Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I've been a fan of this site for a long time, but I'm just finally really taking advantaging of it and registering. I am very active and training for a new job that is very physically intense. I've been struggling with losing the last few pounds (10, maybe) and dropping about 7% body fat to be ready for that. I have a lot of athletic, fit people around me trying to be helpful ... but everyone's solution is to eat meat. I know that's not the only option.

I've been vegetarian since 1997 (with the exception of about 2 years in there) and vegan for about 2 years. I'm looking forward to chatting with those of like mind here!

_________________
"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you which you really stop and look fear in the face. You *must* do the thing which you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Are you doing crossfit then? They are big on paelo. I know there are many vegans who try a vegan/modified paelo. I would not subscribe to that at all, but each to their own I suppose.

_________________
If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If it isn't, you'll find an excuse.

paleo sucks, i did it for about a year, going high carb vegan was the best thing i ever did! good luck with your job!

_________________
"iam the strongest one! iam the viking!" - jon pall sigmarsson
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Gandhi

Trying not to be biased here but from the view of someone who has studied nutrition, paleo is the most ridiculous pseudo science based load of bullshit that's ever become a dieting fad! Sure the human body can survive on it (you would be surprised how well we adjust to eating terribly) but with the same concept and reason that they don't eat grains (pre agriculture) why do they draw the line there? Why not before we cooked or before we fished or before we invented fucking marshmallows.. Sorry for ranting

_________________


viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29098
http://www.facebook.com/ross.d.cosgrove

i agree mate. my argument to my paleo buddies is, if meat is so good for you why cant you just eat meat? you gotta add some plants just to keep you alive!

_________________
"iam the strongest one! iam the viking!" - jon pall sigmarsson
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Gandhi

It really is silly, they don't eat grains because its post agriculture but they still eat lots of dairy (as far as I'm aware/maybe I'm wrong) yet dairy Is a product of agriculture.. And god the amount of meat they eat is absurd if anyone I knew did it I would lend them my dvd of 'supersize me'

_________________


viewtopic.php?f=24&t=29098
http://www.facebook.com/ross.d.cosgrove

it made a right mess of me, and my cardio went to absolute crap. what always gets me is that if our ancestors were constantly chasing down their food 3 times a day, where were they getting there glycogen? you gotta have fuel to move to hunt all this meat. im pretty fit cardio wise but i cannot catch one of my hens, even carbed up to the max, not a chance! never mind bigger things in the wild!

_________________
"iam the strongest one! iam the viking!" - jon pall sigmarsson
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Gandhi

I am beginning Crossfit, but those guys are actually the least pushy about paleo/primal type of changes. I have a great naturopathic doc who basically tells people that dropping your carbs to that absurdly low level is the only way to burn fat and show definition.
Makes me want to pull my hair out. Trainers all around me, fellow athletes and lifters, all tell me that carbs are my downfall. Stop eating fruit, eat fewer starchy carbs. The only thing I get with low carbs is a headache and no energy to train (and, I won't lie, I get really crankypants).

I went vegan for health reasons, in part, and I'm not going back. I don't think people realize how much nonsense we are fed all the time with this stuff and that there are many ways to get healthy and be fit ... it has to be one that works for you.

I'm glad to have the support! I was being silly trying to talk to people shoving endless amounts of chicken and jerky into their mouths (and very few veggies).

_________________
"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you which you really stop and look fear in the face. You *must* do the thing which you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Please tell me more about high carb vegan! And thanks so much.

_________________
"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you which you really stop and look fear in the face. You *must* do the thing which you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Welcome to the community here, as you can tell there are a lot of helpful people with strong opinions willing to share them. What is your new job that is physically intense if you don't mind me asking?

-Dylan

@pheebs well i started the paleo diet hoping to get fitter stronger leaner etc...... i was listening to so called health gurus who said dont eat carbs there bad for you, eat meat milk eggs fish some veg and small amounts of fruit thats the way to be! which was great for about a month i lost loads of weight. then i started to lose my strength, my fitness went so bad you wouldnt believe (before paleo i was rowing 5000m in 17mins 6 secs but couldnt get under 20 mins after being paleo for a while) i got depressed and so on..........i realised that obviously this isnt the diet for me or anyone looking to be fit and healthy. i found a guy on utube called durianriders who has hundreds of videos on veganism. hes a controversial guy but still taught me alot about what our bodies needed. so one morning when i was cooking my animal product rich breakfast after feeding my rescue animals, i just though wtf am i doing? im eating sick mistreated animals, while rescuing sick mistreated animals, and moaning about people who mistreat animals. and also making myself ill depressed and unfit. so i threw my breakfast ate some bananas instead and havent eaten any animals products what so ever since. i try to keep my fat intake low, which some people disagree with but it works for me. i dont eat oils at all, and nuts avacados etc....only in very small amounts. i eat unlimited low fat vegan carbs, so basically i eat until im full every meal of the day and as many meals as i want. i mainly eat potatoes, rice, beans, fruits and all vegetables, whole meal bread and jams, cereals such as weetabix or muesli with low fat soya milk or rice milk, and whole grain pastas. i have never felt or looked better (i hope ) and my cardio is the best its ever been even when i dont train for a few weeks and come back to it. hope this helps

_________________
"iam the strongest one! iam the viking!" - jon pall sigmarsson
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Gandhi

I remember reading the first couple of chapters of Paleo and thinking this is bogus. The thing that got me was when he tried to explain scientifically how people are meant to eat meat. Something about how our body needs the extra protein and that’s what separates us from apes (I think). The whole time I was thinking if people are meant to eat meat than why don’t we have sharp teeth, or claws, why do we grind our teeth like other herbivores? I got tired and stopped ready after about chapter four.

@mrbear666 -- Thank you! That is exactly why I went vegan, or one of the reason. I felt like such a hypocrite loving my animals so much and promoting animal kindness, yet eating meat and diary. I don't know how people train as hard as they do on that diet. I'm healthier than I've ever been. I physically feel so much better on a fruit/plant based diet and I think bananas rule. I can't live without them. I don't worry about fat intake, but like you said, that's a preference. I feel (and look) better with that in my diet. Thanks for your response!

_________________
"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you which you really stop and look fear in the face. You *must* do the thing which you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt

@Mark007 - exactly!

_________________
"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you which you really stop and look fear in the face. You *must* do the thing which you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt

no probs

_________________
"iam the strongest one! iam the viking!" - jon pall sigmarsson
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Gandhi