It is often said that you cannot be a successful bodybuilder and vegetarian. Well, I know lots of folk who build great physiques on a vegetarian diet, it just takes a little more consideration, especially in regard to protein quality. Now, here I am talking about proper vegetarians, i.e. lacto-ovo vegetarians, not those folk who eat tuna and still claim to eat a vegetarian diet!

Generally, vegetable proteins are of poorer quality than animal proteins. Milk and egg proteins can be eaten, so you may still take advantage of HBV proteins. The key to obtaining good protein quality lies in combining different protein sources.

True vegans will avoid all products of animal origin, so an adequate bodybuilding diet is really difficult. For a vegan bodybuilder, a strict regimen will need to be followed, especially to ensure that a varied diet is still consumed. Remember also that many quality supplements are derived from animal products, for example creatine, whey protein and meal replacement powders (MRPs), so you will have to avoid these. If you are in doubt about any product, check with the manufacturer. As there are so many exclusions in the vegan diet, I strongly feel that isolated soya protein is an absolute must for the vegan bodybuilder.

Other great protein sources which vegetarians and vegans can enjoy are mixed beans, baked beans, hummus, tofu, quorn, textured vegetable protein (TVP), soya, coconut, oat and rice milk, and many more. Often these products do have a reasonable carbohydrate content too, useful for gaining weight, and are low in fat. Vegans would be wise to include seaweed or a vitamin B12 supplement daily, as without animal products their diets may be insufficient in vitamin B12.

Plan 1: Example menu plan for a vegetarian wishing to gain quality weight.
Time Food Protein
Wake 7:30 am
7:30 1 scoop whey protein in water 20g

8:00 breakfast large bowl wholewheat breakfast cereal with 1/3 pint skimmed milk + sugar 15g
2 slices wholemeal bread toasted + olive oil spread
½ portion weight gain drink with water and multidextrose powder 22g
100ml orange juice + 1 tblsp olive oil

10:30 ½ portion weight gain drink with skimmed milk 27g
fruit

12:30 12.30 ½ scoop whey protein in water 10g
Low fat cottage cheese (100g) 12g
or soya cheese (80g) 15g
4 slices wholemeal bread + olive oil spread
salad
low fat yoghurt 7g

15:00 Full portion MRP made in half water + half skimmed milk 48g
fruit

17:00 ½ portion weight gain drink with skimmed milk and multidextrose powder 27g
TRAIN
18:30
(after training) 2 scoops whey protein in water 40g

19:30 Quorn burger (150g) 18g
Baked beans (150g) 8g
Reduced fat cheese (50g) 14g
either 2 medium jacket potatoes
or 200g boiled brown rice
or 350g boiled wholewheat pasta
vegetables
low fat yoghurt 7g

22:00 ½ portion weight gain drink with skimmed milk 25g

23:30 1 scoop whey protein in skimmed milk 25g
23:30 - BED
Total Protein 340g


Plan 2: Example menu plan for a vegan bodybuilder wishing to gain quality weight.
Time Food Protein
Wake 7:30 am
7:30 1 scoop isolated soy protein in water 20g

8:00 breakfast large bowl wholewheat breakfast cereal with 1/2 pint soya milk + sugar 9g
2 slices wholemeal bread toasted + olive oil spread
1 scoop isolated soy protein with ½ pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g
100ml orange juice + 1 tblsp olive oil

10:30 1 scoop isolated soy protein with ½ pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g
fruit

12:30 ½ scoop isolated soy protein in water 10g
Hummus (200g) 15g
Mixed beans (200g) & salad 15g
4 slices wholemeal bread + olive oil spread
Soya yoghurt (150g) 7g

15:00 2 scoops isolated soy protein with ½ pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 46g
fruit

17:00 1 scoop isolated soy protein with ½ pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g
TRAIN
18:30
(after training) 2 scoops isolated soya protein in water 40g

19:30 Bean/soya burger (150g) 18g
Baked beans (150g) + tofu mince (100g) 16g
either 2 medium jacket potatoes
or 200g boiled brown rice
or 350g boiled wholewheat pasta
vegetables
soya yoghurt 7g

22:00 1 scoop isolated soy protein with ½ pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g

23:30 1 scoop isolated soy protein in water 20g
23:30 - BED
Total Protein 327g

*MRP stands for meal replacement powder.

IMPORTANT - remember both plans are merely a guide and must not be stuck to rigidly. You must eat a variety of different protein sources, complex carbohydrates and fruit and vegetables every day, and drink plenty of water. If you are still not gaining sufficient weight, increase portion sizes of protein and carbohydrate foods; if you are starting to hold a little body fat, reduce portion sizes of carbohydrate foods slightly. A little bit of junk food now and again will do no harm.

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