mattpb Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) Hi, my name is Matthew, I am 30 years old and currently living in Vancouver. I have been a Vegan only since the start of the year so this is a huge change to my lifestyle. How it happened: my girlfriend has been a vegetarian as long as I have known her and she had talked about becoming a vegan on several occasions, to me it was not an option - how could I give up meat? I told her she would not have enough protein, she would lack several nutrients and so forth, yes I am the typical person who knows nothing about being a vegan apart from what I have overheard, lol. So I started to do some research, what is a vegan? I watched forks over knives and several other programs and it really opened my eyes. Then I thought do I even enjoy meat? The truth was most of the time no. So why am I destroying a life for something I don't even want, this may shock some and thinking back I do feel guilty about all the animal products I ate but at least I have made the change now. So from trying the vegan lifestyle to support my girlfriend has turned into a lifestyle change, maybe it's to early to see a change but I have noticed I am sleeping better and my energy levels are up. I'd like to thank my gilfrIend for introducing me to the vegan life and everyone at Vegan Bodybuilding for providing this forum full of motivation and support. First day back at the gym for over a week, had a nice rest but felt good to be back working out. Chest & Biceps Decline Press 12 x 25lbs, 12 x 40lbs, 9 x 55lbsIncline DB Press 12 x 30lbs, 10 x 50lbsDB Flyes 12 x 15lbs, 11 x 22.5lbs1 Arm Preacher Curl 10 x 25lbs, 7 x 35lbsStraight Bar Curl 15 x 40lbsCrunches 14reps, 10, 8 Short but intense workout, feeling great. Edited January 15, 2012 by mattpb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) My Goals for 2012 Weekly Goals:Eat 6 Clean Nutritious meals everydayDrink at least 3.5 litres of water a dayLog every workout and meal online and in my journal Monthly Goals:Increase Strength - Deadline 1st Feb 2012 - I will be able to complete 6 reps of:H/S Inc Chest Press 150lbs,Close Grip lat Pulldown 170lbs,H/S Shoulder Press 130lbs.45 Leg Press 200lbs If i complete all of my monthly goals i will reward myself with a new supplement. I have had some good results from using creatine in the past and want to start using it again, so got to work hard. 1 Year Goal:I will feel healthier,Improve my physique by giving it some shape through working out,Improve my posture/core through stretching and attending Pilates/YogaCompete on stage as a BodybuilderEnjoy my new healthy lifestyle as a Vegan Edited January 10, 2012 by mattpb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Monday Meal Plan Breakfast: Smoothie - 1 Cup of Oats, 6oz Tofu, 1/2 Cup Mango and 1Tbsp Agave Post-Workout:Vega Sport Shake and a banana Lunch:250g Sweet potato, 112g Tempeh, 100g mixed veg and 1/4 avocado Snack:1/2 cup of oats, banana, and pumpkin protein Dinner:6oz Tofu, 100g black beans and 200g of mixed veg (mixed together and made into a curry) Snack:Pumpkin protein, 3 Rice cakes and 2Tbsp nut butter Consumed 4 litres of water today. Total calories: 2232Carbs: 240gProtein: 172gFat: 29.6g To make life easier for me i will be eating the same foods everyday, maybe change the fruit. After about 4 weeks of sticking to my plan i will be able to analyse my total calorie intake and adjust if its too high/low, or adjust protein/carbs/ fat if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Week 1 Plan Monday: Chest & BicepsTuesday: BackWednesday: CardioThursday: Delts & TricepsFriday: LegsSaturday: CardioSunday: Rest Current weight 174lbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Day 2 I think the festive season of over eating and indulging in treats I should have stayed away from are starting to show. I turned up at the gym feeling sluggish and a bit chubby, so instead of getting down about it, i gave myself a good kick the ass and vowed not to let myself slip out of shape again. 10 min warm up on X Trainer Workout: BackDB Pullover 10 x 35lbs, 10 x 45lbs, 7 x 65lbsClose Grip Lat Pulldown 10 x 50lbs, 5 x 80lbs1 Arm DB Row 10 x 30lbs, 7 x 55lbsWide Cable Row 10 x 40lbs, 9 x 100lbs - maybe stay at this weight as not getting full range of motionFixed BB Deadlift 12 x 40lbs, 12 x 80lbs - increase weight next week, started off low to make sure I had good formReverse Crunches 3 x 10 - new exercise for me, felt good but need to push more out next time Felt great after workout, really feel my lats whilst stretching and can still feel my chest from yesterday. Felt a bit down looking in the mirror this morning, but I can only look forward now and I know I am doing all I can to change my body and that makes me feel great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Not sure what happened with close grip lat pulldown but I recently changed gyms and I was lifting 150lbs but in the new gym I can only manage 80, could the new gym machine be in Kilo's? I hope so otherwise I lost alot of strength. Will figure it out next time I'm in the gym. