

hello again iron clad ben!

tomato/mango sauce recipe - so good:

2-4 tomatoes
1/2 - 1 mango -ataulfo is the creamiest but are not available by me (new paltz, ny) currently.
pulse in a blender
makes about 2-4 cups

optional ingredients for different tastes:
lime juice
lemon juice
basil
cilantro
chives
chopped dates
sun dried tomatoes
celery
anything else you can think of!

Workout from 2/10:

Squats: 43.6 lb x 5, 63.6 lbs x 5, 81 x 5, 92.2 x 5, 102.2 x 5, 63.6 x 10 x 5

OHP: 23.8 x 5, 40 x 5, 45 x 5, 52.4 x 5, 35 x 10 x 5

Felt awesome! Really felt good after the workout. I like this. I switched it up to 5/3/1 + 5x10 same lift assistance...maybe it helped me get warmed up more or maybe it's better for me to start with sets of 5...i don't know....but this felt good. and it will be nice to work on strength as well as i have definitely lost a bunch with my health issues/weight fluctuation/lack of training.