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rendermatt

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rendermatt Newbie

rendermatt

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Hi all! My name is Matt. I live in North Carolina, US, I am 5' 10" 135 lbs currently, rising, trying to gain weight. My goal is around 155 lbs at least. I want to really bulk up. I have been vegetarian since fall 07, but I frequently make "mistakes" because honestly gaining weight is a higher priority for me than vegetarianism. However, I haven't eaten meat since July 14 and since then have eaten less and less dairy. You might call me a "bad" vegan but, in my own words I would describe my views as this- if I had the choice, ideally I would eat an entirely vegan diet. I try to get as close to this as possible. I guess you could also call me a "localvore" (I think thats what they call it) meaning that ideally all my food would come from my local farmers market. And finally, I try to avoid processed foods as much as possible.

 

I just really don't know how to make it happen which is usually why I end up going to dairy or meat if it seems like I have no food and I really need some calories. I have the vegan cookbook "veganomicon" coming in the mail, it should help me. Its just that I was raised on a pretty typical diet with mostly processed foods and very little fresh produce, and I don't really know how to live off the stuff. I noticed the meal plans in the article section of this website, I will check them out. Again hello all and I look forward to communicating with you guys!

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Gaia Newbie

Gaia

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Hi rendermatt! Welcome to the VBBF! Bulking is my favorite thing to do! Actually eating is my favorite thing to do .

 

It is great that you have a local farmers market around to get seasonal produce from! I would look for sweet potatoes, or even just plain potatoes, for the starch content that is needed for energy to move the weights around. Then for protein go with legumes (dried beans are great - but have to warn you that they are time consuming to cook! A slow cooker is great for that! Though lentils are fast cooking - 20 minutes or so), seeds/nuts (make your own butters! there are some great recipes for energy bars on here using butters), and then of course tofu or seiten. Then all the vegetables, especially dark green leafy ones for the recovery phase of blasting the muscles, you can add to your meals! Meals are #1 thru #6, which are spaced every 2-3 hours thruout the day! And sleep, deep sleep, to stimulate your GH for recovery phase! (GH - growth hormone).

 

Remember, IMO, if you want to get muscle mass, it is heavy for little reps and little sets. Do compound exercises - really use intensity to push or pull the weight. Every month, or 6 weeks or so, cycle to different exercises by first starting off the cycle with light weights and high reps for 5 sets or so. Kind of a warm up for the ligaments and muscles for what is to come for the next month (or 6 weeks or so) and prevent injuries. Keep a log of your weights and if you see them not moving up, then start forcing the weights by having someone help you do force reps, or use machines (even if it is to load the 2 1/2 lbs plates on it!), or just have a spotter near by to help you push out two more!

 

That is just the basics from me. Have fun gaining weight! I know I sure do! (Cutting not so much! I am 9 weeks out from an October comp and am having a hard time losing the weight! Maybe it is time to consider powerlifting? ).

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BodhiDave85 Newbie

BodhiDave85

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Greetings from Washington D.C!

 

I'd be interested in knowing what kind of "mistakes" are you referring to?

 

I've only meat free for 2 years and dairy free for almost 1 year, so I've made just about every mistake possible and this site has helped me avoid making any more.

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DV Newbie

DV

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Welcome!

 

I'm a 5'10", 154 lb (currently, but gaining) woman, so gaining as a vegan is definitely not a problem. Veganomicon is a good cookbook but I wouldn't view those recipes as the best for gaining muscle. Gaia gave some very good advice.

 

If you're looking to put on muscle with optimal nutritional intake then there is no getting around the fact that you will need to prepare most of your food from scratch. Prepared foods are generally too high in sodium, fat (especially saturated or omega 6) and refined grains/proteins while being too low in vitamins, minerals, etc. If you stick with simple foods in the beginning, you can start to get more complicated/gourmet once you've mastered the basics. Don't forget oats! One cup of rolled oats has 600 calories and 26 grams of protein.

 

I'm currently bulking with 3000 calories per day (eating every 2.5-3 hours), low fat (10-20%) and moderate to high protein intake (140-180 gms). Yesterday's intake looked like this:

 

1 cup oatmeal with 1 ounce dried fruit, 2 T ground flax and 1 cup soy milk

Bowl of cherries

Eggplant stew (eggplant, summer squash, onions, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs) - 3 cups

1 ear of corn

1 cup green beans

4 oz (when dry) pasta with 1 cup beans - sauteed with spinach, garlic, onions, veg broth - topped with nutritional yeast

1/2 pound seitan

2 potatoes (boiled in skin)

Broccoli (lightly steamed)

Carrots (raw)

 

(Calories ~ 2900, Protein ~ 167 gms, Fat ~ 9%)

 

 

I make much of my food on the weekend and then one other night of the week. A one lb box of pasta mixed with veggies and beans/lentils/tempeh is good for 2-4 days, chili can be made in a huge amount and frozen (same with stews or soups), and veggies can be prepped for eating with hummus or bean dip throughout the day. It all comes down to being organized and planning your food intake the day(s) before you eat.

 

Good luck with your goals!

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  • 2 months later...
rendermatt Newbie

rendermatt

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Greetings from Washington D.C!

 

I'd be interested in knowing what kind of "mistakes" are you referring to?

 

I've only meat free for 2 years and dairy free for almost 1 year, so I've made just about every mistake possible and this site has helped me avoid making any more.

Thanks for all the welcomes and advice! To answer your question Dave, I simply meant eating non-vegan food.

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Richard Newbie

Richard

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I just really don't know how to make it happen which is usually why I end up going to dairy or meat if it seems like I have no food and I really need some calories.

In what situation does this happen to you? Are you talking about when you're out somewhere, and there is no convenient place to get vegan food from? In that event, I'd always recommend taking a packed lunch with you, or even just a bag of nuts, protein bar or a protein drink, that sort of thing, to keep you going when you know there's not going to be anything else around for you during your trip.

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tuc Newbie

tuc

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Welcome!

 

I think easiest way to bulk is to start chewing nuts EVERYWHERE! Especially cashew nuts, they are SOOO good and you'll get 600 kcal from just 100 grams of them. Also, start preparing your food by yourself and use ridiculous amounts of rapeseed oil. You'll get loads of omega 3's and calories. And remember to eat a lot, all the time... and concentrate on everything that has loads of calories!

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