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Day 3 Cardio Its been a long time since i have been running so i started off easy. 20 Minutes High Intensity Interval Training on TreadmillConsists of four loops, i start off at 3Mph warm up for 2 mins and then increase by 1Mph every minute upto 7Mph then start again. Then on the last cycle i go up to 8Mph which should be giving your all for 1 min. I found this ok today so i will increase speed maybe start at 3.2Mph and i'll use an incline of 0.5 to resemble running outside. Finished off with plenty of stretches on my legs and a few core exercises as my core needs strenghthening. Feeling great about my workout and full of energy with my new meal plan. Cant wait to attack shoulders in my next workout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 Day 4 Delts &Traps Hammer Strength Shoulder Press 10 x 50lbs, 10 x 90lbs, 6 x 140lbsSide Lateral Raise DB 10 x 10lbs, 6 x 17.5lbsLow Pulley Raise 8 x 10Rev Flyes Machine 12 x 40lbs, 13 x 55lbs - go higher next time, new machine so had to guess, still went to failure which is greatTricep Pushdown 10 x 30, 9 x 50Lying Tricep Extension 10 x 30lbs, 5 x 50lbsSeated overhead Tricep Press 10 x 30lbs, 5 x 50lbsPlank 3 Sets 45 sec, 35 sec, 30 sec Not done plank in a long time and my whole body was shaking. Need to be able to hold it longer which will come in time, great exercise for strengthening the core. Feeling great today, really happy with my food and workout plan. Performing a short high intensity workout seems to really suit me, I think it's partially a mental thing as in my mind I put more effort in because it's only a short workout, if I am in the gym longer than 45 min/1 hour I tend to lose focus. Looking forward to losing a bit of fat off my belly, will be posting photos this weekend of my start and end of week one along with measurements. I will be updating a new photo at the end of each week next to my start photo that will show my progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Day 5 Legs 10 Mins X Trainer/Eliptical - even though i have not put it in previous posts i always start with a light warm up before starting a weights workout. Due to a physical job i tend to be fairly warmed up anyway but these 10 mins gives me time to mentally focus on the workout ahead. Leg Extension 10 x 55lbs, 10 x 85lbs, 10 x 115lbs - need to increase next week45degree Leg Press 10 x 90lbs, 10 x 140lbs, 10 x 180lbs - felt great and could increase this tooLeg Press 4 x 205lbs - should have done 1 set of squats here but rack was unavailableStiff Leg Dead Lift (fixed bar) 10 x 40lbs, 15 x 80lbs - increase next timeCalf Press 12 x 100lbs, (14 x 205lbs, 11 x 205lbs, 8 205lbs) - (rest/pause)Seated Calf Raise 9 x 90lbs, 6 x 140lbs - will definately stay at this weight until i can get at least 8 reps Rest/pause - i do a set then rest for 10 -15 secs then another set for total of 3 sets, i find this a good way of helping to push the muscle more especially on exercises when you dont have a spotter or a gym partner to assist. Felt great today working legs, it has been a bit of guess work with the weights because i have not been to the gym for a few weeks and it is a new gym so getting used to different machines. As of next week i'll know exactly which weight to use. Only 1 more cardio session tomorrow the rest on sunday but will keep eating clean which is so important. I hope everyone else is doing well with their workouts and meal plans.Will post photos this weekend, definately got a long way to go but if i post my photo on here the way i look now will help motivate me to get back in shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pphelps Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Hey.............. your doing great!