Vegan Bodybuilding | Nutrition Tips & Tricks

Dietary fats for vegan bodybuilders

Similar to protein, not all fats that we eat are the same. For example, the body needs essential fatty acids. The word “essential” means that the body can’t produce it and so they need to come from your diet.

Omega 3 and omega 6 are considered essential fats. Omega 6 fats are fairly easy to get through the diet, but when it gets to the Omega 3’s it becomes a little harder— and even more so for vegans.

Bodybuilding is a gruelling sport and by consuming Omega 3’s they can help muscle tissue repair and recover as they lower inflammation.

Dietary fat can be stored in the body, so even though the source might be healthy you need to watch how much you consume.

• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Leafy greens
• Seaweed
• Beans

Now there’s no doubt that these foods above are healthy and can have a positive impact on your results. However, what’s not spoken about enough — especially for vegan bodybuilders who need to get enough Omega 3 in their diet — is how much do they actually absorb?

These sources all go through a conversion process in the body to make them “bioavailable”. This simply means that the body converts them into an active form which it can use — like a lock and key scenario.

The issue with this is that the conversion process is unfortunately very poor. So, although the amount looks good on your plate, the body doesn't actually get a lot of what it needs — even less so if you’re in a daily calorie deficit.

One very practical way around this is to supplement with Omega 3’s made from algae. An example of this could be Vegan Liquid Omega. This type of Omega 3 functions similar to fish oil, but had none of the ethical issues, and is used very well by the body.

Carbohydrates for vegan bodybuilders

Vegetables, starches and grains often make up a large component of a vegan diet. These foods all contain carbohydrates in them. Vegetables tend to have fewer carbohydrates than grains and starches.

Whilst it’s incorrect to say that all refined foods are unhealthy, it could be a good idea to eat the majority of carbohydrates from foods that are less refined for vegan bodybuilding.

Foods that are less refined are often higher in vitamins and minerals which can have a positive impact on performance.

Micro-nutrition for vegan bodybuilders

This is an area in which some vegans might fall short, especially when you exercise a lot, as in the case of vegan bodybuilding. Vegetables will provide an abundance of certain vitamins and minerals, but similar to the fatty acids, others are not converted as well in the body.

The main ones often missed are iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 as these are found in higher, more active amounts in animal products. That doesn’t mean that a vegan bodybuilder diet would be completely void of these nutrients, but the levels might not be optimal.

Women, in particular, generally need higher amounts of iron and being vegan might further diminish the amounts they are getting. The easiest and most practical way to ensure that you are getting enough of these nutrients is to supplement with a vegan-friendly source.

Workout nutrition for vegan bodybuilders

Carbohydrates are responsible for performance whilst protein is needed for muscle growth. Both can be important around the workout, so timing might be useful to maximise results.

It’s recommended for muscle growth and recovery purposes that protein is eaten before and after training. An amount of 20g to 30g anywhere from 1 to 3 hours before training would be ideal (you could eat more but there would be no extra benefit when it comes to growth or recovery). A similar amount of protein should be eaten within two hours after a workout.

The recommendation for carbohydrates will change from a diet phase to a bulking phase. In a diet phase, there are fewer calories and carbohydrates compared to a bulking stage.

It is, however, a good idea to try and fuel your workout as best a possible so try and consume carbohydrates with your protein meal as well as after the workout for recovery.

How much will depend on your preference of diet (high carb or low carb) as well as whether you feel comfortable training on a full or empty stomach.

Cardio for vegan bodybuilders

Cardio can be the “icing on the cake” for a bodybuilder who is looking to lose any excess fat. Low intensity steady state cardio tends to be the preferred method of cardio for bodybuilding as it allows the athlete to recover from weight workouts, lose fat and doesn’t create any extra muscle soreness.

How much is needed is dependent on where the athletes are on their fat loss cycle. It can be as little as 30 minutes twice a week, to 60 minutes every day.

So, the big question is can a vegan athlete perform as well as those who eat meat and dairy? Can they put on muscle, become stronger and get stage lean?

Of course.

There’s no reason why a vegan bodybuilder can’t excel on stage. You will, however, need to work that little bit harder to make sure all the bases are covered nutritionally. Attention to detail is a must as bodybuilders are unique when it comes to training, diet and lifestyle and so a vegan athlete might need to take their dedication to nutrition to the next level.

Take home message

The same rules that apply to a meat-eating bodybuilder still apply to a vegan bodybuilder. Energy balance is key; protein makes the difference between muscle gained or lost. Hard training and adequate recovery are non-negotiable.

We all have limited time to spare, so to make life a little bit easier a smart supplement plan would be wise as it can eliminate any deficiencies as well as the guesswork around the diet.