Vegetarian Bodybuilding

[Leigh29]

Does anyone know of a nutritionist that could help ensure I am getting enough of what I need to still build muscle. I recently have switched to the lifestyle after reading "Eating Animals" and watching "Earthlings" it is deeply disturbing what goes on in this world and to our environment and too many are ignorant about it, I know I was, so I just need a bit of help getting started.

[PrettyReckless]

Hiya!

I'm also Vegetarian (Vegan, to be specific) - and I was once troubled with the idea of getting enough protein to continue bodybuilding. I've recently found out a few books and a few people who are vegan, and who very much look like they aren't (on the basis of the vegetarians-don't-get-enough-protein myth) - here are a few people I would suggest you "Google" on their tips for being Vegan, and having the recommended protein intake:

Brendan Brazier - Vegan triathlete
Robert Cheeke - Vegan bodybuilder
Bob Harper - Of course, if we all watch "The Biggest Loser" on NBC, that's him.

Brendan also has a book called "Thrive", and Robert has his own book on bodybuilding I believe, but I can't get the name at the moment. Just a few reference points if you wanna read up on some books. Brendan also has his own company that provides supplements (or replacement) made out of whole foods - his company is Vega. They should be very popular in Canada. There are also cheaper alternatives, but I'd recommend Vega.

Hope that helps!

[agvares]

Does anyone know of a nutritionist that could help ensure I am getting enough of what I need to still build muscle. I recently have switched to the lifestyle after reading "Eating Animals" and watching "Earthlings" it is deeply disturbing what goes on in this world and to our environment and too many are ignorant about it, I know I was, so I just need a bit of help getting started.

how you can let a particular extremely poor written book change your mind and your life?

[Leigh29]

have you read the book? It is not poorly written first of all and secondly if you actually did some research yourself you would realize that almost all the meat you are consuming is pumped with all kinds of antibiotics and hormones that are harmful for your health, let alone the inhumane treatment of the animals and what their **** is doing to our environment, don't you find it odd that the methane gas from their **** can burn your eyes and can cause severe lung issues YET you want to eat this! GO RIGHT AHEAD MY FRIEND.

how you can let a particular extremely poor written book change your mind and your life?

[Leigh29]

Great, thank you...these are all great starts...I will check them out!!

Thanks again for your help.

Hiya!

I'm also Vegetarian (Vegan, to be specific) - and I was once troubled with the idea of getting enough protein to continue bodybuilding. I've recently found out a few books and a few people who are vegan, and who very much look like they aren't (on the basis of the vegetarians-don't-get-enough-protein myth) - here are a few people I would suggest you "Google" on their tips for being Vegan, and having the recommended protein intake:

Brendan Brazier - Vegan triathlete
Robert Cheeke - Vegan bodybuilder
Bob Harper - Of course, if we all watch "The Biggest Loser" on NBC, that's him.

Brendan also has a book called "Thrive", and Robert has his own book on bodybuilding I believe, but I can't get the name at the moment. Just a few reference points if you wanna read up on some books. Brendan also has his own company that provides supplements (or replacement) made out of whole foods - his company is Vega. They should be very popular in Canada. There are also cheaper alternatives, but I'd recommend Vega.

Hope that helps!

[PrettyReckless]

Great, thank you...these are all great starts...I will check them out!!

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers, you're welcome! Great choice to live the kind life!

[agvares]

have you read the book? It is not poorly written first of all and secondly if you actually did some research yourself you would realize that almost all the meat you are consuming is pumped with all kinds of antibiotics and hormones that are harmful for your health, let alone the inhumane treatment of the animals and what their **** is doing to our environment, don't you find it odd that the methane gas from their **** can burn your eyes and can cause severe lung issues YET you want to eat this! GO RIGHT AHEAD MY FRIEND.

1) i've looked through it since i have enough worth reading literature for upcoming 10 years.

2) there're standarts of quality that are evolving all the time. no product that's directly harmful to consumer would survive (yet be let to being sell) on the market. and lots of pesticides and herbicides that were used commonly during the 20th century to actually grow plants were proven scientifically to cause serious health issues (i.e infamous DNP). all that problems are going to be solved by GMO soon.

3) i do not find the treatment of animals the reason good enough to stop eating meat. simply cause i'm not ready to pay 3 or 5 times more for the meat of an animal that lead a happy life at the private farm.

