Any vegetarian here?

garciasaul2649

Hello, I’m starting to lose weight and I’m also weight lifting to maintain some muscle, I find very hard to fill my daily protein intake. I’m not a vegetarian but I’ve been considering becoming one of them... any advice? Do you think it will be harder to maintain muscle or build it?

janejellyroll

Some vegetarians do find it more difficult to meet their protein goals, but there are many vegetarians and vegans who are successfully getting enough protein -- including some who do weight lifting. A vegetarian that is getting sufficient protein should have no problems maintaining or even building muscle.

I'm a vegan runner who does some resistance training -- most of my protein comes from beans, tofu, tempeh, and seitan. This is supplemented with the protein from vegetables and grains. I also sometimes use a hemp, rice, or pea protein powder for shakes, baking, or as an ingredient in veggie burgers.

lynn_glenmont

If being a vegetarian makes it harder for you to get enough protein, it will make it hard it harder to maintain or build muscle.

Vegetarian sources of protein include legumes (beans, peas, lentils) and legume-based products (tofu, soy milk and other soy-based imitations of dairy products), seitan, veggie "meat" substitutes, and protein powder. Grains, seeds, nuts, and some veggies can also contribute smaller amounts.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians can also get protein from eggs and dairy products.


Also, this is not really a debate topic. You may want to ask the mods to move it to a more appropriate board (e.g., general diet and weight loss) where you might get more responses. (You can do that by clicking on flag under your OP, then report, and saying that it's your thread and you would like it moved.)