Are you a vegan interested in building muscle? Do you want to bulk up without eating animal products or using pharmaceuticals? It may seem like an impossible task, but it’s actually very doable.
Here are some tips on how to build muscle on a plant-based diet:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| – Building muscle on a plant-based diet requires a focus on protein intake, which can be obtained through whole foods as well as supplements. |
| – A balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats is essential for overall health and fitness. |
| – Strength training exercises like weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, and resistance band workouts can all be effective for building muscle on a vegan diet. |
| – Athletes and bodybuilders can benefit from incorporating cardio and flexibility exercises into their fitness routines. |
| – Veganism isn’t just about ethics or environmentalism – it can also have a major impact on your fitness and athletic performance. |
Eat Enough Protein
Protein is essential to muscle growth, repair and recovery. It helps you feel fuller for longer, helps keep your weight in check, it’s great for maintaining a healthy weight and getting strong.
So how much do you need? You’re probably thinking “a lot,” right? It’s true that protein is important—but it’s also true that you don’t need as much as you might think.
The recommended daily intake of protein varies by individual depending on their age or activity level (if they don’t exercise regularly), but in general a non-vegan athlete should aim to get around one gram per pound of bodyweight each day from either animal products or plants sources like legumes (beans), nuts and seeds.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian then this number may be higher since there are so many plant sources with lower levels of protein than meat.
If you’re trying to get fit on a vegan diet, it’s essential to get enough protein to support muscle growth. As our article on Veganism and Fitness explains, there are plenty of plant-based sources of protein that can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Track Macros, Not Calories
The first thing to know about building muscle on a vegan diet is that you have to track macros. Macros are short for macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat. Your body needs all three in order to function properly, but they have different roles in the body and different effects on your health.
While calories are simply how many units of energy you’re taking in from food and drink calories from fat, carbohydrates and protein all provide 4 calories per gram—macros measure how much of each you’re consuming relative to one another.
For example, say you wanted your diet to be 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat (this might seem like an odd ratio at first glance but bear with me).
If a typical cupcake has around 260 grams of sugar which contain 100 grams of carbs then your goal would be 400 grams worth of sugar-laden goodness (260g/100g = 2.6 cups). So now your macro tracker will let you know that if I need 400g worth of sugar then I need 400g worth of carbs!
Supplements can be a valuable addition to a vegan fitness regimen, but it’s important to choose the right ones for your needs. Check out our post on The Best Vegan Supplements to learn more about some of the most effective options for enhancing your performance and overall health.
Get Enough Calories
Calories are an important part of any diet, and they’re equally important to both vegans and meat-eaters alike.
Calories are a measure of energy that our bodies need to function properly. They’re measured in kilojoules (kJ) or calories on nutrition labels.
The average person needs to eat about 2,500 calories per day. This varies depending on your size and activity level if you’re smaller than average, you’ll need fewer calories; if you’re bigger or more active than the average person, you’ll need more calories.
To figure out how many grams of protein you should be eating each day, take your weight in kilograms (kg), divide it by 2 and multiply that number by 0.8—the result is the number of grams of protein required each day!
Lift Heavy Weights
To be successful in your weight training program you’ll want to lift heavy weights. But what does “heavy” mean? The answer is different for everyone, but generally speaking it means something that’s challenging for you.
It’s important to avoid lifting weights that are too light or too heavy when starting out on a plant-based diet.
If you’re new to lifting weights and trying a new routine, it can be helpful to find someone who knows what they’re doing and ask them how much weight they think would be appropriate for your current level of fitness.
You may also benefit from hiring a personal trainer who specializes in helping people with plant-based diets build muscle mass.
If possible, try lifting more than one heavy weight at once (e.g., two dumbbells). This will help stimulate more growth hormone production because the body has more work to do when moving two objects instead of one object (this principle also applies when pushing yourself harder during exercise).
Going vegan isn’t just about ethics or environmentalism – it can also have a major impact on your fitness. Our article on 10 Surprising Benefits of a Vegan Fitness Lifestyle explores the ways in which a plant-based diet can help you achieve your athletic goals.
Don’t Overdo Cardio
Cardio is not the only way to get fit. If you’re looking to burn a ton of calories, build muscle and lose fat while having fun, then you should consider lifting weights.
Cardio can be dangerous for your heart health. While studies show that moderate amounts of cardio are good for your heart and overall health, extreme amounts of cardio will negatively impact your heart function and increase inflammation levels in the body.
Cardio is not the best way to burn fat. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories quickly but doesn’t help you build muscle like resistance training does the latter helps increase lean muscle mass which leads to a greater metabolic rate (the amount of energy burned throughout the day).
