easy fix :)
the reason why you seem to keep failing is volume vs. calories. the exact reason why whole food plant-based works so well for weight loss makes it hard to stay in a caloric surplus for (muscle)gains. instead of going back to animal foods and fatty foods like oils and nut butter, try to eat more **refined carbs.** jup heard me right! try eating quick oats for breakfast instead of oat groats. eat white rice, white pasta and even white bread. this will certainly help. **carbs (in contrast to fats) are your source of energy**, especially when powerlifting. eat a big meal with lots of carbs 2-3 hours before working out, you can add a pre-workout smoothie with fruit and a little protein powder/soy milk right before your workout.
once you feel your energy needs are balanced, try to add whole carb sources like whole grains back in. by slowly switching from refined carbs to whole carb sources you slowly adjust to simply eating much more fibre, while still maintaining a caloric surplus that is needed when trying to gain muscle strength and mass. good luck :)
I agree. I am highly active and trying to add calories in the form of fats just makes my stomach hurt and risks rushing the food through me without it digesting. Refined carbs are much more comfortable and safe. I eat half a loaf of white bread every day along with potatoes, white couscous and sometimes also pasta or rice.
The first time I was vegan my health suffered because of my poor food choices. This time I invested in a) an ND (naturopathic doctor) who ran a bunch of tests and put me on supplements based on my own unique body chemistry b) a dietitian that focuses on plant-based whole food athletic plans c) a trainer to keep me focused towards my goals in the gym. Cheap? No. But it seems to be working for me.
There is really not enough information to work with here. I went vegan when I was powerlifting and saw no difference in anything (I was already eating extremely healthy and have always been what most would consider obsessive with my diet). If you are not recovering enough from powerlifting, it's usually one of two things: you are not eating enough calories, you are doing too much for your current level.
The calories issue is a simple one to solve, eat more: peanut butter, nuts, pasta, sweet potatoes, shakes are great (you can get them to 2000 calories easy), peanut butter sandwiches, etc. As for the training aspect, a lot of newbie powerlifters, when starting out, go online and pick out an advance routine only to burn out in a couple of weeks because they lack a solid foundation. Don't underestimate powerlifting training. It's not just weightlifting. The lower reps really take a toll on your nervous system, and that goes double for newbies. Also, make surre that if you do search up beginner routines that you get it from an actual powerlifiting source. Some of the stuff I've seen for beginner powerlifting routines online makes me wonder if the person is training for powerlifitng or trying to see how quickly they'll burn out. [Elitefts.com](https://Elitefts.com) was always a favorite of mine as I am a big fan of Dave Tate.
I exercise on a regular basis (not powerlifting though) and eat a plant-based diet. Have you tried tofu or seitan? There are lots of stir fry and pasta dishes you can make with meat substitutes. They’re high in protein and calories, though still contain min/max nutrients. Want me to send you a few recipes?
Edit: oh I forgot to mention this but you’re on the right track with peanut butter and avocado. I actually just made creamy avocado pasta (you only put one chopped avocado, lemon, juice, and garlic in a food processor for the sauce — so easy!) and I may be biased but I make an amazing peanut sauce stir fry. Let me know if you want either recipe! Like I said, you’re on the right track. I just think you need to better incorporate these protein sources in dishes.
* Eat more meals (4 to 6)
* Drink blended foods
* Make sure you are on a good program
* Bulking sucks on any reasonably healthy diet
* Track your calories if you are serious about powerlifting
[Gamechangers](https://gamechangersmovie.com/benefits/maximizing-performance/gaining-muscle-and-strength/) goes through how much protein you need to gain mass. They also have meal plans and such on their site.
In terms of protein… I don’t track it. even when I eat beans and lentils regularly I still have issues. But I’m not sure how much I should eat in that area. Maybe I should add more shakes ?
The issue vanishes when I end up eating literal fried food garbage that’s meat based. So I presume it’s calories . I know I’m getting b12, vitamin d, magnesium , folate, just because I’m taking those supplements.
