Vegan Bulking: How to Grow Vegan Muscle [+ Meals]

Are you getting frustrated trying to figure out how to gain muscle as a vegan?

Below, you’ll find an in-depth guide which will show you exactly (step-by-step) how to do vegan bulking the right way.

We will cover the following:

• How to structure a proper vegan bulking diet + a sample meal plan
• Information on the best vegan bodybuilding foods
• Which supplements to take as a vegan
• Reinforcement of core strength training principles
• The mindset required to succeed

Ready to put on some humane muscle?

Vegan Bulking Basics

Before getting into the nitty gritty of vegan bulking, let’s take a higher level overview of some of the most important principles of a vegan bodybuilding diet. These principles will instill the mindset and habits which will make your bulking venture as successful and fruitful (pun intended) as possible.

#1 Don’t Stress About Protein

A lot has been made about vegan protein. There are claims about the lack of complete proteins in plant foods, the reduced bioavailability of plant protein, and more. Let’s briefly take each one of these in turn:

According to the American Dietetics Association (now called the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), which is the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the United States, “Plant protein can meet protein requirements when a variety of plant foods is consumed and energy needs are met. Research indicates that an assortment of plant foods eaten over the course of a day can provide all essential amino acids and ensure adequate nitrogen retention and use in healthy adults; thus, complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal.” (1)

In other words, as long as you aren’t eating one source of plant protein for every meal (and how would that be possible unless you were eating one type of plant per meal? Given that every plant has protein, but I digress…) then you will get all your amino acids.

According to Scott Stoll, MD,

“Research has shown that all plants contain protein and at least 14% of the total calories of every plant are protein.”

Scott Stoll, MD, Yes, Plants Have Protein

He goes on to say, “If you consume 2000 calories per day from plant sources containing 14% protein, the total number of calories from protein equals 280. Divide 280 calories by 4 ( there are 4 calories per gram of protein) to find that this diet would supply 70 grams of protein — more than enough for the average man or woman.” (2)

Now, when it comes to the bioavailability of plant protein, the issue is admittedly a bit more complicated. However, referring back to the American Dietetic Association: 

“A meta-analysis of nitrogen balance studies found no significant difference in protein needs due to the source of dietary protein… protein needs might be somewhat higher than the Recommended Dietary Allowance in those vegetarians whose dietary protein sources are mainly those that are less well digested, such as some cereals and legumes.” (1)

The reason I am providing these quotations is to highlight my point which is you should not stress about protein while bulking on a vegan diet. As long as you are eating a diverse and high quality arrangement of plant foods, you will meet your protein macro and micronutrient requirements.

And, if you’re still worried after all that, you can always buy a vegan protein powder or meal replacement shake to make sure you get enough protein.

#2 Don’t Forget About Fat

As physique enthusiasts, we are always so focused on protein. And, as vegans, we have no issue getting our carbs in. But, when it comes to fat, many vegans, especially those looking to  bulk up, forget the important role dietary fat can play.

The first thing to consider is fat contains 9 calories per gram, unlike carbs and protein which have 4 calories per gram. So, it makes sense you would want to get some easy calories in from fat. 

And, the truth is, it will be harder to get as much fat on a vegan diet as you would with a traditional diet. But, there are still plenty of sources of healthy fats we can obtain.

So, what kind of vegan foods actually contain fat? Here’s a short list of some of the best types of vegan foods high in fat:

• Avocados
• Nuts
• Nut butter
• Seeds
• Coconuts
• Oils
• Soy

Outside of getting a minimum amount of your macronutrients from fat, which is recommended for optimum health, use these high fat foods as “secret weapons” in your battle to get big and strong. I’ve found that including higher fat snacks in between meals can be a great way to increase the amount of calories for the day when bulking.

#3 Embrace the Haters

Being vegan by itself is a bold move in the overwhelmingly meat-eating world we live in. But to embrace vegan bodybuilding and chase the goal of getting big and strong on a vegan diet, well, that takes a whole ‘nother level of courage.

