Can you gain weight without meat? Easily! Is it possible for a vegetarian to build muscle? How to gain weight on a vegetarian diet

While some vegans are trying to lose weight, others are actively trying to gain it. It seems that everything is simple - eat more, and the kilograms will grow, but this is not entirely true. Let's figure out how to gain healthy weight on veganism, which will benefit the body, and not diabetes, high cholesterol and a whole range of other problems.

The need to gain weight is not yet a reason to load up on vegan buns, cookies, sweets, and various supposedly healthy fast foods. All of these foods contain either large amounts of sugar, salt, or fat, which will negatively affect the health of your body. Veganism itself involves leading a healthy lifestyle, and an excess of harmful substances certainly does not fit into the framework of health. Among other things, this will inevitably lead to problems with skin, hair, teeth and nails. So, if the path to gluttony is closed, how can you gain healthy weight without harming yourself?

Don't skip meals

Often, underweight people tend to skip breakfast, lunch or dinner, and not to mention snacks. But if you want to gain weight, you must rev up your metabolism, just like when you lose weight. Your daily meals should consist of breakfast, lunch, dinner and two or three healthy snacks, but they should be a little higher in calories than usual. But remember that these calories should also be healthy. To avoid breakfast reluctance, avoid eating before bed or have a small snack, which we'll cover below.

Stock up on nuts

Cashews, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts are a source of protein and healthy fat for the body. Add nuts to your cereal, take them with you as a snack, or make smoothies using cashews soaked overnight. If you get bored, season the nuts with sea salt and wasabi and mix with your favorite dried fruit and dark chocolate. In any case, such a snack will be much healthier than chips and rolls. Also, buy a variety of nut butters and add them to your salads. And remember about peanut, almond and other butters that go well with banana and whole grain bread. Just make sure there is no sugar in the paste.

Have healthy snacks in the evenings

Nutritionists, adherents of a healthy lifestyle and other supporters of proper nutrition say that 2-3 hours before bedtime you should not eat anything other than water. And you also need to drink water with caution so that swelling does not appear in the morning. Those who want to gain weight can use this rule in reverse. When we sleep, our bodies burn the fewest calories because our bodies simply fall asleep along with us. An hour to an hour and a half before bed, you can eat a healthy snack, such as whole grain toast with homemade hummus, an apple with peanut butter, or healthy chips with guacamole. But don't overdo it, you don't want swelling, right?

Diversify your diet

On a vegan diet, you have more sources of protein and healthy fats than you might think. Introduce yourself to new foods, new seeds, nuts, legumes, oils, avocados (if you are not already familiar with them), various high-calorie but healthy fruits (such as mango, banana, etc.). Buy hemp, alfalfa, sesame, flax, chia seeds and sprinkle them on salads, add them to soups and porridges. Explore new recipes that include tofu, tempeh, legumes and other healthy ingredients. And on our website there are just a lot of such recipes!

Drink, drink and drink again

Even though you're gaining weight rather than losing it, you still need to drink plenty of water. But in addition to the standard 8-10 glasses a day for everyone, you can also get good calories from liquid. For this purpose, use soft tofu, soaked nuts, seeds and unrefined oils. Just add them to your smoothie!

Eat legumes right

Beans, chickpeas, and lentils go well with brown rice, giving not only a boost of energy, but also supplying the body with protein and carbohydrates. But to avoid flatulence, cook legumes correctly. Soak them at least overnight and cook until fully cooked. You can also add asafoetida at the end of cooking, which helps the body better digest such food.

Be more mindful of your eating habits and you can gain a healthy weight and avoid health problems. Eat healthy and tasty, and then you can get the shape you want!

Ekaterina Romanova

Vegetarians primarily eat vegetables, fruits and grains, with some also consuming dairy products and eggs. Since there is no meat in a vegetarian diet, the transition to such a diet may be accompanied by weight loss. There is no need to be afraid of this! Even on a vegetarian diet, if you choose the right foods, you can gain weight.

