Vegan over 40 - Potential new female bodybuilder needs help

lfdlfd
lfdlfd Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi. My fitness history is running but a recent turn in my daughters health means I need to spend most of my day at home. I have dumbbells and can find workouts but talk to me about nutrition or point me in the right direction for knowing how to get the right breakdown of food types and how to calculate the amount per day etc. If I dont run I know the weight will pile on. I want to get that toned athletic physique! Go!

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I've found veganhealth.org to be a great resource for nutritional information. Humans can thrive on a wide range of macronutrient goals and we vegans are no exception. You'll want to ensure you're getting sufficient protein and fat, but if you're doing that you can be flexible and get your macros in the way that is most satisfying for you. I'm usually at 50-60% carbohydrates, 20-30% fat, and 15-20% protein. It can vary by the week and where I'm at in training (I'm a runner). Vegans can be high protein, low carbohydrate, high fat, low fat, high carbohydrate -- you'll find every type of vegan and usually thriving (again, this is assuming they're meeting their needs for protein and fat -- going below that can lead to lack of energy or even health problems).

    For your weight management, the number of calories you eat is the most important thing. If you haven't already, I suggest getting a calorie goal from MFP and logging consistently to meet that goal.
  • lfdlfd
    lfdlfd Posts: 6 Member
    Thankyou. A lot to get my head around. But I'll try my best. Love running.what is your next event?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    lfdlfd wrote: »
    Thankyou. A lot to get my head around. But I'll try my best. Love running.what is your next event?

    I'm doing two races this weekend (a 4 mile and a 10 mile), but my next big event is a half marathon in July.

    My goal for next year is to run three marathons -- I'll be turning 40 and I think that sounds like a good way to celebrate. So this year I'm getting ready for next year!
  • lfdlfd
    lfdlfd Posts: 6 Member
    If there's anything I can offer by means of advice for distance running, let me know. That's not meant to sound patronising ..but having read over it..
  • elothen
    elothen Posts: 155 Member
    Now, I'm not a vegan but find Soy milk to be far preferable to cow milk and they've got a high protein version (10g in 3/4 cup). It's a little spendy but everything else about it is right and if you want to tone you'll need a fair amount of protein. I also find unsalted, plain, boring almonds to be great. At first I really didn't care for them but they grow on you. Prior to that I was into cashews but I was too tempted to binge eat them! Being vegan you might have a little more sodium budget available though so if salted is the only way I'm sure that's fine too. Just try a small thing of unsalted, you might be surprised by the end.

    Good luck!

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