Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I am committing to logging my meals and training every day for the month of January---it's my New Year's Revolution!

My goals are to continue my weight loss (down 67 pounds so far since becoming vegan on August 16, 2010) and work on gaining strength, endurance and maintaining my muscle mass or even gaining some lean mass. That would be awesome...

Food for today:
B: 6 oz mixed berries, 1 slice ezekiel toast, 2 tbs natural peanut butter, 1 cup mixed organic unsweetened coconut/almond milk
S1: 1oz almonds
L: spicy orange vegan chicken, 1/2 cup brown rice, 3 cups cooked spinach
S2: 1 tbs coconut oil, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, 2 handfuls spinach
D: 3/4 black eyed peas, 1/2 cup millet, 2 tsp coconut oil, 3 cups collard greens (Happy New Year!)

Today is actually an active rest day for me, which feels like a very anticlimactic way to start the New Year. But I've been doing my normal gym routine all year, so this is part of my pattern of doing yoga on my rest days. Yesterday I did back and rear delts and cardio and finished out 2011 strong. I'm doing 45 minutes of yoga today. Weights and cardio resume tomorrow.

I am so lucky to be working with Alli Breen for this month! I connected with her over the phone tonight and she had some great suggestions as far as my diet is concerned. To start, I'm going to begin relying less heavily on fake meats and eating more whole foods in their place as well as including more coconut oil in my diet.

Happy 2012 everyone!
Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Food:
B: large green smoothie (2 tsp coconut oil, 1 orange, 1/2 banana, 3 handfuls of spinach, 1 scoop protein powder)
L: 1/2 cup millet, 1/2 can black beans, 2 tsp coconut oil, salsa, 4 cups mixed collards and kale
S1: apple, 1 oz almonds, vega pre-workout drink
S2: 1/2 lara bar
D: big a$$ salad with tempeh, 2 tsp coconut oil and 1 tbs vegan omega 3 ranch

Training:
Bis/Tris/Abs
Worked out with my sister in law, so had less time than usual because it's slower working out with another person. But it was way more fun! I did miss my loud Hatebreed and Sepultura playlist, though

Active warm up 10 minutes, bands, balls and step ups
Machine dips 12/60, 10/70, 8/80, 6/90
DB hammer curls 12/8 10/10 8/12 6/15
Triceps rope 12/25 10/30 8/35 /6/40
EZ bar curls (this gym doesn't have 5 pound increments for my still-weak biceps, grrr!) 12/20 10/20 8/30 6/40 (dying!)
Overhead DB tri press 12/20 10/22.5 8/25 6/30
Abs: 4 sets 15 rep swiss ball crunches
Cardio: 20 mins interval training on elliptical, 5 min cooldown on treadmill

Super tired and going to bed!!! And I only ate fake meat once today, whoo hoo.
Maria

PS Lost another 2.6 pounds last week---I am now down 69.6 pounds since going vegan and getting back into the gym. I was working out next to a guy today who happened to mention that he'd lost 100 pounds and I felt super inspired. I also had some older dude tell me, "Wow, you are lifting really heavy for a girl!" That made me laugh since I feel so weak compared to the old days when I used to kick it out beast-style at Gold's and practically freebased creatine

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Food:
B: vegan sausage, 1/2 cup 5 grain hot cereal, 6 oz mixed fresh berries, 1 tbs flax meal
S1: apple, 1 oz almonds
L: tofu hotdog, 1 tsp coconut oil, on spelt bun (gotta use up that fake meat!), 1 cup celery with 1 1/2 tbs vegan omega 3 ranch dressing
S2: protein shake
D: 1/2 can garbanzo beans, 1/2 cup millet, 1 tbs tahini, 4 cups mixed kale and collard greens

Training:
The gym was NUTS today. I had to be flexible and do what I could to occupy myself. Not doing high weights on legs right now but just trying to not rest a lot and keep it fast and challenging at the same time.
3 sets of 15 reps each leg high box step ups
superset with 3 sets of medicine ball squats 15 reps 8#
leg extensions on roc it machine 12/3 10/4 8/5 6/6
hamstring curls on roc it machine 12/3 10/4 8/5 6/6
hamstring plate drags 3 sets 10
20 min cardio on treadmill

And now, bed!
Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Great Job miss hell bent!!! you are doing so great!! I know you can reach what ever goals & dreams you have!! keep your veggies high & space your fake meet again your doing sooo great!!
xoxo
AllIB.