Steps

Weight gain on a vegan diet

Understand the difference between vegetarianism and veganism. A vegetarian diet excludes any meat products (beef, poultry, fish, etc.), and veganism goes even further. Vegans do not eat any products that come from animals, including dairy products (milk, yogurt, butter) and eggs. Instead, they rely entirely on grain products, seeds, nuts, legumes, soybeans, fruits, vegetables and vegetable oils.

Calculate the daily amount of calories you need. A calorie is a unit of measurement of the energy value of food, which, when consumed, will either be consumed or stored as fat. When losing weight, people create for themselves deficit calories, that is, they burn more calories with their activity than they consume with food. For recruitment To lose weight, you need to do the opposite: eat more calories than will be burned during the day. A vegan diet can provide you with enough calorie-dense eating options to allow you to gain weight without reducing the level of regular activity that keeps you in optimal shape.

Continue to eat healthy. The easiest way to gain weight is to eat unhealthy, fatty vegetarian foods (like French fries or sugary baked goods). However, you shouldn't sacrifice your health for the sake of gaining weight, so you should try to supplement your diet with only healthy calories.

To build muscle mass, eat protein-rich foods. Lack of protein is a major problem in vegetarian and vegan diets. People on such diets must ensure that they are consuming enough protein at all times. Complete proteins (similar to those that come from animal sources) in the form of soy and quinoa are essential for the body to obtain all the important amino acids. However, vegans and vegetarians can consume a variety of protein sources that will complement each other (called complementary proteins) and provide the body with all nine essential amino acids. An example of a good combination would be brown rice and beans.

Consider an alternative source of protein in the form of soy. Soy protein can be considered a vegan's best friend and is supposed to lower bad cholesterol (BDL) levels. Tofu and soy cakes aren't particularly flavorful, but they can absorb the flavors of other foods they're cooked with while increasing the amount of protein you eat. Some people don't like the soft texture of tofu, in which case you can use textured plant proteins and add them to foods to make them look like pureed meat (like tacos or pasta sauces).

Increase the calorie content of your food by using soy side dishes. In stores you can find soy cheese, soy milk and even soy cream. Use these foods to add calories to salads, potatoes, tacos, or cereal without making you feel full.

Increase the amount of carbohydrates you eat. You may have heard that people trying to lose weight are advised to reduce or eliminate their carbohydrate intake. However, according to researchers, low-carb diets are effective solely due to the resulting calorie deficit. Carbohydrate-rich foods can provide you with the same amount of extra calories as the same amount of vegetables or beans, without making you feel full. To gain weight, you should eat rice, pasta, quinoa and whole grain bread.

Eat six small meals a day. If you get full quickly, you may have trouble getting enough calories from three meals a day. In this case, it is better for you to divide your food into 6 smaller portions and distribute them evenly throughout the day. You don't have to eat until your belly is full, and small, frequent meals will help you consume more calories in a day.

Have frequent snacks. Even in between your small meals, you can eat extra calories along with nutritious snacks to fuel your body. A spoonful of nut butter, a protein bar, or some cereal or kale chips will keep you from overeating, but will help you gain weight.

