Hello from Michigan

Five years ago I was a natural female bodybuilder. I did a whole summer of contest and won my weight class, and twice overall. I did that on a very healthy diet. Now I am out to prove as a vegan that I can do that again.

I am looking for very specific info on training and diet and how I can get everything to work syngeristically.

Right now I am bulking up for the winter and am up to 170 lbs. I am just about 10 pounds shy of lifting what I did when I was in my bulking up lifting stage last time. Thus I am still building and have three months to get up to what I was doing the last time (if not passing it up ).

I am going to be looking for info on getting cut up. I have alot of carbs with my protein right now. I use to just do chicken breasts, brown rice, and vegetables in my diet last time. I am thinking of spirulina as a main source of protein instead of chicken. Maybe I will have to up my cardio more to offset the carbs I will be taking in with my hemp, pea, and brown rice protein powders.

Welcome to our group! We are getting more and more competitive bodybuilders and fitness and figure competitors joining all the time!

Thanks for finding us.

Some other great protein sources are Hemp (probably the best), brown rice protein, yellow pea protein, nuts, seeds, tempeh, soy foods, and green vegetables.

I'm sure you'll find lots of valuable information here. I'm also a competitive bodybuilder. I've competed 5 times as a vegan bodybuilder (vegan for more than 10 years, bodybuilding about 6 years or so).

We can learn from you as well.

Thanks again for joining and welcome aboard!

Hi Gaia, welcome to our forum

I'm sure you'll find all the info you need to succeed with your goals here.

How to cut depends on your bodytype: are you a natural slim person that has trouble to gain weight or do you gain weight easily and have trouble losing extra fat?

And how much weight do you estimate you have to lose?

Is there a weight limit in your class you have to be under (or over)?

I think on a vegan diet it's not necessary to cut out all carb sources too early. Last time i had rice, quinoa, potatoes and oats right until the competition.

For protein, there are lots of good sources: beans (including soybeans and tofu, soymilk etc.), lentils (very good in combination with rice), nuts and seeds (quite high in fat, but very nutritious), whole grains (rice,oats, quinoa) and of course isolated proteins like TVP, protein powder, soy "meat" etc.

When will the competition be?

Good luck with your training!

It's good to see more athletes holding up the vegan flag

Hey welcome to the forum

Body type is muscular and easy to gaining weight. At 170 (hoping to peak at 180 in the next three months), my contest weight will be 145 probably (I tend to lose 20 pounds of fat and 5 pounds of muscle). My weight class will be heavy at 145, but I like to be under that and sneak in at the middle weight being the biggest in that class weight (it has been a while since I competed).

I won't do potatoes as that spikes your insulin levels like crazy (just like white refined flour and white refined sugar) and will make my energy be depleted in 20 minutes.

I won't do process foods either. I make my own burgers, and all soy has to be organic for me (at least non-GMO). I do have a staple of protein powders that I take.

I basically eat every two hours: meal and then protein shake (with a bagel or vegetable/this time it is peapods). I have great variety in my eating meals: from cereal or oatmeal with rice milk, legumes in some form, brown rice with something, and maybe pasta. The are not big meals, but have approximately 20 grams of protein at each meal (I get over 100 grams a day) since that is about all my body can process at one time.

Competition is sometime in April (the Flint/MidMichigan Natural bodybuilding, fitness and Figure). Last year it was the last Saturday of April. It has been awhile since I've diet it down (12 weeks in my last competition, but I had been bodybuilding for 3 years already so I was in shape even in the off season). I am going to give myself 16 weeks-4 months to keep the muscle mass up and the fat off: New Years' Resolution time anyways ,

Welcome to the community! I am from Michigan originally!

Hello & Welcome Gaia!

Hi

Hi. Great to have new members.

Great to see more bodybuilders too! Welcome!

Welcome Gaia

Welcome !

Welcome Gaia! I am sure that you will find the advice and help you are looking for.

Flanders, is that you with your little one?

It reminded me of when my four kids (17, 15, 13 and 11 this year) were small. In fact, my oldest is a senior and I had to dig out some baby photos for her cross country banquet for their presentation. I ended up looking at all her baby photos and wondering how it went so fast. And next year she is off to college. Wow. . . . . . and she is one awesome individual. Wants to be a vet, and help animals. Go figure where that came from .

@Gaia: Yes thats me and my girl Marla. She is 1,5 years old now and you are right: time is running... But I enjoy every minute with her.