Meatless and muscles

Acg67

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?page=bios

now_or_never13

If you're just going for definition, it depends on your natural body composition. Are you naturally muscular? Then yes, you should be able to get defined eating little protein. But if you aren't muscular you are going to need to eat protein and calorie surplus to gain muscle.

I am a vegetarian but I have a very high lean body weight and am naturally muscular. I do eat about 100 grams of protein/day to retain the muscle I have while trying to lose fat.

Thank you so much to everyone for all of your kind responses. The reason I am trying to change my diet is because when I eat chicken, I feel sleepy and a bit flu-like. I started not eating any meat a few days and was loaded with energy, so I just thought I should eat to make me feel good. I don't like the way chicken makes me feel. I am not a beef eater anyway, just bc I don't really like it. I am still reading everyone's responses, but got to this one and had to comment. I AM naturally muscular, I have a lot of lean muscle mass to the point my former personal trainer said he had never seen anyone like me before. So I want to know what YOU (this poster here) eats (protein wise) to get your 100g of protein. This sounds ideal.

Also I watched a show by Dr. Joel Furhman talking about the ideal diet for health being all fruits and veggies with seeds. He said chicken and eggs are on the very bottom of the list (equiviant in heatlh to white bread). . .I don't know, but it has me thinking. He said beef is a definite no-no (negative on the scale). When I cleanse, I feel sooo good. When I eat just fruits and veggies, I feel happy and energetic. Something is up with me or with this. I am just aiming for that feeling. It's a good one.

P.S. I do eat meat which is humanely raised, and without hormones thinking that would make a difference but it doesn't. Why is meat making me want to take a nap?

I wouldn't listen to that guy. Chicken and eggs are equivalent in health to white bread? Not a chance. Chicken is a great lean protein and eggs are a great source of protein and nutrients as well. Beef is something you shouldn't consume? Beef can be part of a healthy diet. Dr. Furhman sounds like a complete idiot and a joke to me. You might want to look for other sources to get nutrition advice. Chicken, eggs, beef, pork, etc etc can all be part of a healthy diet.

Cleansing is more mental than anything. Your body doesn't need to be cleansed and you really aren't doing anything but cutting out nutrients by cleansing.

laurynwithawhy

If you're just going for definition, it depends on your natural body composition. Are you naturally muscular? Then yes, you should be able to get defined eating little protein. But if you aren't muscular you are going to need to eat protein and calorie surplus to gain muscle.

I am a vegetarian but I have a very high lean body weight and am naturally muscular. I do eat about 100 grams of protein/day to retain the muscle I have while trying to lose fat.

Thank you so much to everyone for all of your kind responses. The reason I am trying to change my diet is because when I eat chicken, I feel sleepy and a bit flu-like. I started not eating any meat a few days and was loaded with energy, so I just thought I should eat to make me feel good. I don't like the way chicken makes me feel. I am not a beef eater anyway, just bc I don't really like it. I am still reading everyone's responses, but got to this one and had to comment. I AM naturally muscular, I have a lot of lean muscle mass to the point my former personal trainer said he had never seen anyone like me before. So I want to know what YOU (this poster here) eats (protein wise) to get your 100g of protein. This sounds ideal.

Also I watched a show by Dr. Joel Furhman talking about the ideal diet for health being all fruits and veggies with seeds. He said chicken and eggs are on the very bottom of the list (equiviant in heatlh to white bread). . .I don't know, but it has me thinking. He said beef is a definite no-no (negative on the scale). When I cleanse, I feel sooo good. When I eat just fruits and veggies, I feel happy and energetic. Something is up with me or with this. I am just aiming for that feeling. It's a good one.

P.S. I do eat meat which is humanely raised, and without hormones thinking that would make a difference but it doesn't. Why is meat making me want to take a nap?

I'm not sure but I think most meat is high in tryptophan, which makes people sleepy.

I should clarify that I am a pescatarian, so I sometimes eat fish and that helps a ton with protein intake. But I do try to eat strictly vegetarian most days and still reach my protein goal.

Breakfast is usually egg whites. I buy eggs in bulk and will eat 3-5 whites at a time. It's high in protein and low in calories. I also make stews and soups with lots of beans (Lentils are the best, so high in protein it's crazy). I also make dishes like stirfry with tofu or tempeh. These are both soy products that are high in protein. And if you are willing you can eat fish or chicken to boost your protein too. I usually snack on hard boiled egg whites, greek yogurt, or cheese. You can also drink skim milk or soymilk for additional protein. I do have protein shakes too, usually after I work out. Depending on the protein powder you use, one shake could be half of a days worth of protein.

At first it can be tough but once you make protein your dietary priority it becomes automatic and easy.

ETA: You can add me if you like to get an idea of my food diary.

CorvusCorax77

No, it is a waste of time for vegetarians to lift. It is also impossible for vegetarians to get a decent amount of protein without shakes,

I almost went ape *kitten* on this, then I saw it was sarah ! You GOT me!

