Is this the right lifestyle for me?

petulko

Hi All! Name is Peter, i like fitness and bodybuilding. About 8 months ago i went vegetarian, and about 3 months ago i went vegan. All after reading ph miracle book and the amazing gallblader and liver cleanse book. Before i was 90kg with 15% bodyfat and now im 74kg with 9% bodyfat. I lost my muscles even dough i kept working out, my energy is down and im tired. I developed a lot of gas and bloating. Im blood type O and pitta body type. I dont look and feel the best. Prior this i was eating loads of red meat and fish according to book Eat right for you type, no wheat or dairy and i felt good and had power and energy. But i wanted to be healthy so i went vegan. My current sample diet:

6am- glass of water with fresh squeezed lemon.

6.30- half cucumber, 1 celery stick, handfull brocoli, handful spinach leaves, 1 organic carot, 1 organic apple- juiced in masticating juicer.

9am- bowl of wheat free poridge with soaked almonds and wallnuts.

11am-organic apple and banana

12:30 - big bowl of fresh salad

4pm 3-4 slices of spelt bread wit unsalted butter scalions, radish, cherry tomato

7pm- veg stir fry and bassmati rice

9pm- wheatgrass juice.

On workout day i have big smoothie of banana, half avocado, fresh apple juice and scoop of pea protein. - half before and half after workout.

I dont have any allergies or ilness and havent seen doctor since i was 17, im 35 now.
I just dont want to be like a scaleton without energy. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

nervous_twitch

Peter, there is almost zero protein in your diet! I'm not surprised you've lost muscle and aren't feeling too good all round.

Add nuts and seeds to everything - both contain good fats, protein and invaluable minerals. I think walnuts are great. Get some wholenut butter and have a big spoon of that in the morning.

I can't see any legume/pulses/beans in your diet either, which are little protein powerhouses. Beans and lentils and chickpeas should be your best friend - casseroles, curries, stir-frys, veggie patties etc can all be made using these. Make up some houmous to have for dipping your veg.

Quinoa is a great source of protein, and is apparently the only complete protein that is bio-available for the vegetarian diet. Replace rice/pasta/potatoes etc with this. Similar foods like couscous, bulgar wheat and ground millet are good too.

Perhaps add some tofu to your diet? In terms of veg though, you seem to eat a mountain which is great! Hope this helps.

Zombienosh

As above, you're missing out on protein BIG TIME.

Even as far as supplements, You should invest in Proteins and supplement everyday not just training. There are a lot of vegan protein powders these days, Pea, Rice, Hemp.

and as above add more veggie protein rich foods, (Quinoa, Lentils, Tofu, lots of nuts and seeds, Loads of beans.)
Also good fats, from seeds, coconut oil, Linseed/flax seed will be important for omegas.

I'm a gym goer myself so I prioritise veg protein options all the time, I am however veggie and not vegan so I use eggs and whey a lot so it's easier for me.

Check out this company for sports supplements http://www.rosnutrition.com/ie/roscategory/proteins-and-aminoacids
They have brown rice protein powder, hemp and pea. all pretty cheap, "they" all say you should aim for a gram of protein per pound of body weight, I say aim, so It doesn't matter if you don't get exactly there everyday but you should be prioritising protein and good fats in every meal if you're trying to body build.
It would also be handy to get a good multi vitamin, that site also do good ones that are gelatin free!
You will need to supplement B12, this is also why you are probably tired and run down.

Hi Peter.
Do you have any other motivation for being vegan?
Or is it only for health reasons?

nervous_twitch

That said, if you only went vegan because a book told you to, you might want to do some research before committing. There is lots of debate out there on the relative merits of the vegetarian/omnivorous diet, but I think both are as good as each other if done right.

sav1980

Hi Petulko,
Well done on including so much fresh fruit and veg, but I think you simply may not be consuming enough calories. Try adding in some more high calorie foods, maybe peanut butter or other nut butters and a couple more bananas in your smoothies, avocados, baked potatoes, tofu, beans and legumes..etc. There are a few vegan bodybuilding and fitness websites out there for some ideas and meal plans. Also agree that b12 supplement is important too.

blatantrereg

Yes you aren't eating nearly enough protein or calories for someone training. Everything you describe is consistent with significant protein and calorie deficit. Therefore it is not veganism per se that is causing your issues and they should not effect your decision whether you wish to continue being vegan.

Butter is not vegan.

spiralbound

You can enter your food intake into something like fitday, and that will give you an idea of what you're missing out on. As everyone else said, probably protein, and most likely fats and calories too. Don't worry about pH or liver cleansing or miracle diets or eating for your blood type, these things are all made up to sell books (IMO).