Muscle building for a scrawny guy.

[Oh, the horror!]

I would like to build a little muscle, mainly just to look a bit better. I'm a pretty thin guy, without much excess fat or muscle, and I'm not sure where to begin. I would like to work on my arms and chest mainly. Especially my arms.

What are some basic excercises I should be doing at home, how often, and how many in a sitting? I would rather not have to employ any sort of weights or other contraption. I know absolutely nothing about body building, and I have had horrible luck finding help via Google.

Also, should I change my diet at all to help out? Obviously more proteins would help, but what else, and what are some common food items I should stock up on to assist me?

[zoebird]

well, you can start with body-weight such as push ups. yoga also has a lot of strength-related moves that work the upper body.

but if you want to really gain muscle, that sort of 'resistance training' will plateau fast and you'll need to move to weights if you want to keep progressing. if you're happy with what body-resistance provides, then great. :)

[DJ Nitro]

I'm afraid resistance training is the only way to gain muscle, really.

www.bodyforlife.com

The above is an amazing program. I have known several people who have had immense success with this.

[animallover7249]

I remember a thread like this a while back, and someone posted a linkto some vegan body builder site..try searching for it, maybe?

[Bodybuilder]

I was in the same boat a few years ago and then went from a 150 lb long distance runner to a 190 lb bodybuilder. All the vegan, the whole time. It took a few years, but you can bulk up in just a matter of weeks. If you take in the calories and train with weights a few times a week, it can easily be done.

Here are some of the nutrition programs that worked for me. It might give you a few ideas. It is by no means perfect, but may be helpful.

All the best.

Nutrition Programs by Vegan Bodybuilder Robert Cheeke


Keep in mind these programs have not been approved by the FDA or any other authority on nutrition. They are designed for active vegans of all types from the serious athlete to the fitness enthusiast. The 6 meals a day plan helps keep your body in an anabolic state with a positive nitrogen balance and will keep you nourished throughout the day. Eating frequent meals will also speed up metabolism, your body's ability to burn fat.

The programs listed may incorporate more foods than you are used to eating in one day, but remember they were created by a bodybuilder :)

Healthy Food Defines You - Train Hard Eat Plenty

Enjoy, and happy eating!


Mostly Raw Food Bodybuilding Nutrition Program


7AM
Bowl of mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
½ grapefruit
2 bananas with natural peanut butter
Multivitamin
16oz orange juice

10AM
Bowl of mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts)
2-4 servings of dates
16oz fruit smoothie with Vega meal replacement powder

1PM
Bean/Broccoli salad (Kidney beans, garbanzo beans, broccoli, spinach, snow peas, green beans, carrots, green peppers, romaine lettuce).
Potato wedges with vegan dressing
16oz fruit smoothie with Vega meal replacement powder
16oz water

4PM
Spinach, kale, and cabbage leaves with broccoli, olives, pine nuts, and sliced tomatoes.
Snow peas and green beans
1 large peach or nectarine
16oz water

7PM
Large vegetable platter with hummus
Sliced yams with vegan seasoning
Lentil and black bean soup
16oz fruit smoothie with protein powder and G-glutamine supplement

10PM
2 servings of mixed seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds)
2 servings of seaweed chips
16oz soymilk


Moderate Protein/Calorie Intake Bodybuilding Nutrition Program

7AM
Fruit smoothie with orange juice, strawberries, blueberries, bananas and Vega Meal Replacement Powder
Bowl of vegan cereal with soymilk
2 bagels with hummus
Multivitamin
16oz water

10AM
Raw Food bar
1 bowl of citrus fruit
2 servings of protein mix (peanuts, pumpkin seeds, soynuts, granola, sunflower seeds, almonds)
16oz water

1PM
4 servings of marinated tofu
2 yams
Large green salad
16oz natural fruit juice

4PM
Vega Meal Replacement Powder mixed with 12oz juice or water
2 bananas with almond butter
16oz water

7PM
4 slices of homemade vegan pizza
Plate of brown rice, green beans, kidney beans, and peas.
16oz chocolate soymilk

10PM
4 servings of seaweed chips
2 servings of pineapple
16oz water


Mostly fruit and Veggie Nutrition Plan

7AM
2 kiwis
2 sliced peaches or nectarines
Fruit smoothie with Vega Meal Replacement powder
Multivitamin
16oz citrus juice

10AM
Slices of cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon
Bowl of mixed nuts
Celery sticks with peanut butter
16oz water

1PM
Large plate of mashed potatoes with mushrooms, carrots, peas, green beans, and broccoli.
Green salad with lettuce, spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, olives, and sprinkled seeds or nuts.
16oz fruit juice
16oz water

4PM
Fruit salad (slice up apples, pineapple, banana, peaches, and pears
Green salad with sprinkled nuts and seeds
16oz fruit juice or soymilk

7PM
Corn on the cob (or off the cob)
Steamed eggplant or squash.
Brown rice and beans with mixed veggies
16oz protein smoothie

