Gaining muscle on a Vegan diet may seem like a contradiction, however, it absolutely is possible. Here are just a few tips to facilitate muscle growth on a Vegan Diet.
Prioritise sleep. Make sure to get at least 8-10 hours of sleep a night for your body to recover in between workouts.
Increase your daily calorie consumption. I recommend the combination of beans and rice, quinoa or buckwheat as complete protein sources.
Carbohydrates are not to be feared as they give your body the energy it needs to perform and recover. Try swapping rice for quinoa though as a healthier food source.
Nuts make a great snack as they are calorie-dense and highly nutritious. They will keep you full throughout the day.
Use apps like MyfitnessPal to track your daily macronutrient needs. You can also calculate your protein needs with this calculator: Protein Calculator
As a general rule of thumb: you should aim for a surplus of 500+/1000+ over your Basal metabolic rate in order to gain muscle mass.
Your workout should be short and intense in order to prevent muscle catabolism.
Stay hydrated while you workout and stretch afterwards.
Invest in a Vegan Protein Powder. I do not encourage supplementation to be the only source of protein that you consume, I however do not think that a supplementation should be overlooked as additional protein can never hurt in building muscle. Therefore, I recommend plant-based protein powders such as pea, rice, or hemp protein for that additional protein boost throughout the day.
Despite stereotypes, gaining muscle on a Vegan diet is possible. Make sure to eat more, rest well and bare in mind the basics of nutrition in order to get the body that you want. Here are some vegan bodybuilders that I came across on Peta(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)’s website.
I hope I have armed you with enough knowledge to know that you can be ethical towards animals and gain mass at the same time. Best of luck!
Leave a Reply