4) i see completely no problems with methane itself cause it's the pure chemisty. human sh!t has the same property to be poisonous and toxic for a human being. and no, i don't want to eat sh!t, i prefer eating low fat meat.

[bokito1]

it really irritates me when people are trying to claim that them being vegetarian somehow proves that they care and protect the environment.

Read on what mass farming and agriculture is responsible for, and how it caused deaths and near extinction of whole species.

[Doctor_Armorum]

Does anyone know of a nutritionist that could help ensure I am getting enough of what I need to still build muscle. I recently have switched to the lifestyle after reading "Eating Animals" and watching "Earthlings" it is deeply disturbing what goes on in this world and to our environment and too many are ignorant about it, I know I was, so I just need a bit of help getting started.

Leigh, what type of vegetarian are you? There are many different types:

Demi-vegetarian Those who still eat some meat, but only rarely.

Pesco-vegetarian Those who still eat fish.

Ovo-vegetarian Those who still eat eggs.

Lacto-vegetarian Those who still eat dairy products (milk, yogurt, kefir, cheese, etc).

Vegan Those who consume no animal-derived foods whatsoever.


The less extreme the form of vegetarianism, the less likely you have nutrient deficiencies. Vegans obviously have it the toughest, but it can still be done. Probably the single most important factor for vegans is supplementing with B12, since there is no vegetable source of true B12 (some plant foods have components known as B12 analogs, but they are poorly utilized by the body, and can actually aggravate a B12 deficiency). Lack of B12 in the diet can lead to anemia. It was thought for some time that there must have been a vegetable source of true B12, because of a vegan community in India, that was doing just fine. However, when some of the community moved to England, they began to suffer from anemia. As it turned out, back home they had been unknowingly obtaining B12 from insect larvae and insect droppings on their veggies (and thus they weren't even strictly vegan); in England, the food sources were cleaner (no bugs on the veggies), and thus they weren't getting any B12.

Vegans also need to combine vegetable protein sources, since plant foods are typically lacking in one or more of the essential amino acids (EAAs). To make a complete protein, combine beans with: brown rice, corn, nuts, seeds, or wheat. There are also vegan protein powders--I personally would recommend a mixed vegetable protein or a sprouted brown rice protein (like Sun Warrior) as opposed to the more common soy proteins. Unfermented soy is a source of constituents known as phytates, which interfere with the absorbtion of vitamins and minerals. In addition, the estrogenic components in soy, while ofted touted for their supposed health benefits, can also impact the body negatively, in terms of promoting fat storage, etc.

A great source of info is Mike Mahler's Aggressive Strength site. Mahler is a vegan strength coach and kettlebell lifter, and he has lots of excellent articles on training and diet, for vegan athletes.

http://www.mikemahler.com/

[Doctor_Armorum]

it really irritates me when people are trying to claim that them being vegetarian somehow proves that they care and protect the environment.

Read on what mass farming and agriculture is responsible for, and how it caused deaths and near extinction of whole species.

You make a totally valid point, and that is why farming reform is needed, for both omnivores and vegetarians.

I'm an omnivore, and the Weston A. Price Foundation site has loads of great info on this subject:

http://www.westonaprice.org/

[powerbarsssssss]

I'm lacto ovo and my protein sources came from egg whites, tofu, cheese, beans and whey protein. It's very doable.

[Leigh29]

2) In answer to #2 you obviously believe that the government is here to protect you and would sell the consumer something that would hurt you and I say you are being completely naiive, it is about $$ and lining their pockets they are not worried about your health concerns.

3) well the fact that you do not care about animals being mistreated speaks volumes about you. I am not disagreeing that there is a natural food chain but for animals to endure what they do - is not natural, why can they not have their normal farm life without be inhumanely treated. Let's go back to the days when farmers were farmers not factory farms. Well I get not wanting to pay more money but really why would you want to put antibiotic and growth hormones and god knows waht else into your body, isn't it worth paying more for?

4) I think you need to go back and read about methane...and also factory farming is more of an environmental issue: read below:


The impact on the Earth from eating meat is mind-blowing. Every year in the U.S., more than 27 billion animals are slaughtered for food. Meat consumption is poisoning and depleting our potable water, land and pure, clean air. More than half of the water used in the United States today goes to animal agriculture, and since animals on factory farms produce 130 times more waste than the human population, the result is polluting our waterways. Animal excrement emits gases, such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, which poison the air around farms, as well as methane and nitrous oxide, all resulting in the number one cause of global warming. This needs to stop.

