Brand new and loving the lifestyle

[Lifter4Life59]

Hello my iron brothers and sisters! My name is Patrick and I just converted to a vegetarian diet about 6 months ago and I have loved every minute of it! I became interested in bodybuilding when I was 21 but due to poor discipline in my nutrition I never made it to where I know I could have. I was skeptical about being able to build muscle or keep what I already had when I converted and I am so glad that my worries were only myths. I did start eating unhealthy on this diet though about 2 months ago and I paid for it in my appearance and energy levels. About 4 weeks ago I said enough was enough and got regimented and haven't looked back and hope to not look back in the future.

 

Currently I am doing a 5 day a week regiment, I have never been able to keep my energy up enough to do this, not until I started eating this diet that is!

Day 1: Chest and Abs

Day 2: Legs (Glutes, Hams, Quads)

Day 3: Shoulders and Traps

Day 4: Back (Lower, Lats, and might hit traps again a little)

Day 5: Arms (Biceps and Triceps)

 

My diet right now is for a cutting diet, my goal is to get my body fat down to 10% and then begin a regiment for bulking, so the protein is not super high but from my personal experience I do not need to eat the mythical 1 g of protein per lb of body weight to cut and be successful in keeping my muscle tone/mass

Meal 1: 2 eggs, 2 packets of oatmeal and 8 oz of Green goodness juice (Bolthouse Farms)

Meal 2: Whey Protein after working out

Meal 3: Salad, usually with tofu (a little pepper and garlic cloves are seared with it), peppers (red or orange), onions, grape/cherry tomatoes and a side of fruit

Meal 4: Soup, usually Lentil or veggie soup and I will add beans (Garbanza or Kidney) to the veggie soup. And I will have a side of fruit or veggies

Meal 5: Usually a veggie burger or veggie patty of some sort, side of fruit or veggies

 

I am pretty sure I am going to convert to being a vegan, so any suggestions and tips for cooking or what to eat that is high in protein would be greatly appreciated. I hope to post pictures of my progress soon, glad to be a part of the family!

[Nicholas_Weir]

I am pretty sure I am going to convert to being a vegan, so any suggestions and tips for cooking or what to eat that is high in protein would be greatly appreciated. I hope to post pictures of my progress soon, glad to be a part of the family!

 

Lentils, Beans, lots of them! also eat sweet potato, broccoli, spinach, nuts, nut butters(natural ones) and you will surely pack on the muscle.

 

Also, mabye invest in a vegan/raw vegan protein powder as you can get a 2-5lb tub for around $40-$60 and that gives you typically 40-80 servings of 20-30g of 'complete' proteins. One serving is a complete meal, if you throw in a glass of soy milk (extra protein) or piece of fruit etc. It also runs pretty cheap this way too 'meal wise'.

 

Think about it this way: 2.2lb (1000g) tub of protein powder usually costs $35 and is typically 80% protein:

 

1000g x .8 = 800g (protein).

 

then there is about 30 servings in that tub, so:

 

800g / 30 = about 27g (protein in each serving).

 

Divide the price of the protein powder tub by the number of servings:

 

$35 / 30 = approx $1.20

 

Conclusion, you are getting a vegan meal contaning 27g of 'complete' proteins, for a measly cost of $1.20; now that's a cheap moderate-high protein meal in my opinion.

 

 

Don't go protein powder crazy though (i.e. drinking in excess of 5 shakes a day) and neglect the whole foods i mentioned as they are what help fuel youur body to repair the muscle with the protein you're consiming.

 

 

 

Best of luck

[Nicholas_Weir]

Forgot to mention grains, seeds:

 

Quinoa (a seed that is related to the leafy green veggies, namely spinach. Quinoa is also one of the few complete vegan proteins)

Brown Rice

Pearled Barley (one of my recent favourites)

Rolled Oats (eat them every morning for breakfast and will go mad if I don't).

Buckwheat (actually a fruit believe it or not)

Millet

Spelt

Amaranath

Rye

[Lifter4Life59]

Thanks a lot guys! This definitely helps out, i just started thinking about making sure I get more brown rice into my diet as well, I can tell I need another meal in my diet by the end of the day, will definitely work in some of your suggestions

[divamom]

Have you thought of switching your whey to a plant based protein powder? And whites instead of whole eggs till you go totally vegan. Just thinking aloud.

[Lifter4Life59]

Yeah I started thinking about the egg whites this week, im going to finish off what I have in my frige and buy egg whites next week and stay with those until i go vegan. I do plan on switching my whey protein once it is out, it should run out next week. I might even just go to the grocery on sunday night and switch my diet then, I almost eat vegan now minus the eggs and whey protein, I drink either soy, almond, or coconut milk now and I don't eat cheese anymore which si what I had trouble giving up initially. I don't eat any other dairy products at all such as ice cream, yogurt, etc.

[divamom]

I swear by vega and it had nothing to do with this site; I work in the Natural Foods industry and am big on the whole non Gmo, fair trade organic lifestyle and tasted/ sampled and it's been a staple the last several months..it has 26gramsper serving..nothing like coffee andchocoprotein powder before headed to the gym..Starbucks doesn't even come close w/their macchiato soy latte fattening stuff!

 

The eggs? Why? If you at going vegan it's just a question. I HAD to for a time,and now, I don't, but it looks like you have a great diet food wise, so just curious.

 

Enjoy...I I just got out of surgery 5hrs ago and the nurses are shocked at how badly I want to gohome(I am dressed and ready), and all I have heard all morning is how healthy I look..its cause I have been veg/ vegan for oh so many years! ( and all the kombucha I drink)

 

Keep it up; i bet you feel great!

[Lifter4Life59]

Thanks! yeah I do feel great now, I have so much more energy than I used to and that was what I initially noticed when I became a vegetarian, my energy levels spiked. I did switch to vegan this week and dont eat the eggs anymore, lentils have been my biggest source for protein with brown rice and spinach or broccoli like suggested above. I still am short on money and cant get the vegan protein yet but next paycheck should work for me.

 

I started to bulk finally and I gotta say it takes longer for me to get the food down but I'm ready for meals again much faster than I was with meat and I don't feel like I'm about to burst by the end of the day so I'm excited for how its going to affect my body, I plan on posting pics today of my pre bulk physique and hope to make some good gains, already noticed major strength gains in many exercises. I have hit some of the numbers before but I hadnt lifted consistently for 6 months until 3 weeks ago and I'm addicted again, refuse to go backwards again, thanks for your input guys really appreciate it, hope I can return the favor with future advice