A vegan is a person who does not eat any animal products (1). They swear off beef, fish, poultry, milk, eggs and other animal products. For the longest time, there has been a misconception going around about how it is impossible to build muscle when on a plant-based diet, and that a person only requires meat if they want to get swole. This is not true and here’s why. There is a large variety of plant proteins that help provide all you need in your journey towards building strength and muscle. To build muscle while on a vegan diet, you need to understand the different macros your body needs and how they help you during the muscle gain period. This vegan muscle-building meal plan will help you in your journey to building muscle while on a plant-based diet. 
Understanding Muscle Building And Plant Proteins
To build muscle, you need to eat a lot of food and work out even more. They both go together and are dependent on each other. If you eat a lot of food and don’t work out, you gain body fat. If you work out without eating enough, you risk losing the muscle you currently have. With that said, it is easy to work out to build muscle since there are so many guidelines on what to do, how to do it, and how long you should be doing it to achieve your dream physique.
For muscle growth to occur, studies show that a person should eat around 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight every single day. Proteins are essential when it comes to building muscles and strength. The main function of proteins is to build muscles and repair existing muscles. Proteins also help in the recovery of muscles after a workout. This just shows how important proteins are when it comes to bodybuilding.
There are different sources of proteins. Animal sources and plant sources are the main known protein sources. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products are seen to be superior protein sources compared to plant proteins (1). The reason for this is the fact that proteins from animals provide all the nine essential amino acids in the quantities that we humans require. Although plant proteins contain the essential amino acids, they don’t have them in the amounts required by a human (1). That is why when you are on a vegan diet, you always need to make sure you get these nine essential amino acids. You can ensure you do this by eating a large variety of plant proteins every day.
How Protein Quality Is Assessed
There is a standard method used to determine the quality of proteins. The method checks two things in the protein. These two things are (1):
- Amino acid requirements of humans;
- Ability of humans to digest the protein.
This method of determining the protein quality is referred to as Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) (1). Proteins that have the nine essential amino acids in the required amounts and are also easy to digest rank higher in the score compared to those that don’t provide the nine essential amino acids or are hard to digest.
Read More: 7-Day Vegan Meal Plan: Get Your Healthy Diet On Par!
Vegan Muscle Building Meal Plan: Vegan Macros Needed For Building Muscles
Although we have emphasized a lot on proteins, proteins are not the only macronutrients required for body building. A person also requires carbohydrates and Fats. The ratio amounts of the different macros needed by a bodybuilder differ to those a normal person needs. This stems from the fact that a bodybuilder needs a higher intake of proteins. The ratios of macros are 55% to 60% from carbs, 25% to 30% from proteins and 15% to 20% from fats (2).
You need carbohydrates to provide your body with the necessary energy when you work out. You also need carbs to fuel your brain while working out so that you can stay sharp and focused at the task at hand. When you reduce your carb intake, you are likely to slow down your bulking process and this is certainly not what you want.
Fats also help in providing energy, they enhance stamina, they help improve muscle development, help in recovery from tiresome workout sessions and help improve concentration.
Vegan Muscle Building Meal Plan
Below is a vegan bodybuilding food plan that will help you bulk up.