Cardio can be boring and time consuming! Lifting weights makes it so much easier to achieve fitness goals since it’s a fun activity that takes less time than running on the treadmill or riding an exercise bike at home every day
Supplement With Creatine
Creatine is an essential component of muscle. Creatine exists naturally in meat, fish, and other animal products. That’s why it’s not a vegan supplement. If you want to take creatine, you need to find a vegan source or make your own.
Creatine helps build muscle by supplying energy directly to the muscles (rather than going through the digestive tract). It also has antioxidant properties that help your body recover faster after strenuous exercise.
If you’re concerned about getting enough nutrition to stay fit and active on a vegan diet, you’re not alone. Our post on Vegan Fitness explores some of the best ways to stay healthy and energized while following a plant-based lifestyle.
Get Your Iron Levels Checked
If you’re training hard, it’s important to make sure that your iron levels are adequate. If they’re not, this can lead to anemia, which can have a negative effect on both mental and physical performance.
To ensure that you are getting enough iron in your diet, aim for 5-6 servings of legumes per day (a serving is ½ cup cooked).
Also consider incorporating foods high in Vitamin C as these will aid absorption of iron from plant sources (e.g., sweet potatoes).
If despite eating plenty of whole grains, vegetables and fruits and taking a multivitamin or supplementing with vitamin C it’s still proving difficult to maintain healthy levels of iron then it would be wise to visit your doctor who may recommend an iron supplement or prescribe medication such as ferrous sulfate which promotes absorption of dietary sources of the mineral.
Recommended Daily Allowance
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 0-6 months | 0.27 mg | 0.27 mg |
| 7-12 months | 11 mg | 11 mg |
| 1-3 years | 7 mg | 7 mg |
| 4-8 years | 10 mg | 10 mg |
| 9-13 years | 8 mg | 8 mg |
| 14-18 years | 11 mg | 15 mg |
| 19-50 years | 8 mg | 18 mg |
| 51+ years | 8 mg | 8 mg |
Iron-Rich Foods
| Food | Serving Size | Iron (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach | 1 cup | 6.4 |
| Lentils | 1 cup | 6.6 |
| Tofu | 1/2 cup | 3.4 |
| White Beans | 1 cup | 5.8 |
| Pumpkin Seeds | 1 oz | 4.2 |
If you’re training hard, it’s important to make sure that your iron levels are adequate to maintain peak performance. The table above shows the recommended daily allowance of iron by age and gender, as well as some of the best plant-based sources of iron.
Incorporating foods like spinach, lentils, and tofu into your daily diet is an excellent way to ensure you’re getting enough iron. Regular blood tests can help you monitor your iron levels and catch any potential deficiencies early.
Focus on Performance, Not Aesthetics
Another important tip is to focus on performance, not aesthetics. When you’re at the gym or working out, your goal should be to improve your fitness levels and strength, not to look like a fitness model.
In other words: don’t worry about what other people are doing in the weight room—you’re there for yourself! You’re trying to get better at something that matters to YOU.
It’s easy for us as human beings to compare ourselves with others, but this is a recipe for failure when it comes to building muscle on a plant-based diet because we’ll always find someone who looks better than us (even if they’re actually weaker).
Focus instead on how far you’ve come so far, and try things that challenge your body rather than make it look like someone else’s body type.
Finding the right workout routine can be a challenge, but it’s even more difficult when you’re following a vegan diet. Our post on The Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Workouts is a great resource for anyone looking to stay fit and healthy while maintaining their commitment to a plant-based lifestyle.
Eat Enough Healthy Fats
You should eat a lot of healthy fats. The fat in plants is far better for you than the saturated animal fat that’s found in meat and dairy products. You should aim to get most of your daily fat intake from plant-based sources like avocados, nuts and seeds.
To make sure that you’re getting enough omega 3s, which are essential for maintaining a healthy heart and brain (and therefore an ideal body), try to eat two servings per day of plant-based foods high in omega 3s.
Common examples include walnuts and chia seeds, but other good sources include flaxseed oil or hemp oil – both can be added to smoothies or salads as dressing!
Calculating how much total fat intake is required on a vegan diet isn’t difficult but it does require some basic calculations so that you’re not consuming too much energy when following this guideline as well!
Plant-Based Sources
| Food | Serving Size | Total Fat (g) | Saturated Fat (g) | Unsaturated Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avocado | 1 medium | 23 | 3.1 | 19 |
| Almonds | 1/4 cup | 14 | 1 | 13 |
| Chia Seeds | 1 oz | 9 | .9 | 7.6 |
| Flax Seeds | 1 oz | 12 | 1 | 9 |
| Walnuts | 1/4 cup | 20 | 2.2 | 17 |
You should eat a lot of healthy fats to maintain a balanced diet. Plant-based sources are far better for you than the saturated animal fat that’s found in meat and dairy products.
The table above shows some of the best plant-based sources of healthy fats, including their serving sizes, total fat, saturated fat, and unsaturated fat contents. Incorporating foods like avocados, nuts, and seeds into your daily diet is an excellent way to ensure you’re getting enough healthy fats.
