Plant-Based Bodybuilding: Optimal Macro Ratios For Muscle Growth

A plant-based diet can be a great way to build muscle and lose fat. For bodybuilders, it is important to understand the basics of how to build mass, which involves taking in more calories and protein than you burn during workouts and through metabolic processes. This can be achieved through a combination of intense weight training and rest periods that allow the body to heal and recover.

One key aspect of building muscle is determining your optimal macronutrient ratios based on your fitness goals. This involves balancing your diet with the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and calories. For bodybuilders or those looking to gain mass, a typical macronutrient breakdown includes around 50% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 20% from fats.

Meeting protein needs is crucial, and plant-based sources such as legumes, nuts, seeds, and plant-based protein powders can help achieve this. Additionally, it is important to pay attention to calorie intake and experiment with different amounts to find what works best for your goals.

A plant-based diet also offers various health benefits, including lower weight, improved blood pressure, and better cholesterol and blood sugar levels. By understanding the basics of building mass and focusing on a balanced intake of macronutrients, bodybuilders can successfully achieve their fitness goals while following a plant-based diet.

Calculate your maintenance calories

Maintenance calories refer to the number of calories your body needs to maintain your current weight. This number will be different for everyone, depending on factors such as age, weight, height, body composition, physical activity level, and more.

There are several methods to calculate your maintenance calories, some more complex than others. One of the simplest ways is to track what you eat for a week. If your weight is relatively stable, whatever you are eating is your maintenance caloric level. To do this, record everything you eat and drink for a week, including amounts, the food itself, and the calories. Then, calculate the average number of calories by adding up all the numbers and dividing them by seven. This is your maintenance caloric level.

If you want a quicker estimate, you can use a calculator or formula. One such formula is the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:

> BMR = 10W + 6.25H - 5A + 5

>

> BMR = 10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161

In this equation, "BMR" is your Basal Metabolic Rate, or the amount of energy expended per day at rest. "W" is your weight in kilograms, "H" is your height in centimetres, "A" is your age, and "161" is a constant number.

Once you have your BMR, you can calculate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) by multiplying your BMR by your physical activity level (PAL). Your PAL is a number that represents how active you are on a daily basis. It typically ranges from 1.2 (little to no exercise) to 2.4 (professional athlete). So, the formula would look like this:

> TDEE = BMR x PAL

The number you get from this calculation is the number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight.

For example, let's say we have a 25-year-old woman named Lisa who wants to maintain her weight. She weighs 62kg and is 168cm tall. She has an office job and occasionally goes for walks or slow bike rides, so we can estimate her PAL to be 1.4.

First, we calculate her BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula:

> BMR = 10 x 62kg + 6.25 x 168cm - 5 x 25 years - 161

>

> BMR = 620 + 1050 - 125 - 161

>

> BMR = 1384

Next, we calculate her TDEE by multiplying her BMR by her PAL:

> TDEE = 1384 x 1.4

>

> TDEE = 1937.6

So, in this example, Lisa needs to consume approximately 1937.6 calories per day to maintain her current weight.

It's important to note that your maintenance calories are not set in stone and can change over time. If you increase or decrease your physical activity, your maintenance calories will adjust accordingly. Additionally, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) can also change due to factors such as age, hormonal state, and genetics.

Determine your deficit

Now that we know our maintenance calories, we can determine our deficit. Losing body fat means creating a caloric deficit. The larger the deficit, the faster you will lose weight, but this is not always a good thing. While it might be tempting to want to lose weight quickly, it is important to remember that the smaller the deficit, the more likely that weight loss will be fat rather than muscle. Slow and steady wins the race here!

A good rule of thumb is to subtract 200-600 calories from your maintenance calories to set your deficit. Keep a close eye on your weight loss over the first few weeks. If it exceeds two pounds per week, you are probably losing muscle, so reduce the deficit.

For example, let's take our friend Joe the Example Man, who weighs 180 pounds and has a maintenance level of 2400 calories. If he wants to lose weight at a moderate pace, he should reduce his calorie intake by 200-600 calories.

A Note on Calorie Counting

It is important to remember that calorie counting is not always accurate and can sometimes be frustrating and tedious. It is not necessary for everyone, especially if you are not an athlete or bodybuilder. A general awareness of the calories and nutrients in your food can be helpful, but it is not essential for healthy eating and weight management.

If you do choose to count calories, remember to maintain a healthy relationship with food. There are no "good" or "bad" foods, and nothing is off-limits. Focus on food quality and how it benefits your body, rather than just the numbers.

Building Mass

If your goal is to build mass, you will need to take in more calories and protein than you burn during workouts and through your metabolic rate. This is where macros come into play. Macros, or macronutrients, include carbohydrates, protein, and fat, all of which provide our bodies with energy.

To build mass, focus on getting enough protein to build and repair muscles, carbohydrates for energy, and healthy fats for vitamin absorption and hormone regulation.

Factors that affect your macro calculation include your age, gender, weight, BMI, and activity level. A good starting point for the macronutrient breakdown for a bodybuilder or anyone looking to gain mass is 50% of calories from carbs, 30% from protein, and 20% from fats.

Sample Meal Plans

• 4,300 calories
• 175 grams protein
• 675 grams carbs
• 100 grams fats

Remember, the percentages per day should vary depending on the intensity of your workout and the meal plan you choose for that particular day. Building mass is not easy, but it can be done on a vegan diet with dedication, focus, and commitment.