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viciousvixenx Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I really enjoy reading your blog... It's great to see such detail and some of the obstacles you are facing. Keep up the hard work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Day 6 Cardio 20 Mins High Intensity Interval Training - Treadmill 0.5 % InclineMinute - Mph1 - 3.22 - 3.23 - 4.24 - 5.25 - 6.26 - 7.27 - 4.28 - 5.29 - 6.210 - 7.211 - 4.212 - 5.213 - 6.214 - 7.215 - 4.216 - 5.217 - 6.218 - 7.219 - 8.220 - 3.2Great run today, made a big difference using an incline but still think i could go faster. Plan for next time is to keep o.5% incline and start at 3.4Mph and increase every minute like above. Finished off with some stretches as legs were still sore from Fridays Leg workout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Day 7 Rest day today, still eating clean but resting my body and preparing my food for the week ahead. Cant wait to hit the gym in the morning. Start weight - 174lbsEnd of Week 1 - 169.4lbs - Dropped nearly 5lbs after first week which will probably just be water retention but still makes me feel good. Added the start photo and end of week 1 photo, not much change in the photos but i feel so much better already and will keep going until i achieve my goals. Consistency is the key!! Review of the weekNeed to make sure i am drinking enough water, sometimes i get so busy at work i forget to drink as much as i should.Need to take measurements and then compare them the following week, forgot to do this at the start.Pre Workout meal is protein shake, oats and banana - finding this a bit awkward to eat as i eat on the way to the gym after leaving work, so today will try and blend the ingredients and add some dates to try make my own protein bar - will post photos if they turn out well.Now i have found the weights and rep range i will be using, now is the time to focus and really give it my all starting monday!All in all i am happy with my progress and surprisingly not had any cravings for any junk food, i know i have only been a vegan since the start of the year but i seem to be eating a wider variety of food which keeps it interesting. Yesterday i did feel like i wanted to eat more food but think this could be slight dehydration - will keep an eye on this.Consider having an extra calorie day - maybe 1 every 4 days. Feeling great and happy.Left - Start, Right - End of Week 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 (edited) I decided today to try and make a protein bar out of the food i normally eat pre workout.Usually i eat a Banana, Pumpkin protein powder and 1/2 cup of oats.I swapped the banana for dates to help bind the bar together, i thought 5 would be enough and would be similar in nutritional value to a banana. Unfortunately it did not bind that well so i added a few more, 1 teaspoon of natural peanut butter and a touch of orange juice. Per BarCalories - 452Fat - 11.3Carbs - 65.4Protein - 28.1 Due to adding more dates and peanut butter my calories soon shot up, but i'll give them a go and see how i feel, maybe i can play around with the mix if its to heavy. My daily intake now is: Calories - 2481Fat - 62.9Carbs - 289.1Protein - 170.7I am aiming to gain strength and size so the extra calories will probably do me good. Edited January 10, 2012 by mattpb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Measurements from end of Week 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Blenders After reading all the positive reviews on Vitamix blenders I thought I need one, I could make my smoothies, soups and anything else I wanted. When I got to the store I watched the demonstration and was sold, well that was up until the point that they told me the price!!I did check the Vitamix website and saw they do sometimes have reconditioned units that come with a 7 year guarantee, but to me on my budget it was still too much.I looked around and I found what looked like a fairly good blender at a reasonable price, but then I remember the valuable lesson I learnt as a kid which was “if you buy cheap, you by twice”. Well I like the gamble and I bought the Ninja Professional Blender for $99, it has a 1000W motor which is great, 3 separate blades in a way I have never seen before in a blender and its dish washer safe (but I have found that as soon as you have finished using the blender fill it ¾ full with warm water and blitz it for a few seconds and that cleans it really good) It has no problem crushing ice, soup come out really smooth and I love watching it rip through anything you put in it. I know there is another Ninja for $199.99 which comes with attachments to make dough etc, but this is something that I don’t need. So if anyone is looking for a decent blender at a reasonable price this one is worth checking out, I have attached a link below so you can check it out. http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/8/KitchenBath/2/Appliances/Blenders/PRD~0432189P/Ninja+Professional+Blender.jsp?locale=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Day 