Ultraspontane

Mir was only vegan before the Crocop fight, and the Diaz bros eat chicken and fish sometimes. Ben Saunders (Bellator title contender) is vegan. Tim Bradley, the guy who just beat Paquiao (highly contested, I know) follows a vegan diet during training camps. Aaron Simpson, UFC welterwight, is a vegetarian. Matt Wiman, UFC lightweight, is a vegetarian. Also, the aformentioned Danzig, Fitch, and Shields. Yes, the list keeps growing and growing. I'm really surprised Tim Bradley isn't getting more attention...

Mac looked to be in great form against Escudero. Looked strong and skills were sharp as well.

It's not just a diet for me, either. I still don't like the word.

I hate that word. It makes it sound like I'm in a cult or like I'm some crazy religous zealot. I don't eat animals, but I'm just a regular person like everyone else. Whenever I get asked about what I eat, I just tell people Im on a strict "plant based diet". I feel much more comfortable saying it that way. It just comes across better. Anyone else share these feelings?

Awesome! How cool would it be for a vegan to beat Paquiao? That would be huge.

As gross and ridiculous as it sounds, if it means less animals have to suffer, I'm all for it.

Mountain Dew is the nectar of the 'tards.

Good to hear! I think the most common problem when people try a vegan diet is that they just don't consume enough calories.

Try eating more fruit. And I mean a lot more. That should help with energy. Also consider a vegan meal replacement shake, most are gluten free. Perhaps you can find an english speaking doctor and get some blood work done.

Wawawewa! Very nice!

I ride every weekday. Anywhere from 80 to 180 miles a week, every week, all year round. I too, was under the assumption that any cross training would be detrimental to cycling performance and recovery. At the start of the year I decided to start incorperating a kettlebell strength circuit into my life, just to improve my overall health, strength, and physique. I've put on about 15lbs since then, but I'm also faster on the bike, especially climbs.

Another update. Weighed in at 185.2 lbs today. Feeling better than ever. I'm definitely hooked now. I've gotten much better at blasting through the kettlebell circuit with intensity. I'm going to have to switch up the movements soon so things don't stagnate. Time to start practicing some of the more challenging kettlebell maneuvers. I'd like to keep the circuit format though. I really love the strength training/cardio blast combination that it provides.

Wow, I definitely won't be buying a thing else from garden of life. That is very deceptive of them.

Perhaps its time to consult a sports medicine professional.

Thanks, Robert. I'm def taking advantage of this. On bodybuilding.com, they have two different listings for vega protein. One is 22 servings and one is 24. They are the same price. Perhaps this was an error. Anyway, good deal.

My pre workout supplement is black coffee. I used noxplode in high school, but I think it was mostly the caffiene that gave the boost of energy.

Up your calorie intake. Put some gas in that tank.

http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx50/featherstone-godly/wandmayhem.gif

Thanks for the input. I think the kettlebell provides a different kind of cardio workout than cycling or running for distance does. If you watch the circuit video I posted, It's one movement straight into the next. No rest between movements. The only 'rest' you get is 60 seconds of active recovery such as skipping rope, jogging around, or jumping jacks in between circuit sets. I feel miserable while doing this workout. My heart is pounding, and I'm gasping for air. After about a month of this, on the bike I can climb steep hills much better than before because I'm able to sustain a higher level of exertion for longer. Yeah, writing everything down is probably a good idea. I just don't have the time or desire to do such a thing. Keeping track of the calories I burn would be almost impossible, unless I had special equipment on my bike that measured speed, distance, and power output.There is a huge difference effort wise between riding 20 miles at 17mph and riding 20 miles at 20mph. I have no idea what the difference in burned calories would be. I'm trying to run a business, so there are other thngs on my plate. So I'm just going to make sure to eat a lot of good food all the time.

Here is an update, I weighed in at 181lbs today. 11lbs heavier than when I started. I am currently doing a kettlebell strength circuit. This one: It is great for me because its also an intense cardio workout, which is beneficial for cycling and running. I feel pretty good. I'm eating a lot more now. Lots of dates, bananas, avocado, beans, sweet potatoes, and a spinach salad every day. I'm quite surprised how quickly I was able to add 10lbs. I'll be at my goal very soon at this rate. Perhaps I should shoot for 200lbs instead of 185...

^ No, I can't say that I do. I just know that I'm making a concsious effort to eat more frequently and in larger quanities than before.

Yeah, I'm already working on increasing my food intake. I want to try a 2 day a week split. I think that will fit better in my schedule and also allow more time for recovery.

Hello good people, I've been a vegan since late '09 and I'm loving it. I feel great. I'll never go back to an omni diet. I am what you call a natural ectomorph. I'm tall and lanky, about 6'2" and 170lbs. My job requires that I get lots and lots of exercise. I work with dogs. I run them, train them, care for them when their owners are out on trips. I love cycling, so I ride my bike to appointments year round, which results in an average of 150 miles a week at a pretty good click. Add that to 20 miles of running a week and you get the idea. Lots of cardio. And I'm not interested/able to stop or draw back. This is just part of my life. So I'm in good shape and feel great, but I'd like to gain some mass purely for aesthetic reasons. I'm fairly self conscious and the constant "you look thin" and "are you eating ok?" comments from my family don't exactly help matters. I'm not trying to be Mr. O or anything. I'd like to gain and maintain an extra 15lbs of lean body mass. Some extra definition wouldnt hurt, either. Would gaining 15lbs of lean body mass be a reasonable feat considering my lifestyle? As of right now, I do no weight training whatsoever. I havent touched a weight in several years. What do you folks think?