Gaining muscle for a vegetarian??

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torigeraldson
torigeraldson Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys! So here's the thing, I'm a vegetarian trying to loose fat (5lbs ish) and gain muscle which I know would increase my total weight. But i am having the hardest time! I tried increasing my calorie and protein intake but then i ended up only gaining fat. I realize I probably do not get enough protein but it's hard! I do not have a gym membership but I work out to BodyRock.tv workouts which use the body and weights. Is there anything I can do loose fat and gain muscle while still sticking to my calorie goal of 1500?? Are my workouts are whats stopping me? I really haven't lost any weight or gained any muscle in about 4 months of dieting and working out. It is so frustrating. Any advice would be great if someone has had a similar problem!

Replies

  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
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    What kind of vegetarian (vegan, lacto, lacto-ovo, etc.)?
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
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    feel free to check out my diary for ideas, im vegan, and i do just some smaller weights, 3-4 times a week. maybe switch it up some. i love zumba, and i do the zumba wii 2, now im doing some of the dvds switching it up and for 3 days in a row im sore as can be. maybe your body is getting to used to your routine.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
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    Well you can't lose fat & gain muscle at the same time except when you're morbidly obese or new to weight lifting. In your case being just 5 lbs. of body fat, you can just focus on building muscle by eating on a surplus while still does heavy weight lifting & HIIT to minimize fat gains & then once you're happy with the muscle gain then its time to cut.

    Unless you're a vegan, you can incorporate dairy products or fish into your diet. If you're a vegan, the best option to up your protein is to invest in a casein protein shake that you can mix up with your fruit smoothies & also take supplements.
  • michellezzz
    michellezzz Posts: 7
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    i am vegetarian, don't eat a lot of animal products at all, joined MFP for fitness more than weight loss, and i have done a ton of research about this stuff. i don't wanna flood the forum with replies but if you wanna add me as a friend i'd love to talk to you about some stuff you can do. for starters, you need to find out what your healthiest weight is and get there before you will see any progress with any workouts. the closer you get to your ideal BMI, the more defined your muscles will be. and adding extra calories to your diet and extra protein is probably what is holding you back. you should only add extra calories or protein if you've worked out enough that your food diary after entering exercise shows a deficit. getting the right amount of vitamins is super important, there are vitamins that your body needs to break down certain types of fats and proteins that if you're not getting every day, essentially make everything you eat an empty calorie. that is my best assessment of why you're not making progress. good luck with everything and let me know if you wanna discuss diet any more with me! :)
  • redcat17
    redcat17 Posts: 267 Member
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    Well you can't lose fat & gain muscle at the same time except when you're morbidly obese or new to weight lifting. In your case being just 5 lbs. of body fat, you can just focus on building muscle by eating on a surplus while still does heavy weight lifting & HIIT to minimize fat gains & then once you're happy with the muscle gain then its time to cut.

    Unless you're a vegan, you can incorporate dairy products or fish into your diet. If you're a vegan, the best option to up your protein is to invest in a casein protein shake that you can mix up with your fruit smoothies & also take supplements.

    It is true that you cannot lose weight and gain any large amount of muscle at the same time. So while its a good idea to weight train while losing so that you maintain more LBM, its either bulk or cut.

    Casein is not vegan by the way. It is a milk product.

    I eat a plant-based diet, get plenty of protein, and I lift pretty heavy. Feel free to check out my diary if you like.
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
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    was just going to write casein isnt vegan.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,723 Member
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    If you intention is to gain muscle, then in surplus you'll gain some fat along with it. That's why many "bulk" then "cut". Bulk to build up and add muscle, then cut to reveal it.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • michellezzz
    michellezzz Posts: 7
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    go read about the effects of too much protein in your system, and then tell me bulking is a good idea.
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
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    All I will say is good luck. You are going to have to rely heavily on supplements or have a very hard time getting good macro ratios on a vegetarian diet without fish or dairy. 0.7-1g/lb bodyweight protein is the max needed.

    Yes there are I'll effects of too much protein but that is of concern only to people with renal impairment or those who follow absurd bodybuilder beliefs of getting 2+g/lb bodyweight protein/day
  • delikium
    delikium Posts: 196 Member
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    if you need to protein, have a look at spirulina

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