To put it simply, if you're wanting to bulk you'll need to be eating a surplus of food and lifting heavy weights to build muscle mass.
A lot of bulking diets are known to consist of vast amounts of meaty protein and whey powder - obviously, these are not vegan. So we must question,can plant-based foods be high enough in protein to add bulk?
Can you bulk on a Vegan Diet?
Don't underestimate the power of the plant. Vegan diets are much more than eating salads, they can be super tasty, full of nutrition and suitable for adding muscle.
When bulking, you want to adopt three things:
- an exercise routine that enables you to build muscle mass
- the correct amount of calorie to support your exercise routine
- adequate protein, carbohydrates and vegetable intake
Once you have your regime down, ensure your food provide enough calories to bulk; around 400-600 more than you burn per day.
Which Vegan Foods are best for bulking?
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews and pine nuts are all high in protein. Check if any extra oils are added, these should be avoided.
Tofu, tempeh and seitan: Tofu can be added to just about anything and is an excellent source of protein - as well as seitan (wheat protein) and tempeh (fermented soy beans).
Whole Grains: Brown rice and quinoa are less processed than typical grain products making them great sources of protein.
Legumes: Lentils, beans and peas are easy to prepare and very cost effective sources of protein.
Dried fruits: Dried fruits contain the same number of calories but in a smaller, on the go form. You can also add dried fruits on top of porridge and salads.
Mock meats: Mock meats such as plant based burgers, sausages and chicken are made from different types of protein such as wheat protein, pea protein and soy protein to name a few - making them great sources of protein. The majority of mock meats tend to be relatively processed so it's important to not over do it.
Vegan protein powder:The Skinny Food Co have a selection ofVegan Protein Powder.
What should vegans do to bulk?
1.Follow the correct diet
Your diet should consist of large amount of protein, and you should be consuming 1g of protein per KG of body weight in order to bulk. It's also important to add carbohydrates to your diet,as theyare your number 1 energy source, so it's super important your diet consists of at least 60% carbs when building muscle mass.
2. Track your progress
Remember to log your weights so you can also identify progression in building muscle mass. It will also be beneficial to keep a track of what you're eating to identify what works best for you.
3. Drink water
Keep hydrated. When you're eating more calories and protein this make your body do more work digesting and absorbing those nutrients - consuming enough water will allow your body to work efficiently.
4. Exercise regime
Plan your exercise regime to what you want to achieve and what works best for you. We have a blog on How To Gain Muscle Mass which outlines exercise tips on building muscle mass.
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