You’ve decided to put my two favourite things (apart from my wife and dog!) together. Eating vegan and strength training, yay!! If you’re looking to build muscle you need a good vegan strength training diet to help build those big muscles.
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In this article I’ll be going through my vegan strength training diet, the high protein foods I eat and the vegan supplements I take to help me get all the vitamins I need.
If you want to go vegan but you’re not sure where to start check out this article on How to start going vegan
If you’re vegan you may have ended up on my site after searching for the best foods to eat whilst strength training and found that you can’t eat any of the recommended high protein foods because they’re all meat or animal products (chicken, lean beef, eggs, milk etc). Hopefully I can help you by sharing with you the high protein vegan foods I eat on my vegan strength training diet.
Can you really be vegan and do strength training at the same time?
I’ve read a few articles that suggest being vegan and getting into strength training (weights, muscle building, body weight exercises) don’t mix very well because (apparently) us vegans don’t get enough protein because we don’t eat meat (or anything animal)!
Don’t eat me!?!
Rubbish!
Now granted we do have to work harder to get our protein but it’s certainly possible.
Why do we need protein whilst strength training? Well if you’re looking to build muscle you must be eating enough protein because it’s the protein that helps to rebuild your muscles after your strength training sessions. No protein = No muscles built. If you’re looking to set up a home gym for strength training check this article out.
What is enough protein in my diet for vegan strength training?
I’ve done a fair amount of research on this and found a big difference in what’s recommended. It seemed to range from 0.7 grams per pound you weigh to 1 gram per pound. This article from Transparent Labs suggests even more than 1 gram per pound of body weight for building muscle. For me weighing 119 pounds (8 and a half stone) that’s 83.3 grams to 119 grams per day, quite a difference.
I went with the higher end so try to get around 119 grams of protein a day. I used write down how much protein I was getting, logging it all on my Fitbit app (I highly recommend getting a Fitbit if you haven’t already. I’ve recently reviewed the Fitbit charge 4, check it out here
Now I’ve got used to eating a high protein vegan strength training diet I don’t log everything anymore as I have a rough idea of how much the food I eat contains. But it’s a great way to start.
You’ll be surprised how much protein is in foods like nuts, peanut butter and tofu. It really was an eye-opener for me. And because I logged everything I knew where I was going wrong. Alcohol, crisps, cakes etc. Actually don’t get me started on alcohol, I LOVE a beer but they contain so many calories (up to 250 per pint) I knew I had to give them up if I was serious about my strength training. Instead I opt for a gin and slimline tonic or a rum and Pepsi Max cherry which have about 50-70 calories in. Much better for my calorie intake! Not that I drink that often anymore.
Anyway, back on to protein. I know without needing to log my food I eat at least 90 grams of protein a day, often it’s higher so I know I’m there or there about’s.
High protein vegan foods – Ideal for strength training
These are the high protein vegan foods I eat on my vegan strength training diet. There are way more out there so this is by no means a complete list, it’s just foods I steer more towards. I’ll add some recipes to the site in the coming months so you can see exactly what I’m doing.
Tofu. 12.6g of protein, 123 calories per 100g.
Low in carbs and fairly low in fat (2.9g carbs, 6.9g fat per 100g)
I eat tofu about twice a week (mainly because I buy a block and eat half at a time). It’s really versatile, I make curries and stir fry’s with it, and kebabs for bbq’s. It goes with just about anything. I usually chop mine up into 1cm x 5cm strips and fry them before adding to whatever it is I’m cooking. If you fancy being really wild if you coat the pieces in cornflour before frying they go crispy. Be careful with this though as you need to use more oil to get them really crispy which eats into your calorie intake for the day.
Red kidney beans. 7.7g of protein and 111 calories per 100g.
Very low in fat and low in carbs (0.8g fat and 13.5g carbs per 100g)
I buy my kidney beans in 400g cans and I’ll generally eat half a can at a time which is about 9.3g of protein. These are great in curries, chillis and rice & bean recipes. They go great in stews and salads as well.
Lentils. 7.3g protein and 96 calories per 100g.
Low fat and low carbs (0.8g fat and 11.7g carbs per 100g of red split lentils)
I buy dried red split lentils and make Dahl curries with them, delicious! They’re really filling and cheap so I generally have some in the cupboard all the time. I also add them to my vegan moussaka, and they can even be used to make a pasta sauce.
Black beans. 7.5g protein and 110 calories per 100g.
Very low in fat and low in carbs (0.6g fat and 15.1g carbs per 100g)
Similar to red kidney beans black beans can be used in chillis and stews. I make a corn stew with mine or use them to make bean burgers.
Chickpeas. 6.7g of protein and 115 calories per 100g.
