VEGETARIAN
BODYBUILDING
CHRIS WILLITTS
Vegetarianbodybuilding.com
ANIMAL-BASED PROTEIN MYTH
AND VEGETARIAN BODYBUILDING MACROS
Plant-based nutrition clearly has long-term health
benefits compared to consuming meat the way
traditional bodybuilders do. Nevertheless, many
bodybuilders hesitate in making this positive lifestyle switch because they have been misinformed,
and old paradigms take a while to shift.
Therefore, I will address the following concerns/
questions:
• Can you build muscle from a whole food plant-based diet?
• What foods should be consumed to gain muscle mass?
• Can Muscle Be Gained via a vegetarian bodybuilding diet?
Most definitely, yes. Consider these four different variations of
vegetarianism:
Lacto-Ovo vegetarians (diary and eggs are permitted)
Lacto-Vegetarians (dairy is permitted)
Ovo-Vegetarians (eggs permitted)
Vegan (no animal products permitted)
These two are technically not vegetarian, but I still consider them
part of the “family”:
Pescatarians (fish is permitted)
Flexitarians (some meat is permitted)
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Natural Muscle Magazine
Each sub-group has its own unique challenges to build muscle
mass. It is important for vegetarian bodybuilders to be aware
of their respective challenges. The main points are to consume
enough calories and protein, and assess any deficiencies in order
to build muscle successfully.
For instance, it’s easier to build more muscle mass from a
lacto-ovo vegetarian bodybuilding meal plan than a vegan one.
Egg protein offers substantial nutritional benefits (dairy, not so
much). Vegan bodybuilders can still build muscular bodies without
question, but they will have the hardest time building size.
Calories
To build muscle mass, you have to consume more calories than
you metabolically burn during and post exercise. The macronutrients within your diet are the main energy providers and the amount
of energy required depends on your exercise regime, exercise
efficiency, gender, genetics, and non-exercise habits.
McArdle (2010) reported that a cohort of male bodybuilders
increased muscle mass and size, and reduced % body fat on a
diet of about 18-23 calories/per pound of body weight per day. The
higher end of the calorie intake was highlighted in highly trained
athletes compared to novice bodybuilders; again, experimenting
with your calorie intake to build muscle is highly recommended,
along with consuming the right macro/calorie ratio.
June/July 2015
A suggestion is to experiment with the a