Think you can’t build muscle on a plant-based diet? Think again!
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Torre Washington and David Haye are all world renowned bodybuilders who thrive on plants. And wholefood, plant-based eating is becoming increasingly popular among health conscious elite athletes as well; with celebes such as Venus Williams, Mike Tyson, David Carter, Ricky Williams, and Tony Gonzalez all touting its benefits. These super strong bodybuilders and athletes prove that the idea that you need animal protein to build muscle, is nothing more than a myth.
“[Apes are] 20 times stronger than humans and they don’t rely on a meat-based diet. They eat plants all day long. It’s a myth that you need meat for strength.” – British Boxer, David Haye
What really matters when it comes to building muscle is that you consume more calories than you burn. It does take a bit more mindfulness on a wholefoods, plant-based (WFPB) diet to ensure you meet you caloric needs, but it is 100% doable, and the benefits of this type of eating are well worth the effort.
The Benefits
When you transition to a WFPB diet, you will experience more energy, greater endurance, faster recovery time, clearer thinking and a leaner body composition – all of which will put you at the top of your game as an athlete or bodybuilder. You’ll also reduce your disease risk, turbocharge your immunity, boost your sexual functioning, and slow down the aging process. And you’ll help save the animals and planet to boot! So what are you waiting for?
What to Eat
There is a difference between vegetarianism and a WFPB diet. Many vegetarians fail to thrive because they eat all kinds of processed junk food. This is a stark contrast to a WFPB diet, which as the name suggests is centered around unprocessed whole plant foods. This diet is centered around vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, and contains little or no added sugar and oils. When you get rid of processed foods your body will perform at a much higher level and you will notice many of the above mentioned benefits almost instantly.
What About Animal Products?
Unlike veganism which strictly discludes all animal products, this diet is plant-based not plant-only. While I personally thrive on an all-plant diet and recommended it to my clients who want to maximize their health, energy and vitality, you can still eat some animal products on this diet if that works better for you; but try to make sure 95% of your diet is plant food. Having said that, I advise you to completely avoid dairy because it’s one of the worst foods for you health and loaded with harmful estrogens that will lead to belly fat, muscle loss and man boobs. It’s okay to eat chicken, eggs, seafood and unprocessed meats (stay away from bacon, hot dogs, ham, sausages, etc.). But you should ideally limit your intake to 2-3 times per week, eat small servings of about 2-3 ounces, and only eat free range organic.
How to Meet Your Caloric Needs
If you’re trying to build muscle, make sure to eat plenty of seeds, nuts, beans, and whole grains for their protein content. Also include starchy vegetables such as potatoes and foods that contain healthy whole fats such as avocados, coconut, olives and walnuts. These foods are the most calorie dense plant foods and you can easily exceed any caloric and macronutrient requirements when you include them. Also aim to eat six times a day, and make your portion sizes substantially larger. You can eat until your heart’s content on an WFPB diet and never have to worry about gaining fat.
Cover Any Possible Gaps with Slim Blend Pro
Although all of your nutritional requirements will be met when you eat a balanced wholefoods based diet, sometimes life gets in the way and you may not have time to prep a balanced meal. Slim Blend Pro Powder is your insurance policy to make sure all your nutritional needs are met. It’s a 5-in-1 raw, vegan, meal replacement powder made from organic superfoods. It contains 10 grams of protein per serving; as well as fiber, essential fatty acids, probiotics, and over 30 antioxidant dense fruits and vegetables. It has no added sugar, is sweetened naturally with stevia, and tastes great. It will help to boost your energy, endurance and recovery time; enhance immunity and the digestion of nutrients, and slow the aging process by scavenging harmful free radicals.
WFPB Bodybuilding Meal Plan
Meal 1
- 16 oz fresh raw juice, made with kale, parsley, cucumber, celery, ginger, lemon and green apple
- Protein shake, made with 1 scoop of Slim Blend Pro powder, 1 cup of unsweetened nut milk (almond, cashew, coconut etc.), and 1 banana
Meal 2
- 1-2 servings of organic tofu
- 2 cups of oatmeal mixed with grated coconut and cinnamon
- Glass of green tea
Meal 3
- Portobello mushroom burger with 1/2 slice of avocado, onion and tomato
- 1 large mixed greens salad, with any veggies you want to include
Meal 4
- Taro chips and guacamole or hummus
- Slim Blend Pro protein shake
Meal 5
- Quinoa salad
- 1/2 pound steamed cauliflower sprinkled with nutritional yeast and sea salt (the yeast tastes like cheese)
Meal 6
- 1 apple and/or banana with 2 tbsp pure almond butter (no sugar or additives)
Considerations
The biggest reason most people fail to stick to any type of eating plan is because they get bored and miss the old foods that they used to eat. But with a little bit of know-how wholefood plant-based eating can be absolutely delicious and satisfying and with the right recipes, your tastebuds will never get bored. Get a copy of my Simply Healthy, Vegan,Gluten-Free Cookbook for just $3.99. It contains some of the most delicious vegan recipes from around the world. These super healthy recipes will have you looking and feeling so good, you won’t want to go back to your old ways of eating.
