A common misconception among new fitness enthusiasts is that in order to build muscle quickly, you must eat plenty of meat for protein. But the fact is, while protein does play a vital role in building muscle, most vegetarians in the United States already get more protein than they need.

What’s more, as we’ve said again and again, the timing of your protein intake is just as important – if not more so – than the amount you’re consuming. Allowing your muscles to absorb protein right after working out is incredibly important to building up your musculature quickly, and this is what makes protein shakes and protein bars so effective. And most protein supplements are already suitable for lacto-ovo vegetarians — those that still eat dairy and eggs. Speaking of which, dairy and eggs are both great sources of protein, and egg whites are an incredible low-fat source.

But what about vegans (strict vegetarians who eat neither dairy nor eggs; no animal-sourced foods whatsoever)? It is more difficult for vegans to find protein-rich foods, but it is still possible to build large muscles quickly as a vegan. In fact, there are successful professional vegan bodybuilders, and vegan protein supplements designed for similar-minded people.

Vegan protein shakes are usually soy-based, which means they take longer for your body to digest and for your muscles to absorb than weigh-based supplements. But they are still effective isolates, and you can combat any potential timing issues by simply drinking one before or halfway through your workout so that your body will start metabolizing the protein earlier, and will process most of it before the “magic window” after your workout closes.

And as for high-protein vegan foods for building muscle, you can rely on not only soy but also other legumes. Black beans and lentils are both great options to provide protein for building muscle as a vegan, and combining whole grains with nuts to give your body complete proteins will help as well. Quinoa, a cereal as easy to cook as rice, offers a complete protein on its own, is easy to buy and store in bulk, and complements many dishes from soups to stir-fry and teriyaki tofu.

With all these options available, it should now be obvious how to build muscle as a vegetarian or vegan by getting enough protein in your diet.

While we recommend using protein shakes and bars to supplement your diet and increase the speed at which you build muscle, not everyone is willing to take that step. Some worry about whether protein supplements are safe, while others have philosophical or health reasons for choosing to avoid them (for example, “raw food” or “paleo” diets).

But while the… Continue reading

Anyone who is seriously committed to physical fitness knows how important scheduling and habitual consistency are when it comes to working out. But with all the time it takes to exercise, it’s difficult to maintain an active lifestyle while also conducting business (or having fun) while traveling.

Some hotels have nice full gyms… Continue reading

Everyone uses protein supplements to gain weight in the form of muscle. But did you know that they can also be used as a tool to help you lose weight in the form of fat? If that sounds like a contradiction, read on.

Protein shakes and bars, because of their ability to quickly pump protein to your muscles exactly when they need it most, are great for increasing muscle… Continue reading

Protein bars are the most convenient protein supplement because they’re spill-proof, extremely portable, and compact. But they’re typically much more expensive than protein powder and also usually less protein-dense. Are the benefits of this popular type of supplement for building muscle worth the drawbacks, or do the cons outweigh the pros?

This question posed by our readers doesn’t have any one definitive answer, but that doesn’t mean we… Continue reading

The Biological Value (BV) scale is a standard way to measure the proportion of protein that is absorbed from a food by the human body. A specific mathematical breakdown of how the scale works would be out of scope for this article, but for those interested, please see its Wiki article.

As a measure of protein absorption, the BV scale has evolved over the years, as all… Continue reading

Protein shakes have become increasingly popular over recent years among athletes, fitness freaks, and casual exercisers alike. But this leaves many with two specific questions:

A) What are their benefits and how do they work?

B) Are protein shakes healthy, or are they unsafe?

The short answers are that they help you build muscle, and… Continue reading

To be successful at body sculpting, you will need to choose the best combination of a healthy, balanced diet for losing fat and an effective fitness program for building muscle. Truly sculpting your body is not easy — it requires hard work, perseverance, and plenty of self-discipline. That said, no matter what age… Continue reading

While many people are interested in body sculpting today, most don’t know where to start or exactly how to get the ball rolling. The two most common reasons for failure when people try to tone their bodies are: 1) Quitting out of frustration from a lack of results; and 2) Getting overwhelmed before starting.

This article seeks to cure both reasons for failure, giving you the mental… Continue reading

To start building muscle the right way, forget most of what you’ve seen in books and on TV from professional bodybuilders. Their routines won’t work for you because their bodies are much different from yours–physically, and probably genetically too. Obviously you shouldn’t start out with as much weight as the #1 international strongman, so why would you try his same diet or the same exercises?

The number one difference… Continue reading