We’re always told to “ignore the haters”. But, as social animals, that’s really hard for humans to accomplish. Better to simply embrace the haters. You know, the ones who call vegans soyboys or say that all vegan bodybuilders must be on steroids.

These people will try to plant seeds of doubt in your head about veganism. Don’t let them. Embrace their pathetic attempts to derail your progress. More fuel for the fire.

Plenty of guys have gotten big and strong on a vegan bodybuilding diet. Just ask IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Nimai Delgado, who’s never eaten meat in his life: 

Or vegan Strongman and Powerlifter Patrick Baboumian: 

Or Clarence Kennedy, one of the world’s strongest weight lifters:

How Expensive is Vegan Bulking?

One of the biggest myths surrounding the vegan diet is how expensive it supposedly is. Combine this with the nutritional needs of a bodybuilding bulking diet and the price tag seems insurmountable. But how expensive is it actually?

Let’s take a look at the cost per pound of some traditional vegan bodybuilding foods in comparison with traditional non-vegan bodybuilding foods:

As we can see here, almost all of the vegan foods are less expensive than the non-vegan foods. The non-vegan foods cost $5.12 on average, whereas the vegan foods cost $4.46!

Let’s take a look at another metric, comparing total calories per dollar:

For the non-vegan foods, the average calories per dollar are 371. For the vegan foods, the average calories per dollar are a whopping 1,194! It seems, whatever way you look at it, vegan bodybuilding foods win out over non-vegan bodybuilding foods. 

My recommendation is to avoid vegan meats and cheeses as staples in your diet if you are trying to keep a tight budget. Those are the vegan foods which actually are expensive. If you stick to core staples like rice, pasta, beans, and lentils, you will save a ton of money.

Should I “Clean” Bulk or “Dirty” Bulk?

The debate about whether to “clean” bulk or “dirty” bulk is one of the longest standing debates in bodybuilding. Because of this, I won’t rehash the entire thing here. It need not be as complicated as most people make it. Let’s follow a few simple principles which can lead us to sidestep the debate entirely:

You Must Be Eating Enough to be Gaining Weight and Strength

Bulking is all about adding weight on the scale and on the bar. One requirement to do this consistently is that you must be eating enough to keep gaining. So, if your weight is stagnating on the scale and you aren’t making strength gains, that means you are not bulking correctly.

Everyone Has Different Levels of Acceptable Body Fat

For me, it’s somewhere in between the Michelin Man and Gumby:

Seriously, I cannot tell you how much fat you ought to be holding while bulking. You must decide that for yourself. There are a few factors to consider. Powerlifters tend to put on as much weight as possible to move as much weight as possible. Mass moves mass.

But, that doesn’t mean you have to or that it’s necessary. Again, whatever level of fat you are comfortable with is what you should strive for. If you want to gain zero fat on your bulk, I would say you’re being a bit unrealistic, but it’s possible. It will just take longer to gain the muscle you want. So, there is a trade off.

On the flip side, gain enough fat and you will eventually reach a point of diminishing returns. And you will have more work to do when you eventually cut weight.

Personally, when I’m bulking, I like to know the scale is moving in the right direction, even if that means I’m putting on a little bit of body fat. But, for me, it‘s really easy to lose body fat, so again, things may be different for you.

If you are carrying more fat than you’d like, cut down to an acceptable body weight and then start bulking. If you are extremely lean, then you likely should start bulking right away. Always remember to keep things simple while bulking.

Aim to Gain 2-4 Pounds Per Month

Personally, I like to aim for 1 pound per week when bulking. But, I’ve always had a really fast metabolism which has made it quite difficult to put on weight. For most people, gaining 2-4 pounds per month is a good range which will allow maximal muscle growth without putting on unnecessary body fat in the process.

The key here is to make sure you aren’t losing weight every week. This can be a problem for skinny hardgainers, like I used to be. At the very least, while bulking, you need to make sure the scale is not moving in the wrong direction.

If you are someone who puts weight (and fat) on easily, you might want to aim to gain two pounds per month. This will ensure that if you overeat, you are probably still in the recommended weight gain range (2-4 pounds). These rules aren’t ironclad, but they are guidelines which you should adjust as you see fit.