Gaining Weight with Dairy and Eggs
1. Start by following the vegan weight gain guidelines. Vegan and vegetarian diets are quite similar, but the latter allows for more flexibility. Essentially, a vegetarian should follow the same dietary guidelines as a vegan, but also include dairy products in their diet.
  - Aim to eat 3,500 more calories each week than you need to maintain your current weight. This will lead to an additional 500 grams per week.
  - Eat high-calorie, protein-rich foods such as beans, nuts, nut butters, almond butters, soy products, etc. to replace the lack of meat in your diet.
  - Eat small, frequent meals and snack regularly to ensure you consume enough calories to gain weight.
2. Increase the amount of egg whites in your diet. If your diet allows you to consume dairy products and eggs, you should take advantage of the calories and protein contained in these foods. While eggs are rich in protein, consuming too much yolk can cause your cholesterol levels to rise to dangerous levels. Yolks are only good for you in moderation, so you should not eat more than one yolk per day. On the other hand, egg whites are healthy in any quantity. You can simply remove the yolk from eggs or buy pure egg whites in liquid form to cook high-calorie, nutritious protein dishes.
  - For example, you can prepare an omelet with beans, cheese, chopped tomatoes, onions and bell peppers, and season the finished dish with sour cream, salsa and avocado.
3. Include dairy products in your side dish. As with a vegan diet, you can increase the calorie content of your salads by adding nuts, fruits, and other high-calorie foods. However, if your diet allows you to consume dairy products, then you can use real sour cream and cheese instead of soy substitutes. Cheese, sour cream and butter contain saturated fats, so they should only be consumed in limited quantities. Excessive consumption of these products can cause heart problems.
4. Snack on dairy products. However, you should approach cheese with caution. However, despite the fact that cheese can lead to obesity and heart problems, it is a key component of the very healthy Mediterranean diet. When gaining weight with the help of cheese, the most important thing is to choose the right type. Avoid the less healthy cheddar and Swiss cheeses, and look for the healthier goat cheese, feta and mozzarella cheese as they are lower in calories and can be eaten as a snack for extra calories. A good protein supplement to your diet is pressed cottage cheese, the consumption of which does not pose any potential health risks.
  - Yogurts are also a popular snack option, but you should avoid yogurts that are high in sugar. Instead, lean towards using plain Greek yogurt with some fresh fruit.
5. Consider including fish in your diet. Many vegetarians who give up eating meat still continue to eat fish. This is called pescatarianism and is a good option for those trying to gain weight. Like chicken, fish is a clean source of protein that can add calories to your diet. The human body is not able to independently produce omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, but they help build muscle mass, that is, they allow you to gain weight without fat. Doctors recommend eating fish at least twice a week, but it is better to eat the following types of fish:
  - mackerel;
  - trout;
  - herring;
  - sardines;
  - longfin tuna;
  - salmon.
Warnings
- Even though foods like soda, chips, and candy are high in calories and usually vegetarian, eating them to gain weight is a bad idea. They are too rich in sugar and fat and contain few nutrients.
- Consult your doctor or dietitian before making changes to your diet and trying to gain weight.

Basic provisions

Vegans should strive for a calorie surplus, meaning the number of calories entering the body should exceed those that the body expends during the day.

Weight gain is primarily a matter of the ratio of calories consumed to calories expended.

Weight will increase if you include more nutritious foods in your diet.

Taking carbohydrate supplements after exercise will boost your energy levels.

Many people find it difficult to gain weight, especially vegans, because they have to get all the nutrients they need to build lean muscle mass from plant foods. Fortunately, there are methods that allow vegans to still gain weight. We will talk about them.

Weight gain on a vegan diet

Despite the fact that many people strive to get rid of excess weight, there are people who have to struggle to gain it. It really comes down to the ratio of calories consumed to calories expended. The main reason vegans have trouble gaining weight is the amount of nutrients and nutritionally dense foods they need to consume to provide the protein and calories they need. All you need to gain weight is to create a calorie surplus from foods and supplements that balance your macronutrient ratios.

How to gain weight for vegans

Since you can theoretically gain weight by increasing your caloric intake, the following tips will help you achieve your goals.

1. Consume high-calorie foods

For most exercisers and those called bodybuilders, the goal is to gain muscle mass. With the help of high-calorie foods, you will increase the flow of energy into the system and gradually gain weight. Consume high-calorie plant foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grain bread with peanut butter, starchy vegetables, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, etc.

2. Snack often

You might think that snacking frequently isn't all that effective in increasing your overall daily calorie intake, but counting all your calories at the end of the day will prove otherwise. Snack on high-calorie whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and fruits. It is also important to consume high-calorie foods that contain healthy fats, such as avocados. Their monounsaturated fats and proteins will provide you with the energy you need throughout the day.

3. Increase your strength training

To gain weight, it is important to meet two conditions. The first is nutrition, and the second is strength training. To cause a specific reaction in the body, you need to train with weights. If you comply only with the first condition, then fat will be deposited, if only the second, then you will become stronger, but your weight or muscle mass will remain the same.