Yes, Vegetarians can hit those macros. I use protein shakes, tempeh, tofu, cliff builder bars, eggs, cheese, sprouted tofu, etc. to hit those macros....

I also think that the guy who said that it's only about bf% was a little off. I was super skinny a year ago and didn't look at all how I want to look. I want more muscle definition.

This picture explains what I"m trying to say:

CorvusCorax77

Of course you can. Look at vegan and vegetarian body builders for inspiration. My lifting partner is vegetarian and she SMASHES it in the weight room every time.

I would suggest the usual gram of protein per lb of LBM. It takes a little bit more planning. But as you're not actually vegetarian and are willing to eat things like chicken, eggs, etc, it should be pretty smooth going. A quality protein powder can fill in the gaps.

:smooched:

Wade406

No, it is a waste of time for vegetarians to lift. It is also impossible for vegetarians to get a decent amount of protein without shakes,

I'd swear you were joking but the lack of any winky face at the end of your comment gives me pause.

I completely disagree with the assessment of meat being unhealthy (see the latest studies from the UK involving the tracking of meat eaters, processed meat eaters, and vegetarians). Processed meat eaters were the only group showing elevated risks for cancers and heart disease. Previous studies comparing meat eaters (non processed) to vegetarians neglected to factor in lifestyle. Meat eaters in general tend to live less healthier lifestyles than their vegetarian counterparts.

Anyways.... vegetarians can most definitely build serious muscle. It's easier if you still consume diary however as whey protein is the most bio-available protein there is. This just means your body is able to better utilize whey protein for muscle building than other proteins, particularly plant proteins.

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/proteins/incomplete-vs-complete-proteins.html

RE your comment about lifestyle... do research on the Adventist Study done at Loma Linda University in CA. You will find that this cohort study took people who had very similar lifestyles, they weren't smokers, didn't drink alcohol, and were generally active, happy people, and separated them by their diet. The closer they were to Vegan, the less chronic disease and the lower average BMI for the group. Vegans were the leanest and healthiest of the subgroups in the study.

Wade406

To the OP question: Where do vegetarians get their protein?

I eat whole foods, plant-based. I do not eat meat, eggs, cheese or dairy, and I do not add oil to my food, and I avoid processed foods as much as I possibly can.

I get my protein primarily from legumes, I eat them once per day minimum, usually twice. Alternatively, I get protein from potatoes, rice, wheat, oats. But really, all vegetables have some protein in them. Plants provide all the protein you need. The more important factor in a "muscular build" is resistance training. Otherwise, you could just take a protein pill and have huge muscles. It doesn't work that way. Vegetarians lift weights too!

Flixie00

I lift but don't eat meat, poultry or seafood, but I do eat fish. I have no problems getting enough protein, but I do use protein powders.

bluefox9er

The thought of a meatless existence makes me shudder! But if you insist . . .

In the same way the thought of eating meat makes many others shudder. But you insisted..

Sunny____

To the OP question: Where do vegetarians get their protein?

I eat whole foods, plant-based. I do not eat meat, eggs, cheese or dairy, and I do not add oil to my food, and I avoid processed foods as much as I possibly can.

I get my protein primarily from legumes, I eat them once per day minimum, usually twice. Alternatively, I get protein from potatoes, rice, wheat, oats. But really, all vegetables have some protein in them. Plants provide all the protein you need. The more important factor in a "muscular build" is resistance training. Otherwise, you could just take a protein pill and have huge muscles. It doesn't work that way. Vegetarians lift weights too!

Thanks for the response. So how many grams of protein do you consume a day or do you keep count?

Sunny____

I just discovered legumes are very high protein. Some have 68 g of protein in a cup. That is so much, bc a chicken breast only has 17g. So I assume all proteins are created equal? With the exception to the "crap protein found in some protein bars". I believe they will mix up hooves and gross things and count it as protein (It IS still protein, but a gross kind). Not all fats are the same (some are good, some are bad). The good ones do good things for our body. So how about proteins. . .they are basically the same or no?

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php

smsisfat

quinoa is an excellent source of protein - it has all the amino acids naturally in it - so it is a complete protein, so are eggs.

you want to look into food combinations to get the proper type of amino acids to keep your body healthy - such as beans and rice - together they give your body the complete amino acids you need to build muscle. but try for wild rice, not that nasty white rice.

also, chia, hemp, and pumpkin seeds are all excellent for you - and easy to add to your foods, especially to salads, smoothies etc.

a great smoothie recipe is:

1/2 cup plain coconut yogurt (not non-fat)
1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
6 frozen dark cherries
1/2 banana
1-2 tbl chia seeds

it's delicious and good for you too

GoTeamMeaghan

I just discovered legumes are very high protein. Some have 68 g of protein in a cup. That is so much, bc a chicken breast only has 17g. So I assume all proteins are created equal? With the exception to the "crap protein found in some protein bars". I believe they will mix up hooves and gross things and count it as protein (It IS still protein, but a gross kind). Not all fats are the same (some are good, some are bad). The good ones do good things for our body. So how about proteins. . .they are basically the same or no?

