Vegan Bodybuilding Convert

Hello Everyone. I am 40 years old and I started lifting weights when I was 18, and have been lifting consistently since I was 21. I was a Powerlifter and vegetarian in my 20's. In my 30's, some friends persuaded me to enter my first bodybuilding competition. None of us knew anything about being a vegetarian and competing; there was some information out there but not a lot and my friends and fellow bodybuilders were all omnivores and so I acquiesced and started eating fish. I cannot even begin to tell you how much fish (mostly Tuna) and how many egg whites I ate for that first competition.

Well, needless to say I got very bored with that diet and could not eat it any more of it. And as my love of the sport of bodybuilding grew, so did my meat consumption and I threw out my vegetarian diet completely. I stopped bodybuilding to go to graduate school but continued to lift and eat meat. I continued my weightlifting regimen and I was working as a personal trainer and over the course of a few years my healthy diet deteriorated and I gained 30 pounds. I new I needed a change and I wanted to go back to being a vegetarian but for some reason I didn't.

Then one day in February 2009 I saw Rip Esselstyn on the Today show and that changed my life. I didn't have any serious plans to be a vegan I just wanted to follow his plan for 30 days and get back on track to at least being a Vegetarian. From February to May/June I dropped those 30 pounds (it's still gone) and became a committed vegan. Although I became a vegan for vanity reasons, I have since stayed a vegan for ethical and environmental reasons.

Now, I am recommitted to bodybuilding, not sure I want to compete but I definitely want lean muscle mass again.

Anyway that's my story

Sandra

That is an amazing story! I think many of us are finally driven to change our diets when we become overweight or other health issues (usually we are concerned about animal issues as well, but the final push comes from what we see in the mirror!).

It's great news that the weight has stayed off & as you've been training for quite a while I suspect you'll be in demand to answer questions when they crop up

Bodybuilding diet can be pretty boring in whatever form you do them (If you look at vegan style contest diets they tend to be pretty dull & repetetive as well! (although I have always thought that there's no real reason not to include a more green leafy vegetables into a contest diet as they are virtually zero cal & packed full of nutrients.

I've never actually read the Engine 2 diet book - I must really get around to it after I renew these personal training certs that I need to get done.

Glad to have you onboard & looking forward to some interesting posts.

Welcome. I was also a vegetarian in my 20's then went away from it for many years before becoming vegan 6 years ago. I remember when I first went back to eating meat (from being vegetarian) my body really puffed up. People thought I had started taking steriods. But, actually there wasn't really much change in strength. And the initial change in appearance was a short term thing. I think though it affected my thinking for years, causing me to mistakenly think that meat was essential for strength.

Hi Jay somehow I missed your post probably because shortly after I posted my introduction I stopped visiting the forum. When I started back to eating meat. It was for bodybuilding and I could not believe how lean and ripped I looked. After I stopped competing I bulked up and my doctor also thought I was on steriods. That was sort of a wake up call and I realized that that is not how I wanted my body to look.

Anyway take care. I plan to be more active on this board and I liked connecting with other like minded folks

Sandra

Jay wrote:

Welcome. I was also a vegetarian in my 20's then went away from it for many years before becoming vegan 6 years ago. I remember when I first went back to eating meat (from being vegetarian) my body really puffed up. People thought I had started taking steriods. But, actually there wasn't really much change in strength. And the initial change in appearance was a short term thing. I think though it affected my thinking for years, causing me to mistakenly think that meat was essential for strength

Hi Jay somehow I missed your post probably because shortly after I posted my introduction I stopped visiting the forum. When I started back to eating meat. It was for bodybuilding and I could not believe how lean and ripped I looked. After I stopped competing I bulked up and my doctor also thought I was on steriods. That was sort of a wake up call and I realized that that is not how I wanted my body to look.

Anyway take care. I plan to be more active on this board and I liked connecting with other like minded folks

Sandra