Tips For Building Muscle As A Vegan

What do you eat as a vegan?

Veganism is becoming increasingly popular thanks to its ability to help the environment, save animals and make you healthy. The last point particularly has led to the vegan diet dominating the fitness industry.

More and more people are understanding the benefits that the vegan diet can have for your health, but also its ability to help you build lean muscle. If you feel you have plateaued or you want to try something new, give veganism a go this coming Veganuary. Here are some tips to help you get started when it comes to building muscle!

Consume Enough Calories

In order to build muscle, you need to fuel your body properly with plenty of calories. As the vegan diet is so good for you, it is slightly harder to access these calories, but certainly not impossible.

Your best option to up your calorie intake is through healthy fat sources, like avocado, nuts and nut butters, hummus, and whole grains. One of the easiest methods I have found to consume more calories is through smoothies. They are much easier to consume than a normal meal and can contain the same, if not more, calories.

My go-to recipe is a banana, avocado, and peanut butter smoothie. You’ll need half a banana, half an avocado, 150ml plant milk (I use oat milk), 1 tbsp peanut butter, and 1 tbsp maple syrup. For an extra boost of protein, add 1 scoop of vegan protein powder and 50ml more plant milk. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Bulk Cook and Freeze

Sometimes it can take a bit of care to get ingredients like chickpeas, beans, or lentils tasting delicious. Cooking in bulk and freezing the meals you won’t be eating in the next couple of days will save you so much time as you won’t need to worry about seasoning your food to perfection every night.

It will also make sure that you don’t resort to quick options that aren’t as high in protein or calories when you’re in a rush. Things like mixed bean chili, lentil bolognese, and chickpea curry can all easily be made in big batches and frozen. If you try 1-2 new recipes a week, you will eventually build up a good combination of meals in your freezer. Decide what you want to eat the night before and put it in the fridge to enjoy the following evening!

Find High-Protein Meat Alternatives

A common misconception when it comes to the vegan diet is that it is difficult to consume

enough protein, yet this simply isn’t the case. As soon as you know what you are looking for, it is far easier and cheaper than eating meat for your protein.

Tofu, lentils, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds all contain protein and are easy to incorporate into any meal. You can also find fantastic vegan versions of meat products such as no chicken nuggets or no bull burgers that are high in protein. These won’t cost any more than you would spend on meat usually but are a slightly more expensive option than sticking to the other items above thanks to their convenience.

Don’t Be Afraid To Supplement Your Diet

Whilst supplements, multivitamins, and other health products shouldn’t replace a healthy diet, there is no harm in using them to supplement your diet. Protein powder will make your life so much easier and is a great option to help you hit your protein goals.

Many nutrients which are mainly found in meat, fish, and dairy can also easily be consumed through zinc or magnesium supplements, for example. It is possible to access all of the nutrients you need through diet alone, but supplements are a great option to put your mind at ease.