To increase muscle mass and lose body fat, bodybuilders need to ingest a large number of calories, along with considerable amounts of protein on a daily basis. This can be tough, even for those with big appetites and no restriction on food intake. But it can be even tougher if you're a vegan bodybuilder. According to Vegan Action, vegan diets do not contain any animal products whatsoever -- no meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, honey or products tested on animals. Many bodybuilding diets contain large amounts of all these, which makes following a vegan bodybuilding diet challenging, but still possible.
Calories
Calories are required to provide energy for building muscle, and to fuel your workouts and daily tasks. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day for women and 2,000 to 3,000 a day for men. As a bodybuilder, you will need at least the top amount of these requirements, if not more. Calorie-dense vegan foods include starches like potatoes, rice and pasta, along with fats from nuts, olive oils, avocado and coconut, so these should make up a large part of your diet.
Protein
Protein consumption is just as important as calorie intake for bodybuilders, as protein aids in building and repairing muscle cells, and is a catalyst for many chemical reactions in your body. According to bodybuilding diet coach Shelby Starnes, when bodybuilding, you should consume a high amount of protein -- at least 1 g of protein per pound of body weight per day. This can be tricky when you don't eat animal products, so you need to get your protein from sources such as beans, pulses, nuts and seeds. You may find a vegan protein supplement such as pea protein or hemp protein convenient.
Carbohydrates and Fats
Both carbs and fats are also needed when bodybuilding -- carbs to provide energy and shuttle nutrients to the muscles, and fats for hormone production. Carbs have significant benefits, but can also be detrimental to your progress if you consume too many of them, or eat them at the wrong times, so try to keep the majority of your starchy carbs to preworkout and post workout. Add a source of fat to every meal where you don't eat starchy carbs. Aim to consume about one-third of your calories from protein, one-third from carbs and one-third from fats.
Convenience and Results
While it is possible to be a successful bodybuilder by following a vegan diet, you will have to be prepared for it to be more of a struggle than if you had no food restrictions. Sports nutritionist Dr. John Berardi conducted a four-week experiment where he switched from his usual animal-product-heavy diet to a vegan menu and managed to gain muscle. He said, however, that he suffered much more digestive discomfort, bloating and gained more fat on a vegan diet, due to the high carbohydrate content.
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