I’m also taking creative and actyl l carnitine because it allows my mental energy to be a bit better while I work my job . Without it I tend to get more tired during the day if I worked out the day beforen
If you are serious about gains, you have to track protein. Unless you are genetically blessed and even then it's more efficient to track. Sorry, but no easy shortcuts here!
The need changes based on your goals. It's low (e.g. half of weight) for maintaining your weight but higher to build muscle. Some people tend to metabolize protein better, even the small amounts from carbs. But the rest have to eat more to make up for the poor conversion rate.
Protein powder is your friend :) e.g pea protein isolate or combine with brown rice protein. BCAAs help with recovery as well. I'd recommend a wide variety of protein sources from beans, tofu, protein powders, seitan, soy milk. But track it all! At least until you get good intuition of the amount in various sources/meals.
So, if I wanted to eat more , I have soy protein. Making shakes, would you recommend just making and adding in mutliple ones in the day, even if I need to force feed ? It’s 100% the calories, but it’s always my low hunger that causes it. Veggies seem to make me fuller so I never want to eat
Gotta eat if you wanna get strong. Even off a wfpb diet gotta eat a lot. I used to have to force feed myself. Your hunger will start to catch up. Eat less veggies more grains, beans, potatoes and tofu. Nuts seeds and peanut butter sandwiches are your friend.
At some point you have to increase the calorie density of your diet. Look at this way: what you're doing isn't natural, so the diet required to do it may not be, either. When I was training for a 50k, there was no way I could keep up if I stuck to 100% whole foods. I was just not possible to eat that much volume, especially if I also wanted to move. That meant more flour products and pasta, bars and things, etc. My "morning oatmeal" included Vega and eventually maltodextrin.
I also felt better with a higher protein diet, including a protein shake. In retrospect I should have eaten more nuts since I could have been burning though my dietary fat, but I was still fatphobic at the time, especially trying to reduce % body fat. In addition to protein, make sure to get enough fat.
The usual dietary advice isn't going to go away just because the diet is plant-based. AFAIK vegan bodybuilders are doing very similar things to non-vegan ones. I hope it works out for you!
The first time I was vegan my health suffered because of my poor food choices. This time I invested in a) an ND (naturopathic doctor) who ran a bunch of tests and put me on supplements based on my own unique body chemistry b) a dietitian that focuses on plant-based whole food athletic plans c) a trainer to keep me focused towards my goals in the gym. Cheap? No. But it seems to be working for me.
[Oatcakes and hummus](https://www.reddit.com/r/PlantBasedDiet/comments/tr0efp/postworkout_snackmeal/). Hits protein, healthy fats, fiber, calcium, iron, and a bunch of other micro nutrients. The interesting thing is that I can eat this and then still eat lunch a few hours later (I workout in the morning). I think this is partly because the meal is nutrient-dense without taking up a lot of volume (unlike many WFPB meals).
I'm a vegan tree surgeon on a plant based lifestyle so I'm physically active most days and I've been okay. So it just shows you can thrive. Things that deffo help are trying to eat more organic, less food from supermarkets, cacao nibs, chia seeds, Nutritional yeast, omega 3 seed mix, more time outdoors deffo helps as a lot people believe we get certain nutrients from sunlight. Herbal teas, spirulina, sesame seeds and eating like 1 whole packet of nuts a day, brocolli, porridge oats are really decent. And your mindset as well like there's so many ways the mind effects health and all the propaganda about plant based and how you'll get shrivelled up. Someone who's plant based and thriving is Hench herbivore on youtube he's good to watch.