Low in fat and low in carbs (2.2g fat and 13.6g carbs per 100g)
You can buy chickpeas dried and cook them by soaking them overnight then boiling them in water. If I’m making hummus I do this but it’s quite a faff so I usually buy the 400g tins and eat half at a time. I use them in curries mainly, but they’re also great in salads and roasted in the oven with some spices.
Cashew nuts. 20.9g of protein and 581 calories per 100g.
Very high in fat and low ish carbs (45.7g fat and 17.8g carbs per 100g)
Cashew nuts are great to eat as a snack, pop on top of your stir fry’s or blended to make creamy vegan sauces. Yes you heard that right, cashew nuts make great sauces! I use them to make a cheese sauce for my vegan mac n cheese and I haven’t tried this one yet but they can also be used to make vegan sour cream. Be careful with cashew nuts (and all nuts) as the fat content is really high. It’s good fat (found in olive oil and avocados) so great for your vegan strength training diet but still you don’t want too much of any fat in your diet.
I want to be honest with you guys so just so you know this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure here. You will not pay more for any items purchased through the links below (it just helps to support me a bit)
Nutritional yeast. A whopping 50g of protein and 344 calories per 100g.
Although you’re unlikely to add 100g of it to your recipes, more like 5/10g. Low fat and low ish carbs (4g fat and 16g carbs per 100g)
Buy on Amazon here
Adds a cheesy flavour to your dishes. I use it with cashews to make the cheese sauce for my mac n cheese
Porridge oats. 11g of protein and 376 calories per 100g.
Medium fat and high carbs (8.1g fat and 60.4g carbs per 100g)
Porridge oats are a breakfast staple for me, I have them most mornings in some form so they’re a big part of my vegan strength training diet. The most obvious one being porridge. I used to make it with almond milk but as I’ve been upping my protein I’ve moved on to soya milk (3.3g per 100ml in soya compared to 0.4g in almond). Porridge oats are also great in smoothies and I’ve used them in black bean burgers as well (they soak up the moisture in the burgers so they don’t fall apart). In the summer I make a kind of cold porridge (sounds awful but it’s actually very nice) with the oats, vegan yogurt, milk, cinnamon and fruit. Delicious! If you like porridge oats (oatmeal if you’re in the US) check out this recipe for my delicious breakfast oatmeal with banana and cinnamon
Peanut butter. 29.6g of protein and 606 calories per 100g.
Very high fat and low carbs (46g fat and 11.6g carbs per 100g)
Who doesn’t like peanut butter!? It goes great on toast, in smoothies, in stir fry’s. Need I say more? I like to have it in a sandwich with a banana thrown in, yum!
I hope this gives you a good starting point for upping your protein intake. It’s worth mentioning that these aren’t the only foods I eat, these are just the foods higher in protein that are great for a vegan strength training diet. I eat lots of veg and fruit too (which you should be doing also) and I drink lots and lots of water.
Vitamins and supplements
There are so many supplements available these days it’s easy to get confused with the choice available!
I keep it simple, this is what I take –
Pea Protein supplement
To ensure I do get enough protein I have 1-2 protein shakes a day. Pea protein is good as it contains the complete set of amino acids needed. I just add a scoop to about 300ml of water, one in the morning and another one in the evening if I haven’t had enough protein in the day. I look for ones that contain at least 20g of protein.
This is the one I’ve just finished, you can buy it on Ebay here
I prefer the flavoured ones as I’m not that keen on the taste of powder if it’s not flavoured. This is chocolate and only had a very slight pea aftertaste. It’s made by Peak Supps
This is the one I’ve just started, salted caramel flavour by The Protein Works. It’s really nice, I think it’s my new fave! Buy it on Amazon here
Creatine
I’ve just started taking Creatine and I’m not sure how I feel about it at the moment. I started off taking the recommended 5g three times a day but it gave me the worst wind so I stopped taking it. Now I’ve restarted I’m taking 2g twice a day and so far so good with the side effects! It’s too soon to tell if it helps me with my weight lifting yet so I’ll keep you posted. This is the one I’m taking, you can buy it on Amazon here.
B12 supplement
Us vegans need this because we don’t eat meat and we can’t get enough in the foods we do eat.
Buy it on Amazon here
Is a vegan strength training diet for me?
You absolutely can be vegan and get into strength training. If it’s weight lifting and building muscle you’re getting into be sure to up your protein intake ( I hope you like beans!) as you won’t build much muscle without it.
And supplements are there to help but they shouldn’t be your main protein intake.
I hope you found the article useful, are you vegan and just getting into weight lifting? Are you thinking of going vegan but you’re not 100% sure? Have a read of this article. If this doesn’t convince you to go vegan nothing will. Let me know how you’re getting on by commenting below.
Thanks for reading
Katie
Dave Fuller
I have been up and down over the years with regard to my diet and exercise. I suppose that I am not alone in this; but that is not why I would like to leave a mesage. I found that using a low carb, Keto type diet plan works best for me. I appreciate your article because consuming lots of meat each day to meet protein levels is alot of meet. i would rather have alternatives so that my digtestive system can keep up. It does not work well eating this much meet. So thank you for helping me to find alternatives.
