What vegan bodybuilder diets are really like

What vegan bodybuilder diets are really like

Vegan bodybuilding. No, not an oxymoron. On the surface, it may be hard to believe that bodybuilding – a sport characterized by extreme muscle definition – can coexist with a plant-based regimen. But vegan bodybuilders can build muscle and increase strength just as well as (and some argue better than) their carnivorous, egg-munching, whey-mixing omnivore competitors. (See More: A Beginner's Guide to Bodybuilding)

FYI, there are a few different categories of bodybuilding - bikini, figure, physique and bodybuilding - that emphasize muscle size to varying degrees. Overall, bodybuilding requires competitors to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Bodybuilders achieve this through a combination of strength training and nutrition so that they strut across the stage on competition day with very little body fat.

Is it really possible to gain mass and lose weight on a plant-based diet? "Yes. It's 100 percent possible," says Anthony Balduzzi NMD, founder of the Fit Father Project and the Fit Mother Project. “But just like smart vegan nutrition and competitive bodybuilding, it requires proactive meal planning and nutritional strategies,” he adds.

Here, nutrition experts and two professional vegan bodybuilders share their top tips for bodybuilding as a vegan. Ready?

First: Bodybuilding Nutrition 101

If vegan bodybuilding sounds like something you might want to try, then you first need to understand some food and nutrition bodybuilding “rules” that apply to everyone.

Most bodybuilders – meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike – divide their season into two phases: a bulking season and a cutting season. In the building phase, the athlete eats a high-calorie and protein-rich diet and trains intensively to build up as much muscle mass as possible. During the weight loss phase, athletes then aim to reduce their overall body fat, usually by gradually reducing calorie and fat intake.

Both phases require the right amount of calories and the right balance of the three most important macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. “Our bodies need the right amount of calories and fuel in the form of proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats to recover, get stronger and lose weight,” says Balduzzi. (How to Calculate Macros Like a Pro.)

The amount of calories and macronutrient breakdown will be different for each person. Most athletes work with a nutritionist or coach to help them figure out their calorie and macronutrient needs at every stage of preparation, says vegan bodybuilder Natalie Matthews, IFBB Bikini Pro and founder of Fit Vegan Chef. However, there are a few calorie and macronutrient basics that might be helpful. (More on that later.)

Find out how many calories you need

While counting calories is a controversial topic that some (including nutritionists!) argue is better avoided, counting calories is an important part of the bodybuilding diet. “When you're trying to build muscle mass, your body needs fuel to build and enlarge our muscle fibers,” explains Balduzzi. Similarly, reducing the number of calories you eat can lead to fat loss, which can actually make you look more muscular and "sleek" — even if you don't necessarily gain new muscle tissue, he explains.

There are online calculators (like this one) that can help you figure out how many calories you should consume at different stages of your season. "These can be great tools for figuring out how many calories you should be consuming, but I recommend using this as a starting point and then experimenting because everyone is different," says Jon Venus, a former vegan bodybuilder. That's because factors like activity level, metabolism, hydration, stress levels, sleep quality, and time in your menstrual cycle all influence how many calories you need, as well as weight and muscle loss, maintenance, and gain.

None of this is different between omnivorous and vegan bodybuilding: "Daily calorie intake will be the same for vegan and omnivorous eaters. Some people assume that vegans need to consume more calories, but that's not true," notes Venus.

Get to know your macronutrient breakdown

“One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a vegan bodybuilding diet plan is not consuming enough high-quality calories, which can really slow down muscle building,” says Balduzzi. So what determines the quality of a meal? Its macronutrient breakdown. (See more: Your Complete Guide to the Macro Diet)

Macronutrients – also known as protein, carbohydrates and fat – are the main nutrients the body needs to function properly and efficiently. The concept of “counting your macros” is basically making sure you get a certain balance of each per day. “The macro diet is also known as a flexible diet because you can use whatever foods you want as long as you reach your goal at the end of the day,” explains Matthews.

So, does this breakdown differ for vegan and non-vegan athletes? Nope! “The macronutrients are the same,” says Matthews. “My trainer gives me and omnivores the same macronutrient breakdown—I just use vegan foods to meet them,” she explains.

There is no hard and fast rule for what your macronutrient breakdown should be, and ratios will likely change depending on how far you are from race day. "In general, in bodybuilding, you want to keep your carbs high, fats low to moderate, and proteins high enough to support muscle growth. Then, when you start 'cutting' before a competition, you will typically decrease calorie and carb intake, and slightly increase fat intake," says Venus.