Day 1
Breakfast
Scrambled tofu on toast
Ingredients
- ½ block of tofu
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ⅛ teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 slice of regular multi-grain bread
Calories – 425.5, Carbs – 18.7 grams, Fat – 28.7 grams, Proteins – 29.1 grams
Snack
1 cup of grapes
Calories – 46.1, Carbs – 11.1 grams, Fat – 0.4 grams, Proteins – 1 gram
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Lunch
Strawberry protein smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup of water
- 8 tablespoons of organic plain rice protein
- 1 tablespoon of almond butter
- 8 large strawberries
- 6 ice cubes
Calories – 384.4, Carbs – 22.1 grams, Fat – 9.3grams, Proteins – 52.3 grams
Snack
1 ounce of almonds
Calories -164.1, Carbs – 6.1 grams, Fat – 14.2 grams, Proteins – 6 grams
Dinner
2 servings of garlic green beans with tofu
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- ½ a pound of tofu
- 4 cups of ½ pieces of green beans
Calories – 521.2, Carbs – 37.4 grams, Fat – 34.1 grams, Proteins – 23.7 grams
Snack
2 apples
Calories – 189.3, Carbs – 50.3 grams, Fat – 0.6 grams, Proteins – 0.9 grams
Total calories for the day: 1911
Day 2
Breakfast
Apple sandwiches with almond butter and Granola
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of almond butter
- 1 medium apple
- ¼ cup of granola with almonds
Calories – 424.2 , Carbs – 50.3 grams, Fat – 23.2 grams, Proteins – 10.5 grams
Snack
2 apples
Calories – 189.3, Carbs – 50.3 grams, Fat – 0.6 grams, Proteins – 0.9 grams
Lunch
Strawberry protein smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup of water
- 8 tablespoons of organic plain rice protein
- 1 tablespoon of almond butter
- 8 large strawberries
- 6 ice cubes
Calories – 384.4, Carbs – 22.1 grams, Fat – 9.3grams, Proteins – 52.3 grams
Snack
Strawberry, lemon and ginger shot
- Ingredients
- 3 slices of ginger root
- 4 tablespoons of lemon juice
- ¼ cup of water
- ½ cup of strawberries
Calories – 41.5 , Carbs – 10.8 grams, Fat – 0.4 grams, Proteins – 0.8 grams
Dinner
2 servings of big bad bean burrito
Ingredients
- 4 leaf outer lettuce
- 2 tortilla tortillas
- ½ a cup of salsa
- ½ a cup of refried beans
- 1 avocado without the skin or the seed
Calories – 488.8 , Carbs – 61.9 grams, Fat – 23.9 grams, Proteins – 15.1 grams
Snack
Carrots with hummus
Calories – 174.5 , Carbs – 22.4 grams, Fat – 7.5 grams, Proteins – 7.1 grams
Total calories of the day: 1789
Read More: 30-Day Vegan Diet: Losing Weight The Plant-Based Way
Day 3
Breakfast
Peanut butter and banana oatmeal
Ingredients
- ½ cup of oatmeal
- 1 ¼ tablespoon of peanut butter with omega-3
- ½ cup of water
- ½ medium banana
Calories – 307.7 , Carbs – 45.9 grams, Fat – 12.1 grams, Proteins – 10.6 grams
Snack
Apple and almond butter
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of almond butter
- 1 medium apple
Calories – 291.1, Carbs – 31.1 grams, Fat – 18.1 grams, Proteins – 7.2 grams
Lunch
Kale white bean and pesto salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups of chopped kale
- ⅓ cup of chopped raw grape tomatoes
- ⅔ cup of white beans
- 3/16 cup of sauce; classico, basil pesto, ready to serve
- ⅓ lemon yields lemon juice
Calories – 422.6, Carbs – 54.1 grams, Fat – 16.4 grams, Proteins – 18.8 grams
Snack
1 cup of carrots
Calories – 86.1, Carbs – 20.3 grams, Fat – 0.3grams, Proteins – 1.6 grams
Dinner
Smashed white beans on toast
Ingredients
- ¼ cup of arugula
- 2 slices of whole wheat bread
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ½ cup of white beans
Calories – 411 Carbs – 51.9 grams, Fat – 15.9 grams, Proteins – 16.6 grams
Snack
2 servings of 1 minute quick boiled spinach
Ingredients
- I minced garlic clove
- 2 cups of spinach
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
Calories – 98.9, Carbs – 3.5 grams, Fat – 9.3 grams, Proteins – 1.9 grams
Total calories for the day – 1931.3
The Bottom Line
The vegan muscle-building meal plan highlighted above shows you can bulk up when on a plant-based diet. You must remember to accompany your meal plan with an effective muscle-building workout plan. It is advisable to ask an expert for advice when it comes to designing your individualized vegan meal plan for building muscles.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Building Muscle on a Vegetarian Diet (2020, eatright.org)
- Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding (2004, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