1) i've looked through it since i have enough worth reading literature for upcoming 10 years.

2) there're standarts of quality that are evolving all the time. no product that's directly harmful to consumer would survive (yet be let to being sell) on the market. and lots of pesticides and herbicides that were used commonly during the 20th century to actually grow plants were proven scientifically to cause serious health issues (i.e infamous DNP). all that problems are going to be solved by GMO soon.

3) i do not find the treatment of animals the reason good enough to stop eating meat. simply cause i'm not ready to pay 3 or 5 times more for the meat of an animal that lead a happy life at the private farm.

4) i see completely no problems with methane itself cause it's the pure chemisty. human sh!t has the same property to be poisonous and toxic for a human being. and no, i don't want to eat sh!t, i prefer eating low fat meat.

[Leigh29]

It doesn't prove anything what it does do is be a small step in the right direction to not perpetuate it...if enough people actually stood for something and opened their mouth maybe the world we live in wouldn't be such a mess but keep putting that hormone induced food into your mouth - does a body good eh! It's more people like you who sit by and wait for everyone else to do something and then one day when the environment is so bad you go "oh no what happened"... the book I read "eating animals" is about all you just mentioned READ IT!!!

QUOTE=bokito1;609027903]it really irritates me when people are trying to claim that them being vegetarian somehow proves that they care and protect the environment.

Read on what mass farming and agriculture is responsible for, and how it caused deaths and near extinction of whole species.[/QUOTE]

[bokito1]

what?

tell me what steps have you taken to minimize YOUR negative impact on the environment.
Or do you believe that you not eating meat is sufficient?

that is only a insignificant fraction of what you really can do.

[sonti]

3) well the fact that you do not care about animals being mistreated speaks volumes about you. I am not disagreeing that there is a natural food chain but for animals to endure what they do - is not natural, why can they not have their normal farm life without be inhumanely treated.

You didn't seem to care until you read a book... you can't tell me you've spent 20+ years on this planet and didn't know that chickens are kept in tiny cages and that baby cows are taken from their mothers and slaughtered... or that cows are kept in tiny pens to lactate for years on end.

Get off your high horse.

Veganbodybuilding.com will have a lot more information for you about a proper balanced vegan lifestyle (because vegan, not vegetarian, is the path to go if you are truly concerned about animal welfare).

[Linds33]

You make a totally valid point, and that is why farming reform is needed, for both omnivores and vegetarians.

I'm an omnivore, and the Weston A. Price Foundation site has loads of great info on this subject:

http://www.westonaprice.org/

I very much agree with this. I am semi-vegan and while I have my reasons for not eating animal products, I also dislike it when people who are vegeterian and vegan say that eating meat is bad for you and cruel and proceed to hand you a cup of soy milk. That soy milk that they just handed youn, unless in is organic non-gmo soy milk probably contains more pesticides then any farm animal, is highly processed, not to mention the fact that the farmers that produce it are getting royally *$^*% (watch The Future of Food and see how Farmers are getting treated as well). Also, while some might say that eating meat is bad for you, the same argument could be made about eating soy or other soy based products.

By me saying I am semi-vegan it means that I don't eat meat at all, I do eat some fish but I have my rules (I grew up fishing, but will only eat fish that is caught in a sustainable manner, my preference being me catching it), I will only eat dairy products or egg products that are from farms where I know how that animals were raised, fed, etc. We get our milk and eggs from a goat dairy that also raises chickens, horses etc. I could literally go and milk the goats myself if i wanted to . What bothers me is that a lot of animal rights orginazations don't address these types of farms. This isn't some crazy corporate farm, this is a couple who's only source of income is their goat milk diary and they run it with the help of volunteers. I have no problem spending the extra money for myself/my partner OR my dogs since I know i am getting quality foods, and I actually do care about animals and how they are treated. In addition I care about the people who run these sorts of farms because i see the hard work and huge effort they put in. They are not multi-millionairs and do this because they are passioante about it.

To answer your original question there are lots of ways that you can be a BBer and be a vegeterian. Eggs, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, setien (a gluten protein) and Quorn (a myco or mushroom protein) are great protein sources that can replace meat.

[Leigh29]

Agreed, but better later than never to do something as small as you may think it is.....what are you doing?


QUOTE=sonti;609240333]You didn't seem to care until you read a book... you can't tell me you've spent 20+ years on this planet and didn't know that chickens are kept in tiny cages and that baby cows are taken from their mothers and slaughtered... or that cows are kept in tiny pens to lactate for years on end.