Calculate your macros

Calculating your macros is a more specific way of counting calories. It involves tracking the number of carbs, fat and protein you eat. To determine your macros, your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is calculated, which is how many calories you need, and then that is broken down further into grams of fat, carbs and protein.

Once you have that number, your macros can be adjusted towards a calorie surplus (for muscle gain), a calorie deficit (for fat loss) or eating the calories needed to maintain your weight. One gram of protein or carbohydrate contains 4 calories, and one gram of fat contains 9 calories.

Step 1: Find your maintenance calories

Your maintenance level of calories is the number of calories you need to eat to maintain your weight. To find this out, track what you're eating for one week. Get the average number of calories and this will give you a rough idea of your maintenance calories.

Step 2: Find your deficit

If you want to lose body fat, you will need to create a caloric deficit. The larger the deficit, the faster you will lose weight. However, the smaller the deficit, the slower you will lose weight, but that weight is less likely to be muscle and more likely to be fat.

Step 3: Calculate your macros

Your macronutrient numbers will give a framework to the types of foods you eat and provide the right ratios of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fibre.

#### Protein

Protein is the first macronutrient you should calculate. The amount of protein you require is based on your lean body mass. To determine this, you will need to estimate your body fat percentage. Multiply your body fat percentage by your weight in pounds, and then subtract your answer from your weight.

For a fat loss, muscle gain body transformation, you should be aiming to get anywhere from .7-1.2g of protein per pound of lean body mass, depending on your preferences.

#### Fat

Determining your fat requirements will depend on your preferences. Ask yourself what makes you feel the most satisfied, what gives you better workouts, better sleep, and better focus in your daily life. You can safely fall anywhere in the range of having 20-40% of your calories coming from fat.

#### Carbohydrates

Carbs can be manipulated in many ways to stimulate fat loss, aid recovery, and give you immediate energy. To calculate your carb intake, combine your calories from protein (multiply the grams by 4) with the calories from fat (multiply those grams by 9), then subtract that number from your total daily calories. Divide this number by 4 (the number of calories per gram of carbohydrates) and you have your carbohydrate goal for the day.

#### Fibre

This is not a difficult nutrient for vegans to get. Aim for 14g of fibre per 1000 calories as a minimum.

Don't obsess over protein

Protein is an important macronutrient for bodybuilders, as it builds and repairs tissues and muscles and helps to maintain body structure. However, it is not necessary to obsess over protein intake. Here are some reasons why:

A Variety of Protein Sources

Bodybuilders require a daily protein intake of around 0.55g/lb of body weight, or around 108g for the average male. This can be obtained from a variety of plant-based sources, including seitan, lentils, tofu, tempeh, beans, and nutritional yeast. It is nearly impossible not to get enough protein from a varied, whole food, plant-based diet. In addition, the body recycles a significant amount of protein from dead microbes in the gut, used enzymes, and mucosa.

Plant Proteins are Complete Proteins

All plant foods contain all 20 amino acids, including the nine indispensable amino acids. There are only two true "incomplete proteins": gelatine (bone broth) and animal collagen, which are both animal proteins. The idea that plant proteins are incomplete compared to animal proteins is a myth. In fact, plant proteins are lower in sulfur amino acids, which is beneficial as too much methionine can feed cancer cell growth.

Sufficient Protein from Whole Foods

Protein shakes are not necessary to achieve muscle-building goals. Whole foods contain all the amino acids the body needs to recover from intense workouts. Protein shakes merely offer a convenient source of quickly digestible amino acids. However, whole food protein has a thermic effect on the body, increasing fat burning by forcing the digestive system to expend more energy breaking down the amino acids.

Focus on Caloric Balance

Weight gain and weight loss are determined by caloric balance. When eating more calories than burned, weight is gained, and vice versa. Therefore, it is important to focus on overall caloric intake and ensure a caloric deficit when trying to lose weight. While calories are not the only factor in body transformations, they are a crucial element.

Plan Your Macronutrients

It is important to plan your macronutrients to ensure you are getting the right ratios of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. For example, you can lose weight by restricting calories, but without planning your macronutrients and weight training appropriately, the weight lost could come from muscle rather than fat. Flexible dieting focuses on macronutrients rather than restricting certain foods and has been shown to be effective for bodybuilders.

Eat a variety of proteins and complex carbs

Eating a variety of proteins and complex carbohydrates is essential for bodybuilders, and this is no different for those following a plant-based diet.

There are plenty of plant-based protein sources that can help support muscle growth and repair. For example, quinoa is a complete protein source, containing all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. It also contains complex carbohydrates for enhanced energy. Legumes, including beans, peas, and lentils, are also excellent sources of protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as being rich in fibre, potassium, iron, magnesium, and folate.

Nuts are another important part of a vegan diet. They are packed with protein, calories, fibre, and healthy fats, all of which are crucial for muscle growth and overall health. Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale are also great sources of protein and contain vitamins, calcium, and folic acid, which can enhance muscle concentration.

It is a common misconception that plant proteins are incomplete. However, all plant foods contain all 20 amino acids, including the nine indispensable amino acids. It is nearly impossible not to get sufficient amounts of any essential amino acids as long as you are eating a variety of plant proteins and consuming a sufficient amount of total protein per day.

In addition to whole foods, there are also some great plant-based protein powders on the market that are perfect for vegans. Pre-workout protein shakes support muscle growth, prevent muscle weakness, and reduce the risk of muscle breakdown.

Frequently asked questions