Ugh, I've been sick with a cold since the last time I logged in! Just resting and taking it easy and hopefully I will be able to get back into my normal routine tomorrow.
Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

I'm back among the living!

Food:
B: 1/2 cup 5 grain hot cereal, 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 25 grams almonds, 1 cup peaches
S: protein bar
L: 1 sprouted tofu burger, 2 cups broccoli, 2 tsp coconut oil, 1 cup whole wheat shells
S: green smoothie: one orange, 1/2 banana, 3 cups spinach, 1 scoop protein bar
D: 1/2 can black eyed peas, 3 tbs agave sweetened BBQ sauce, 4 cups mixed collards and kale, 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, 1/2 cup quinoa

Workout: Chest/Delts
warm up: bands and balls and step ups, active warm up
Flat Db press: 12/17.5 10/20 8/22.5 6/25
Overhead barbell shoulder press: 12/20 10/25, 8/30 6/35
Cable upright flyes 12/20 10/25 8/30 6/35
DB lateral raises 12/8 10/10 8/12 6/15
cardio: 20 min intervals on treadmill, 5 min cooldown

Supplements: multi, vitamin d, cal/mag, borage oil, medicinal mushrooms for my wack immune system, BCAA powder with glutamine

Feels good to be back to normal!!!
Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

YUM !! thats all I can say great job!!!

Your workouts look great too! Here is a vid of Robert & I last night!!

http://youtu.be/_EHhMKE1qGI

AlliB

Today was a cardio day---did 20 minutes worth of very sweaty intervals on the treadmill.
Might do some yoga before bed just to stretch and relax a little bit. Glad to not be sick anymore and back in the gym. My coworkers who got sick are all still sick. I really think eating a clean vegan diet, exercise and supplements helps me so much when I catch the occasional cold.

Food:
B: 1 slice ezekiel, 1 tbs natural peanut butter, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup strawberries, 1 scoop protein powder
L: gardein chicken veggie bowl with brown rice (went on a lunch date!)
S: protein bar
D: brown rice, black beans, pico de gallo, 2 oz avocado, big raw kale and mescalun salad with oil free tangerine dressing
S: 1 oz dry roasted almonds, apple

Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Food:

B: 1 slice ezekiel toast, big a$$ green smoothie with one orange, 1/2 banana, 3 huge handfuls of spinach, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 tbs coconut oil
S: 1 oz almonds, 1 apple
L: leftover gardein brown rice & veggie bowl
S: pro bar
D: red quinoa, kale and shaved brussel sprouts salad, lentils

Workout (I had to bust out the Bad Brains and Minor Threat. Man was I tired!):
Vega pre-workout drink
5 min dynamic warm up with bands, step ups, high knees
Hammer Stength Lat Pulls
12/70 10/90 8/100 6/110
Bent over single arm DB rows
12/15 10/20 8/22.5 6/25
Rear Delts on pec dec machine
12/15 10/20 8/25 6/30
30 min cardio split evenly between the stepmill and the treadmill
Nutrasumma BCAA's with glutamine post workout

Monday is my weigh in day and I am down another 2 pounds for a total of 71 since beginning my vegan journey.

Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

OMG!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Bad Brains and Minor Threat..I HAVE SEEN Bad Brains 2 times!!!
LOVE IT!!! Great workout music!!!

Food looks good keep it up!! I'll be in Miami so email me if you need me
AlliB.

Awww, thanks Alli!! It's so cool that you love BB, too. I've only gotten to see them once but it was freakin' AWESOME!! Rock for Light is one of my favorite workout albums ever. Have fun in Miami---I'm from the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area originally. Man, I miss it!

