There's a misconception that you need to eat meat to get big. Although many professional athletes don't eat meat, people still believe that meat equals muscle mass. I've been a no-meat athlete for the past twenty years, and I have not found it difficult to effectively build muscle on a plant-based diet.
How I Fuel Myself with Whole Plant Foods
The standard American diet is filled with calorie-dense processed foods, but when you eat whole plant foods, you will find that they are lower in calories per bite of food, and you will need to eat more volume to feel full and satisfied. I eat five bananas (about 100 calories each) as soon as I wake up, and that is before my main breakfast, which is a bowl of oats with fruit and nuts. On my way to the gym, I eat another three bananas for a quick burst of energy to optimize my fuel before a workout. After my workout, I look to starchy vegetables, legumes, and grains for the basis of my hearty, muscle-recovery meals. Some of my favorite choices are yams, beans, lentils, and brown rice. Then I add plenty of other nutrition foods such as leafy greens. (Note that leafy greens alone do not have enough calories to satisfy, so don't build your diet on greens alone.) On days that I exercise, I burn more fuel and thus eat more calories to feed my muscles. My appetite guides my daily nutrition plan.
Whoa! That’s a LOT of bananas 😲 I work out intensely 4-6 days a week, ranging from 30min HIIT to 4+ hours of indurance. I probably don’t get enough calories (sometimes it’s just the logistics of getting to practice right after work) but I have been gaining muscle. I try to drink a protein smoothie after an intense workout but I prefer to get my nutrition from whole, fresh foods if possible so I’d love suggestions of non processed/bottled foods.
The absolute truth about building muscle is the repetition of your workouts. You can get your proteins eating vegan, vegetarian, etc.. No problem. But, like Arnold Schwarzenegger says, building muscle is all about the repetition. People just don't do a very good job of working out. They go too hard for a short period, then not enough over the long haul, or..not at all. When in doubt do a prison workout. That is, workout like an animal and like your life depends on it. When you feel lazy remember, your life depends on being big and strong..
I agree. Plants provide more than enough protein. And the sceince backs that claim.
Source:
nutritionfacts.org/video/do-vegetarians-get-enough-protein/
nutritionfacts.org/video/the-great-protein-fiasco/
We all know it is easy to get protein from plants <3 Does any one of you got any good recipe to share? Me personal have been using this book:
healthierlifestyle.store/musclesonplants
I have found it really helpful by giving me a variety of meals that are delicious and easy to make I also think there is some sale at the moment for the next few days.
One thing I learned in the movie «Cowspiracy» is that all protein is actually coming from nature and plants to begin with. We all hear that “tuna and chicken are needed in order to gain muscles”, but that is simply not correct. Tuna and chicken do have a high density of proteins, but that protein has its source from nature.
I have been a vegetarian all my life, a veggie bodybuilder for 3 of those years and a vegan bodybuilder for 1 year. I have to say, I have built good quality lean muscle in those years of training by progressive overload. I continue to eat lots of carbs, proteins from beans, lentils etc and record all my workouts to ensure I am progressing rather than doing the same thing every week
When you understand how muscle is built, you will realize that animal products are not necessary, and they could actually have an adverse effect on your health. Muscle size only increases when two conditions are present:
First, you stimulate growth by consistently engaging in resistance training that exerts stress on muscle fibers, creating micro-tears in them.
Second, you need to eat enough calories to support muscle repair and growth, a small but vital proportion of which must consist of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Amino acids help us recover from training, and they help damaged muscle tissues repair and grow.
You should watch Game changers on Netflix, it is about visionary scientists and top athletes, a UFC fighter embarks on a quest to find the optimal diet for human performance and health.
The amount of protein that we need is very much exaggerated as a marketing gimmick to make people buy loads of protein powder they do not need. .5-1g per lb of body weight is more than enough and people underestimate how important complex carbs are for building mass and having enough energy
Balance your energy intake. Get adequate plant-based protein. Sources of plant-based protein. Building muscle on a plant-based diet is possible.
Sources of plant-based protein.
Soy products.
Tempeh or tofu.
Wholegrain rice, oats, and quinoa.
Nuts and seeds.
Lentils and beans (especially black beans and kidney beans).
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