When you think about muscle growth, the first thing that probably comes to mind is protein—chicken breasts, steak, ground beef, eggs, whey protein, and basically any other animal-based protein source you can think of.
Vegetables? Well, they rarely come into the equation unless it's a side dish with some chicken and rice.
But muscle growth isn't synonymous with animal proteins, and it's more than possible to build muscle on a vegetarian diet.
Let's put the myths that vegetarians can't gain muscle to rest. We're going to give you a roadmap of our top tips for building meat-free muscle.
#1 Be Conscious Of Your Calories
Counting calories and macros is not the ideal solution—we'll be honest about that.
But when you're trying to gain muscle, you have to make sure that first, you're eating enough, and second, you're eating enough of what you need to build muscle. This rule goes for everyone, no matter what eating style you follow.
One of the biggest areas people fall short on when following a vegetarian or vegan diet is protein, which is the pillar of muscle growth.
And while carbs are also crucial for muscle growth, excess carbs are a lot easier to convert to fat than protein or fat is, so if you're not burning it, you're storing it.
And for other people, they may think they're eating enough to satisfy their energy requirements, but they're actually eating too much or too little.
A lot goes into consciously gaining muscle, and being aware and educated is the first stepping stone to get you there.
We're not saying you have to track your food forever, but investing in some kitchen gadgets (an electric scale, measuring cups/spoons) is an excellent start towards recognizing portion sizes and knowing how much you're actually eating so you can use that energy towards muscle growth.
#2 Explore The World Of Plant-Based Protein
When you cut out animal proteins from your diet, you also cut out some of the most richly concentrated sources of complete protein—but it's not a make-or-break scenario; there are loads of plant-based sources that offer substantial amounts of protein.
However, bear in mind that a lot of plant-based proteins are incomplete, meaning they don't contain appropriate amounts of the essential amino acids to create functional proteins.
And these amino acids can only be derived from food, so if you're not taking in enough of specific ones, you can't build new proteins, and you're going to degrade existing muscle tissue. It's as simple as that.
That's where complementary protein pairing comes into play: the idea that you combine foods that contain complementary amino acid profiles.
For example, rice and beans are commonly paired because rice contains higher levels of the amino acids tryptophan and methionine but is low in lysine, whereas beans contain less tryptophan and methionine, but are higher in lysine; they complement the missing amino acids to form a complete amino acid profile.
But also keep in mind that you don't have to memorize the amino acid profile of plant-based proteins. It comes down more to the amino acid pool and what's available to take from rather than what's available from what was just consumed.
As long as you've consumed adequate protein throughout the day, your body can pull from that pool to make new proteins.
And when it comes down to your choices, there's no shortage:
Beans and Legumes
Like we just said, beans and legumes offer an abundance of micronutrients besides loads of fiber and protein, but they should be paired with a grain (rice, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) to form a complete protein.
Navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and lentils are all great sources of plant-based proteins, and because they're high in fiber, they promote a sustained release of energy and avoid blood sugar spikes that cause subsequent energy crashes.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds offer a double bang for their buck—they're loaded with healthy fats, contain adequate amounts of protein, and are packed full of nutrients like vitamin E, calcium, folate, selenium, and B vitamins that are important for muscle growth.
For example, hemp seeds are over 30% fat and 25% protein in addition to offering considerable amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals 1; they're also a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids.
Basically, they're a nutrient powerhouse that needs to be part of your diet. And if that wasn't enough, they're super versatile and can be added to any dish, sweet or savory.
But hemp isn't the only one. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia, almonds, and peanuts all offer loads of nutrients and good amounts of protein.
(Some) Dairy Products
If you choose to include dairy products in your diet, there are a few good choices that are high protein. Greek yogurt is an excellent source of both protein and healthy fats, along with hard and soft cheeses, and cottage cheese.
Research shows that dairy products can increase lean mass while decreasing fat mass and the risk of type II diabetes 2.
These benefits are derived not just from protein content but also calcium, which improves β-pancreatic cell function, reduces lipogenesis, increases lipolysis, and contributes to decreased body fat stores and accumulation.
Other benefits may be derived from the range of proteins in dairy—immunoglobulins, α-lactoglobulin, β-lactalbumin, albumin, and caseins—which have been shown to aid in maintaining muscle mass, reducing glycemia, and regulating appetite 3.
However, be mindful that dairy intolerances and sensitivities are quite rampant, so if you find yourself struggling with any digestive issues within the few hours after eating dairy, it may not be working for you.
Plant-Based Protein Powders
If you're looking for a concentrated source of plant-based protein, protein powders are going to be your gold. Because all the other components have largely been removed, you're getting a pure dose of protein.
