So you’re a vegetarian…

So What! You can still get protein

in your diet and gain muscle!Taylor Ryan, NASM C-PT

Figure Competitorwww.fitness-analyzer.com

Protein… what’s the deal?

Why protein? The building blocks of muscle are proteins. If you want to build muscle, you have to have enough “bricks” to build with!

So you want to gain muscle… how much protein do you need?

1.6-2.0g per kilogram (bodyweight)

The average person should get 0.8g/kg… and it should make up 15-30% diet

Carnivore Muscle Gainers

Of course lean meats are the top notch protein sources.

Lean meats include: chicken, turkey, pork and buffalo…These are meats low in fat content and cholesterol and awesome sources of protein.

But eating meat isn’t the only way to get protein in your diet…

You’re Not Hopeless

Just because you’re a veggie eater doesn’t mean that you will have a hard time putting on muscle… it does me you have to think a little harder than the carnivores to ensure you are getting protein in your body. Famous fit vegetarians: Demi Moore, Tom Cruise, Pitcher Lee (Boston Red Socks), Bruce LeeNo one can deny those people look amazing… and without one piece of meat to lead the way!

Not All Vegetarians Are Created Equal…

There are many levels of vegetarians and depending on where you fall will help figure out how hard you may have to work to get protein in your diet. So let’s break it all down

PescatarianYou avoid all meats except fish. This is a pretty common form of being a vegetarian and many people use it as a stepping stone towards becoming a vegan. Fish is a great source of protein, just make sure that if you regularly consume fish to check mercury levels. Generally, the larger the fish, the higher the mercury. Fish are low in calories, loaded with healthy omega-3s and a great protein! Eat up!

Image: www.nytimes.com

For great seafood recipes and ideas check out my own recipe collection!

Semi vegetarians

This is where I fell for several years: considered flexible because they mainly practice a no meat vegetarian diet but they will occasionally bend and eat meat. These vegg-Os practice their lifestyle most likely because of health reasons (instead of moral).

You can have an easy time getting protein. Stick with white meat items and aim for 3-4 times per week.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians

the most common of all… they don’t eat any meat products such as beef, pork, poultry, or shellfish, they do eat eggs and dairy products. One egg has 6g of protein so load up! Opt for skim milk and the best of all? COTTAGE CHEESE… 1/2cup has 15 g of protein!My famous frittata

Vegans

The strictest of the vegetarians. They avoid all meats but also try to stay away from dairy, eggs, leather, fur, and products that have been tested on animals. These guys have to concentrate the most on their diet to make sure they have a balanced nutrition plan

What Are Your Choices? Food Protein

Legumes: kidney, navy, lentils Lentils: 20g per 3.5 oz serving

Nuts Walnuts: 4g per 1 oz

Tofu 10 g per 1/2 cup

Cottage cheese 15 g per 1/2 cup

Veggie Burger 13 g per patty

Quinoa, cooked 9 g per 1 cup

Peanut Butter 8 g per 2 tbsp

Broccoli 4 g per 1 cup

Soy Milk 7-8 g per 1 cup

Whey proteinDepends… mine has 24 g per scoop

Nothing Stopping You

Ok, so now you have the confirmation that you can build muscle, you don’t have to change your lifestyle and you can see great results!Head over to the store now with your new protein shopping list and get started! My favorite vegan protein? Homemade Almond butter!

Presented By Taylor Ryan, NASM C-PT

Head trainer of

The Art Of Weight Lifting