Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome on my way to becoming super agile and strong!

I am a vegan for 9 months and 17 days and I feel fine with it. I have never been in a gym, but I enjoy sports. I think that I'm quite active person, I run, swim, climb, cycle regularly, so my condition is not bad. Because of the fact that lately it's getting colder and moister in Poland I decided to create this journal. During the summer I had a lot of power, now I'm more lazy, depressed, and... who knows what is wrong with me, I need some extra motivation. Yeah, I hope that writing here what I did during the day, will help me to control myself better and sometimes force myself to be more active. It would be cool if some of you would help me with first steps at the gym, any advices are welcome (since October I will have membership card, jupi!)

Who I am:
180 cm tall.... it will be, hm hm 5,9 ft
63 kg = 139 lb
Food lover
I have some muscles but hidden under fat layer.

Shot at 2012-09-17
My weak point is jelly-belly I need to burn fat from lower part of my stomach
Shot at 2012-09-17

Who I want to be:
I would like to be light as it is possibly, and in the same time super strong, It's because I really like rock climbing. In this sport it is good when you dont have to tote any extra fat. So, being slim and well muscled would be great.
I also dream about strong belly muscles. I guess Lisa Rands stomach is fine for me http://media.photobucket.com/image/rece ... ds_500.jpg
I definitely don't want to look like a pro bodybuilder, to me it is a little bit unfeminine.
Hm, what else... I would like to run half marathons and be 3 kg (6,61 lb) lighter, what means that I have to eat a little bit less and regular. 1800-2000 kcal per a day would work.
Ah! I forgotten, about something super important, This summer I decided to climb on seven summits, so next summer I'm going to reach the top of Elbrus, that is why I need to work out harder. Yeah!

Thanks for reading and sorry for my English, It's not perfect, I know

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Ooook, today I ran 7,7km (4,82mi), I was running up the hill, down the hill and through the super bushy paths, i had fun, my tempo wasn't good, anyway I'm glad that I found time and energy to go out and do something active.

I ate 1370 kcal... I know that it's not a lot, normally I eat much more, but today I just can't, i'm poisoned after weekend.

protein: 38
carbohydrates: 288
lipids:17
My diet is full of carbs and poor in lipids. Do you think it's ok? I have to cut at least 3kg.

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Yay Poland represent! I am Polish-American. I visited Poland for the first time last summer, it was amazing, I loved it there. I went to Krakow, Warsaw, Sopot, and 3 other smaller locations. I also visited some other nearby countries during my trip, but Poland was by far my favorite.
Welcome to the forum! Nice pics, I don't see any jelly belly at all!
Looks like you are off to an excellent start with your training and your journal. Keep it up!

-Dylan Kasprzyk

Hey Dylan! Your surename is truly Polish, nice. My surename is Szcześniak, it must be difficult to pronounce for Americans. Have you ever thought about learning Polish?

I'm glad that you enjoyed trip to Poland, but you have to come back, because you didn't see Wrocław and Poznań! Both are student cities, it's good to visit them during the academic year, during that time those cities are full of cultural life and interesting events. I'm from Poznań, I was born here and study here Environmental Protection. Last academic year I spend in Spain, but I came back to Poland, yeah! At least one year I will be here, so when you will decide to come, let me know, I can be your guide.
This summer we had UEFA Euro 2012 (European Football Championship) here, so... there are many changes, for better of course, and although the Euro 2012 is over, they are still rebuilding and changing things, I really like it.

My belly is a spot where the fat from my body likes to be stored. Or maybe I'm obsessed of my belly (it also might be the answer). I have never had problems with lower half of my body, probably because of cycling and running. Bike is my main transport, I use buses only when I can't ride by bike after party, or when it's super cold outside. Yeah, my sister told me that my legs looks like transvestite legs, ha ha.. but it's ok for me.

Anyway, I feel that I should overcome laziness and do crunches each day... it will be a challenge for me. And I need to control how much I eat, sometimes I act like a beast and eat really huge amount of food

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Hey - I would echo what Dylan says, that your mid section looks fine. I think a lot of people would be jealous in fact. But, what training are you doing right now to become leaner? What kind of cardio and how much? I would say that 1800-2000 calories is actually moderate or high for someone trying to cut back, unless you are doing a lot of cardio.

