Whole Food Diet

[Macfresh]

Has anyone managed to put on a decent amount of muscle without tofu or plant protein powder?

I mean a diet of grains, beans, legumes.

[xrodolfox]

I am a swimmer. Since I went vegan when I was 17, and I'm 34 now, I have put on a lot more muscle without really "trying". Part of it was being active and eating plenty and filling out not just up. I'm no body builder or weight lifter, but I'm certainly no small skinny vegan.

I'm sure that there's other vegans who actually tried to bulk up and were successful with weight lifting and body building. Building muscle on grains, legumes, and beans is really easy. It all depends on your goals.

For swimming successfully, it's been easy to build muscle every year. The folks from other sports will tell you the same thing.

[baldy]

Yes.

You might want to be more specific with your question.

[Macfresh]

yeh sorry, I meant without tofu, plant protein powders?

[xrodolfox]

What are you goals?
Like I said, I put on SWIM muscle without trying. That's not the same as body building.
What sport are you training for?

[baldy]

[quote="Macfresh"]yeh sorry, I meant without tofu, plant protein powders?

[Macfresh]

Well to honest I enjoy running and cycling but have been out of action for a while because of knee/heel problems. I would like to put on weight as muscle, but am struggling to get enough calories without excess bulk. Massive meals make sleepy and slow my digestion, which impacts how active I am during the day-pls note, I do drink plenty of water.

I like beans, wholewheat bread, porridge and potatoes. I eat ground flaxseed with my cereal, but am not a big fan of nuts, although I am quite fond of hazel nuts. I dislike too much oil especially olive oil. I don't eat olives or avacado because I dislike like the taste and how I feel after eating them. I enjoy most vegetables in quantity especially kale, spring greens, most cabbage-except purple and white, carrots, broccoli, garlic. I like most fruits in particular apples, oranges, grapes and blackberries, but dislike bananas. My favourite salad items include tomatoes, spring onion and mushrooms.

Now to get a high number of calories eating like this is tough. A 200 gram portion of chickpeas + 2 slices of bread + salad + two apples for desert can fill me but not too much that I cant eat my next meal. I know that by adding calorie dense additions like oil, nuts and seed could up the calories, but they just make me feel awful so this is not a realistic long term option. It is with this in mind that I asked my first question, but perhaps I should have taken nuts, seeds and oils out of the equation too, as I said not a big fan.

[baldy]

No mention of your training? You will not put on muscle just eating enough calories. You need to train and then eat.

What are the reasons behind only "whole food" in your diet? Your diet sounds very restrictive, is this for health reasons?

[Macfresh]

These are the foods I like. I know that todays society that certain foods have become fashionable, but in these dark times, I still trust my tongue and how a food makes me feel.

In regards training, I am aware that you cannot put on muscle without training.

[xrodolfox]

I think your question is still too vague.

But the simple answer is: YES.

Of course, how much muscle, and for what isn't really part of your question. But YES, you can put on plenty of muscle for most activities on legumes, grains, veggies, fruits, and nuts.

[Macfresh]

Without the nuts?

Has anyone done it that you know about?

[xrodolfox]

I don't think any specific food is needed to build muscle. The answer to your still unspecific question is still "YES".

If you only ate apples that fall from the tree, and nothing else, you'd likely build muscle with the right training... but I'd be worried about other things like not getting enough fat or malnutrition due to lack of variety of foods. I've known vegan gluten-free people who built muscle. I've known raw vegans who've grown muscle. I've met vegans who only eat chips and processed food that've grown muscle. I have no idea if I've met a vegan who doesn't eat nuts and tofu and has gained muscle, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone has done that already.

Is your goal to look like Arnold during his Mr. Universe years, or is it to build enough muscle to run hard frequently? What is your training plan? Why are you focusing on muscle rather than fitness? Your question of "growing muscle" all depends on what the goal is, and where you start from.

[Catt Queen]

What exercise are you actually doing? How are you working your muscles in order to make them grow?

No matter what your diet is like, you will not increase muscle mass without doing physical exercise.

[baldy]

[quote="Macfresh"]These are the foods I like. I know that todays society that certain foods have become fashionable, but in these dark times, I still trust my tongue and how a food makes me feel.

[blinki]

I don't really like nuts (or olives or avocado or most healthy fats really) but force myself to eat them sometimes when I realise my fat in take is silly low. I don't really like tofu but occasionally end up eating it anyways. I've only started bothering with protein powder in the last month or two. I've gained about 10kg of mostly muscle. So like has been said it is possible. What matters is how many calories you eat and getting enough protein, as has been said. I'm not saying anything new really, just replying since you seem to want to hear someone say they've done it and I sort of have