Quick Vegan Bulking Tips

#1 – Eat a (Relatively) Small Breakfast

Eating a large breakfast will keep you full for hours, but when you’re bulking that’s not necessarily a good thing. We are trying to eat large amounts of food, and when you’re still full from breakfast, it can be hard to pack down the calories necessary for the day.

On the other hand, if you are someone who struggles to keep your eating in check, eating a big breakfast (even while bulking) can be good so you don’t overeat.

#2 – Eat the Same Amount of Calories on Training and Rest Days

You want to stay in a constant caloric surplus in order to maximize your growth potential. By lowering the amount of calories on your off days, you are potentially limiting the gains you can make that day. Gaining quality mass is not something that happens overnight. Measure your progress week-by-week and month-by-month instead of day-by-day.

Don’t stress the small change in calories burned on your training versus off days. Besides, what if you happen to do something strenuous on one of your “off” days? Should you eat more? Keeping it simple and consistent will avoid this unnecessary overcomplication of the matter.

#3 – Use the Scale, Mirror, and Strength Gains as Measures of Progress

Generally speaking, you should weigh yourself at least twice a week to make sure you aren’t losing weight. You shouldn’t expect (or want) to gain weight daily, but again, at least make sure you aren’t moving backwards.

Take monthly physique photos. You may feel like a bro, but this is just one of the best ways to make sure you are moving in the right direction. Sometimes the scale can be deceptive. So make sure to check it.

Finally, adding weight and strength is paramount for a successful bulking phase. Make sure you are increasing strength in some manner, whether it be weight, reps, sets, etc.

Determining Caloric Needs for Vegan Bulking

Oftentimes people in the fitness industry will present calorie calculators as some holy grail given to us by the gods to figure out our exact caloric needs. They’re not. These calculators are extremely rough guesses based on general factors like age, weight, and activity level.

I don’t recommend counting calories while bulking, at least in the long term. However, if you’re new to all this, or you have significant trouble gaining weight, counting your calories initially can be beneficial.

So, despite the limitations of calorie calculators, if you have no idea where to start then at least they will provide some amount of guidance.

Begin with the calorie estimate generated by the calorie calculator. Start with the lower end of the “Gain Weight” range. Not gaining weight? Try adding in 200-300 calories a day for 2-3 weeks. If you still aren’t gaining, keep repeating this process until you are gaining ~1 pound per week.

Gaining too much weight? If it’s significant, you may want to cut down by 500 calories for 2-3 weeks. If it’s just a couple pounds more than expected, then cut down by 200-300 calories for 2-3 weeks and see what happens.

If you are losing weight after using this calorie calculator, then I recommend bumping up by 500. Reassess after 2-3 weeks and continue bumping up by 200-300 calories every 2-3 weeks as necessary. No reason to go overboard here and overshoot our 2-4 pounds per month target.

Keep in mind that your training should be quite intense during a bulking phase (more on that later). So, again, this calculator may or may not be accurate in assessing your actual activity level.

To find out the calories of various foods, check out the USDA FoodData database

What Foods and Macronutrients Should I Focus on?

Although I said not to stress about protein on a vegan diet earlier, as lifters, it still is important to make sure we are getting enough. According to researchers Stuart M. Phillips and Luc J.C. Van Loon, for resistance-trained athletes, “protein intakes in the range of 1.3-1.8 g · kg(-1) · day(-1) consumed as 3-4 isonitrogenous meals will maximize muscle protein synthesis.” (4)

Making sure we have a solid foundation high protein foods in our diet will ensure we meet our requirements as lifters. Some of the highest protein vegan foods include:

• Lentils
• Beans (black, pinto, white)
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Quinoa
• Seitan
• Peas (yellow split peas, green peas)
• Nuts
• Nut Butter (peanut, almond)
• Seeds (flaxseed, hemp seed, chia seed)

What about carbs? As vegans, carbs are super easy to come by in our diets. That being said, it is still important to get these from high quality sources. We want to make sure we are getting enough (but not too much) fiber. If you get too much, which is definitely possible while bulking, you may end up in the bathroom all day. 

