in terms of ingredients. Some plant-based nutrition companies
produce their own brand of mixed plant and grain proteins to build
muscle.
An article from Men’s Health states:
“The protein in eggs has the highest biological value—a measure
of how well it supports your body’s protein needs—of any food,
including our beloved beef. Calorie for calorie, you need less
protein from eggs than you do from other sources to achieve the
same muscle-building benefits.”
Again, do your homework via some solid research, as this
process will help you with your unique dietary needs whilst building
muscle. Other options include pea and hemp proteins, which are
also high in proteins, and easy to digest and absorb.
A well-balanced, protein-rich diet is the key for building muscle
mass, but caution should be applied if you are predominately getting your main source of the macros from processed or junk foods,
e.g. noodle, potato chip, and sugary sweets.
Such products are extremely counter-productive to muscle
growth, and in the long term, will cause major health implications
and increase % body fat due to the high simple carb and fat content. There is evidence to suggest that increased body fat hinders
muscle growth via an increase in insulin resistance. Insulin controls
the glucose levels within your body, which is highly anabolic and
needed for muscle growth.
Conversely, if you are eating a lot of leafy salads, stir fries,
fresh fruit, and vegetable-based meals, you will be falling short
with the macronutrients required. To build muscle on a vegetarian
bodybuilding diet, you must add healthy fats or proteins with every
vegetable consumed during each meal.
Try to eat six small meals per day following these simple rules,
and combine your carbs with beans, legumes, chick peas, tempeh,
soya beans, quinoa, brown rice, and tofu to boost the protein
content of the meal.
Also, think about adding beans and lentils, avocados, nuts,
flax seeds, and walnuts as an excellent source of free fatty acids,
and avoid vegetable oils and hydrogenated and hidden trans fats.
Natural peanut butter is also a brilliant source of essential free fatty
acids and an excellent boost to your calorie intake, which again is
the forward for packing on that desired muscle.
Essential free fatty acids help with fast muscle recovery from
high intensity exercise, help with hormone production, increase
metabolism, and support a healthy cardiovascular, immune, and
brain function.
Monitor Your Deficiencies
Macronutrient and vitamin deficiencies have to be monitored, not
only for building muscle, but for general well-being. Add non-heme
iron to your diet by including spinach, kale, and collard, which are
dark leafy green vegetables. Don’t be afraid to mix and match your
food choices by adding dried peas, beans, lentils, artichokes, and
dried fruit, which again are rich in iron. Iron supplementation and
vitamin B-12 is recommended especially for females during the
menstrual cycle (Powers, 2012).
Calcium is required for bone maintenance, and plays a vital
role in muscle contractions. In the short term, low calcium intake
causes muscle cramps, and can hinder performance at the gym
(Wilmore & Costill, 2012). Long term neglect can cause a weak
bone structure and osteoporosis.
It is common knowledge that dairy produce is high in calcium,
so for the lacto-vegetarian, this is not an issue. However, vegans
can consume sufficient calcium from spinach, green collard, kale,
broccoli, and almonds. If you are in doubt that your diet is lacking
in calcium, there are plenty of calcium supplements to choose from
to give it a boost!
Lack of zinc can hinder growth and development across the
body, suppress your appetite, and reduce testosterone levels. A
recommended 40mg of zinc per day boosts testosterone, which is
the hormone required for muscle growth and development. Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, and fortified oatmeal are high
in zinc, so add these foods to your varied vegetarian diet.
RAW Meal
I like RAW Meal because it goes beyond organic by providing
live probiotics and enzymes, as well as food-based vitamins and
minerals. It has 26 superfoods, including 34 grams of protein,
9-15 grams of fiber, and a healthy 2.5 grams of fat, making it an
excellent choice for weight conscious individuals. And of course,
it’s vegan and has no fillers, synthetic nutrients, artificial flavors or
sweeteners, or preservatives.
Need a Vegan or Lacto-Ovo
Vegetarian Bodybuilding Meal
Plan?
Throughout this article, some general guidelines about getting
macros for vegetarian bodybuilding have been discussed. If you
want a more comprehensive vegetarian bodybuilding system to
keep you on track, check out V3 Bodybuilding at
www.vegetarianbodybuilding.com.
For the long-term to build muscle, you will need commitment
and to find a diet that suits your moj