6 Pack Bags Diet Profile: Building Muscle as a Vegetarian

VEGETARIAN MUSCLE GAIN QUICK HITS

• What it is: A meatless diet plan for the athlete intent on building muscle as a vegetarian.
• What you can eat: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and dairy.
• What you can drink: Water, tea and milk.
• What you will see: Lowered blood pressure, lowered risk for Type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer.

Eating meat isn't the only answer to building muscle. As a vegetarian, you can make massive gains while still killing it in the gym. Focus your diet on taking in 50% of your calories from carbohydrates, as there are many healthy forms of complex carbohydrates that come from a variety of different fruits and vegetables. Many vegetarians include dairy products into their meal management system to supplement their protein and fats needs, but there are still healthy dairy substitutes if you'd rather skip the eggs and cheese.

VEGETARIAN MUSCLE GAIN SHOPPING CART

• Dairy: Butter, eggs, cheese, milk and yogurt.
• Fats: Avocado, chia seeds, olive oil and walnuts.
• Vegetables: Artichokes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery and collard greens.
• Fruits: apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, figs, grapes and nectarines.
• Nuts: almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts and pistachios.
• Grains: barley, bulgur, faro, kasha, quinoa, steel-cut oats, brown rice and wheat.
• Beans: black beans, black eyed peas, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, great northern beans and kidney beans.

BUILDING MUSCLE AS A VEGETARIAN TIPS

• You need to eat enough calories in order to build muscle. Eat an additional 500 calories each day to increase your muscle weight by 1lb each week.
• Vegetable proteins are incomplete proteins, which means that each vegetable doesn't have the complete set of essential amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscle tissue. Combat this by eating a wide range of vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and beans to get the essential amino acids your body needs.
• Vitamin B12 is not common in plant-based foods. To prevent this deficiency, include products like coconut milk into your diet or take a B12 supplement.

Structuring a balanced diet with a variety of plant-based foods is crucial for building muscle as a vegetarian. Choose foods with sufficient nutrients and savory flavors to pack in your 6 Pack Bag and it won't be long before you notice a sexy new you in the mirror.