Of course, everyone has different food tolerances. If you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity, check out my post on a Gluten Free Vegan Bodybuilding Meal Plan for some ideas of how to navigate gluten free vegan bodybuilding.

For everyone else, focusing on complex carbohydrates which do not cause big spikes in blood glucose seems to be the better choice. (5)

Luckily, a lot of the foods high in protein which we already covered also contain lots of complex carbs. Like I said, it’s really easy to get your carbs on a vegan diet. Some other vegan foods high in complex carbs include:

• Oatmeal
• Rice
• Pasta
• Sprouted Grain Bread
• Potatoes
• Chickpeas

Since we already touched on dietary fat earlier on, I will not reiterate it here.

What About Supplements for Vegan Bulking?

In general, I’m not a big fan of using supplements. My general rule is whatever you can get on supplements (for the most part), you can get through your diet or you don’t need. There are a couple exceptions to this and some uses of supplements which are certainly appropriate:

Vitamin B12

From the American Dietetic Association: “No unfortified plant food contains any significant amount of active vitamin B-12.” (1)

As a vegan, whether bulking or not, you should be supplementing with vitamin B12, given that it is absent in a vegan diet (outside of fortified foods).

Grab some B12 here

Protein Powder

Despite the prevalence of protein powder in bodybuilding, there is actually no need for it for the vast majority of people. However, there are certain scenarios in which protein powder can be useful:

• If you are just transitioning to a vegan diet and don’t know what to eat yet
• If you are too busy to cook and need calories on the go
• If you are eating a LOT of food during a bulk and need to get in some extra, easy calories
• If you want to be extra sure you are getting enough protein in

If you fall into one or more of these categories, then I recommend checking out my article on vegan protein powder: 

Best Vegan Meal Replacement Shakes 

I like these because they contain more substance and nutritional value than a straight protein powder.

I don’t recommend taking vegan mass gainers either. Usually these are just packed with boatloads of ingredients which may or may not be good for you. Many people (including myself) also find it just really hard to digest huge weight gainer shakes all at once. Better to keep it clean with a more refined protein powder.

Creatine

Creatine is one of the most well-researched, tried and true supplements out there. It is for that reason that I recommend it as an optional supplement in your bulking regimen. It has been shown to increase muscle mass and strength. (6)

Furthermore, creatine is only found in animal-based foods. There may be extra performance benefits to vegans supplementing with creatine as opposed to meat-eaters. (7)

There does tend to be weight gain for some people after the initial period of beginning creatine supplementation, so keep that in mind regarding your bulking goals.

You can grab some high quality creatine here

Strength Training for Vegan Bulking

What kind of weight training should you do while bulking? The truth is that the type of weight training you do for bulking versus cutting shouldn’t change all that much. The biggest difference is you will make greater strength gains while bulking than cutting. The training volume will also likely be higher while bulking.

Bulking is your time to get strong. This is the time where you should be pushing your levels of strength to new limits and challenging your body to grow. This is the fun part!

If you’re looking for a tried and true, simple strength training template to use, I recommend going with Joe DeFranco’s Westside for Skinny Bastards, which I’ve used with success many times.

There are a couple core strength training principles to keep in mind while bulking:

Progressive Overload

Probably the single most important principle in all of weight training, progressive overload is the concept that you must continually increase the stress on your muscles in new ways in order to stimulate strength and growth (hypertrophy). The classic and most obvious way to do this is by adding weight to the bar. This is probably the fastest and most consistent way to make muscular gains. 

However, you can’t keep adding weight to the bar indefinitely, and this slows down after your newbie gains. If everyone could just add weight to the bar all the time, we would all be lifting dump trucks in no time. 

Luckily, there are many ways to incorporate progressive overload outside of simply adding weight to the bar. These include (but are not limited to):

• Increasing sets and/or reps
• Increasing time under tension (TUT)
• Increasing training frequency
• Decreasing time in between sets
• Incorporating high intensity methods such as supersets, dropsets, etc.