First of all, vegetarians are different. Strict (vegans) do not eat not only meat, but also, in principle, any products of animal origin. Whereas, say, adherents of the lacto-ovo trend include both eggs and milk in their menu. “Veganism, in my opinion, has nothing to do with a healthy diet, since such a diet can eventually cause serious diseases of the digestive, hematopoietic, immune systems, hepatitis, and osteoporosis,” says Natalya Fadeeva, nutritionist-endocrinologist at the Center for Family Dietetics. “Unstrict veganism is closer to a balanced diet, since in this menu animal protein with a full set of essential amino acids is still present.”

How to lose weight as a vegetarian

It is important to understand that switching to a vegetarian menu will not in itself lead to weight loss, much less rapid weight loss. Moreover, you should not give up protein before the age of 25 or if you have health problems. Is it dangerous. “Protein starvation is especially difficult for a growing organism, which in this case not only loses body weight, but also stops growth due to a lack of plastic material necessary for construction,” says Anna Korobkina, nutritionist, head of the MetabolicCoaching Center for Rational Nutrition.

In fact, in order to lose weight, a vegetarian needs to limit himself in diet in the same way as a meat eater: exclude flour, unhealthy sweets, fatty, fried foods, fast food. You can't overeat at night. A vegetarian diet for weight loss should be based on grain products with a low glycemic index - buckwheat, bulgur, brown rice, millet, lentils. If you are trying to lose weight, you can eat up to 400 g (ready-made) per day and add 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil per serving.

“If you want to lose weight by adhering to non-strict vegetarianism, you need to include protein products of animal origin in your diet every day: eggs, milk, especially protein-rich cottage cheese and cheese,” says nutritionist Natalya Fadeeva. “And also mushrooms, nuts, legumes.”

By the way, you should not buy dairy products with 0% fat content; it is much healthier to eat 100-200 g of the same cottage cheese with 5-9% fat content: calcium from “zero” is less absorbed, for the absorption of which fat is needed.

A vegetarian who wants to lose weight should also eat vegetables, fruits and dried fruits in measured doses. “To lose weight, you need to watch your caloric intake. After all, 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil contain approximately 120 kcal, and sweet fruits and dried fruits contain quite a lot of carbohydrates,” says Anna Korobkina .

“To improve your metabolism and burn more calories, you need to move more,” says Natalya Fadeeva. “I advise walking 10-14 thousand steps daily - this is the best way to increase the speed of metabolic processes and, accordingly, normalize weight.”

Sample menu for a losing weight vegetarian

Breakfast: buckwheat porridge (150 g), or oatmeal (100 g) with milk (juice), or cottage cheese casserole (150 g). Tea or coffee without sugar.

Snack: 1 orange or 2 kiwi, 1 banana.

Dinner: vegetable soup (200 ml) and fresh vegetable salad (200 g); or peppers stuffed with rice and vegetables (200 g); or lentil soup (200 ml) and cabbage and carrot salad (150 g).

Snack: 2 apples (preferably green), or tomato juice (200 ml), or drinking yoghurt (150 g).

Dinner: vinaigrette (150 g), baked asparagus (150 g); or stewed cabbage with mushrooms (150 g); or vegetable stew (250 g); or jacket potatoes (2 pieces) and squash caviar (150 g).

How to gain weight as a vegetarian

Doctors define a safe rate of weight gain (muscle mass) as 300-500 g per week. At higher speeds, serious health problems may arise. “To avoid problems with metabolism when switching to a high-calorie diet, a person must not only eat sufficiently, but also move,” says nutritionist Natalya Fadeeva. “Sports nutrition can help vegetarians gain weight: without it, you can’t build muscle.”

A vegetarian (like a meat eater) can gain weight due to a shift in energy balance. In other words, you will have to eat more calories than you will burn. It is necessary to increase the proportion of protein products in the diet. If you don't consume milk or eggs, consider protein shakes made from plant proteins. If these products are present in your menu, control the total amount of proteins. “I do not recommend consuming more than 2 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day, this can negatively affect kidney health. When taking protein shakes, you need to take into account the protein that is in the products, otherwise there is a high risk of developing renal hyperfiltration,” explains nutritionist Anna Korobkina.

