It’s a common misconception that vegans can’t build muscle mass like those eating animal products. However, as long as you are eating a balanced plant-based diet, growing muscle and bulking is possible. To ensure you bulk up fast and safely follow these tips.
Vegan diets are often associated with weight loss and while this is a benefit of vegan diets, it is something you should be conscious of while trying to bulk up. As most items in a plant-based diet are low in calories, and fats you must ensure you consume enough of the right calories to aid in muscle building. This includes increasing your protein and carbohydrate consumption. However, you want to also avoid full meals of just vegetables as these are low in calories and will fill you up fast. As such, consider switching half your vegetables out for protein or healthy fats.
The average person requires 0.36grams of protein per pound of body weight. However to bulk you should increase your intake to 2 to 4 grams of protein per pound of body weight. An easy way to increase your protein is to replace half your water consumption with simple protein shakes. This means just adding a scoop of protein powder to your water or soy/almond milk. Additionally, having precooked beans available will make it much easier to add protein to any meal.
A crucial part of bulking is gaining weight. Therefore you should ensure you are gaining around 1 pound each week, to help with muscle building. To help gain weight, ensure you track your calorie intake and increase it by 200 calories per week until weight gain is consistent.
For best results, take appropriate supplements like Centrapeak. It contains natural ingredients that have been scientifically proven to increase focus while supporting muscle growth. It’s proven to be suitable for vegans and vegetarians — this is why they recommend Centrapeak T-Booster. But as always, don’t forget to consult your doctor as to what will work best for you.
Once you have reached your desired muscle mass, you can slightly reduce your calorie intake. However, ensure you track your weight until it stabilizes.
A crucial part of the bulking process is sleep. You should aim to get a minimum of 7.5 hours per night. This is important as while you sleep, your body is helping your muscles repair themselves from your workout. This is through a process called protein synthesis. However, for protein synthesis to occur you should consume protein before bed to maximize your muscle repair process. Another benefit of good night's sleep is the production of human growth hormone. This hormone releases into your bloodstream and stimulates muscle growth, tissue regeneration and boosts energy levels.
There are some vitamins that help with bulking. However, some of these vitamins are found in animal products, so those on a vegan diet should ensure they take supplements. One of the most crucial vitamins that aids in muscle growth is Creatine. Creatine helps hasten muscle growth and can also help with your mood and cognitive functions. Additionally, all Creatine supplements are 100% plant-based making it a safe option for vegans looking to bulk up.
To bulk up fast, you should focus on a workout routine that stimulates muscle growth. Workouts should be based around compound movements, such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses and chin-ups. Ideally, all workouts should have a primary focus on building your shoulder muscles. Additionally, you could consider a hypertrophy training workout routine – specifically designed to help build muscle rather than losing weight. However, if you also need to weight loss, 30 minutes or more of cardio is also recommended daily.
By following the above tips, you can bulk up fast even on a completely vegan diet. Simply ensure you consume enough protein, get enough sleep and use a workout routine based on muscle building. It is important to know that you will not bulk as fast as those eating animal products, however, you should begin to see results within a few weeks.