For example, general guidelines typically call for a protein/carb/fat ratio of 20/60/20, while Matthews eats a higher-protein diet with a 40/40/20 split. Because this breakdown shifts during cutting and bulking season, you'll probably want to work with an expert to figure out the right ratio. "If you're (a) bodybuilder, it's incredibly helpful to have a second set of eyes to make sure you're eating right," says Matthews.

Consume a variety of vegan protein sources

One of the most common misconceptions about a vegan diet is that it is low in protein. Considering that bodybuilders generally consume more protein than the average population, it's not surprising that there is a misconception that vegan bodybuilders have a harder time getting enough protein, says Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Essence Nutrition in Miami.

“I get hundreds of messages asking how vegan bodybuilders get enough protein every week,” says Matthews. But experts confirm that it is 100 percent possible to consume enough protein as a vegan bodybuilder. “There are a lot more vegan protein sources than people realize,” she adds. Her favorite vegan protein sources include lupini beans, tofu, textured vegetable protein, bean noodles, tempeh, seitan, broad beans, vital wheat gluten and hemp seeds. (PS Hemp hearts have tons of health benefits.)

Venus likes to consume these, as well as chickpeas, lentils, garbanzo beans and vegan protein powder - which, by the way, research has shown is just as effective at building muscle as whey protein. Amaranth, nut butters, nuts, kidney beans, black beans, and oatmeal are also great sources of protein, says Balduzzi. Plus, even foods like potatoes, vegetables, chlorella, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts contain protein.

It's worth noting that not all vegan protein sources are created equal. Proteins are made up of amino acids: Some of these amino acids are classified as “non-essential,” meaning your body can make them, and “essential,” meaning your body can’t make them and must get them from food.

“There are nine essential amino acids and our body needs all nine of these essential amino acids to build muscle, for example,” explains Balduzzi. All animal sources - turkey, chicken, pork, dairy, eggs, beef, fish - contain all nine, but most plant foods do not contain all nine essential amino acids.

“There are three exceptions: quinoa, buckwheat and soy,” says Balduzzi. FYI: Tofu, tempeh, soy-based textured vegetable protein (TVP), and soy protein powder are all soy-based and therefore contain the nine essential amino acids.

However, eating a variety of plant-based foods allows your body to store and combine the amino acids to form complete proteins, says Balduzzi. For example, rice and beans are individually incomplete proteins, but when combined together they have all of the essential amino acids.

Consider supplements

With poor planning and a lack of variety, any diet can be deficient in certain nutrients, and a vegan bodybuilding diet is no exception. Eating a wide variety of foods and favoring seasonal produce can help reduce the risk of deficiency, says Matthews.

However, these other nutrients should be noted:

Vitamin B12

“The only vitamin you can't find in plant-based foods is vitamin B12, so most doctors recommend B12 supplementation for vegans,” says Venus. (He and Matthews both take a B12 supplement).

iron

"While iron can be obtained from plant sources such as spinach, beans and raisins, this form of iron (called non-heme) tends to be poorly absorbed, so many vegans struggle with a deficiency," says Moreno. To increase iron absorption, consume iron with some vitamin C, which has been shown to dramatically increase absorption, recommends Balduzzi.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is also relatively common, as it is most commonly found in animal foods, says Moreno. This is not a strictly vegan event: about a third of the population has low vitamin D levels.

Omega-3 fatty acids

You might also consider taking an omega-3 supplement, recommends Balduzzi. “Chia seeds and flax seeds contain omega-3s, but I still take a vegan algae-based omega-3,” says Matthews.

But before you start popping pills, "talk to your doctor to determine if you are deficient or have a deficiency, and work with them to determine which supplements you should try instead of buying them willy-nilly," says Moreno. (Not to mention, supplements are largely unregulated, so you'll want to make sure you're taking high quality ones.)

Mix it up

When counting macros and calories or preparing meals, you may be tempted to eat the same foods over and over again. But a good vegan bodybuilder diet (or other eating plan) includes variety.

“Variety helps you get the micronutrients your body needs and ensures you get all the essential amino acids you need,” explains Balduzzi. This is especially important when "cutting," when poor meal planning is even more likely to lead to nutritional deficiencies, he says.

Don't worry: "There are so many creative things you can do for vegan meals! Lupini seitan, vegan sausage, tofu scrambles, vegan sushi bowls, high-protein overnight oats... and that's just the tip of the iceberg," says Matthews.

The conclusion to vegan bodybuilding

It's entirely possible to gain muscle and lose fat on a vegan bodybuilder diet - Matthews and Venus are proof - but you have to know what you're doing.

Getting inspiration for your vegan bodybuilding nutrition plan from Instagram is no substitute for working with a professional: "Vegan bodybuilding can get very tricky and requires really detailed individual attention. So it's best to work with a trainer or nutritionist who can help you implement it in the healthiest way possible," says Moreno.