Katie
Hi David thanks for your comment. I haven’t tried the keto diet but I have heard of it. I’d be interested to see if it’s possible to be vegan and eat a keto diet as I know I eat quite a few carbs in my diet.
Have you tried tofu? It has 2.9g of carbs per 100g so could fit with a keto style diet and it’s less meat you’re eating (which is always good 👍)
I’ll be adding some recipes soon and I’ll include some tofu ones so look out for those.
Thanks
Katie
Vanessa
Hi
interesting topic, I am not a vegan, but I have vegan friends, most of the food in your topic is food that I eat regular, which gives me energy, so I am sure it strengthens you, as for training I have no doubt, you can get enough from these foods to do strength training
Katie
Hi Vanessa great they you’re already eating many of the foods mentioned. I’m planning on adding some more. I eat a lot of quinoa and bulgar wheat as well, have you tried these?
Katie
Justin
Hello there, thanks for this really nice article you have shared here, I have been really keen on getting to eat the right meal and I have been really trying to get all the information I can on vegan diet and its been actually great so far. I have really enjoyed learning more about it here and I hope to learn more
Katie
Thanks so much for your comment Justin.
I’m hoping to feature more articles about going vegan so look out for those in the next few months.
Katie
Beesean
I really enjoyed reading your article ‘My Vegan Strength Training Diet’ and really learnt a great deal from it about just exactly what it means to go vegan and still live healthy and honestly this has been a rewarding experience for me. People usually have harsh opinions against vegan diets or food choices so I think it’s nice that you’ve shared your story.
Katie
Thanks Beesean!
You’re right, us vegans were seen in more of a negative light in the past (seen as just being fussy hippys) but now people are starting to realise that incorporating vegan foods into your diet (not even going fully vegan) has health benefits and is much better for the planet. Although going fully vegan is better of course : ) !
Katie
Richard Hattaway
Hi Katie! Great information. I am a carnivore and eat lots of fruit, lots of protein, but not so much plant food. I have a daughter who is a vegan and has been for at least 25 years. She is 53, but appears to be in her early 30s. She is also heavily into yoga and mountain climbing
I am big on protein drinks. This morning, I put a banana, some strawberry and pineapple slices, chocolate protein powder, and honey into a blender with ice and water. Delicious and filling!
I admit it. I need to listen to you and my daughter and at least eat more plant food.
Thanks for this instructive post….Richard
Katie
Hi Richard
Really glad you enjoyed reading the article. Wow, 25 years a vegan, I’m sure your daughter could teach me a lot about veganism! I’ve never felt better since going vegan I have to say.
I love a protein drink as well, if your protein powder was vegan you’d have yourself a vegan shake right there! The chocolate pea protein powder I mention in the article goes great in a shake.
I’m going to post some more recipes on the site soon so look out for those if you want to try some vegan dishes (listen to me and your daughter! 🙂 )
All the best
Katie
Sj
Terrific info for a vegan strength training diet. I’m interested in going vegan, it’s just a very difficult transition when you have eaten meats all of your life and love it. I do need to do some strength training myself so is it fair to say that you have to eat your weight in protein. So, if I weigh 189 pounds I should eat around 189 grams of protein a day? Am I understanding this correctly?
Katie
Hi SJ
Glad you liked the article and even better that you’re thinking of going vegan. I too used to love meat but in the end I just couldn’t continue to eat it because my love of animals was stronger than my love of eating meat.
If you’re getting into weight lifting you’re correct, about 1g of protein per pound you weigh so you should be eating about 189g per day. Unless you’re overweight to start with, then you’d eat less protein otherwise you could end up eating too much. And that’s only if you’re trying to build muscle, if you’re not muscle building you don’t need as much protein. I sometimes have protein shakes (the ones at the bottom of the article) to help me get my protein intake up on the days I don’t quite get there.
Thanks for getting in touch and good luck with your strength training and going vegan (hopefully!)
Katie
Anthony Hu
Thank you for your post. It is useful for me. In the corona era I haven’t been to gym for a while now. I feel weak and think about building my muscle with proper food. I want to do research on it, but never take time to do it.
Here comes your article with what I am looking for, strength training with proper food or vegan strength training diet. I particular like your description on can you really be vegan and do strength training at the same time? I am so glad that you provide all info I need to build my muscle and consume proper food.
Katie
Hi Anthony thanks so much for commenting. All the foods in the article are high protein so eating them (along with fruit, veg and healthy carbs) whilst you strength train will certainly help you to build muscle. I set up a home gym during lockdown and I use it 3 times a week for my weight lifting. I wrote another article on squat racks and home gym equipment you might find useful, you can read it here.
Good luck with your strength training and getting that protein!
Katie