Stil, your primary method should be based on increasing the amount of weight lifted since that is the most practical and time efficient way to get big and strong.

For more on this, check out Fitness YouTuber Sean Nalewanyj’s video on the subject:

Deload and Rest

It’s important to take time to let your body recover from your usual strength training regimen. However, the right way to do this is highly individualized. There is no universal method to properly deload and rest.

The way I define a deload or rest period is a block of time where you are temporarily and intentionally suspending the principle of progressive overload in order to give your body and mind time to recover.

For some people, this is taking a full week off from the gym. However, from my experience and what I’ve heard from others, this is usually not ideal nor necessary.

What I do is shorten the amount of days I’m in the gym that week (from 4 to 2 for example) and, again, do not try to achieve progressive overload. I usually work with lighter weights and work strictly on proper form, not coming close to muscular failure at all.

Some people like planning out their deload weeks ahead of time. For example, training for ‘X’ number of weeks and then deloading for a week. If that works for you, then go ahead. If not, you can simply take a deload week whenever you are noticing a lot of stagnation in regards to strength gains. Mentally, sometimes it’s good to just catch a quick break from the gym.

Sample Vegan Bulking Meal Plan

Let’s look at what an actual vegan bulking meal plan might look like. I like to eat four meals a day, regardless of whether bulking or cutting. I will offer three sample days to give an idea of what it might look like.

I like to get 1-2 meals in before I workout, to make sure I am fully energized to lift with intensity and avoid the feeling of hunger during a workout (hate when that happens!). 

Again, this is just my take on a potential meal plan, so adjust yours as you’d like:

Day 1

Meal 1 – Breakfast
Seasoned tofu with rice and fruit

Meal 2 – Pre Workout
Oatmeal, banana, peanut butter, almond milk

Meal 3 – Post Workout
Corn tortilla with guacamole, rice, beans, seitan, and chopped veggies

Meal 4 – Last Meal of the Day
Vegan basil pesto and spinach pasta

Day 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 slivered almonds

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

Day 3

Meal 1 – Breakfast
Tofu fried rice

Meal 2 – Pre Workout
Muesli with almond milk yogurt and blueberries

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

Meal 4 – Last Meal of the Day
Sprouted grain toast with vegan butter and mixed nuts

Vegan Bulking – Wrapping It All Up

I hope now you feel confident in your ability to succeed on a vegan bulking diet. It’s really not that hard, and it’s not all that different from a traditional bulking plan. As we’ve seen, plenty of vegans have bulked up and become big and strong.

You can do it too. Make sure to eat the proper vegan bodybuilding foods, supplement with vitamin b12, incorporate progressive overload and rest time in your training routine, and most importantly this: stay consistent. If you work the plan, the plan will work for you.

It’s all in your hands now.

References:

1. Craig, Winston J. Craig J., and Ann Reed Mangels. “Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 1 July 2009, https://jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(09)00700-7/fulltext
2. Stoll, Scott. “Yes, Plants Have Protein.” Whole Foods Market, 15 Jan. 2013, https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/tips-and-ideas/archive/yes-plants-have-protein
3. Is Vegan Bodybuilding Expensive?: https://humanemuscle.com/is-vegan-bodybuilding-expensive/
4. Phillips, Stuart M., and Luc J.C. Van Loon. “Dietary Protein for Athletes: From Requirements to Optimum Adaptation.” Taylor & Francis, 9 Dec. 2011, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2011.619204
5. Kandola, Aaron. “Simple Carbs vs. Complex Carbs: What’s the Difference?” Edited by Katherine Marengo, Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 14 May 2019, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325171
6. Bird, Stephen P. “Creatine supplementation and exercise performance: a brief review.” Journal of sports science & medicine vol. 2,4 123-32. 1 Dec. 2003, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24688272/
7. Burke, Darren G et al. “Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians.” Medicine and science in sports and exercise vol. 35,11 (2003): 1946-55. doi:10.1249/01.MSS.0000093614.17517.79, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14600563/

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