trying2bvegan Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Hey All, My name is Steve and I'm a total newb to the world of veganism, and this forum. My sisters and mother have been vegan for about 8-10yrs (before people could pronounce vegan correctly - most still can't, ha!) so I've thankfully been exposed to all sorts of vegan recipes/philosophy/etc and am convinced it is the healthiest way to live, both for ourselves and for our planet. I'm taking the dive. In the last year, I've committed myself in a big way to being healthier. Quit cigarettes and have been going to the gym 6 days a week (sounds intense but I make sure not to overdo it). I am 6'1" 24yo male, 180lbs with around 10-12% body fat. This is the heaviest and strongest I've ever been, but I still look like a string bean. I'd really like to tip the scales at 200lbs, with my gains being in lean muscle mass. The problem is, I have an INSANELY fast metabolism. I eat every 2-3 hours, which equates to 7 times a day. Its very difficult for me to put on muscle mass - the definition of a "hardgainer." Can any fellow vegan "hardgainers" out there give me some advice on how to bulk up with a vegan diet?! For example, what macronutrient ratios did you consume to help you bulk up? What food items helped you get there? I'd love to hear all of your stories. Looking forward to a life of veganism and transforming myself from a string bean to a...umm...fava bean? Thanks everybody,Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Welcome Steve! I'll try to be in touch with more info soon. All the best and welcome aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobsteriffic Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Welcome! Congrats on the switch to a healthy life style! There's been a few threads about getting in enough calories for hardgainers in the Health & Nutrition section - they might help you out. Basically you want to make sure you are eating calorie dense foods (e.g., nuts, avocadoes, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryStella Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 great pic. good luck with your goals. looking forward to seeing your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trying2bvegan Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 robert (or anyone?) would you be able to suggest a macronutrient ratio for an uber-ectomorph like myself to pack on the muscle? as a refresher i'm a 6'1" 24yo male, 180 lbs (up from 168) with a metabolism of a hummingbird on speed. i've been working diligently 6 days/wk since Dec 2008 and have only managed to put on about 12 pounds of muscle. i'm concerned i'm plateauing in weight, despite seeing significant strength gains in a couple months. frankly i'm surprised even at the 12 pound weight gain, but i'd like to gain 20 more, even if it takes me a year or more to get there. i've been making sure to eat a lot (6-7x/day) but beyond making sure to get an ample amount of protein and lots of fruit/veggies i haven't really been keeping an eye on ratios or anything. any recommendations on cals/macronutrient ratios/diet would be greatly appreciated!!!thanks and be well everybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im Your Man Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Hi and welcome !The macronutrient ratio isn't so important. basically, as long as you get at least 10% of your calories from proteins (and its almost impossible to be under this, so you don't have to bother), you're fine. What you need to check is that the amount of calories is sufficient. You need to eat a bit more calories than what you burn to pack muscles, and since your metabolism is fast, you need to eat even more. In my opinion the best way to bulk is to eat a lot of carb foods like oatmeal or rice (and these contain lots of proteins too). Many people will tell you to eat lots of protein food like seitan or tofu, but proteins are low in calories, compared to fats which provide twice calories and to carbs which provide real energy. Eat lots of pastas, bagels, avocados, bananas, hemp protein, dates, fruits and greens, etc... count the calories, try 3,000 per day, if you think it is not enough, eat 4,000 or 6,000... You can also slow your metabolism to burn less calories, by eating and/or training less often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcina Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Carbs are your friend as an ectomorph. I'm an ecto, and I can't even function in the gym without some carbs in my system first! A lot of people say that if you wanna be fit you gotta stay away from pasta, breads, cereals, and all that stuff. The best part about being an ecto is that you can eat all that stuff! As much as you want! I also suggest calorie dense foods like avocado, nuts, seeds, and whatever other fatty vegan food you can find. Also, for training, it's easy for ectomorphs to overtrain so don't do it! Lift weights about 3-4 days a week for no more than 40 minutes a session. Keep cardio to a minimum, and don't do really intense cardio. Easy cycling, walking, stuff like that is okay but don't go doing HIITs. Also, do compound movements with heavy weights and low reps. Squats, bench presses, deadlifts, rows, push-ups, dips etc. Are good for hard gainers. Try the K.I.S.S routine. Also, as a fellow ectomorph.. I find that taking creatine helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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