8 Just finished my Chest & Bicep workout and I feel amazing, really good workout where I beat all my set goals for the day. Before each workout I look at the previous week and aim to get at least one more rep or increase the weight, this way I know I am always improving.All reps were performed with great technique the only problem was by the end of the workout my face was bright red like a beetroot, this is normally caused by pushing myself in the gym or eating my pre workout meal without leaving enough time before I workout. Today I think it was a bit of both so tomorrow I plan to eat at least half an hour before workout. Tried my homemade protein bar today which was my pre workout meal and it was really good and alot cheaper than the ones in the shop. Will post my workout and nutrition as soon as I get home. Feeling great, but think I am ready for a nap but best get ready for work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 I have attached my workout and nutrition for today,Started: 2.05pmFinished: 2.55pm Total Gym Time: 50Min I finished my workout off with some stretches including Supermans and Chest stretches.Chest & BicepsNutrition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Day 8: Back 10 Min warm up on Elliptical Trainer DB Pullover:12 x 35lbs, 10 x 50lbs, 10 x 65lbsIncrease next week up to 70lbs Close Grip Pulldown:12 x 85lbs, 8 x 140lbsThis was tough, will stay at this weight and try and improve on reps DB Row:12 x 30lbs, 9 x 55lbsGreat – go up to 60lbs Wide Cable Row:12 x 55lbs, 9 x 100lbsStay at this weight until I hit 10 reps Barbell Deadlift Fixed Bar:12 x 50lbs, 12 x 90lbsFelt really good, will move up to using an Olympic bar instead of fixed weight bars Obliques/Side Crunches:12, 10, 8 each side Stretches:Chest stretches as my chest was so sore and tight from yesterdays workout, plus a few pilates/yoga moves to stretch out my body. Start: 3.15pmFinish: 4.10pmTime: 55 mins Awesome workout feel great!!! NutritionBreakfast: 8AMHomemade Protein Smoothie Lunch: 11AMTofu, mixed beans and veg Pre Workout: 2PMHomemade Protein Bar Post Workout: 3.45PMProtein Shake and Banana Dinner: 6PMSweet potato, Tempeh, avocado and salad Snack: 9PMProtein Shake, Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter Calories: 2326Fat: 58.9Protein: 169Carbs: 283 4 Litres of Water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Day 9: Cardio So far so good this week, all my workouts going as planned and i feel stronger than ever, all my lifts seem to beat the previous week which spurs me on to keep going. Cant get enough of the gym at the moment, think its partly to do with keeping my workouts short it keeps the hunger there to keep me going back. I find if i spend to long in the gym, anything over an hour i lose focus and feel tired the next day.Easy start for the day for me just relaxing, going to head to the gym soon for my cardio session and a good bit of stretching as i am feeling quite sore from my two workouts this week, then off to work. Nutrition so far today Breakfast: 8AMHomemade Protein Smoothie Lunch: 11AMTofu, mixed beans and veg Will have my homemade pre workout bar soon, which i cant get enough of. So much cheaper than buying ones from the shop and they taste great too. Notes:Switched my protein powder from Vega to Vegans Protein+ by Genine Health (partly because it was on offer at my local store), loving the taste of it and it was nearly half the price of the Vega.I would definately give it a try if your looking for a protein powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 CardioTreadmill 20 Min High Intensity Interval TrainingConsists of 4 cycles, increasing speed every minute then start again and on last loop go all out as fast as you can for 1 minute. Start at Mph: 3.4Fastest Mph: 8.40.5% InclineDistance 1.86 Miles This was my toughest run so far, i really felt it tough on my breathing. It was i great challenge but i did it and i was so happy, i think i will push myself and try to start at 3.5 and the fastest level of 8.5. I spent 20 mins stretching after my run Pre Workout: 2PMHomemade Protein Bar Post Workout: 3.45PMProtein Shake and Banana Dinner: 6PMSweet potato, Tempeh, avocado and salad Snack: 9PMProtein Shake, 3 Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter Calories: 2326Fat: 58.9Protein: 169Carbs: 283 4 Litres of Water Feel a bit down today, not sure if my calories are enough for my workouts and work but i am going to keep it the same for a few more weeks and see if i feel like this again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Due to the fact that i have