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php

That's probably per dry cup which would make probably 3 cups of beans. As far as "hooves & gross things" they have to label the ingredients in any food product...if you get one that says "no animal products", then it tends to contain no animal products.

CoachReddy

I just discovered legumes are very high protein. Some have 68 g of protein in a cup. That is so much, bc a chicken breast only has 17g. So I assume all proteins are created equal? With the exception to the "crap protein found in some protein bars". I believe they will mix up hooves and gross things and count it as protein (It IS still protein, but a gross kind). Not all fats are the same (some are good, some are bad). The good ones do good things for our body. So how about proteins. . .they are basically the same or no?

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php

all proteins are NOT created equal. different proteins are made up of different amino acids. for you to get all the essential amino acids your body needs through a vegetarian diet you need to get protein from a variety of sources OR from hemp/quinoa (as both those two things are the only veg foods that are complete proteins with all the essential amino acids)

as for the beans... good luck eating 3 cups of beans in a day. that'll be rough on your digestive tract and your roommates/significant other. beans are great, but they also are high carb, so if you're getting 68g of protein you're getting probably about 150g of carb.

Sunny____

quinoa is an excellent source of protein - it has all the amino acids naturally in it - so it is a complete protein, so are eggs.

you want to look into food combinations to get the proper type of amino acids to keep your body healthy - such as beans and rice - together they give your body the complete amino acids you need to build muscle. but try for wild rice, not that nasty white rice.

also, chia, hemp, and pumpkin seeds are all excellent for you - and easy to add to your foods, especially to salads, smoothies etc.

a great smoothie recipe is:

1/2 cup plain coconut yogurt (not non-fat)
1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
6 frozen dark cherries
1/2 banana
1-2 tbl chia seeds

it's delicious and good for you too

Thanks! This is super helpful!

Sunny____

I just discovered legumes are very high protein. Some have 68 g of protein in a cup. That is so much, bc a chicken breast only has 17g. So I assume all proteins are created equal? With the exception to the "crap protein found in some protein bars". I believe they will mix up hooves and gross things and count it as protein (It IS still protein, but a gross kind). Not all fats are the same (some are good, some are bad). The good ones do good things for our body. So how about proteins. . .they are basically the same or no?

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php

That's probably per dry cup which would make probably 3 cups of beans. As far as "hooves & gross things" they have to label the ingredients in any food product...if you get one that says "no animal products", then it tends to contain no animal products.

I didn't know that about the label. Thanks for the info.

Sunny____

I just discovered legumes are very high protein. Some have 68 g of protein in a cup. That is so much, bc a chicken breast only has 17g. So I assume all proteins are created equal? With the exception to the "crap protein found in some protein bars". I believe they will mix up hooves and gross things and count it as protein (It IS still protein, but a gross kind). Not all fats are the same (some are good, some are bad). The good ones do good things for our body. So how about proteins. . .they are basically the same or no?

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php

all proteins are NOT created equal. different proteins are made up of different amino acids. for you to get all the essential amino acids your body needs through a vegetarian diet you need to get protein from a variety of sources OR from hemp/quinoa (as both those two things are the only veg foods that are complete proteins with all the essential amino acids)

as for the beans... good luck eating 3 cups of beans in a day. that'll be rough on your digestive tract and your roommates/significant other. beans are great, but they also are high carb, so if you're getting 68g of protein you're getting probably about 150g of carb.

LOL, on the beans. Definitely don't need that many carbs. Thanks for the info on amino acids. I also didn't know that. I am learning so much here, I am very glad I made this post. I have discovered i have a lot to learn. Thanks.

Sunny____

I read an article on clean eating by Tosca Reno who said she buys bone and puts it in her vegetable soup with a bit of apple cider to make a broth. The vinegar pulls the protein from the bone so she gets protein without eating the meat. The bones she uses are carefully selected to be only from animals which were not fed hormones, etc.

mandi_spicer

There are plenty of plant sources for protein! Looks like a lot of people are pointing you in the right direction. There are many amazing documentaries out there about vegetarian diets or healthy eating in general.

http://firstwefeast.com/eat/20-must-see-food-documentaries-you-can-watch-right-now/s/hungry-for-change-2012/

Graelwyn75

I was vegetarian then pescetarian for 10 and 14 years respectively. But once I started lifting and recently, I found myself craving meat badly after working out, so I now do have lean chicken a few times a week. I do feel worried, given the studies done recently, showing vegetarians live longer than meat eaters, even when both share other lifestyle factors, but currently I seem to need the meat. Both my brother and mother were vegetarian and experienced the same thing before I did.

aprmay

Bump