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Is a Vegan Diet Possible for Bodybuilding?
It was once thought that it would be impossible for a vegan to be a successful bodybuilder. This thought is mainly due to the lack of protein that vegans consume on a 100% plant-based diet.
But combining different food sources and better supplementation makes it possible to be a successful vegan bodybuilder.
In this article, I want to discuss vegan bodybuilding and a sample vegan bodybuilding diet that can be followed to build muscle and burn fat.
Disclaimer
Remember that I am not a medical doctor; this information is for educational purposes only. Please consult your medical doctor before starting any new nutrition, fitness, supplement, or health plan.
Examples of Vegan BodyBuilders
So the question, is a vegan bodybuilding possible for bodybuilding? I am here to tell you that it is.
If you are still wondering, “Is a vegan diet possible for bodybuilding” then here are a few famous vegan bodybuilders who successfully follow a 100% plant-based diet.
Men
Torre Washington
Nimai Delgado
Women
Jehina Malik
So this dispels the myth that a vegan diet for bodybuilding is impossible.
Even the great Arnold Schwarzenegger, arguably the most famous bodybuilder of all time, is now switching to a more for health reasons.
Getting Enough Protein?
Since it is a common misconception that you can’t get enough protein on a vegan diet, here’s a list of the most popular protein-packed foods you can enjoy while following a 100% plant-based diet.
- Tofu – 1 cup has 20 grams of protein
- Black Beans- 1 cup has 14 grams of protein
- Lentils- 1 cup has 18 grams of protein
- Quinoa- 1 cup has 9 grams of protein
- Chickpeas- 1 cup has 15 grams of protein
- Nutritional Yeast= 28 grams has about 14 grams of protein
- Hempseed- 28 grams has about 10 grams of protein
- Split Peas- 1 cup has 16 grams of protein
- Sprouted Bread (Ezekiel bread)- 2 slices have 8 grams of protein
- Nuts/Nut Butters- 28 grams has about 7 grams of protein
- Soy Milk- 1 cup has 7 grams of protein
- Vegan Protein Powder 20 grams of protein (Check out our recommended Vegan Protein Powder made by Redcon1 here at My Supplement Store)
Now that we’ve gotten that let’s discuss a typical vegan bodybuilding meal plan. Remember that you will have to adjust the calories for your specific body, giving you a nice baseline to get started.
Sample Vegan Bodybuilding Meal Plan
This meal plan is divided into six meals to ensure you get plenty of protein and nutrients in your body throughout the day.
Meal 1 – Breakfast: Vegan Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 Frozen Banana
- One scoop of vegan protein powder (we recommend PROMIX Vegan Protein)
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup of frozen strawberries
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed powder
Preparation
- Blend until smooth, and enjoy
Meal 2 – Snack: Avocado and Hummus Sandwich
Ingredients
- Two slices of Ezekiel Bread
- 2 tbsp roasted red pepper hummus
- Six thin cucumber slices
- ½ avocado
- ¼ cup baby spinach
- salt/pepper to taste
Preparation
- Toast Ezekiel bread
- Spread avocado on one slice of bread and hummus on the other slice of bread
- Layer with sliced cucumber and spinach
- Add salt and pepper for flavor
Meal 3 – Lunch: Quinoa Bowl with Tofu
Ingredients
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup cooked black beans
- 6 oz firm tofu chopped
- 2 cups romaine lettuce
- ½ cup bell peppers, chopped
- One small tomato, diced
- Lime juice, Salt, and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Enjoy!
Meal 4 – Snack: Fruit and Nuts
Ingredients
- Bowl of Fresh Fruit of choice
- Handful of Almonds
Preparation
- Place in a bowl and enjoy!
Meal 5 – Dinner: Vegan Bodybuilder Chili
This is a great meal that can be made ahead of time in the crock pot. Packed with a ton of protein and lots of vegetables! Delicious!
Ingredients
- One white onion, diced
- One red bell pepper, diced
- One green bell pepper, cut into small dice
- One jalapeno pepper (optional)
- Four cloves of garlic, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Two tablespoons of chili powder
- Two teaspoons of ground cumin
- Two teaspoons of dried oregano
- ½ (6 ounces) can of tomato paste
- 1 (28 ounces) can of diced tomatoes
- 1 ¾ cup of water
- 1 (15.5 ounces) can of black beans
- 1 (15.5 ounces) can of kidney beans
- 1 (15.5 ounces) can of Pinto Beans
Preparation
- Dice all fresh vegetables
- Rinse all canned beans under cold water
- Place all ingredients in the crock pot and mix well
- Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
- Take leftover half of Avocado and place on top, and enjoy
Meal 6 – Snack: Vegan Chocolate Protein Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or Soy Milk
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 1.5 tbsp cacao powder
- One scoop Chocolate Flavor Green Beret Vegan Protein Powder (Check out our recommended Vegan Protein Powder made by Redcon1 here at My Supplement Store)
- 3-5 Stevia drops for sweetness
Preparation
Blend all ingredients and put them in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Enjoy!
Supplements for Vegans
As I discussed earlier in the article, current supplementation makes it much easier for vegans to become successful bodybuilders and live healthy vegan lifestyles.
These are a few supplements that I would recommend for vegans to help build more muscle and have optimal health:
Vitamins and Minerals
Optimum Nutrition Women Formula