7 Tips to Build Muscle on a Vegetarian Diet

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Building muscles on a vegetarian diet can be difficult because you get less energy and less protein from vegetarian food sources as compared to non-vegetarian ones. However many bodybuilders have relied on vegetarian diets to reach their bodybuilding goals. Here is how you too can build muscles on a vegetarian diet.

1. Include many high protein foods in your vegetarian diet

It can be difficult to get enough amount of protein from your vegetarian diet. That is why it is critical for you to include all possible high protein foods in your daily meals. Eat more nuts, cereals, soy, milk, cheese, yogurt, beans, chickpeas and other protein rich foods. Plan your diet in such a way that you extract all the possible protein from various vegetarian sources.

2. Control your carbohydrates

Carbohydrate rich foods are necessary to give your body the energy and fuel to go on, but excessive consumption of typical carbohydrate-rich vegetarian food sources can lead to development of body fat. For example, choose to eat brown rice instead of the usual white rice.

3. Don’t tire yourself out with excessively strenuous workouts

When you are on a vegetarian diet, make sure that your workouts are not over-strenuous. It is commonly suggested that you should keep your workouts short but intense if you want to save on precious energy that you get from a vegetarian diet.

4. Fulfill your dietary requirements for essential vitamins

Your body will need all the boost and help it can get when you are trying to build muscles on a vegetarian diet. To ensure that you don’t deprive your muscles of essential vitamins, increase intake of foods like fruits, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, almonds, walnuts and all other green leafy vegetables.