Get off your high horse.

Veganbodybuilding.com will have a lot more information for you about a proper balanced vegan lifestyle (because vegan, not vegetarian, is the path to go if you are truly concerned about animal welfare).[/QUOTE]

[ZandP]

How absurd the points that people are making! Who cares that it took a book, how great of an impact she is making, etc. Every bit counts, and really change your own habits instead of judging others!

I have been a vegetarian since 1994. I could care less what others put in their mouths, but I do believe my practices have a positive effect on my own health as well as the health of the environment.

She did not come on here to be scrutinized or to have to prove anything to anyone besides herself. She came on with questions regarding vegetarianism and bodybuilding.

To the OP:
There is a vegetarian bodybuilding forum you might want to google.
As for me:
protein shakes (whey, casein, soy, etc)
peanut butter (or other nut butters)
nuts
oats
eggs/whites/egg beaters
cheeses
greek or soy yogurt
cottage cheese
tofu (can be made into desserts or main dishes depending on the type you choose)
seitan
quinoa
beans
veggie burgers or other meat subsitutes
TVP (can be made into veggie meat loaf/meat balls/lasagna/chili etc)
Nut flour (high protein and can be made into yummy peanut butter flavored recipes)
These are just off the top of my head...lots more out there!
Good luck

[agvares]

but I do believe my practices have a positive effect on my own health as well as the health of the environment.

that's the difference. believing in some effects and claiming that those effects really occur.

[agvares]

2) In answer to #2 you obviously believe that the government is here to protect you and would sell the consumer something that would hurt you and I say you are being completely naiive, it is about $$ and lining their pockets they are not worried about your health concerns.

3) well the fact that you do not care about animals being mistreated speaks volumes about you. I am not disagreeing that there is a natural food chain but for animals to endure what they do - is not natural, why can they not have their normal farm life without be inhumanely treated. Let's go back to the days when farmers were farmers not factory farms. Well I get not wanting to pay more money but really why would you want to put antibiotic and growth hormones and god knows waht else into your body, isn't it worth paying more for?

4) I think you need to go back and read about methane...and also factory farming is more of an environmental issue: read below:


The impact on the Earth from eating meat is mind-blowing. Every year in the U.S., more than 27 billion animals are slaughtered for food. Meat consumption is poisoning and depleting our potable water, land and pure, clean air. More than half of the water used in the United States today goes to animal agriculture, and since animals on factory farms produce 130 times more waste than the human population, the result is polluting our waterways. Animal excrement emits gases, such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, which poison the air around farms, as well as methane and nitrous oxide, all resulting in the number one cause of global warming. This needs to stop.

2) i have no illusions about the genesis or current goals of any government. i also now about the free market and how easy it is to destroy your rival's reputation using any suspicious fact you will find. in such clear atmosphere it's a total madness to use anything that's proven to be harmful and poisonous. i don't believe in commercial suicides, nor i believe that products from farms posses less danger to consumer's health.

3) well i actually don't care not only about animals getting mistreated, but even about humans in Africa or Pakistan i.e. neither do you. everything that happens in nature is natural. why do you think that living in farms is more natural than living in modern conditions?

and answering your question, when animals lived in farms only a miserable % of population could afford eating meat everyday due to its price.

i'm not prepared to spend 10 times (or even more) money on farm products 'cause i'd petter spend them on price values, gold, my own business, drugs, prostitutes or whatever i'd love to. and i don't have any reason to think that a chicken grown with anabolics, hormones etc. is someway worse for me than a natural one (which can be a nest for various parasites).

4) ok... so you think that animals sh!t has a bigger impact on global warming than' let's say, results of driving a car and using tons of petrol every year? or a working plant?

if everyone turns vegetarian, do you assume that billions of animal corpses slowly degrading in the soil would somehow be better for enviroment?

and what's so bad about global warming? well... the temperature is rising, so? how come that it had become an absolute evil?

[tiff_7_17]

That's great that you personally chose for yourself to become a vegetarian and I would have also recommended Brendan Brazier/Vega but its already been done...

I used to be very skeptical that high level athletes could adequately address their protein needs through completely vegan sources and he's done an excellent job through extensive R&D with his products.

But while I am here, I might as well say "Oh great, another completely condescending vegetarian".

You made a life choice for yourself, that's great, but you don't have to crap all over other people just because they choose to live life differently. It's kind of like religion, and you are kind of like the preachy Jehovah's Witness.