Include Carbs Within Two Hours of a Workout
Carbs are the best source of energy for your body. When you exercise and then eat, the carbs in your post-workout meal should be within two hours of your workout.
Why? Carbs help muscles recover from exercise, as well as improve muscle strength and endurance.
There are several different types of carbs: complex carbohydrates (like whole grains or beans), simple carbohydrates (like white bread) and sugary foods like candy.
You want to make sure that you’re eating these types of carbs before and after workouts because they’ll help put on size while also providing energy for working out!
During an intense workout session, try eating a protein shake with some fruit or veggies added in there as well—this will give you more nutrition than just eating plain oatmeal right after exercising!
Try an All-in-One Plant-Based Supplement
Supplement use can be a great way to get more nutrients into your body. When it comes to plant-based supplements, there are many different options with varying degrees of effectiveness and quality.
One thing to keep in mind is that many supplements are made using animal products and some do come with the risk of contamination by heavy metals or other toxins.
There are also some important things to look out for when choosing a supplement:
Read the label before you buy! Make sure that the ingredients are plant-based (or at least as close as possible). Avoid any product that contains gelatin or other animal byproducts.
Read reviews online or talk with people who have used the product before making a decision on which one may be best suited for you.
Consider checking with your doctor first if there are any health issues you have or currently taking medication for.
Be sure to take the supplement properly as directed on its packaging and follow up closely with your doctor if any side effects occur.
Take supplements with food so they’re less likely to cause stomach upset.
Consider adding in additional vitamin D3 if needed (but make sure this doesn’t exceed 10 mcg/day).
All-in-One Plant-Based Supplements
| Supplement | Price | Nutrients Included | Serving Size | Packaging |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vega All-In-One Nutritional Shake | $39.99 | Protein, Fiber, Omega-3s, Greens, Vitamins & Minerals | 20 Servings | Tub |
| Garden of Life Organic Meal Replacement | $49.99 | Protein, Greens, Vitamins & Minerals | 20 Servings | Tub |
| Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder | $21.99 | Greens, Vitamins & Minerals | 30 Servings | Canister |
| Peak Performance Raw Organic Superfood | $25.95 | Greens, Vitamins & Minerals, Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes | 60 Servings | Bag |
| Ora Organic Protein Powder | $34.99 | Protein, Greens, Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes | 20 Servings | Tub |
Supplement use can be a great way to get more nutrients into your body. When it comes to plant-based supplements, finding the right all-in-one supplement can be a convenient way to ensure you’re getting the necessary nutrients.
The table above compares some of the popular all-in-one plant-based supplements available on the market today, including their price, nutrients included, serving size, and packaging.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we hope this guide has been helpful in learning how to build muscle on a plant-based diet.
The key is to make sure that you’re eating enough protein and calories overall, lifting heavy weights and getting regular exercise, taking creatine supplements if necessary (depending on your goals), and checking your iron levels.
Finally, don’t forget about carbs!
Further Reading
For more information on building muscle on a plant-based diet, check out the following resources:
No Meat Athlete: This article offers practical tips and advice for vegans who want to build muscle, including workout ideas and meal plans.
Plant Nutrition & Wellness: This paid course teaches the science behind building muscle on a plant-based diet and offers personalized coaching to help students achieve their fitness goals.
StrengthLog: This post provides a comprehensive overview of how vegan athletes and bodybuilders can optimize their diets and workouts to build muscle effectively.
FAQs
How can I get enough protein on a plant-based diet?
There are many plant-based sources of protein, including tofu, lentils, beans, nuts, and seeds. You can also use protein powder or supplements if you’re struggling to meet your protein needs through food alone.
Can you build muscle on a vegan diet?
Yes, it’s entirely possible to build muscle on a plant-based diet. With the right combination of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, vegan athletes and bodybuilders can achieve impressive results.
What are some good workouts for building muscle on a vegan diet?
Strength training exercises like weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, and resistance band workouts can all be effective for building muscle on a vegan diet. Incorporating cardio and flexibility exercises can also help support overall fitness and health.
What foods should I eat to build muscle on a vegan diet?
Foods high in protein, such as tofu, lentils, quinoa, and legumes, are important for building muscle on a vegan diet. It’s also important to eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats for optimal health.
Do I need to take supplements to build muscle on a vegan diet?
Supplements can be a helpful addition to a plant-based athlete’s regimen, but they are not always necessary. Many vegan bodybuilders and athletes find that they can meet their nutritional needs through whole foods alone.
Hi! My name is Hellen James, and I’m a vegan lifestyle enthusiast. I’ve been living the vegan lifestyle for over 10 years now, and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The food is amazing, the community is incredible, and there’s no way I could go back after experiencing all this firsthand.
