How To Build Muscles On A Vegan Diet

By jaaziel ugbebor

Learn how to debunk the lies on whether or not muscles can be built on a clean, sustainable plant-based diet, In this book you'll begin to understand how and what to eat to increase your testosterone, including workout routines that aid weight-loss and actually keeps the weight off, while improving your overall performance and gains in the gym.

 

Beginners workout routine included to help you kickstyart your journey!

• Language: English
• Publisher: jaaziel ugbebor
• Release date: Apr 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201275631

Book preview

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1. INTRO

Chapter 2. SCIENCE BEHIND BUILDING MUSCLES

Chapter 3. AN ALTERNATE WAY (INTRO TO VEGAN BASED FACTS AND RESEARCH)3

Chapter 4. TESTOSTERONE IN CORRELATION TO MUSCLE BUILDING

Chapter 5. HOW AND WHAT FOODS BOOST TESTOSTERONE

Chapter 6. DEBUNKING PROTEIN

Chapter 7. OUTRO / FREE WORKOUT ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS

Chapter 1 - Introduction

The right training equipment, proper workout programs, focus, and sheer determination are all needed to build your muscles. But there’s something else you need.

Protein!

Even a semi-professional fitness trainer will tell you that you need the right amount of protein to heal strained muscles after those long, intensive workouts at the gym.

There’s no form of exercise or strength training you can think of that doesn’t put a strain on your beloved muscles.

With these strains come cracks. But thanks to some good ol' protein, these cracks are healed faster.

As if that isn’t enough service already, protein actually helps increase your muscle mass!

Bodybuilding professionals will advise that you eat protein-rich foods when trying to build your muscles. These foods include eggs, cottage cheese, fish, and meat.

If you're a vegan, you would've noticed that none of the above-listed foods fit into your diet. This may make you wonder – Can't I build muscle mass with strictly vegan protein?

You must have heard the rumor or opinion that it is difficult or impossible to gain muscle mass on a vegan diet. This is based on the belief that plant-based meals just don't have enough protein to get your muscles all pumped up!

Truth is, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but the hardworking vegans out there deserve to know the truth!

Vegans CAN gain muscles while remaining strictly on plant-based proteins!

This has been proven already, as it has worked for world-renowned vegan athletes, as well as bodybuilders around the world.

So, are you a vegan who wants to build muscles while sticking to vegan foods?

If you are, then this book is for you!

Here, I will be showing you exactly how you can build muscles on vegan protein and tell you why vegan protein is actually better for muscle gain than animal protein.

We’ll also be discussing the importance of testosterone in muscle building, as well as drop some vital bodybuilding tips for beginners.

Let’s go!

Chapter 2 - The Science Behind Building Muscles

There are several fitness enthusiasts out there who have no knowledge of the science behind muscle-building. This is quite disappointing, as their focus is fixed exclusively on pumping iron, while the basics are neglected.

Bodybuilders who fall under this category have no idea what terms like anabolic mean. They also have no clue what muscle protein synthesis or hypertrophy mean.

It's true that your major aim is to pump up your muscles, but spending long hours in the gym isn't all it takes. You need to have a proper knowledge of what really makes your muscles grow, and why building them up is important in the first place.

Your muscles aren't just for show; they are vital to your health, longevity, and metabolism. So even if your aim isn't to build bulky arms and thighs, you still need to understand the benefits of gaining some lean muscle mass.

When you understand the basics of muscle growth, you will be able to separate facts from myths, which will in-turn help you do what’s right for your muscles.

The Mechanics Behind Muscle Growth

Anytime you work your biceps, thousands of your muscle fibers will be contracted. Each of these fibers consists of thousands of links called the sarcomeres.

Each time your brain sends a signal to move, the process starts from the sarcomeres.

Inside the sarcomere, you can find smaller contractile fibers called the actin and myosin. And this is where all the muscle growth takes place.

Muscle growth is a result of a complex process, which adds more myosin filaments to each muscle fiber. Which in turn causes the engine of the cell to grow bigger and stronger over time.