[Doctor_Armorum]

But while I am here, I might as well say "Oh great, another completely condescending vegetarian".

You made a life choice for yourself, that's great, but you don't have to crap all over other people just because they choose to live life differently. It's kind of like religion, and you are kind of like the preachy Jehovah's Witness.

Well said, Tiff.

[kitebean]

3) i do not find the treatment of animals the reason good enough to stop eating meat. simply cause i'm not ready to pay 3 or 5 times more for the meat of an animal that lead a happy life at the private farm.

3) well the fact that you do not care about animals being mistreated speaks volumes about you. I am not disagreeing that there is a natural food chain but for animals to endure what they do - is not natural, why can they not have their normal farm life without be inhumanely treated. Let's go back to the days when farmers were farmers not factory farms. Well I get not wanting to pay more money but really why would you want to put antibiotic and growth hormones and god knows waht else into your body, isn't it worth paying more for?

Who cares that it took a book, how great of an impact she is making, etc. Every bit counts, and really change your own habits instead of judging others!

I have been a vegetarian since 1994. I could care less what others put in their mouths, but I do believe my practices have a positive effect on my own health as well as the health of the environment.

But while I am here, I might as well say "Oh great, another completely condescending vegetarian".

You made a life choice for yourself, that's great, but you don't have to crap all over other people just because they choose to live life differently. It's kind of like religion, and you are kind of like the preachy Jehovah's Witness.

These are ALL valid points. We have the freewill to choose, let's leave it at that. The fact that I choose to not eat meat (since 1995) does not automatically make me the member of some preachy cult, just as one's decision TO eat meat does not make them the member of some preachy cult. It's all about choice and concious.

[Leigh29]

I did not come on here to get reamed about my choice, nor did I "crap" all over anyone until it was first thrown at me. I have done my homework and made the best choice that just makes sense if you ask me not only health wise, but on an environmental level and ethical level. I did the research plain and simple, from many sources the answer is clear.

That's great that you personally chose for yourself to become a vegetarian and I would have also recommended Brendan Brazier/Vega but its already been done...

I used to be very skeptical that high level athletes could adequately address their protein needs through completely vegan sources and he's done an excellent job through extensive R&D with his products.

But while I am here, I might as well say "Oh great, another completely condescending vegetarian".

You made a life choice for yourself, that's great, but you don't have to crap all over other people just because they choose to live life differently. It's kind of like religion, and you are kind of like the preachy Jehovah's Witness.

[Leigh29]

Thanks Kitebean

These are ALL valid points. We have the freewill to choose, let's leave it at that. The fact that I choose to not eat meat (since 1995) does not automatically make me the member of some preachy cult, just as one's decision TO eat meat does not make them the member of some preachy cult. It's all about choice and concious.

[illiniStrive]

Be careful with whey / protein shakes. Again, not sure what kind of vegatarian you are but if you're going vegan whey and casein are out.

There's vegetarian bodybuilding journals on the Workout Journals forum (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumdisplay.php?f=66, just search vegetarian). It might be helpful to see how they've handled the diet and lifestyle and I'm sure if you asked questions they'd be happy to answer.

Congrats with making a lifestyle choice that fits your core believes. Just don't hate me for eating meat!

[agvares]

These are ALL valid points. We have the freewill to choose, let's leave it at that. The fact that I choose to not eat meat (since 1995) does not automatically make me the member of some preachy cult, just as one's decision TO eat meat does not make them the member of some preachy cult. It's all about choice and concious.

true indeed. i have absolutely no interest in someone's life unless it has an impact on me. the only thing i don't like is false argumentation.

[tiff_7_17]

I did not come on here to get reamed about my choice, nor did I "crap" all over anyone until it was first thrown at me. I have done my homework and made the best choice that just makes sense if you ask me not only health wise, but on an environmental level and ethical level. I did the research plain and simple, from many sources the answer is clear.

Fair enough, and some people were unnecessarily harsh when you came to answer a question.

That said, other people on here also do lots of research and information seeking and base their decisions on science, or facts, or anecdotes or what have you...not just you...just something to keep in mind.

[Leigh29]

Very true and totally fair! Thank you

Fair enough, and some people were unnecessarily harsh when you came to answer a question.

That said, other people on here also do lots of research and information seeking and base their decisions on science, or facts, or anecdotes or what have you...not just you...just something to keep in mind.

[tiff_7_17]

very true and totally fair! Thank you