Vegan Bodybuilding Diet | Alternative Protein and Fats
Tips and Tricks to Build the Best 100% Vegan Bodybuilding Diet
Most people are under the impression that they build their body while they train, pumping iron or pounding the pavement.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Yes, it’s absolutely essential that you do everything in your power to train intelligently, to push your body and your muscles as hard as possible, and to do everything you can to maximize your strength and aesthetics as a bodybuilder – but the overwhelming majority of growth you are going to experience comes from the food that you feed your body with.
For most folks, it really isn’t that difficult loading up on protein while cutting carbs and sticking to a “bulking program”. For vegans, however, coming up with a vegan bodybuilding diet isn’t anywhere near as simple or as straightforward. That’s why you want to take advantage of the tips and tricks that we highlight for you below.
Related: How to Succeed at Vegetarian Bodybuilding
Find Quality Sources of Protein and Eat Between One and 1.5 G of Protein per Pound of Bodyweight
Unlike just a few short years ago, there are a lot more vegan protein supplements available on the market today, each of which are designed to provide you with plenty of easily absorbable protein that gets shuttled immediately to your muscles. This provides you with the building blocks of gains that you are looking for, without having to turn to animal products along the way.
Other quality sources of protein in a vegan bodybuilding diet include broccoli (with about 13 g of protein per pound), Brussels sprouts, green peas, and of course spinach. Popeye had it right when he reached for a can of spinach to build his muscles and his strength!
Related: LIFT Review as the Best Meal Prep Containers
Get Plenty of Calories Every Day – and More While You Train
It can be really, really tempting to try and build your body and your muscles while keeping as much fat from your frame as possible at the exact same time. But that’s nowhere near the most efficient way to grow as large as you can as quickly as you can.
You’re going to want to undertake a bulking phase with a vegan bodybuilding diet the same way that other bodybuilders do. That is, loading up on “clean” sources of protein and healthy carbohydrates. These will keep your blood sugar and insulin levels as normalized as possible.
Eat too few calories while you are trying to bulk up and you don’t have the energy to get through training sessions or the fuel necessary to rebuild the muscles that you break down.
Related: Healthy Fitness Meals Made Simple with Meal Prep
Try to Get at Least 30% of Your Caloric Value in Healthy Fat
Bumping the fat content of your daily diet – your vegan bodybuilding diet – to about 30% of your overall intake will give you the opportunity to increase strength, increase endurance, and keep your body from burning off muscle mass when you need energy the most.
Healthy fats come from nuts like almonds (they are also rich in omega-five fatty acids), and you’ll want to squeeze just as many of them into your vegan bodybuilding diet as you are able to.
Other healthy fats to incorporate into your vegan diet are avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil. These fats will help sustain your energy as well as satisfy your body, making it easier to get ripped and keep your new muscle mass.
Related: Anabolic Cooking Review | Lose Fat Gain Muscle