It has been proven that people whose work involves mental activity have a harder time gaining weight. Nutritionists advise them to pay special attention to whole grains - wheat and rice, as well as unrefined sugars. Sprouted wheat, for example, is an excellent source of chromium, which is necessary for cells to better absorb glucose, the main source of energy. It also contains a lot of arginine, an amino acid that ensures better blood flow to the muscles. For healthy weight gain, exercise is undoubtedly important. “Reducing aerobic activity will help you gain some weight; to gain muscle mass, you can leave strength exercises with mandatory rest periods,” says Natalya Fadeeva.

Sample menu for a vegetarian who wants to gain weight

Breakfast: oatmeal with honey, raisins, nuts (200 g), toast with cheese and avocado, coffee with milk; or vegetable caviar (200 g), toast with butter, cocoa; or millet porridge (200 g), a handful of nuts (50 g), tea with milk.

Snack: fruit juice (200 ml), fruit salad with sour cream (150 g); or bananas (2 pcs.), figs (50 g).

Dinner: cabbage soup or borscht without meat (150 ml), pasta (200 g), carrot salad with nuts (150 g); or noodles (200 g), baked mushrooms (150 g).

Snack: vegetable salad with vegetable oil (150 g), or dates (100 g), or protein shake (200 g).

Dinner: buckwheat (200 g), or rice porridge (200 g), or potatoes with mushrooms (200 g); beet salad with nuts or seeds (150 g) or fish in batter (200 g).

Good afternoon, happy hour, we are glad to see you with us!

Let me inform you that with this post (and for the whole of May) we are opening a nutritional cycle of notes and the first topic for analysis will be vegetarianism and bodybuilding. After reading, you will learn the main points about the nutritional culture of vegetarians, we will also find out what rules this category of eaters should adhere to to improve their physique, consider the top 10 plant sources of protein and learn many more interesting things.

So, if you are a meat eater, then you can go and fry yourself a steak :), because this article will seem too bland to you, vegetarians, on the contrary, prick up your ears and listen carefully.

Vegetarianism and bodybuilding. Everything you need to know

It has already become a good tradition to start each new month with a new series of notes. Having taken a sober (your health :)) look at all the latest posts, we realized that the project lacks articles of a nutritious nature, and therefore we decided to kill the worm. And we will starve it throughout May. Therefore, as they say, “food is served, please sit down!” :). Well, to be honest, it was decided to choose vegetarianism and bodybuilding as the first topic, and all because this is one of the most relevant topics of letters received by the project mail from you, my dear readers. Of course, most of the messages come from the fair sex, and I would never have thought that among our esteemed audience there are so many who do not eat meat. And, moreover, he keeps religious fasts (for example, the longest and strictest before Easter).

Despite the fact that the topic of plant sources of protein and, in general, organizing the nutrition process of a non-meat eater is extremely relevant, it is difficult to find practical and comprehensive information on it. Therefore, we decided to look at vegetarian issues from different angles and write a comprehensive guide on the “what, how and when” type. What came of this, we will find out further in the text.

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Vegetarians – who are they and what are they?

Vegetarianism is a large movement that unites people who have decided in some way to limit themselves in the consumption of certain products. The most prominent representative of this food culture is India, the percentage of vegetarians in which (according to various sources) ranges from 25 before 40% .

Vegetarians adhere to a number of rules in their diet, namely they do not consume:

meat;
milk, eggs, cheeses (those that use rennet, produced in the stomachs of young calves);
white sugar, honey;
gelatin;
beer;
mayonnaise and ketchup.

This list of products is far from complete, but these are the main products/supplements that vegetarians fundamentally do not consume due to the fact that they directly or indirectly interact with animals. For example, gelatin is used to filter beer, and it is formed from the bones of cattle.

The main feature of vegetarians is a thorough study of the composition of the product and the method of its production (technological process). If it is found that the product may contain ingredients of animal origin, then such food is rejected by them.

Everything you need to know about vegetarianism is clearly reflected in the following infographic (clickable).