10PM
Vegetable soup
Soy crisps or seaweed chips
16oz almond milk


High Protein/High Calorie Bodybuilding Nutrition Program

7AM
2 cups oatmeal
2 vegan pancakes
Hemp protein drink (Vega)
8oz soymilk
Multivitamin supplement

10AM
Soy jerky
Hemp protein smoothie (orange juice, protein powder, strawberries, banana, ice cubes)
4 soy yogurts
8oz orange juice with glutamine powder

1PM
4 slices of vegan pizza
Pea protein smoothie (soymilk, protein powder, strawberries, banana, ice cubes)
Tortilla and hummus
Mixed nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts)

4PM
Soy crisps with almond butter
3 bananas
8oz soymilk

7PM
Baked tofu wedges
Summer squash
Refried beans
Avacado
8oz pineapple juice with glutamine powder

10PM
Soy/hemp/pea protein smoothie (soymilk, protein powder, strawberries, banana, ice cubes)
2 soy yogurts
Vitamin and mineral supplements


General Bodybuilding Nutrition Program

7AM
1 bowl of Hi-Lo Cereal with soymilk
1 Soy Yogurt
1 Banana
All vitamins taking today
24oz water

10AM
Protein or Meal Replacement shake
2 whole pieces of fruit
16oz water

1PM
Mock Meat Meal
Bowl of potatoes, broccoli & carrots
24oz water

4PM
Mixed raw nuts, unsalted (cashews, walnuts, almonds)
Vega bar
16oz water

7PM
Tofu/vegetable stir-fry (variety of veggies)
Spinach, lettuce, cabbage salad w/kidney beans/chickpeas
12oz chocolate soymilk
16oz water

10PM
Protein or Meal Replacement shake
Lentil Soup with crackers or wheat bread
12oz water

By Robert Cheeke
Founder/President
Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

[barrylove]

I was in the same boat a few years ago and then went from a 150 lb long distance runner to a 190 lb bodybuilder. All the vegan, the whole time. It took a few years, but you can bulk up in just a matter of weeks. If you take in the calories and train with weights a few times a week, it can easily be done.

Here are some of the nutrition programs that worked for me. It might give you a few ideas. It is by no means perfect, but may be helpful.

All the best.

Nutrition Programs by Vegan Bodybuilder Robert Cheeke


Keep in mind these programs have not been approved by the FDA or any other authority on nutrition. They are designed for active vegans of all types from the serious athlete to the fitness enthusiast. The 6 meals a day plan helps keep your body in an anabolic state with a positive nitrogen balance and will keep you nourished throughout the day. Eating frequent meals will also speed up metabolism, your body's ability to burn fat.

The programs listed may incorporate more foods than you are used to eating in one day, but remember they were created by a bodybuilder :)

Healthy Food Defines You - Train Hard Eat Plenty

Enjoy, and happy eating!


Mostly Raw Food Bodybuilding Nutrition Program


7AM
Bowl of mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
½ grapefruit
2 bananas with natural peanut butter
Multivitamin
16oz orange juice

10AM
Bowl of mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts)
2-4 servings of dates
16oz fruit smoothie with Vega meal replacement powder

1PM
Bean/Broccoli salad (Kidney beans, garbanzo beans, broccoli, spinach, snow peas, green beans, carrots, green peppers, romaine lettuce).
Potato wedges with vegan dressing
16oz fruit smoothie with Vega meal replacement powder
16oz water

4PM
Spinach, kale, and cabbage leaves with broccoli, olives, pine nuts, and sliced tomatoes.
Snow peas and green beans
1 large peach or nectarine
16oz water

7PM
Large vegetable platter with hummus
Sliced yams with vegan seasoning
Lentil and black bean soup
16oz fruit smoothie with protein powder and G-glutamine supplement

10PM
2 servings of mixed seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds)
2 servings of seaweed chips
16oz soymilk


Moderate Protein/Calorie Intake Bodybuilding Nutrition Program

7AM
Fruit smoothie with orange juice, strawberries, blueberries, bananas and Vega Meal Replacement Powder
Bowl of vegan cereal with soymilk
2 bagels with hummus
Multivitamin
16oz water

10AM
Raw Food bar
1 bowl of citrus fruit
2 servings of protein mix (peanuts, pumpkin seeds, soynuts, granola, sunflower seeds, almonds)
16oz water

1PM
4 servings of marinated tofu
2 yams
Large green salad
16oz natural fruit juice

4PM
Vega Meal Replacement Powder mixed with 12oz juice or water
2 bananas with almond butter
16oz water

7PM
4 slices of homemade vegan pizza
Plate of brown rice, green beans, kidney beans, and peas.
16oz chocolate soymilk

10PM
4 servings of seaweed chips
2 servings of pineapple
16oz water


Mostly fruit and Veggie Nutrition Plan

7AM
2 kiwis
2 sliced peaches or nectarines
Fruit smoothie with Vega Meal Replacement powder
Multivitamin
16oz citrus juice