started getting a bit more hungry i have decided to do a higher calorie day, so every fourth day i will up it by nearly 500 calories. I tried to do a plan qickly last night before bed and i only managed to increase it by nearly 300 calories but as long as i know how mch i am eating.Will give this a go and see what happens. Extra Calorie Day Breakfast: 8AMHomemade Protein Smoothie with extra oats & O.J. Lunch: 11AMTofu, mixed beans, veg and banana Pre Workout: 2PMHomemade Protein Bar Post Workout: 3.45PMProtein Shake and Banana Dinner: 6PMExtra Sweet potato, Tempeh, avocado and salad Snack: 9PMProtein Shake, 4 Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter Calories: 2592Fat: 60.7Protein: 175.2Carbs: 337 Just checked back over my monthly goals and it looks like i already reached two of them, i know one was the Leg Press. Maybe for next month i should aim a bit higher, i think i did well to reach most of them and be on track to reach the others by the end of the month but for February i want to aim high to push myself to achieve even greater results. Feel so much better today then yesterday and i think its down to a good nights sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 Delts & Traps Hammer Strength Shoulder Press:12 x 50lbs, 10 x 90lbs, 6+2 x 140lbs DB Side Lateral Raise:10 x 10lbs, 9 ½ x 17.5lbsGo up to 20lbs Low Pulley Raise:11 x 10lbsTry 15lbs next week Reverse Flyes-Machine:12 x 40lbs, 11 x 70lbsGO up to 85lbs Tricep Pushdown:12 x 35lbs, 13 x 50lbsGo p to 57.5lbs Lying Tricep Etension:10 x 30lbs, 9 x 50lbs Seated Overhead Tricep Press:12 x 30lbs, 6 x 50lbs Plank:1min, 1min, 35secs Stretches:Stretch all body, definitely needs it Notes:Awesome workout really enjoyed working shoulders today, unfortnately i couldn't beat shoulder press from last time but not to worry i WILL beat it next week. All other exercises i got at least another rep.Feeling good and not felt hungry today after having a few hundred extra calories.Camt wait to take photo this weekend to see if there is any change, i know its still early but any change just gets me even more motivated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Legs10 mins warm up elliptical trainer Started with 5 – 10 mins of Active Leg stretches Leg Extension:12 x 70lbs, 10 x 85lbs, 11 x 130lbsUp to 145lbs next week 45 Leg Press:12 x 110lbs, 10 x 160lbs, 11 x 200lbsReally happy with this, great technique and can go for 220lbs Squats (Should have been but could not get on squat rack, so used different leg press):12 x 100lbs, 10 x 145lbs, 7 x 175lbs Stiff Leg Deadlift:12 x 50lbs, 12 x 110lbsNeed to get an Olympic Barbell next week Calf Extension:10 x 70lbs, (Rest, pause – 12 x 100lbs, 11 x 100lbs 9 x100lbs)Go up on this Seated Calf Press:10 x 90lbs, 7 x 140lbs Torso Twists:20, 20, 20 Stretches:Leg stretchesStarted 2.45pmFinished 3.45pm Total:- 1 hour NutritionBreakfast: 8AMHomemade Protein Smoothie Lunch: 11AMTofu, mixed beans and veg Pre Workout: 2PMHomemade Protein Bar Post Workout: 3.45PMProtein Shake and Banana Dinner: 6PMSweet potato, Tempeh, avocado and salad Snack: 9PMProtein Shake, 3 Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter Calories: 2326Fat: 58.9Protein: 169Carbs: 283 4 Litres of Water Calves were pumped today, great workout and really enjoyed it today. Only problem was that i struggled to muscle my way onto the squat rack as they were taken by day dreamers and people who spend longer doing squats then i spend in the gym. I'll muscle my way onto squat rack next week for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattpb Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 CardioTreadmill 20 Min High Intensity Interval TrainingConsists of 4 cycles, increasing speed every minute then start again and on last loop go all out as fast as you can for 1 minute. Start at Mph: 3.5Fastest Mph: 8.5Distance : 1.9 Miles Next cardio session go for 3.6 – 8.6, felt great the run today. I felt like I had really challenged myself but I know I can always do better so I will up it again next time. Stretches:Mainly for legs as my hamstrings felt tight. Nutrition Breakfast: 8AMHomemade Protein Smoothie Lunch: 11AMTofu, mixed beans and veg Pre Workout: 2PMHomemade Protein Bar Post Workout: 3.45PMProtein Shake and Banana Dinner: 6PMSweet potato, Tempeh, avocado and salad Snack: 9PMProtein Shake, 3 Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter Calories: 2326Fat: 58.9Protein: 169Carbs: 283 3.5 Litres of Water, need to drink more especially after my run Photos and measurements to follow shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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