I don't eat meat and I want to build muscles on my body but I want to stay feminine and not take any drugs like steroids or human growth hormones. Can it be done and how do I start?
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Answer by HonorHumility
TOFU is going to be your new best friend. Good luck.
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Yes, but you need to consult your nutritionist.
ReplyDeleteYou need to take adequate protein, vitamins, minerals, amino acid and other nutrients from your diet.
When your diet doesn't supply enough nutrients you need, you've got to take supplements to stay healthy and build your muscles.
Yes it can be done. I know a woman who is a holistic doctor who did it. She is a vegetarian and she build muscles on her body to show her patients that muscles can be created without eating meat. She looks very feminine and her muscle are similar to track athlete. The first time I saw her was at a natural bodybuilding competition 3 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia. She won first place in her division and received an invitation to compete in professional bodybuilding instead of amateur. Her name is Akilah. She's super nice and easy to talk to.
ReplyDeleteYou may want to contact her to learn how she did it. I eat meat and tried to do the whole bodybuilding thing but it didn't work for me. I don't have the motivation yet to keep it going. I think she also has a "how to" blog on her website that you can read and ask questions. Here is a link to look at her pictures. As you can see her muscles are not HUGE like a man but they are eye catching and appealing for a woman.
It really depends on how your body responds to a vegetarian diet whilst trying to build lean muscle mass. Because humans originated and evolved in different parts of the world, which in turn effects our diet, some people respond better to vegetarian diets than others.
ReplyDeleteWhen you weight train for bodybuilding you are going to feel like you want to eat more, and you're going to have to take in a lot of protein. So if you're a vegetarian it would be wise to use a variety of protein sources such as tofu, vegetable protein and natural protein powders (check out Sun Warrior, it's completely vegan protein and it's great).
Though in order to build that type of muscle, you usually have to take in more food than you are currently taking in - which can be hard, because vegetarian diets are often low in calories unless you really load up on carbohydrates from stuff like oatmeal, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Protein should really be the bulk of your diet (others will disagree with me on this so do your own research :) )
In my opinion, the first thing you should do find a reputable female personal trainer in your area, preferably with experience in bodysculpting or natural bodybuilding. Their experience is invaluable, and a few consultations will save you months of aimless training and getting nowhere (I work in a gym, I see this happen all the time). Follow her program, stay motivated and inspired. Secondly, take notice to how your body responds to a high protein vegetarian diet when starting your bodybuilding regimen, then reassess from there. Good luck :)
Yup, you definitely can do it, and the vegetarian thing wont be a problem.
ReplyDeleteYou want to start with a beginner's exercise program at your local gym and/or with a personal trainer to start, to build up your fitness and make sure you have good technique before moving on to the hard stuff.
If you already have good form, you could start with cheaper ways of learning new exercises, like joining a forum (some links in the sources bit) and using magazines like Muscle and Fitness Hers, or websites like http://www.bodyrock.tv/, although getting a trainer is always advisable.
In relation to diet, it is a very good idea to see a nutritionist. If you are concerned about finding good vegetarian foods, look for a nutritionist that specialises in vegetarian diets. There will probably be some on your local vegetarian network page (just google veg network "your city or state name").
Be careful with the diets suggested by friends, other body builders and personal trainers. Unfortunately a lot of smart and well meaning people have very silly and unfounded ideas about food which can be dangerous. I hate to say it, but many personal trainers forget everything they learned as soon as they get registered and give clients terrible food advice. Use your intuition- if it sounds very difficult and a bit wacky, it probably is.
Good luck!