10AM
Slices of cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon
Bowl of mixed nuts
Celery sticks with peanut butter
16oz water

1PM
Large plate of mashed potatoes with mushrooms, carrots, peas, green beans, and broccoli.
Green salad with lettuce, spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, olives, and sprinkled seeds or nuts.
16oz fruit juice
16oz water

4PM
Fruit salad (slice up apples, pineapple, banana, peaches, and pears
Green salad with sprinkled nuts and seeds
16oz fruit juice or soymilk

7PM
Corn on the cob (or off the cob)
Steamed eggplant or squash.
Brown rice and beans with mixed veggies
16oz protein smoothie

10PM
Vegetable soup
Soy crisps or seaweed chips
16oz almond milk


High Protein/High Calorie Bodybuilding Nutrition Program

7AM
2 cups oatmeal
2 vegan pancakes
Hemp protein drink (Vega)
8oz soymilk
Multivitamin supplement

10AM
Soy jerky
Hemp protein smoothie (orange juice, protein powder, strawberries, banana, ice cubes)
4 soy yogurts
8oz orange juice with glutamine powder

1PM
4 slices of vegan pizza
Pea protein smoothie (soymilk, protein powder, strawberries, banana, ice cubes)
Tortilla and hummus
Mixed nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts)

4PM
Soy crisps with almond butter
3 bananas
8oz soymilk

7PM
Baked tofu wedges
Summer squash
Refried beans
Avacado
8oz pineapple juice with glutamine powder

10PM
Soy/hemp/pea protein smoothie (soymilk, protein powder, strawberries, banana, ice cubes)
2 soy yogurts
Vitamin and mineral supplements


General Bodybuilding Nutrition Program

7AM
1 bowl of Hi-Lo Cereal with soymilk
1 Soy Yogurt
1 Banana
All vitamins taking today
24oz water

10AM
Protein or Meal Replacement shake
2 whole pieces of fruit
16oz water

1PM
Mock Meat Meal
Bowl of potatoes, broccoli & carrots
24oz water

4PM
Mixed raw nuts, unsalted (cashews, walnuts, almonds)
Vega bar
16oz water

7PM
Tofu/vegetable stir-fry (variety of veggies)
Spinach, lettuce, cabbage salad w/kidney beans/chickpeas
12oz chocolate soymilk
16oz water

10PM
Protein or Meal Replacement shake
Lentil Soup with crackers or wheat bread
12oz water

By Robert Cheeke
Founder/President
Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness
This is all IMO :)

My understanding and my stance on being vegan has many aspects to it with one living a 'healthy lifestyle' and being the most fit being I can be.

What are some thoughts on being a vegan, living a healthy lifestyle at the same time helping save lives of beautiful animals and aiding in saving the environment and also competing as a bodybuilder? My thoughts are: Why would we someone spend so much time and energy to live so healthy and give their bodies all the vital nutritents it needs then destroy their bodies when it comes time to step onto the stage? If you are familiar with body building you are aware of what takes place the last week and more importantly the last few days come stage time.

To show the world that you can be musclular and ripped without eating tons of chicken and egg whites is a great thing for us fellow vegans, but what about the 'healthy' aspect of it. There is no getting around the fact that when it comes time for competition, vegan body builders are hurting themselves just as much as the ''carnivore' body builders.

This is just a thought process I have had concerning 'true' body building and not lifting weights for recreation.

Thoughts :)

[purrpelle]

barry, do you think that 2-3 weeks of super clean eating before a competition really affects a persons health that much? -not challanging your opinion, just curious.:)

my thought process on it is that I assume we are designed, like other animals, to experience periods of less food (not starvation-mind you) and periods of plenty. I would think that it doesn't matter that much.

[barrylove]

barry, do you think that 2-3 weeks of super clean eating before a competition really affects a persons health that much? -not challanging your opinion, just curious.:)

my thought process on it is that I assume we are designed, like other animals, to experience periods of less food (not starvation-mind you) and periods of plenty. I would think that it doesn't matter that much.

Hi purpelle :)

Super clean eating is a fabulous thing, but we should always take in enough energy/food for our activity levels. I don't think it is ever a good thing to purposely deplete our bodies of vital nutrients at a time when they are most vital.
I truly believe that the final few days before stepping on stage when BB deplete their system of water can have an effect over the long term. This puts a lot of strain on the organs and they are basically using protein sources as energy..and I don't think that is ever a good thing for the body, especially for the BB's that do this several times a year.

As I was typing the above, one thing popped into my head, but I believe I may have answered it for myself :)

Fasting....I have always thought about it. So am I being hypocritical? Don't think so. If I would fast, I would find one that ensures I get all my vital nutritents and my activity level would be very, very low during this time. If I continue the intense training during this time my body will then go into ketosis stage.

IMO - Just looking at how the body works and how it should be treated at all times to live the healthiest we can be. :hamster: