chrisrolinski

Well it has been a very long time and a lot of back-tracking happened until last year when I realised I needed to do something about eating more etc as I became about 2stone smaller than the first pictures. The past 9 mths I have been going to gym to do cardio and weights 3-4 times a week as well as eating more. At first a friend helped me put together a routine but now I improvise. There is still a lot of work to do and I sometimes think I have just put on far rather than muscle --- but this is a start, I think there is maybe some muscle peeking through JUST . The pic represents 9mths of working out rather then - sadly - the years it has been since I joined the board. I have often looked at other people's progress pictures for inspiration

So it took me ages to actually start eating again properly and the stress of finishing my PhD and and a traumatic relationship end left me a wreck. Once again I am as small as, if not smaller than the original pictures. I have often checked the progress pictures to feel motivated for other people's progress, hoping that I could also do it. Anyway keen to make a new start and I am now eating much larger and frequently. My birthday last month made me realise that in my late 20s I have to stop undereating and do something positive

I've been going to the gym 3 x a week and lifting plus cardio for the past 2 weeks and already I feel stronger and "bigger" (in body mass if not muscle yet - too soon to tell really but def feel firmer...)

I will post my first progress photos on the 12th September

After a long hiatus I am back with an update. Fortunately last summer was great and with swimming and weights I managed to bulk up around 10lbs and I felt great. Unfortunately autumn was less great and what with moving overseas for work, work stress, and slipping back into old (non) eating habits it all came off.

I lost all the 10 lbs of mass that I put on since I took those photos in the past year, and I am actually probably 5-7lbs lighter now than then.

Anyway, I am twice as determined this time and will keep working towards the end goal. No slipping into old eating habits.

My plan for the next month is to concentrate on gaining and stuffing my food down so that next month I can start some swimming again - I don't want to start the cardio too soon.

So off I go, and will aim to post some improvements in 4 weeks time!

I swim 3/4 days a week - though I wouldn't describe myself as a swimmer yet because I am still taking a weekly session to improve technique. I suppose it would depend what your bodybuilding goals were. I swim for general fitness and tone ( + enjoyment and stress relief) - and lift light weights twice a week to help gain some bulk.

I'm definately noticing a gain in muscle now. Had my first external confirmation last night when my boyfriend rubbed my stomach - "wow, you feel nice and firm"

I am using 'Pulsin' Simply Protein Soya Protein Isolate; complete vegan powder....'

Hmmm, blender it is!

I've recently started to drink a vegan soy powder to help things along - but I think I'm doing it all wrong. I am following the instructions about adding it to soy milk and stirring but it forms a bubbly scum - the powder congeals and is lumpy. I drink/eat it anyway and it tastes okay but I think I'm doing something wrong. I imagined it being smoother somehow....maybe a blender?

I have been moved up a swimming group, trying to eat LOADS more, and have been lifting light dumbells in prep for moving onto heavier sets in the New Year. With hope my Jan pics will show loads of progress!

no probs. norway is amazing just expensive but it's really worth it.

when in stockholm most vegan/vegan friendly places are on what we call "söder", basically the south part of the inner city but there are resaturants and cafes all over the city really.

you should check out

Söder Vegg

It's located on Katarina Bangata 27. Everything is vegan and they have tons of cakes, cupcakes, sandwiches, salads and soups. It's pretty cheap too. Fairly new place.

http://www.vegankrubb.se/wp-content/uploads/fotka.jpg

 

about 300 meters from that place you'll find

Goodstore http://goodstore.se/index.php

it's a small vegetarian (mostly vegan) and organic food store. they have tons of fake meats, soy cheeses (everything from redwood, viana and such companies), a lot of cool snacks and vegan milks. If you're there on a clear day just buy a pack of hotdogs and go to a park and have a bbq. it's awesome. For snacks, try bonvitas different chocolates. rice milk, cranberries, nougat and coconutbars (remember that refined sugar in sweden is vegan kosher). the adress is skånegatan 92

http://goodstore.se/img/products/butiken_0001.jpg

 

also pretty close (on medborgarplatsen 3) you will find a big place called söderhallarna. inside there's a lot of different restaurants and shops. you should go to

Södermanna

everything there is vegan except for some butter they serve with the bread. it's mostly a lunch place i think. try the brown rice/soy burgers.

 

there a tons of more great places but i can't figure them out right now. but these three are located pretty close. almost all the asian places can replace the meat with tofu and most of the conventional food stores sell soy milk, soy cheese and so on. 98% of the bread in sweden is vegan, we almost never use dairy products when baking bread so breakfast should be fairly easy.

I am in Stockholm soon and will find this post really useful! tack så mycket!

Swimming is TOUGH for the untrained I suppose. Went for some laps after a workout and i'm not out of shape at all and died after lap 4, lol. Nice lean frame, look forward to seeing the continued enhancements to your already great physique!

My weekly swimming class helps me along with some improving - this week is is butterfly stroke! (mops brow in panic!)

Howdy! I recognise you too! Guess the vegan internets world isn't that huge!

Heh - accountancy - some of my friends do that - I hear all about its ups and downs

The plan? *looks at recession* Urm...a job? (can't do any more study!)

Heh, sometimes - most of the time I just want to pull my hair out!

I live in the North right now, Manchester. My thesis is a cultural history of the collection of exotic animals in museums and menageries in eighteenth-century Britain. I look at motivations for collecting and sensory engagements with these animals. I look at the cultural history of animals - I am trying to think and write about what people in the eighteenth-century 'saw' when they looked at an exotic animal, touched it, and smelt it etc. Part of the thesis looks at the politics of the period and looks at exotic animals as political symbols of nationhood, national identity,gender, and climate. Some of the content borders onto early debate on animal rights and ethics. I started this project when I wasn't a vegan (in fact I started as an omnivore) - now I am I plan to finish it with a epilogue with a few thoughts on animals as objects in contemporary museums and zoos.

Sorry for that long winded explanation!

Tuc, I hope I can make as much progress as you! I have noticed some difference in energy since I have started swimming and exercising/lifting wiht dumbells. Just need to eat more and not give up.

heh, n00b questions?! is there a standard interrogation?

Thanks all!

Thanks so much for your advice - I shall keep posted on my progress!

I hope that this photo thread will chart some pretty dramatic and much needed changes! Any tips for building mass will be greatly appreciated - though I will search and read the forums, of course! I hope the next set of pictures I post in a few weeks will show improvement! I'm currently working on eating more and swimming for roughly 30-40 minutes 5 days a week. I particularly want to see more weight on my arms and upper body.

Hi! I am 25 and have been vegan for almost 8 months. I live in the UK and I am a PhD student. My goals for fitness and building are to increase my body mass and muscle tone, primarily through swimming - though I am totally open to light weight work.

I'm not sure I have a very good 'canvas' to work with - but have to start somewhere right, I had an eating disorder in the past, which has left me fairly slender and awkward looking. Since starting to swim 5 days a week and eat more I have put some bulk back on. I am 6. 2" tall and weight 148-150 lbs - which I want to change dramatically. I figure that age 25 is a good year to make some positive changes. I'll be snooping around the site for tips and hopefully asking lots of stupid n00b questions!