Gluten Free Vegan Bodybuilding Meal Plan

Choosing to be vegan is an awesome step to take in your fitness journey.

But, rarely, do people choose to be gluten free. Most people who are gluten free are either celiac, have an allergy, or have a gluten intolerance. Combining the vegan diet along with a gluten free restriction can be daunting, especially if you are trying to pack on as much muscle as possible. But, you need not fear, because a gluten free vegan bodybuilding meal plan is definitely doable. 

It may be more challenging than a standard vegan bodybuilding meal plan, but nowadays there are so many vegan and gluten free options. It’s not as hard as one might think. We’ll take a look at developing the right mindset, explore the details of a gluten free vegan bodybuilding diet, and develop a sample meal plan.

Need some inspiration? Check out this video from YouTube Vegan Bodybuilder Brian Turner, where he goes through an entire day of eating gluten free, vegan, and high protein:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy9NEuHcTAE

How to be a Successful Gluten Free Vegan Bodybuilder

It takes a certain mindset to be a successful vegan in today’s world, let alone being a successful vegan and gluten free bodybuilder.

The first step on the path to success is to know that it will be challenging. Veganism already limits what you can eat (to some extent), and now there is another layer (gluten free) on top of that. 

Accepting this and moving forward with what you can control is important. There are a few things you can do to help you be successful:

Seek External Gluten Free Vegan Resources

Whether it be YouTube, a personal trainer, or looking up gluten free vegan recipes online, you must seek resources to help you. There are lots of gluten free vegans out there. Try going to Facebook and search for ‘gluten free vegan’. You will find a multitude of active groups filled with useful information.

Here are some helpful books to get you started on your gluten free vegan journey:

• Healthier Steps: 125 Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes by Michelle Blackwood
• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Gluten-Free Vegan Cooking by Julieanna Hever and Beverly Lynn Bennett
• The Gluten-Free Vegan: 150 Delicious Gluten-Free, Animal-Free Recipes by Susan O’Brien

Develop a Meal Plan, at Least Initially

Although it may not be necessary to stick to a specific meal plan once you have gained some momentum, it will definitely be helpful in the beginning. The key to developing good habits down the road is to (gasp!) develop them now. By sticking to a concrete meal plan for at least a few weeks, you will begin to naturally know what type of foods you can and cannot eat on a gluten free vegan bodybuilding diet.

Gluten Free Vegan Bodybuilding Foods to Eat and to Avoid

Although there are tons of vegan foods which don’t contain gluten, there are still a lot which do.

Foods to Avoid

Grains With Gluten:

• Wheat
• Barley
• Rye
• Triticale 
• Oats (sometimes)

This includes most bread and pasta. Oats are sometimes contaminated with gluten containing products, so make sure to look specifically for ‘gluten free oats’.

Vegan Meats:

• Meats with vital wheat gluten, such as Seitan
• Most soy-based meats

The soy in the meat itself isn’t the problem, but they’re often mixed with some sort of wheat gluten.

Processed Food:

• French fries
• Cookies
• Candy
• Crackers
• Cereal
• Pasta
• Sauces

Not all of these foods will always contain gluten, but the issue with processed food is you just don’t know what foods might be contaminated. Make sure to check the label when buying processed foods.

Foods to Eat

Fortunately, there are still a ton of nutritious, gluten free, vegan bodybuilding foods to eat:

Naturally Gluten Free Foods:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts
• Nut butter
• Seeds
• Beans
• Legumes
• Soy

Gluten Free Grains:

• Oats (with the ‘gluten free’ label)
• Rice
• Corn
• Flax
• Quinoa
• Millet
• Buckwheat
• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Cassava Root

A note on certain vegan meats: more and more vegan meats are turning away from wheat gluten. The Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger are now both gluten free.

As a bodybuilder, the protein demands will be higher than on a standard diet. We will want to choose the highest protein foods from the list above to form the core of our diet. 

Soy, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes all have high amounts of protein, so they will form the core of our gluten free vegan bodybuilding meal plan.

What About Supplements and Protein Powder?

I don’t recommend taking any supplements specifically for bodybuilding, although if you are going to, I would only recommend two: protein powder and creatine. Creatine is naturally gluten free and vegan. Finding a gluten free vegan protein powder may be slightly more difficult, but you’d be surprised at how many there are. I recommend this gluten free vegan protein powder.

Take a look at my article on the Best Vegan Meal Replacement Shakes for some other options. Not all of them on those lists are gluten free, but there are some options.

Sample 3 Day Gluten Free Vegan Bodybuilding Meal Plan

For most of my meal plans, I like to do four meals per day. I’ve found this works best for me. On my off days from work, I usually eat two meals before heading to the gym, so that’s how I did it here. On the days I work I will eat one meal and then train. My pre workout meal is usually a little smaller, so I don’t feel too full and bloated while training. Feel free to adjust any of this to your liking.

I’ve included 3 days worth of options for meal plans. Personally, I find it much easier to eat (relatively) the same every day.

Option 1

Meal 1 – Breakfast
Seasoned tofu with rice and veggies

Meal 2 – Pre Workout
Gluten free labeled oatmeal, banana, peanut butter, almond milk

Meal 3 – Post Workout
Cassava root tortilla, guacamole, rice, beans, chopped veggies

Meal 4 – Last Meal of the Day
Quinoa salad with cashews

Option 2

Meal 1 – Breakfast
Tofu scramble with dairy free cheese, potatoes, blueberries

Meal 2 – Pre Workout
Smoothie with strawberries, banana, peanut butter, and coconut milk

Meal 3 – Post Workout
Stir fry with lentils, rice, broccoli, and gluten free sauce

Meal 4 – Last Meal of the Day
Falafel with hummus and veggies

Option 3

Meal 1 – Breakfast
Tofu fried rice

Meal 2 – Pre Workout
Gluten free muesli with almond milk and a banana

Meal 3 – Post Workout
Black bean burger with potatoes and broccoli

Meal 4 – Last Meal of the Day
Mixed fruit bowl with nuts

Remember, these are just some ideas to get you started. Your meal plan will undoubtedly look different. Hopefully this gave you an idea of the types of meals you can eat as a gluten free vegan bodybuilder!

Bottom Line

As we’ve seen, you don’t actually need to give up too many foods to be a gluten free vegan. Yes, it can be more challenging, but there are still plenty of great options to choose from. Remember to always check the label on foods which are not guaranteed to always be gluten free, such as oats and processed foods. 

If you monitor your food intake, understand which foods you can and cannot eat, and read labels, you are setting yourself up for success on a gluten free vegan bodybuilding diet. Now go ahead, use the principles in this article to go out there and kill it (humanely) as a gluten free vegan bodybuilder!

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