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Richard, I'm scared of your profile picture, really Haha, I would like to say now, that I don't eat at all and I work out from the sun rise to the sunset... Unfortunately I can't.

Well, there is a small problem with cuting calories in my diet, namely, when I eat around 1500 kcal I feel cold, even in summer, I think it's because my blood circulation is too slow
But I can make experiment and try to eat 1500-1700 kcal per a day, after a while we will see, maybe it won't be so bad that I expect it to be. Ah! And please take into account my height, I measure 180cm, so I thing that I shouldn't eat less than 1500kcal, it would be unhealthy.

Till end of September I don't have much options for physical activity, because I'm completely out of money. So for now all I can do is running and cycling. I run 4 times a week for 10km. With bike it depends how many thing I have to do during the day (my life right now is totaly unstable). Today I did 24km, tomorrow I will use my bike more, because I have more things to do and bike is my only transport.

In October academic year starts, plus I will have my sport card which allows me to go for free into many sport centers.
From october my plan is to run 2 times a week 10km, cycle at least 5 times a week 24 km, swim once a week, rock climbing twice a week, gym once or twice a week. After few weeks of october, I would be able to say exactly how my super plan works.

Summary of today
Food:
1650 kcal... and I'm still fighting to not eat delicious homemade apple pie!
protein: 51
carbs: 320
lipids: 27
Sport:
24km biking
10km running

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

If you are doing that much exercise, I'd say 1800-2000 is fine, don't worry! You are doing lots of cardio, so that will really help you out, and you can afford to eat a moderate amount. You will feel bad if you eat a lot less, combined with that level of activity, so keep it up, you are looking great.

Don't be scared of the picture, it is a joke more than anything

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I learned a tiny bit of Polish when I came to visit. I would like to learn more in the future. So nice of you to offer to be my tour guide next time I come to visit . I know that Eurocup was held in Poland. I saw construction being done while I was there. I play soccer and I also am a fan. Poland did okay, they almost made it out of the group. I was rooting for them. I have a friend that plays professional soccer in Poland on a low level league. Have you heard of Sopocki Potok Kamionka?

Richard, I know that your picture is not serious, however, it makes me feel anxiety.

Dylan, hm... what can I say, Polish team on EuroCup (in general) wasn't bad, but the last match with Czech Republic was a disaster, I was so disappointed!

Sorry, I don't know Sopocki Potok Kamionka, I have never saw how they play. I'm not soccer geek, but I support Lech Poznań (team from my city... actually very good team) I don't play soccer, I'm much better in individual sports, when I fight with my own weaknesses, and when success depends only on me.

Summary

Food
1640 kcal
Protein:59
Carbs:346
Lipids:11

Sport

Well, it was raining very badly, so I did only 12 km by bike and I don't have time for running this evening because of concert of my friend (I have to be there!!!). So, let's say it's my rest day, but tomorrow I will do a super strenuous training. yeah!

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Aha! I decided to take a part in running competition on 29.09.2012 for 10km. I'm pretty excited, it will be my first running competition ever! Ha! I don't want to be the last one, so I need to train hard!

This is my running plan for next few days:

20.09
morning: 10 km of run in the woods + super intense stretching
evening: 3 km of various speed (mix of sprint and slow run), pushups, situps, crunches, and stretching
21.09
morning: 10 km street running+ pushups, situps, crunches and stretching
22.09 and 23.09
I work in those days as a hostess, it means 8h (at least) in high-heels. Because of that, I can't plan any trainings. If my legs will be fine, I will try to run some km in the evenings, we will see.
24.09
morning: 15km (forest)+pushups, situps, crunches and stretching
25.09
morning: 10 km (street) + stretching
evening: 2km up the hill+ pushups, situps, crunches and stretching
26.09
5 km of fast run through the forest
2km up the hill+pushups, situps, crunches and stretching
27.09
morning: 10km (street)+pushups, situps, crunches and stretching
28.09
rest day!!!
29.09
competition!!!

Wish me good luck! I know that I can do that!

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Uuuuu yeah! It was nice day with air chilly, with a bit of sun and clouds, NO rain! I start it (as always) with my oatmeal+banana and earl grey tea, jummmmi!

