Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Because I can tell you, I do.

I've never been very "specific" about my diet, I just know (as many here do) what foods are good and bad and I just use those. I also use the "hand rule". Basically:

Open hand amount of vegetables
Closed fist amount of carbs
Palm sized portion of meat (or in our case any protein like food item)

Then I let my protein shakes and breakfast make up for more protein with added fruit in them so I'm also getting my fruit to.

Today I decided "Well I'll go and try to work out how many calories I eat a day" and so on.. It's amazingly confusing if you're like me and make everything from scratch and don't measure everything.. I tried once or twice and did not get it right, so right now I can't be bothered I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing.

I agree, just do what you do. I've never counted calories, I'll adjust my diet depending on whether I need to increase or decrease bodyweight. As long as you're eating healthily and consistently, I'd say that would be more important. Knowing your Basal Metabolic Rate is useful and interesting, but there are so many variables with calorie counting that to me almost makes is seem pointless. I'm sure there are better ways to make the gains you want!

i used to count calories when i was a carnivore and hated it. such a pain. since being being a low fat vegan i just stuff my face everyday with as much food as i want and getting leaner with less training than i used to do. i suppose if i ate alot of things like avacados, nuts, nut butters and oils i would have to start watching more carefully.

Actually I found it's harder GETTING to 2500 calories (UK guidelines on a man's intake per day to maintain weight) after becoming vegan than staying UNDER 2500 when I ate meat.

you do have to eat alot more food to get the calories on a vegan diet. but thats good right? who doesnt want to eat more? i love to eat, the more the better. i might start a log of my food intake, im sure some people would find it amusing

Well I'd be interested for sure!

I stopped counting calories cause I was going crazy lol. I do limit the amount of oil I use which I have narrowed down to coconut oil for my sweet potatoes other than that I just eat and maintain my weight with no problem. Now when I need to start dropping the weight I might count them a bit but nothing like I used to

I don't really use oil.. From time to time I will stur fry stuff which I do need some oil for but it burns off quick. I do use a little sunflower vegan butter as it's fortified with lots of things I could be lacking so "just in case" but only have it once a day either on toast or on my vegetables.

I was actually told my diet didn't have ENOUGH salt in it so I used a saltier soy sauce which fixed my problem.. Think of that, with all the salt in peoples bad diets today mine didn't have ENOUGH SALT

myfitnesspal has a great app if you want to count.
i can almost do it by heart now.

hey, whats the name of the vegan sunflower butter you use? what are the symptoms of not having enough salt? i wonder about my levels sometimes! i work with people who eat macdonalds 3 times a day etc.... there salt levels must be so high.

It's called Pure and it's made in the UK I believe.

As far as too little salt, muscle cramps is what I got.

thanks ill check it out!

They make a sunflower and a soya brand but check the label as they also make a version with milk in it.

Yo mike try 'vitalite' its waaaaay cheaper and its bloody good mate

even better! cheers guys.........no more dry baked patatos 4me