Here is a muscle gain truth: you can build strength, muscles, and endurance even when you are a vegetarian. While in my opinion it may not be your best choice when trying to build muscle mass, and it’s definitely not going to make you look like the guy in this picture (not that you’d want to), it can still be done. As I’ve mentioned before, you don’t need to overload with protein to build muscles faster. It’s all about a balanced diet and high intensity strength training.
There are four sources of protein: Animals, Beans and Peas, Nuts and Seeds, and Grains. Naturally, a vegetarian can only get it from the last three which is what makes it a little tricky to get the complete protein requirement. It is tricky, but not impossible.
Muscle Gain Truth and Complete Sources of Protein
Protein from plants is incomplete because it doesn’t have the required amino acids. For a long time, vegetarians were advised to combine incomplete proteins in a meal. For example, you must eat beans with rice. Rice, as we all know, is high in carbohydrates, which may not always work for you when you are in the “lose fat gain muscle” mode. However, the American Dietetic Association determined that you don’t need grains to get complete protein. You can simply combine different plant proteins. You can, for example, combine peas, black beans, and tofu in one meal.
Soy is an exception, though. Soy (and quinoa which is a grain) is the only complete protein from a plant.
Can You Lose Fat Gain Muscle With Nuts?
Again, it’s all about balance. Nuts and seeds are two of the best sources of protein and they have necessary unsaturated fats such as omega 3 fatty acids which is good for the heart. I don’t care what kind of person you are, you need a healthy heart to go through any training. However, nuts and seeds are also high in calories. You need to limit you intake and you don’t need a lot anyway. Half a cup of nuts is equivalent to the protein you get from a slice of steak. A slice is the same size as a deck of cards.
How Much Protein Do You Need
Different sources will give you different ways on how to compute for your daily protein requirement. Mayo Clinic says that 10 to 15 percent of your daily calorie intake must come from protein. If you are taking in 2,000 per day, 100 to 150 must come from protein. Another way is to multiply your weight using pounds by .6 to .9 if you are trying to build muscles. Any of these two methods will give you approximately the same result. If you weigh 160 pounds, you would need about 144 grams of protein.
How To Compute Your Protein Intake
Again, different sources will give you different computations, but one thing is consistent. Beans always end up being a great source of protein. Dried beans have about 16 grams protein as per Mayo Clinic.
So remember, you can be in the “lose fat gain muscle” mode, even when you are a vegetarian. In some peoples eyes, it may even be more efficient. Not as much fun, but still effective.
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