how can vegetarian gain muscle mass?

Question

i am vegetarian and since starting (over a year ago) i've lost some of the muscle i used to have and it has been very hard to get it back. what are the best foods i can eat to get protein? should i just go back to eating meat? i've heard that only meat has a certain type of protein that we need to be healthy and build muscles, despite the protein in soy and other non-meat foods.

thanks for the replies, are the whey products tasteless and can i pour the powder in any type of food for protein? i hate the milkshakes because theyre nasty and i cant seem 2 find a good protein powder that dissolves and has no taste (if there is such a thing

Answer 1

It really depends on what kind of vegetarian you are. And, despite what the first answer says: protein is protein is completely fallacious. Different amino acids are found in different protein sources.

However, it is possible to gain muscle mass, while being any type of vegetarian. Bill Pearl, one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time and four-time Mr. Universe winner, is a lacto-ovo-vegetarian.

If you are a lacto-ovo-vegetarian (a vegetarian who also consumes diary products and eggs), eggs are a great source of protein. One medium-sized egg has 6.5 g or protein, which isn't bad, given the size of one egg. Also, milk has protein. One eight ounce glass of skim milk has 8 g of protein. You could also consider using whey protein powder shakes, caseinate (whey and caseinate are made from milk), or protein powder shakes that contain egg protein. However, these may be more costly than eating milk or eggs in their original form.

If you are a lacto-vegetarian (a vegetarian who also consumes diary products, but no eggs), you use the above, except for the egg products.

If you are a vegan, getting all non-essential amino acids may be a difficult enterprize. You can get some amino acids from nuts. beans, and some cereals. You'll just have to find balance and eat a variety of the aforementioned.

Hopefully, you are coupling this diet with weight-resistance training (lifting weights). If you are not lifting weights, you will not build muscle. As a rule of thumb, you should eat .8 - 1 g of protein to maintain whatever muscle mass you currently have. 1 - 1.5 g of protein to build muscle. 1.5 - 2 g protein if you are a bodybuilder.

Answer 2

You can be a vegetarian and still have adequate muscle mass.

Meat contains the 11 essential amino acids of a complete protein, but you can get it from vegetarian food combinations, too. Rice & beans is a classic combination that forms complete protein.

Google 'vegetarianism' and read up.

Your muscles will be as big as you need them to be. If you don't work out hard, then your muscle stay smaller because there's no need for them to be big.

The trick is once you build muscle mass you have to continue working out just as hard to keep it, or it leaves. You don't build muscle and it stays permanently.

Be careful what kind of vegetarian you've chosen to become. For some people it only means they avoid animal products. They still eat unhealthy junk food, sweets, fried foods and other things that don't help a healthy lifestyle.

Answer 3

Build Ripped Muscle Fast

Answer 4

Beans and Nuts have a lot of protein that can help you build muscle. If you eat cheese, that has some animal proteins in it too. Cheese can give you those few types of protein that come from animals but they are not necessary to build muscle

Answer 5

Just get whey or soy protein from GNC. Then eat a well balanced diet with lots of nuts, peanut butter, whole grains, and leafy greens.

Answer 6

I would suggest you consider a powder protein drink such as whey.

Answer 7

Protein is protein. One thing to remember is if getting protein from beans or peanut butter eat it with whole grain bread or rice or it is not a complete protein.

Answer 8

Did you ever tried Muscle Gaining Secrets program. Go to right here : http://Go.BodyBuildingAccess.com . Possibly this could immediately assist one and all!

Answer 9

he metabolic powers specific foods have to make your body burn much more body fat.” It is a way of rating foods, based on “how several calories your body is going to burn just breaking down the nutrients each time you consume a particular food.”
Therefore, you are not alone in this battle.

Answer 10

Drink power shakes ,eat power bars ,eat beans all kinds .Are you still exercising? Maybe to much so ?
good luck.