#3 Consume Variety
Variety is always key where your diet is concerned. While eating the same foods day in and day out may work to max out your muscle gains, you're going to get bored, and you're also going to be deficient in a number of critical nutrients needed to sustain athletic performance and overall health (see the next tip).
Whether you are an herbivore or an omnivore, eating a diet broad in variety is key to optimal health and performance—that should go without saying.
But if you're a huge veg-head and can't stay away from the cauliflower, broccoli, or whatever vegetable have you, you need to remember to strike a balance; sometimes it's okay, but you can't always load up on fruits and vegetables.
You need to make sure that most of your calories come from nutrient-dense foods like nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, tempeh, eggs and dairy (if included), and other high nutrient foods.
But if you already have a diet loaded with root veggies, brown or wild rice, quinoa, nuts and seeds, nut butters, and the like, you're well on your way to maximizing your muscle growth potential.
However, if you tend to be driven towards the salads, fruits, and other veggie-based dishes, you may want to step back and look to see if you're meeting your macros. Try pairing those with healthy fats and proteins to round it out.
#4 Watch Out For Nutrient Deficiencies
Being deficient in specific nutrients needed for muscle growth, performance, and recovery can be the arch-nemesis of your goals.
And the tricky thing is that some deficiencies are not that easy to spot; they don't offer the "in your face" kind of deal.
Watch out for these three common deficiencies on a plant-based diet:
Iron
Iron comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. The former is concentrated in animal sources, while the latter in plant sources.
The thing with iron is that for anyone who doesn't eat meat, you're kind of plum out of luck because heme iron is found in high concentrations in red meat, poultry, and fish; it's kind of a bummer.
But while you may think that's okay, you can get more than enough non-heme iron from plant-foods, don't jump so fast.
Non-heme iron, which accounts for the majority of iron in plant foods, is less well absorbed than its heme counterpart; more than 95% of functional iron in the human body is found in heme form 4. Specifically, heme is more well-absorbed in the intestines by enterocytes 5.
So why do you need iron? It's the heme- component of the compound hemoglobin, which transports oxygen around your body.
If your muscles aren't getting enough oxygen, they won't work efficiently, and you're going to fatigue. Or perhaps more importantly, if your organs aren't being oxygenated, you can't live.
Vitamin B12
B12 is a deficiency you rarely hear about because it can take years to develop, making it even more important to pay attention to and avoid.
Like iron, B12 is found in a lot of animal-based foods, which means for vegetarians and vegans, it's hard to obtain if you're not supplementing.
Vitamin B12 plays a critical role in proper blood cell production, neurological function, and DNA synthesis, and low B12 levels can be a significant cause of fatigue.
It's also heavily involved in converting homocysteine to less toxic amino acids; high homocysteine causes damage to the lining of blood vessels and has been linked with several adverse health outcomes 6.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace element that plays an important role in normal growth and development, but it's often forgotten, especially on a plant-based diet.
For athletes, it's a staple for a few reasons: it's involved in the production of testosterone (men, pay attention to your zinc levels), helps regulate appetite, improves cognitive power and motor skills, maintains immune health, and so much more.
The problem here is that zinc is found in an abundance of animal foods, but not so many plant ones. If you're low on zinc, opt for supplementation or increase your consumption of nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, and walnuts).
Final Thoughts (Plus Your Perfect Stack)
Contrary to what most people believe, building muscle on a vegetarian diet isn't nearly as hard as it sounds. Yes, you may have to work a bit hard to find protein sources, but besides that, it's really no different from the rules that apply to anyone else.
But if you're concerned about missing out on crucial nutrients, Performance Lab has the perfect stack for you:
1. Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi
Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi is a men's and women's multi formulated explicitly to an individual's needs. They contain nutrients specific to supporting optimal men's and women's health, all derived from NutriGenesis complexed with absorption-enhancing cofactors and contain zero synthetic or isolated nutrients.References
- JC Callaway. Hempseed as a nutritional resource: An overview. Euphytica. 2004;140: 65–72.
- BM Giglio, VIR Duarte, AF Galvão, et al. High-Protein Diet Containing Dairy Products is Associated with Low Body Mass Index and Glucose Concentrations: A Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1384.
- GT Sousa, FS Lira, JC Rosa, et al. Dietary whey protein lessens several risk factors for metabolic diseases: a review. Lipids Health Dis. 2012;11:67.
- E Beutler, T Gelbart, C West, et al. Mutation analysis in hereditary hemochromatosis. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 1996;22(2):187-194b.
- O Han. Molecular mechanism of intestinal iron absorption. Metallomics. 2011;3(2):103-109.
- R Diaz-Arrastia. Homocysteine and neurologic disease. Arch Neurol. 2000;57(10):1422-1427.
