Vegetarian and Vegan Bodybuilding

[John Benz]

Bill Pearl is probably the most well-known of vegetarian bodybuilders. At his own peak as a bodybuilder when he last won the Mr. Universe in 1971, Bill weighed 242 pounds at a height of 5'10" and his arms measured 21 inches! Bill stopped using steroids by 1961.

He won the professional Mr. Universe title in 1971, at the age of 41, without the use of steroids and as a vegetarian, and is recognized as one of the all-time greats of bodybuilding. Bill's diet is lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means he eats eggs and dairy products.

He describes his experiences with the conversion to vegetarianism. "With each succeeding year the diet (lacto-ovo vegetarian), I've felt better. I'm more healthy, I can train with more energy, and I'm not as much of a "hard guy" as I used to be. I've become more concerned with my fellow man and the other inhabitants I share the planet withI have now been vegetarian for almost 20 years. We have no fish, fowl, or red meat in our diet. Yet I can still carry the same amount of muscle as I did in winning my four Mr. Universe titles. People can't believe it. They think that to have big muscles you have to eat meat - it's a persistent and recurring myth. But take it from me, there's nothing magic about eating meat that's going to make you a champion bodybuilder. Anything you can find in a piece of meat, you can find in other foods as well."

Bill Pearl, was one of the strongest bodybuilders ever, and for years he performed feats of arm strength few can match. He could twist a horseshoe like a pretzel, rip licence plates like cardboard, and bend a railroad spike into a "U" shape.

Back in the 60's Bill Pearl had a strong Man show, and did these things on a regular basis. Chuck Sipes copied Bill's routine. You can do a search and find out if I am correct. He would test horseshoes by smacking them against his open palm. Said he could tell if one had a stronger alloy, and that some were just impossible to bend. Arnold Schwarzenegger stated that Bill Pearl had a profound influence on him and although he never converted him to vegetarianism, he convinced him it was possible...

A couple of quick finds...

The first is from testosterone magazine; the second from Planet Muscle.
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/226gd.html

"Finally, the rough guys out there who think lifting heavy weights is only part of real strength will dig "Tough Guys," a look at the various feats performed by Bill Pearl and Chuck Sipes. These included bending steel bars, spikes, and horseshoes, tearing phone books and license plates, blowing up hot water balloons, snapping lengths of chain, and taking tops off some of those child-proof aspirin bottles. Once Pearl slipped with a spike and wound up driving it straight through his palm like Jesus. Ouch! I think I'll stick to lifting weights, how about you?"

http://www.planetmuscle.com/articles...ngest_man.html

"Likewise I can't count four times NABBA Mr. Universe Bill Pearl when he used to tear two license plates in half at once, although with California DMV fees as high as they are, anyone who could do this stunt should have a reduction in their fees."

[John Benz]

Article by James Collier BSc (Hons) SRD


It is often said that you cannot be a successful bodybuilder and vegetarian. Well, I know lots of folk who build great physiques on a vegetarian diet, it just takes a little more consideration, especially in regard to protein quality. Now, here I am talking about proper vegetarians, i.e. lacto-ovo vegetarians, not those folk who eat tuna and still claim to eat a vegetarian diet!

Generally, vegetable proteins are of poorer quality than animal proteins. Milk and egg proteins can be eaten, so you may still take advantage of HBV proteins. The key to obtaining good protein quality lies in combining different protein sources.

True vegans will avoid all products of animal origin, so an adequate bodybuilding diet is really difficult. For a vegan bodybuilder, a strict regimen will need to be followed, especially to ensure that a varied diet is still consumed. Remember also that many quality supplements are derived from animal products, for example creatine, whey protein and meal replacement powders (MRPs), so you will have to avoid these. If you are in doubt about any product, check with the manufacturer. As there are so many exclusions in the vegan diet, I strongly feel that isolated soya protein is an absolute must for the vegan bodybuilder.

Other great protein sources which vegetarians and vegans can enjoy are mixed beans, baked beans, hummus, tofu, quorn, textured vegetable protein (TVP), soya, coconut, oat and rice milk, and many more. Often these products do have a reasonable carbohydrate content too, useful for gaining weight, and are low in fat. Vegans would be wise to include seaweed or a vitamin B12 supplement daily, as without animal products their diets may be insufficient in vitamin B12.

Plan 1: Example menu plan for a vegetarian wishing to gain quality weight.

Time Food Protein
Wake 7:30 am
7:30 1 scoop whey protein in water 20g

8:00 breakfast large bowl wholewheat breakfast cereal with 1/3 pint skimmed milk + sugar 15g
2 slices wholemeal bread toasted + olive oil spread
1/2 portion weight gain drink with water and multidextrose powder 22g
100ml orange juice + 1 tblsp olive oil

10:30 1/2 portion weight gain drink with skimmed milk 27g
fruit

12:30 12.30 1/2 scoop whey protein in water 10g
Low fat cottage cheese (100g) 12g
or soya cheese (80g) 15g
4 slices wholemeal bread + olive oil spread
salad
low fat yoghurt 7g

15:00 Full portion MRP made in half water + half skimmed milk 48g
fruit

17:00 1/2 portion weight gain drink with skimmed milk and multidextrose powder 27g
TRAIN
18:30
(after training) 2 scoops whey protein in water 40g

19:30 Quorn burger (150g) 18g
Baked beans (150g) 8g
Reduced fat cheese (50g) 14g
either 2 medium jacket potatoes
or 200g boiled brown rice
or 350g boiled wholewheat pasta
vegetables
low fat yoghurt 7g

22:00 1/2 portion weight gain drink with skimmed milk 25g

23:30 1 scoop whey protein in water 20g
23:30 - BED
Total Protein 335g


Plan 2: Example menu plan for a vegan bodybuilder wishing to gain quality weight.