After my super breakfast I went to the forest and run 10 km (6,2 mi), I stretched my body well and took warm shower! Then I ate salad, drunk green tea with something (actually, I didn't recognize the taste, i guess it was green tea with pomegranate... chemical shit). I wrote few documents to my university and took a ride by bike to meet with dean. Yeah! It was my lucky day, dean accepted all of my documents, it means that finally I'm official student of the third year! ha! What a big relief! In general I did about 24-25 km by bike.

In the evening I ate rice with steamed veggies (haha, I prefer low fat meals, because then I can eat more ), ah! and I ate it with ketchup, I'm addicted to it. Craaaazzzy about ketchup! I eat few bottles of ketchup per week.
Beside this I ate 2 pieces of apple cake I deserved for it!

Well.... I should go outside again and do few sprints, but it's cold and dark outside, and I can't be sick, so I rather stay at home and do some exercises here

Summary:
Food:
1900kcal
protein: 39
carbs: 266
lipids: 30

Sport:
10 km -running in the forest +stretching
24km by bike
20 pushups, 50 situps, 50 squats and stretching again

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Damn it! I just realised that I ate 1666 kcal for breakfast ( I feel really sick because of it), it means that I shouldn't eat more during the rest of the day.

Sometimes I have attacks of compulsive eating. I called it "vacuum cleaner state" It happens when something in my diet is wrong. For example I eat not enough amount of calories, or there is deficit minerals and witamins in my body or I'm dehydrated.

This time, I really don't know what is wrong, maybe it's because I burned too much calories yesterday and my body want to recover them? I guess if I want to be leaner I need to control my nutrition better and avoid "vacuum cleaner state" Well, it will be hard.

Soooo, my plan is to don't eat suggar and bread for 30 days. And I hope that after those 30 days my body forget about suggar for the rest of its life.

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Summary of 21.09

Food:

2070kcal ... yeah, I'm not happy of this result, anyway I don't blame myself but "vaccum cleaner state"
Protein: 41
Carbs: 309
Lipids: 83 (chcolate and sunflower seeds made it)

Sport:

10 km - street running + 60 situps, 10 pushups and 1 minute plank+ stretching

I don't like running on hard surface and close to the cars, but I had to check out if I can make it or not. On 29.09 I take part in running competition and it is organised on the streets of the small town. Well, what can I say about today run... my knees hurt and thigh muscles too, I finish 10 km but in 1,5h, because of watching people and buildings around me (I get distracted very quickly), I made it so so so slow! I'm not satisfied of this run, in the forest I run 10km in about 1hour and my legs never hurt that much! Next week I would like to finish this 10km marathon in less than hour, so I need to train more! Tomorrow I will play with tempo, high-slow speed and hills.

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015

Hey again Joanna I decided to join you in your challenge of stopping the sugar! I'm starting tomorrow.
It looks like you already have some great musculature..
Yes my legs hurt too when I run on roads, compared to running on the trails, it's a very different kind of impact. I prefer running off road for that reason, but I don't run much any more, I don't have time or any desire to do much cardio - my job is very active and I cycle a lot, which at least is a low impact exercise
Maybe it would help you to get more protein, eat lots of beans pulses kale and spinach and that should help with the cravings I get pea protein powder and add it to everything - that works really well!
hope you're doing good today

Opal, I'm going to start tomorrow too !fight against sugar! I even didn't try to battle with my desires today. I felt so weak, almost fainting. I guess it is conected with my cycle, before period I always need more food. I even can't tell how many calories I ate today... countless. At the beginning I was upset because of it, but well I'm not a robot, my requirements depend on many super-complex factors. Most of my days are well planed and constructive, but there are always some days like this one when I'm static and all I can do is just cumulating energy.

In the morning I was thinking about some short intense training. But ultimately I decided to do a rest day, because of my knees (they still hurt as hell), weakness and low level of energy. I hope tomorrow will be the better day!

Thanks for idea of protein, I will definitely cook beans tomorrow (actually I didn't eat beans for a long time). I have never tried kale in my life. It's hard to get it here, I guess it's not popular in Poland. Too bad because I heard that kale has a lot of Ca. So I have new mission: to find a source of kale in my city

Hey Opal! thanks for reading my journal, It motivates me for being better! Yeah! I have some nice muscles but they are hidden under the layer of fat. I would love to have body totaly out of fat, I'm not sure if it is possible, anyway I would like to have lowest layer of fat that I could have.

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My log http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29015