Today was an active rest day...I did 45 minutes of Tara Stiles' Weight Loss yoga, which kind of kicked my a$$ a little bit. I am so not flexible, but I'm working on it...

Food:
B: 1 slice ezekiel toast, 2 tsp coconut oil, green smoothie (1 orange, 1/2 banana, kale/spinach, protein powder)
S: 6 oz fresh raspberries, 1 oz almonds
L: black eyed peas, brown rice and broccoli
S: pro bar
D: gardein orange chicken, bok choy, brown rice
S: 1 kamut cake with 1 tbs hummus

Super tired...time to hit the sack.

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Whoops, got home too late to log last night!
So Wednesday's food was:
B: 1/2 cup 5 grain cereal, 1 tbs flax meal, 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 1 cup peaches, 1 vegan sausage
S: protein bar
L: WW elbow macaroni, 2 tsp coconut oil, sprouted tofu burger, multi veggie (mescalun, beets, grape tomatoes, yellow peppers, cukes) salad with 1 tbs goddess dressing
S: blueberries, almonds
D: spinach salad with pickled veggies, black beans, fresh baked plantains, tofu adobo taco on corn tortilla (had to go out for some vegan Mexican food!)

Workout: Bis and Tris---soundtrack, Pantera. It was that kind of night. Had to improvise and try some different things as it was hella crowded in the gym.
10 min warmup
4 sets 20 swiss ball crunches
4 sets 8 EZ bar curls with 30# BB
Overhead triceps DB presses 12/20# 10/22.5# 8/25# 6/30#
Roc it machine low pulley biceps curls 12/1 10/2 8/3 6/4
Triceps rope 12/35# 10/40# 8/45# 6/50#
Seated Dip Machine 12/60# 10/65 8/75# 6/80#

Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Today is an active rest day---45 minutes yoga. Wish I could take a walk outside, too, but it's way too cold right now for me. Feeling really tired and like I just need some R&R.

Food:
B: green smoothie (orange, 1/2 banana, 3 handfuls spinach, 1 1/2 scoop pro powder), 1 slice ezekiel toast, 1 tbs coconut oil
S: apple, almonds
L: brown rice, black eyed peas, broccoli
S: pro bar
D: the hippie bowl: 1/2 cup red quinoa, shiitake mushrooms, 1 tsp coconut oil, 4 cups mixed collards, kale and spinach, 1/2 can aduki beans, 1 tbs tahini (mixed with a little lime juice, parsley, cayenne, sea salt, agave and onion powder to make a sauce).
S: if hungry, strawberries and a cup of tea after yoga


Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Man, even Sepultura couldn't power me through my workout tonight. SO.FREAKIN'.TIRED! But hey, I showed up and did my planned workout, even if I feel like it sucked. Not every workout is awesome. Sometimes it's enough for me to suit up and show up and do my best. The gym has also been stupid crowded, and some nights I am not as patient with this as others. Can't wait until things go back to normal!

Food:
B: protein shake (strawberries, nitrofusion, almond milk), ezekiel toast, coconut oil
S: builder's bar
L: big a$$ salad, one tbs dressing, amy's vegan chicken noodle soup
S: apple, almonds
S: protein shake (nitrofusion, almond milk, natty pnb)
D: sauteed veggies and a slice of whole wheat vegan pizza

Not enough whole foods today and I felt rushed and stressed all day--didn't have enough time to cook my lunch this morning.

Workout:
Legs
5 min warm up on treadmill, 15 reps each leg box step ups
leg extensions 12/55 10/70 8/85 6/100
hamstring curls 12/25 10/30 8/40 6/50 (could have gone way heavier, but already felt totally drained )
1 set 12 each leg lunges (not happening)
3 sets 10 reps each hamstring curls with swiss ball
glute machine 12/15# 10/20# 8/25# 6/30#
Cardio: 7 laps around indoor track as fast as I could go.

I feel lame even writing this out!
Going to go rest and regroup and get focused and motivated for tomorrow.
Maria

_________________
"Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."---Chuck Palahniuk

Great journal!

I hope you have an awesome weekend.

Keep up the great work!

All the best,

Robert

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Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1