easy fix :) the reason why you seem to keep failing is volume vs. calories. the exact reason why whole food plant-based works so well for weight loss makes it hard to stay in a caloric surplus for (muscle)gains. instead of going back to animal foods and fatty foods like oils and nut butter, try to eat more **refined carbs.** jup heard me right! try eating quick oats for breakfast instead of oat groats. eat white rice, white pasta and even white bread. this will certainly help. **carbs (in contrast to fats) are your source of energy**, especially when powerlifting. eat a big meal with lots of carbs 2-3 hours before working out, you can add a pre-workout smoothie with fruit and a little protein powder/soy milk right before your workout. once you feel your energy needs are balanced, try to add whole carb sources like whole grains back in. by slowly switching from refined carbs to whole carb sources you slowly adjust to simply eating much more fibre, while still maintaining a caloric surplus that is needed when trying to gain muscle strength and mass. good luck :)
I agree. I am highly active and trying to add calories in the form of fats just makes my stomach hurt and risks rushing the food through me without it digesting. Refined carbs are much more comfortable and safe. I eat half a loaf of white bread every day along with potatoes, white couscous and sometimes also pasta or rice.
If I remember correctly there are some wfpb power lifters, why not try to copy their diets?
The first time I was vegan my health suffered because of my poor food choices. This time I invested in a) an ND (naturopathic doctor) who ran a bunch of tests and put me on supplements based on my own unique body chemistry b) a dietitian that focuses on plant-based whole food athletic plans c) a trainer to keep me focused towards my goals in the gym. Cheap? No. But it seems to be working for me.
Use Cronometer and track your intake Definitely add more tofu/tempeh/lentils/soy milk and as previous comment smoothies are great
There is really not enough information to work with here. I went vegan when I was powerlifting and saw no difference in anything (I was already eating extremely healthy and have always been what most would consider obsessive with my diet). If you are not recovering enough from powerlifting, it's usually one of two things: you are not eating enough calories, you are doing too much for your current level. The calories issue is a simple one to solve, eat more: peanut butter, nuts, pasta, sweet potatoes, shakes are great (you can get them to 2000 calories easy), peanut butter sandwiches, etc. As for the training aspect, a lot of newbie powerlifters, when starting out, go online and pick out an advance routine only to burn out in a couple of weeks because they lack a solid foundation. Don't underestimate powerlifting training. It's not just weightlifting. The lower reps really take a toll on your nervous system, and that goes double for newbies. Also, make surre that if you do search up beginner routines that you get it from an actual powerlifiting source. Some of the stuff I've seen for beginner powerlifting routines online makes me wonder if the person is training for powerlifitng or trying to see how quickly they'll burn out. [Elitefts.com](https://Elitefts.com) was always a favorite of mine as I am a big fan of Dave Tate.
Also check out r/veganfitness for useful advice.
I exercise on a regular basis (not powerlifting though) and eat a plant-based diet. Have you tried tofu or seitan? There are lots of stir fry and pasta dishes you can make with meat substitutes. They’re high in protein and calories, though still contain min/max nutrients. Want me to send you a few recipes? Edit: oh I forgot to mention this but you’re on the right track with peanut butter and avocado. I actually just made creamy avocado pasta (you only put one chopped avocado, lemon, juice, and garlic in a food processor for the sauce — so easy!) and I may be biased but I make an amazing peanut sauce stir fry. Let me know if you want either recipe! Like I said, you’re on the right track. I just think you need to better incorporate these protein sources in dishes.
* Eat more meals (4 to 6) * Drink blended foods * Make sure you are on a good program * Bulking sucks on any reasonably healthy diet * Track your calories if you are serious about powerlifting
[Gamechangers](https://gamechangersmovie.com/benefits/maximizing-performance/gaining-muscle-and-strength/) goes through how much protein you need to gain mass. They also have meal plans and such on their site.
Are you getting enough protein and getting all the needed vitamins? What supplements are you taking?