However, building bigger muscles isn't an easy task, which is why your muscles cannot do it alone. It needs help from two things – specifically protein and mTOR (Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin)

The MTOR is a special type of protein that regulates the muscle-building functions of the body. Anytime you lift weights, the MTOR is activated.

This process by which this occurs is called muscle protein synthesis (MPS).

As complicated as all this may sound, there’s still more to it. The MPS faces some challenges while it’s at work, and that’s a muscle protein breakdown (MPB), which directly counters its activities.

When the muscle protein synthesis (MPS), and the muscle protein breakdown (MPB) are balanced, you wouldn’t gain or lose muscle.

When your protein balance is positive, the excess can be directed into muscle cells through resistance training. However, if the balance is negative or neutral, there will be no parts left to make it bigger.

This means that for you to gain some muscle, you’ll have to force your body into a net positive protein balance. It is at this point where the MPS can have the advantage.

This is all the anabolic process, which is the state of building tissues in the body. While the catabolic process is the state of breaking everything down and causing you to lose muscle.

Although the human body is never 100% anabolic or catabolic, as there will always be some muscle synthesis and breakdown happening simultaneously, no matter what you do.

You’d be shocked to hear that even resistance training can be both anabolic and catabolic at the same time. What’s important is that the average comes out positive, instead of neutral or negative.

The good news is, it's what you do on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis that determines how much muscle you will gain (or lose) in the long term. So at the end, it's still up to you!

Achieving Positive Protein Balance

You may have gone through several fitness magazines and websites in search of answers regarding muscle growth. You may have found a few too.

Unfortunately, some of the information you may have come across are misleading. The biggest problem in this regard is that people tend to pay attention to things that aren’t helpful.

The science behind muscle building is quite deep, but it all boils down to training hard and getting the right amount of protein.

As you push weights in the gym, you are increasing muscle protein breakdown. As you recover, a reverse action takes place, and this is where MTOR starts to work.

Pushing weights applies different types of stress to your muscle fibers. Three types to be exact.

●  Mechanical tension

●  Metabolic stress

●  Muscle damage

Some bodybuilders are of the opinion that muscle damage is vital to muscle growth, but this is not backed up scientifically.

Mechanical tension, on the other hand, is what has been scientifically proven to be the most important muscle builder.

Adding extra weight or engaging in more reps is what will allow you to keep making gains.

Simply put, carrying weights and training hard builds your muscles.

MTOR needs parts to build your muscles, and these parts are essential amino acids. Of course, our bodies cannot synthesize these on their own, you need to get them from your meals.

Leucine is a good example of a protein that directly stimulates the MPS.

So, how much daily protein can be considered to be enough? The truth is, this amount varies among individuals.

However, 1.4-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily is just right for a start.

If you weigh 150 lbs, for instance, consuming between 95 and 135 grams is fine.

Consuming the right amount of daily protein will provide you with all the essential amino acids you need to build up your muscles. Your level of resistance training will then tell your body what to do with these amino acids.

Now that you have good knowledge of the science behind building muscles, all you have to do is consume adequate amounts of protein and keep on lifting weights!

But before we forget, sleep is also an important factor in muscle gain.

When you don’t get enough sleep, catabolism will be increased, thereby reducing your chances of gaining muscle.

Adequate daily protein consumption and long hours in the gym are great, but without the right amount of sleep, you’ll not achieve the results you are looking for.

Why Building  Muscle Is Important

Having muscular arms and thighs are cool, but don’t assume that bodybuilders are the only ones who need to build muscles.

Muscles are important to everyone, even seniors In their 60s and 80s!

This is because muscle gain isn't just for the sake of looking good in beachwear; it's necessary when you are looking to have a life with good health.

Increasing your lean body mass can have positive effects on your quality of life, not just in your youth but also when you age.

To understand why this is important, you need to know the central function protein has in your body.

First of all, the human body has too many compartments for storing fat and carbohydrates but doesn't have that kind of storage options when it comes to protein. Muscle mass is the only area where protein can be really stored.

If there’s a medical emergency, the patient’s body requires an extra amount of protein to survive and heal, and the protein the body needs is stored in the muscle tissue.

In cases where injuries are major or an illness is critical, patients who have more lean body mass stand a better chance of