Can anyone help me with bodybuilding on a vegan diet???

[Winters]

Hi Everyone

 

Ive been Veg for 3 yrs and went vegan 5 months ago. I stand at 5'10 and weigh 152lbs (10stone12lbs). I have been trying for around a year to put on 10 to 12lbs in muscle, which would take my weight up to 164lbs (11stone7lbs). I feel this is an ideal weight for a man of my build and have been told that I should be able to achieve this target.

 

However I am struggling. I train 4 times a week with the following schedule.

Monday: Chest and Tricep

Tuesday: Back and Bicep

Thursday: Legs and Abs

Friday: Shoulders

 

I have recently been taking Brown rice protein, but am now thinking of trying Soy protein isolate powder instead as I have not been happy with the lack of results with brown rice. My diet is a good one, Lots of salads, lots of veg, rice,

Soba noodles, soy products, nuts(lots of seed mixes). I have also stopped drinking alcohol, been dry for 4 months now.

I feel great have bags of energy and feel that with some good advice from fellow vegan bodybuilders I can achieve my goal. I am very serious about my training, I am moving to the states in the spring for 9 months to work as a soccer coach and am looking to be making good gains in size and strength as I come to America!!

I hope you can help..Thanks for your time...Darren Winter Age 32yrs

[Jason X]

go to advice: eat more.

 

if that doesn't work, try again.

 

I thought that I was pretty skinny naturally. I've never weighed more than 180 lbs. (I'm 6'0). When I started lifting (a few days before new years this year) I weighed 161 lbs. Today I weigh 180. That's a few days under a month.

 

Eat. Oh, and since I'm sure I'll be asked, yes, I am getting a bit of a "spare tire" but it's really small, and i STILL wear 30x32 pants just fine, though my levi's are getting tight in the legs.

 

I think that will be a primary ingredient (is that pun?) in your weight/muscle gain.

[robert]

Welcome to the group!

 

I'll try to address some questions soon.

 

In the meantime explore around the forum. 200,000+ posts of all kinds of info. You'll get a lot of questions answered and meet cool people.

 

All the best and welcome aboard!

[Winters]

Cool!!

 

Ive looked at a few topics on here in relation to training schedules. I have decided to alter mine a little.

 

Monday I will keep the same, Chest Tricep

Tuesday the same, Back Bicep

Thurs, I have decided to bring shoulders and some leg training together.

I will now rest on Friday.

Saturday I will train every muscle for one set doing as many reps till failure, I feel that this will give me that little bit extra that I have been missing, I will look more into food as well.

 

Anyone with anymore tips will be much appreciated.

 

Thanks Again

[Jason X]

when you say rep until failure, are you lifting reasonably heavy or light?

 

not that I'm an expert at all, but it seems to me (at least the philosophy I've kind of subscribed to) is that heavier weights for less reps is more effective. especially if mass is your goal.

 

Do you have a program that you're using, or just making things up?

 

if you don't have a program, check out either Starting Strength (startingstrength.net) or Stronglifts.com, I'm using a modified stronglifts and I'm quite enjoying it (although I'm still new to it and I like squatting)

[Winters]

Are you doing the stronglifts 5x5 programme?

[Jason X]

I do a modified version.

 

I do the 5x5 sets and the 1x5 deadlifts.

 

I lift monday, wednesday, friday and, but again one of the weekend days as well.

 

I do squats, incline presses, overhead presses, weighted crunches and back extensions every day (3x10).

 

I add deadlifts on the deadlift day, and I also use the cable crossover machine to do some twisting axe-chopping type motion that works the obliques that day, too.

 

I do pushups every night in my room, although I don't always go until failure.

 

I try to do pullups/chinups when at the gym, and on my doorway, but I have a tiny upper body, so I am not able to do more than one or two at a time. I'll get there.

 

So, is it stronglifts? No, it's the same concept and set system, but it's not the same.

 

I know chewy is doing stronglifts. go find his log in that section. he's the one that got me started doing what I'm doing. It's very satisfying to add weight every session. I'm damn near up to my body weight for the 5x5. it's awesome.

[chewybaws]

Hey man welcome to the board

 

Did you find you put on more muscle while just being veggie, and progress slowed when you went vegan? And also have you worked out how many calories/protein you get a day?

 

If your goals are to get stronger I'd recommend any program that centers round the main compound lifts (stronglifts/starting strength etc). If muscle size is your goal then you may be better with a bodybuilding program - there'll be loads of users that can help you out on here.

 

If you've been training hard for a while on any balanced program and you're not getting much results then chances are it's down to nutrition. It'd be handy if you'd give an example of a typical day for food and we'd have a better chance of helping you out

[Winters]

Hey..

Thanks for the messages.

I have decided to train for the next two months with the 5x5 schedule. This will take me up to the end of march, I will be heading of to the states on the 22nd, so will see what I have gained in strength and size at that time and decide what to do next.

My diet as from Monday will be as follows:

6/7am...45g PORRIDGE OATS with 300ml of SOY MILK and 40ml of water. Cals=196..Protein=15.2g..Carbs=27.1g

I will be taking 2/3 protein drinks per day of SOY ISOLATE each drink will have 250ml of SOY MILK, 1 BANANA, STRAWBERRIES, and a linwood SEED MIX.

Each drink will have the following..Cals=398..Protein=44g..Carb=25.8g x 3 drinks = Cals=1194..Protein=132..Carbs=77.4

I have not included the strawberries in my calculations.

VEGGIE SAUSAGE SARNIE about 10/11am 2 pieces of BREAD, SALAD, spreading of HOUMAS.cals=372..Pr=22.8g..Carb=41.2

Evening meal (Varys) Tonight I had SPELT SPAG AND VEG MINCE CHILLI..cals=477..Pro=45.6..carbs=68.6

 

Sometimes eat beans on toast, I also eat seed mixes thrughout the day. Surely this must be enough to combine with training to make good gains??

[Jason X]

sounds like right around 3,000 calories.

 

I think if that's what you've been doing, and you've been lifting and not seeing the gains you want, I suggest try eating more.

 

but that's the easy way out (not really. I find the eating to be harder than the lifting...)

[chewybaws]

I agree with SLOWLY increasing the amount of food you're eating (you seem to be getting enough protein so nothing to worry about there)

[BrendaC]

As a woman trying to put on muscle, I am also frequently frustrated. Whenever I plateau, it's just a matter of doing different excercises in the gym (or elsewhere, like I recently added sprints to build fast twitch muscle fibers in my thighs and it is really working like you can't believe), and adding more weight, of course. I also need to constantly remind myself that the reason we admire successful bodybuilders so much is because it really does take an enormous amount of time and consistency and dedication to create a really amazing physique. Just keep on working harder and smarter and you (we) will get there!

[Octopussoir]

I used to eat anywhere from 8k-12k cals a day when I was a meat eater and my weight wouldnt budge from 223lbs!! So frustrated... i said fuck it and started on losing weight since I knew my body would do that.

 

Your body will grow with time. Its not gonna be overnight nor will it come at the end of the week. Make a goal for the end of the year and eat and train hard to get there.

[Ted Trendy]

dont think there are any vegan bodybuilders here....

 

welcome.