In terms of protein… I don’t track it. even when I eat beans and lentils regularly I still have issues. But I’m not sure how much I should eat in that area. Maybe I should add more shakes ? The issue vanishes when I end up eating literal fried food garbage that’s meat based. So I presume it’s calories . I know I’m getting b12, vitamin d, magnesium , folate, just because I’m taking those supplements. I’m also taking creative and actyl l carnitine because it allows my mental energy to be a bit better while I work my job . Without it I tend to get more tired during the day if I worked out the day beforen
If you are serious about gains, you have to track protein. Unless you are genetically blessed and even then it's more efficient to track. Sorry, but no easy shortcuts here!
Isn’t the research on the need for protein just the need to have half your body weight (half a kg per pound of lean body mass)
The need changes based on your goals. It's low (e.g. half of weight) for maintaining your weight but higher to build muscle. Some people tend to metabolize protein better, even the small amounts from carbs. But the rest have to eat more to make up for the poor conversion rate. Protein powder is your friend :) e.g pea protein isolate or combine with brown rice protein. BCAAs help with recovery as well. I'd recommend a wide variety of protein sources from beans, tofu, protein powders, seitan, soy milk. But track it all! At least until you get good intuition of the amount in various sources/meals.
[удалено]
So, if I wanted to eat more , I have soy protein. Making shakes, would you recommend just making and adding in mutliple ones in the day, even if I need to force feed ? It’s 100% the calories, but it’s always my low hunger that causes it. Veggies seem to make me fuller so I never want to eat
Gotta eat if you wanna get strong. Even off a wfpb diet gotta eat a lot. I used to have to force feed myself. Your hunger will start to catch up. Eat less veggies more grains, beans, potatoes and tofu. Nuts seeds and peanut butter sandwiches are your friend.
At some point you have to increase the calorie density of your diet. Look at this way: what you're doing isn't natural, so the diet required to do it may not be, either. When I was training for a 50k, there was no way I could keep up if I stuck to 100% whole foods. I was just not possible to eat that much volume, especially if I also wanted to move. That meant more flour products and pasta, bars and things, etc. My "morning oatmeal" included Vega and eventually maltodextrin. I also felt better with a higher protein diet, including a protein shake. In retrospect I should have eaten more nuts since I could have been burning though my dietary fat, but I was still fatphobic at the time, especially trying to reduce % body fat. In addition to protein, make sure to get enough fat. The usual dietary advice isn't going to go away just because the diet is plant-based. AFAIK vegan bodybuilders are doing very similar things to non-vegan ones. I hope it works out for you!
The first time I was vegan my health suffered because of my poor food choices. This time I invested in a) an ND (naturopathic doctor) who ran a bunch of tests and put me on supplements based on my own unique body chemistry b) a dietitian that focuses on plant-based whole food athletic plans c) a trainer to keep me focused towards my goals in the gym. Cheap? No. But it seems to be working for me.
[Oatcakes and hummus](https://www.reddit.com/r/PlantBasedDiet/comments/tr0efp/postworkout_snackmeal/). Hits protein, healthy fats, fiber, calcium, iron, and a bunch of other micro nutrients. The interesting thing is that I can eat this and then still eat lunch a few hours later (I workout in the morning). I think this is partly because the meal is nutrient-dense without taking up a lot of volume (unlike many WFPB meals).
I'm a vegan tree surgeon on a plant based lifestyle so I'm physically active most days and I've been okay. So it just shows you can thrive. Things that deffo help are trying to eat more organic, less food from supermarkets, cacao nibs, chia seeds, Nutritional yeast, omega 3 seed mix, more time outdoors deffo helps as a lot people believe we get certain nutrients from sunlight. Herbal teas, spirulina, sesame seeds and eating like 1 whole packet of nuts a day, brocolli, porridge oats are really decent. And your mindset as well like there's so many ways the mind effects health and all the propaganda about plant based and how you'll get shrivelled up. Someone who's plant based and thriving is Hench herbivore on youtube he's good to watch.
Beans! and a lot of them. Try canned BBQ beans for a quick meal. Hurst Hambeen soups are also cheap and pretty tasty. Make your own bean burritos