veginator Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I was looking around the other day for good advice on building lean body mass, and a very large percentage of sites I encountered recommended consuming lots and lots of animal protein. Intuitively I knew this was b.s.--aren't most large (and therefore big-muscled) land mammals vegan? So I Googled vegan body-building and here I am. I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years now, and a vegan for (I think) about 12. I was always pretty physically active growing up and as a young adult; played lots of tennis and did some weight lifting (never for long enough to build much muscle), among other things. As I approached middle age, though I went through periods where I ran or played sports a lot, more often than not I spent a lot of time sitting on my butt. As a result, I managed to defy the conventional wisdom among vegans that eating this way helps keep people thin. I was a svelte 140 lb. and probably < 10% body fat when I first became vegetarian at age 25. Twenty years later, I topped out at well over 190 lb., roughly 35 pounds overweight for my height (I'm 5'7"), and most of the extra weight was, I'm afraid, not muscle. Enough was enough, I decided, so last summer I ran a lot, working up to about 30-40 miles a week by September. Body weight was down to 175, and I ran a 5k in a respectable though not speedy 28:56. Over the winter, inactivity due to a nagging injury resulted in my putting about 15 pounds back on. With renewed determination, I started running again in the spring...and developed Achilles tendinitis! Since then I've been going to the gym, mostly doing the elliptical machines but dabbling in some lifting--mainly machines--as well. Managed to get down to 185, and it occurred to me that if I was going to get the body I wanted, I needed to get more serious about the weight training, especially if the heel was going to keep preventing me from running much. One hitch: due to a slipped disc (spondylolisthesis is the medical term) acquired a few years back from who-knows-what of the many physical activities that could have done the trick, I have to be pretty careful. As I realized the other day when I gave myself a renewed bout of back pain with a free weight workout, a lot of the main exercises folks do with free weights are probably not a good idea for me. Still, I'm determined to find a way around these issues; my ultimate goal is to get in the best shape I've been in since my 20s, when I thought playing "only" 3 sets of tennis in 90 degree heat was for weenies, add muscle and lose fat and get down to a respectable 160 or so. Anyway, it's great to find this site and be among like-minded people who care about both eating ethically and healthily and being fit. So, hello fellow vegetarians and vegans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Welcome! Great intro. Thanks for being part of our group! I hear your city is great. I think it was voted "best college town" recently by Men's Journal Magazine. All the best and welcome aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuc Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Welcome! Wow, great to have more people here who have been vegan for ages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaN Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Hi buddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc7 Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Welcome! Getting serious about weight training will definitely help you with your goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamela Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Welcome. I've been to Bloomington, and it's a great town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganGirl2006 Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Hi and welcome! I've been to your town a couple of times. It's a nice place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubby2112 Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Welcome! VeganEssentials here is pretty knowledgeable on training with injuries/weaknesses or ways to overcome them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsorlando Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Hello from Bloomington, Illinois. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veginator Posted June 28, 2008 Author Share Posted June 28, 2008 Hello from Bloomington, Illinois. I've lived in that Bloomington, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DV Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flanders77 Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Welcome aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lean and Green Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 dude why is it that for some reason you resemble 'Jack Black' to me in your avatar, I love that guy, he rocks! Great intro, respectable time running for sure. With the way you're going right now, I have no doubt you'll be exactly where you want to be and then some in no time! Welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegan Joe Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Wellcome.Here is a start for your spondylolisthesis. yoga/stretching 50 pelvic tilts (feet on floor behind glutes) 50 basic crunches Alternating supermans 3x 10sec. each side. Supermans (all limbs) 3x10 sec. 100 Bicycle Maneuvers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veginator Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Wellcome.Here is a start for your spondylolisthesis. yoga/stretching 50 pelvic tilts (feet on floor behind glutes) 50 basic crunches Alternating supermans 3x 10sec. each side. Supermans (all limbs) 3x10 sec. 100 Bicycle Maneuvers Thanks! Where can I find more info. on some of these moves? I'm not sure what a Superman or a Bicycle Maneuver are, though I suppose I can make an educated guess about the latter. I find that lower back machines help a lot, too. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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