So, we’ve sorted out this issue, now let’s talk about...

Different types of proteins

Proteins are high molecular weight natural substances consisting of a chain of amino acids linked by a peptide bond. The main function of proteins is to regulate the chemical reactions of the body. In the key to a harmonious figure (the correct balance of fat and muscle mass in the body), the building function of proteins is crucial.

All proteins are divided into animal and plant based on the source of their extraction. In addition to this, there are other classifications of them, in particular the following.

For normal life, a person needs 20 L-series amino acids ( 8 of which are not synthesized by the body). It is believed that animal proteins contain most of the essential amino acids (complete) and are digestible 90-95% . From this point of view, plant proteins are incomplete and are absorbed by the body in only 60-75% .

Note:
Eight acids not synthesized independently by the body: leucine, isoleucine, valine, tryptophan, lysine, phenialanine, threonine, methionine.

Refusal of meat/animal products depletes the human diet of essential amino acids. Their concentration in the blood becomes reduced and the body signals this with various malfunctions. In addition to protein, people also lack healthy fats (omega- 3-6-9 ), in this situation, women may experience problems with their skin and hair, i.e. her/your beauty will fade.

The next question to consider is...

Vegetarianism/Vegetarian Bodybuilding: Myths

Myth No. 1. Plant foods do not provide enough complete protein to build muscle mass

Is it true: Protein quality can be quantified based on the PDCAAS score. According to this scale, soybeans are rated 1 (highest), while beef 0,92 . Thus, soybean is a complete source of protein containing everything 8 essential amino acids necessary for the growth and recovery of muscle tissue.

Note:
More 80% soybean on the Russian market is transgenic, i.e. obtained using genetic engineering. The most widespread type of GMO soybean GTS_ 40-3-2. It is sold under the brand name Roundup Ready.

As for a sufficient amount, there are many sources of plant protein, and combining them in meals allows you to meet the protein needs of at least vegan women (strict vegetarians). If we consider men who want to gain weight, then they should add protein shakes based on soy protein to their diet to increase protein levels.

Myth No. 2. Vegetarian diets lack essential nutrients

Is it true: There is some truth to this myth, because some vitamins are found only in animal foods. If you are a vegetarian, then you should enrich your diet with vitamin B12, iron and zinc. They are precisely what people who are actively involved in physical activity need, and it is they that are depleted in plant foods.

Therefore, vegetarians should either consume these elements in the form of supplements in tablet form, or include in their diet:

B12: nutritional yeast, spinach, soy milk;
Iron: beans, raisins and prunes, dark green leafy vegetables;
Zinc: legumes, nuts (eg almonds).

Myth No. 3. The muscles of vegetarians will be inferior in strength and volume to the muscles of meat eaters.

Is it true: at the moment there are no reliable scientific and medical studies confirming that vegetarian bodybuilders are inferior in physical development to meat eaters.

Examples from sports show that both those who eat meat and vegans can achieve high results. Here is a list of elite vegetarian/vegan athletes: Bill Pearl 4 multiple Mr. Universe, Mike Tyson (boxer), Lewis Karl - nine-time Olympic champion in sprint and long jump.

Myth No. 4. Vegetarian diets are boring and monotonous; you can’t stay on them for long

Is it true: There is some truth in this myth. Despite the fact that the variety of plant sources of protein is quite large, not every athlete (especially men) is able to maintain such diets for a long time. This is due to the inability to cook (lack of culinary experience) and significant time costs. After all, you must admit, I threw a piece of meat into a frying pan and through 5 minutes it is ready (without your direct participation), and various legumes need to be washed, soaked, boiled and then figure out how to eat this bland stuff :).

Myth No. 5. After training, we need a lot of animal protein to close the carbohydrate-protein window.

Is it true: In fact, scientific research says that plant-based proteins can easily satisfy the needs of muscles to restore and build new contractile structures.

After training, what is more important is not the amount of protein (its portion in grams), but the rate of absorption. Animal protein does not have fiber (fiber), so to speed up the digestion process, the athlete needs to eat a lot of vegetables. If he does not consume enough of them, the body cannot properly assimilate protein from food. Thus, a person can eat a lot of meat, but the protein from it will lie as “dead weight” in the stomach and even lead to deposition as fat or overstrain the kidneys/liver.

