You may have heard about how difficult it is for Vegans to put on muscle, like any diet, Vegans require a certain amount of discipline and patience when it comes to putting on muscle. The basics of nutrition like calorie intake and eating whole-foods should always be followed, regardless of whether you are consuming animal-products or not.

As a Vegan, you can eat an abundance of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and grains and feel energetic and strong while you work out if you plan properly.

Planning a Vegan diet is not as hard as you may think, it requires you to adjust your meals, find recipes and work out in a way that makes your body more strong and muscular. Thus, I share with you tips on how to optimize your life in order to reap the benefits of not consuming dairy, meat and eggs .

Think about how Vegans are shaping the world with their decision to not eat animals, and the lives of cows, chickens and pigs spared for you to exist. Think about your health and how you are preventing types of cancer and diabetes by making a commitment to your own health and the lives of animals. Finally, just imagine yourself being fitter and more muscular while reaping the benefits of following a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

For women and men interested in lifting weights while following a plant-based diet, I present to you four tips for your success in fitness and health.

1. Supplement with Plant-Based Protein Powders. Always opt to consume a healthy balance of protein, carbs and fats. If your goal is to develop your back muscles or to have shapely glutes and hamstrings, then you will have to consume some protein. Protein exists in powder form, and many health stores have a variety of plant-based protein bars and powders.

2. Add at least one of these to your meals: Tofu/Tempeh/Vegan-meat/Chickpeas/Lentils/Quinoa. These are your best friends, plan your meals in advance by trying to incorporate at least one of these whole food sources in your diet. For instance, you could try making a tofu stir-fry. You can also find alternatives to dairy/meat at your health food stores and try experimenting with them.

3. Rest well. I  cannot highlight the importance of proper nutrition and rest enough when it comes to being and looking as fit as humanly possible. Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep a night.

4. Exercise smart. Find a program and stick to it. Be consistent with your work-outs, and follow the basics of progressive overload. 

Do not be afraid of getting stronger. If your aim is  to look like Lara Croft in Tomb Raider or Wonder Woman, then you have to start thinking and training like her.

As a Vegan, you have to train in a way where your hard muscles that you work for at the gym are not being sacrificed for long stretches of cardio or weight lifting sessions. Focus instead on contracting the muscles as you train and aim to be efficient  by resting less in between sets.

Remember: Life as a vegan can be fun. You get to eat delicious hummus, vegetables, drink hemp-protein shakes, squat and eat stir-fries. The benefits of looking like a bad-ass surely outweigh being lazy and unhappy with your body and mind.