| Surprisingly, being a vegetarian bodybuilder | | | | Vegetarians face a challenge here because the |
| isn't really as difficult as many people | | | | most common source of protein is meat. Okay, |
| automatically assume it is. In some ways it | | | | so it's not actually that much of a |
| may be easier because adhering to a real | | | | challenge. According to the Protein |
| vegetarian diet takes a lot of focus and | | | | Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score, soy |
| discipline, two things that will greatly help | | | | is equal to whey and superior to beef in |
| you in the gym. | | | | protein content. Soy provides all 8 |
| | | | essential amino acids required by your body |
| First, we should define our terms because | | | | for growing and repairing muscles. |
| there are three basic groups of people who | | | | Vegetarians would be well-advised to consider |
| consider themselves "vegetarians." I refer | | | | soy as a primary protein source. |
| to these three groups as pseudo-vegetarians, | | | | |
| meat vegetarians and vegetarians. The pseudo | | | | The really good news is that soy is also a |
| vegetarian avoids beef, chicken and poultry | | | | fantastic source of glutamine which many |
| but will sometimes eat fish and has no | | | | bodybuilders already take in supplemental |
| problem with other animal products. A meat | | | | form. Soy is available in many different |
| vegetarian avoids all meat. A vegetarian | | | | forms such as tofu, miso, soy powder and soy |
| avoids any foods (or products in general) | | | | milk. Soy milk is definitely something to |
| that contain any amount of animal product. | | | | have on hand as it can be used to replace |
| | | | cow's milk in recipes, which will help expand |
| This article is aimed directly at the true | | | | your basic food options. |
| vegetarians, who avoid all animal products. | | | | |
| The meat-vegetarians and pseudo-vegetarians | | | | Almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and |
| will gain useful information as well, but | | | | pistachio nuts are all excellent sources of |
| true vegetarians have very specialized needs | | | | both protein and fat; the vegetarian needs to |
| during bodybuilding. | | | | work on getting enough good fats as well, so |
| | | | with the above examples you can go nuts...was |
| Since there is no difference in biological | | | | that a pun? |
| manner in which a vegetarian and a carnivore | | | | |
| actually build muscles, we don't need to go | | | | You can also add a tablespoon or so of |
| into any specific exercise differences. | | | | flaxseed oil, as flax seed is one of the very |
| Instead, we'll be focusing on dietary issues. | | | | best sources for the essential fatty acid |
| | | | alpha linolenic acid. |
| The first challenge goes back to the way | | | | |
| muscles build in our bodies. We exercise our | | | | Finally, vegetarians need to ensure that they |
| muscles, which does microscopic damage to the | | | | get enough vitamins and minerals. This can |
| tissue and then our bodies repair the damage | | | | be done in multivitamin form although most of |
| with bigger and stronger tissue while we | | | | the meal-replacement shakes which are so |
| recuperate. To effectively do this, our | | | | popular among bodybuilders already contain |
| bodies need to use protein in massive | | | | vitamins and minerals galore. The only |
| amounts, which is why bodybuilders increase | | | | additional vitamin to look for is B12, which |
| their protein intake. | | | | is generally an animal product based vitamin. |
| | | | |