With vegetable protein comes fiber, so after training (meaning not the first, but the second solid meal) there is both animal protein + a lot of vegetables, and plant protein. To close the carbohydrate-protein window, vegetarians may benefit from sports supplements - proteins and gainers (for those who consume simple carbohydrates, for example, in the form of sucrose/maltodextrin) based on soy protein.

So, we have debunked the main myths, now we find out...

How can vegetarians/vegans gain more muscle mass and have a low percentage of subcutaneous fat? Mass gain pitfalls

Next 3 “plugs” will block your path to the specified goal:

achieving a positive nitrogen balance;
vitamin deficiency B12 and zinc;
carbohydrate control.

Let's go through each point and start with...

No. 1. increase mTOR

mTOR is an intracellular protein that has the properties of regulating muscle development and hypertrophy. This is a kind of signal for mass gain (starting the growth of muscle tissue). Activators of mTOR are growth factors (for example, IGF-1 insulin-like growth factor), protein (amino acids, especially BCAA). To increase the production of mTOR, in addition to a balanced diet, you should additionally take the amino acid leucine, forksolin (an alkaloid of plant origin, dietary supplement) and the mineral zinc.

The most important technique for an athlete is post-training. It is known that after classes it is best to close (high-carbohydrate shake). Thus, the level of insulin increases, and the hormone begins to fulfill its transport function - taking nutrients throughout the cells (in particular, the supply of “material” to the muscles is carried out).

As it turns out, having carbohydrates without a full complement of amino acids means that mTORC1 signaling will be disrupted, and the insulin response to carbohydrate loading will not lead to protein synthesis (but will lead to fat gain), meaning that new muscle will not be built.

In turn, the most powerful stimulators of insulin and protein synthesis (with or without carbohydrates) are whey protein and the amino acid L-leucine. However, this is where vegans run into difficulty as most “plant proteins” (sports nutrition) are incomplete or deficient in L-leucine, so they will not properly stimulate mTor to facilitate protein synthesis.

Therefore, to increase mTor and close the anabolic window, vegans are better off using branched chain amino acids (BCAs) either during exercise or after physical activity.

Conclusion: if your workout in the gym involves a time window in 45-60 minutes, and you are a meat-eating bodybuilder, then you can consume both whey protein and BCAA. And if you are a vegan, then only amino acids. On the other hand, if you are training 90 minutes or more, then it makes sense to add carbohydrates to the protein.

No. 2. Vitamin B-12 and zinc deficiency

Vitamin B12 necessary for the creation of blood cells and cell division. Because it is only found in animal products, vegans do not get enough of this vitamin. The solution here is to use brewer's yeast or sports nutrition in the form of vitamins of this group. The same goes for the mineral zinc. It can be obtained from ZMA sports nutrition taken before bed.

No. 3. Carbohydrate control

It is quite difficult for vegetarians to balance their diet in terms of basic nutrients, because either carbohydrates (for example, lentils, beans) or fats (for example, nuts) come with proteins. Therefore, when establishing a balance, it is important to study the composition of products and formulate meals based on the ratio of BJU necessary for your purposes. In other words, don’t overdo it with carbohydrates when meeting your protein needs.

We've sorted out the vegetarian mass gathering and, looking at the post character counter, I want to say that we have planned a lot for one post, but things are still there :). Surely you are already tired and nodding off, huh? Cast your vote! And in response - silence. Therefore, I propose to format the second part of the note in order to thoroughly analyze only the grocery basket, okay?

Afterword

It's the month of May, and we decided to devote its Friday articles to nutritional issues, and the first of them is vegetarianism and bodybuilding. We delved into the essence of this topic and clarified many points for ourselves, as vegetarians. It remains to figure out what to buy in stores, but more on that in the second part. Goodbye, my wagons are vegan! :)

PS: Are you missing nutritional topics?

PPS: did the project help? Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100 points towards karma guaranteed :)

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.