West Coast Muscle

QUESTION: I've recently become a vegan and wondered if it's  possible for me to be competitive in women’s bodybuilding?

ANSWER: Candian IFBB Pro Steve Brisbois is proof that a bodybuilder can make great gains on a vegetarian diet. Another example of a bikini champ Marizia Prince.

For those of you who don’t know, a "vegan" does not eat the following: Beef, chicken, fish, pork or any animal products including whey protein from dairy, eggs, honey or casein. So the obvious problem with being a vegan is getting in all the high-quality protein needed to add lean muscle growth and repair. 

In order to compete successfully, you need a diet containing plenty of high quality protein. Examples of high protein sources for vegans include; tofu, tempeh which is (fermented soy beans), made of wheat gluten, beans, nuts, quinoa, bulgar, and even brown rice.

As for supplementation, there is an increasing amount of plant based protein powders now on the market which taste great and are easily digested and absorbed.  

Vegans who eat an adequate amount of protein and use proper supplementation report feeling stronger and energized throughout the day. The stereotypical weak, anaemic vegan is no longer the reality.  It is possible to be competitive; you just have to work a little harder to get the required amount of protein in. Pounding a lot of soy doesn't cut it. Soy is only metabolized in relatively small quantities, even though it is a complete protein. The vegan bodybuilder or other athlete has a hard road, but if you include eggs, milk, or fish, it would make it easier, but then you can’t call yourself a true vegan!