Vegetarian Bodybuilding

If you look at diet plans of bodybuilders, I would say that about 95% of them include things like grilled chicken, lean steak, and other types of meat.  While meat is the easiest way of getting in a high protein low carb meal, there are plenty of bodybuilders who have been vegetarians, and you can too.

You can get your protein from sources like eggs, nuts, soy products like tempeh, or the obvious protein powders. But if your vegan, you can use soy or pea protein powders.  Also when you are bodybuilding on a vegetarian diet it is important to consume an adequate number of calories.  Since fruits and vegetables have a high water and low calorie content, they are not the best for bulking.  You need to get creative if you want to eat enough good healthy food to gain weight.  Weight gainers are a great tool.  In addition peanut butter can be added to a lot of things to really give some extra calories.  It is also important to make sure that you are getting enough iron in your diet by eating spinach, lentils, edamame, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, etc,.  Also things like soyabeans and spinach will help you get in your required calcium to keep your bones strong.

So while it may be slightly more difficult to bodybuild on a a vegetarian diet, it is definitely possible, and it can actually be a much healthier diet than eating all of the meat that a normal bodybuilder would be.  So no meat no problem!

Posted in: Nutrition