Time Food Protein
Wake 7:30 am
7:30 1 scoop isolated soy protein in water 20g

8:00 breakfast large bowl wholewheat breakfast cereal with 1/2 pint soya milk + sugar 9g
2 slices wholemeal bread toasted + olive oil spread
1 scoop isolated soy protein with 1/2 pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g
100ml orange juice + 1 tblsp olive oil

10:30 1 scoop isolated soy protein with 1/2 pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g
fruit

12:30 1/2 scoop isolated soy protein in water 10g
Hummus (200g) 15g
Mixed beans (200g) & salad 15g
4 slices wholemeal bread + olive oil spread
Soya yoghurt (150g) 7g

15:00 2 scoops isolated soy protein with 1/2 pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 46g
fruit

17:00 1 scoop isolated soy protein with 1/2 pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g
TRAIN
18:30
(after training) 2 scoops isolated soya protein in water 40g

19:30 Quorn burger (150g) 18g
Baked beans (150g) + tofu mince (100g) 16g
either 2 medium jacket potatoes
or 200g boiled brown rice
or 350g boiled wholewheat pasta
vegetables
soya yoghurt 7g

22:00 1 scoop isolated soy protein with 1/2 pint oat/coconut/rice milk and multidextrose powder 26g

23:30 1 scoop isolated soy protein in water 20g
23:30 - BED
Total Protein 327g

*MRP stands for meal replacement powder.

IMPORTANT - remember both plans are merely a guide and must not be stuck to rigidly. You must eat a variety of different protein sources, complex carbohydrates and fruit and vegetables every day, and drink plenty of water. If you are still not gaining sufficient weight, increase portion sizes of protein and carbohydrate foods; if you are starting to hold a little body fat, reduce portion sizes of carbohydrate foods slightly. A little bit of junk food now and again will do no harm.

I advise people not to look for practical advice at veganbodybuilding.com The people on that website are very poor examples of this lifestyle.

[John Benz]

There is a light-heavyweight local competitor named Lemuel Israel that comes into the local Max Muscle. He is a true vegan, and has an incredible physique, almost looks like a lightweight version of Robbie Robinson. He's quite a character, and has dreadlocks like a rastafarian. His wife cooks all his meals, and he eats no animal products at all. Guys who work out with him tell me he is abnormally strong. I will have to grill him on what he eats to gain this size and strength. I would guesstimate him at 5'8", about 210 lbs, 19" arms, 28" waist. 5%-6% bf. Stays in contest shape year round.

It may be possible, but I would have trouble doing it. I can't even discipline myself to eliminate red meat from my diet.

[KitKat]

Great Post!
Dave Scott, one of the most famous triathlete's alive is vegetarian. Personally it's not something I would ever do or want to do. But these people prove that you can get all your nutrients outside of animal sources and be phenomenal athletes. It's just not for everyone.

[basskiller]

Very good John!!

[Sasa]

great post man iv seen some of these veggie bb's there are some monsters, as well as some other athletes.

[Milkstud]

It's cool that it can be done, but I really like the saying, If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat!

[CTri17]

True vegans will avoid all products of animal origin, so an adequate bodybuilding diet is really difficult. For a vegan bodybuilder, a strict regimen will need to be followed, especially to ensure that a varied diet is still consumed. Remember also that many quality supplements are derived from animal products, for example creatine, whey protein and meal replacement powders (MRPs), so you will have to avoid these. If you are in doubt about any product, check with the manufacturer. As there are so many exclusions in the vegan diet, I strongly feel that isolated soya protein is an absolute must for the vegan bodybuilder.

Other great protein sources which vegetarians and vegans can enjoy are mixed beans, baked beans, hummus, tofu, quorn, textured vegetable protein (TVP), soya, coconut, oat and rice milk, and many more. Often these products do have a reasonable carbohydrate content too, useful for gaining weight, and are low in fat. Vegans would be wise to include seaweed or a vitamin B12 supplement daily, as without animal products their diets may be insufficient in vitamin B12.

John, while I think it can be done to be a lacto ovo vegetarian and still be able to be a good bodybuilder the video that Sasa put up as far as THAT SPECIFIC vegan man, talking about the diet he is on and how he would build muscle on that program is just rediculous.

From the above it says that they can eat beans. But that guy does not eat beans. He only eats raw fruits and vegetables. If you are THAT strict of a vegan I have a hard time believing that your body will respond well to that type of food and allow itself to put on quality muscle especially considering the carb/fructose content of fruit.

He also said that he does not and will not take any vitamin supplements.

Some people are genetically gifted and may be able to live like that for a while and train and be relatively successful. But, IMHO I dont think that a TRUE STRICT VEGAN like this would be able to be a HIGHLY successful bodybuilder. But, I dont think that they would be able to live a full healthy life if they attempted to bodybuild on that strict of a diet for long periods of time.

[PTAaron]

Really interesting and thought provoking stuff. Thanks for finding/posting that.

[Danb21]

Definitely an interesting read, I was pretty suprised when I read that. How can people know for sure that Pearl didn't use Steroids after 1961? Not trying to say thats the reason he was big, but does anyone really know for sure what he was and was not using?