Vegan diet

[TheOtherOne55]

A smart, well informed plant based diet it 'probably' the healthiest choice
for just about any reason that comes to my mind.

There is just too much evidence and literature (medical or otherwise) to
support this or ignore it.

Not getting enough protein (and bodybuilders love there protein . . .
to a fault in my opinion) is a huge myth. You can get all your need
on a plant based diet and there are so many other health advantages,
too numerous to mention.

Of course I am biased . . . my wife is a vegan, healthiest person
I know. Fantastic endurance and strength. But she works at it
(nutrition and exercise) just like any serious bodybuilder does so
so it is a wash there in my opinion.

I agree with you al. If strictly healthy is the goal then yes.
That means i am talking about the regular Joe in the US.
But if you are posting on here, chances are you care about your physique. Yes, you want to be health.
But you obviously have some interest in fitness and strength.
If you have fitness goals that you are trying to reach? Then IMO, no. It is not the best.
I would add supplements and make sure you're protein is decent (lowish for BBing but still a good amount).

 

[alfresco]

Strict vegan diet is not healthy

You need to talk to my wife and a bunch of other folks that are vegan. But to be fair a vegan diet does not guarantee health in everybody if you are not smart about it.

 

[Matsuo Munefusa]

You need to talk to my wife and a bunch of other folks that are vegan. But to be fair a vegan diet does not guarantee health in everybody if you are not smart about it.

I think there is a bias against veganism as a health choice because SO many do it incorrectly and end up with deficiencies in their diet. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do it correctly, e.g. your wife

 

[b_cornelius]

And in some places veganism/vegetarianism is about as healthy for you as the social aspect can be. Someone mentioned it as a cult. Someone else mentioned the wife.

You need the resources to do it right. It just so happens that in most places where the cult flourishes people tend to have the resources to make an interesting life out of it, having a great diversity of foods, preparations, and nutrients.

 

[Gunsmith]

If you look at the people from around the world who have the longest lifespan , none are vegan , vegetarian or even close to these.
the human digestive system is not designed to survive on vegetation alone

 

[pesty4077]

**broken link removed**

Mediterranean diet has always been among top all around diet.

Hard to live in Romania being a Vegan, everyone loves Meat here.

 

[heavyhitter]

If you look at the people from around the world who have the longest lifespan , none are vegan , vegetarian or even close to these.
the human digestive system is not designed to survive on vegetation alone

Yep. There’s an island in Japan where the average lifespan is like over 90 years. They don’t eat much meat....but they do eat plenty of fish.

 

[USMuscle9403]

Yep. There’s an island in Japan where the average lifespan is like over 90 years. They don’t eat much meat....but they do eat plenty of fish.

I've heard varying anecdotes on this. Some say that the Okinawans eat mostly purple yams as a carb source and meat and seafood is only eaten for special occasions. Then you have others who say they actually eat a lot of fatty pork, too. I just figure everyone has an agenda, so I dunno what the hell to believe, honestly. It's probably somewhere in the middle

 

[heavyhitter]

I've heard varying anecdotes on this. Some say that the Okinawans eat mostly purple yams as a carb source and meat and seafood is only eaten for special occasions. Then you have others who say they actually eat a lot of fatty pork, too. I just figure everyone has an agenda, so I dunno what the hell to believe, honestly. It's probably somewhere in the middle

The Okinawans have a low risk of arteriosclerosis and stomach cancer, a very low risk of hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer. They eat three servings of fish a week, on average ... plenty of whole grains, vegetables and soy products too, more tofu and more konbu seaweed than anyone else in the world, as well as squid and octopus, which are rich in taurine – that could lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.” Willcox goes on to outline how Okinawa’s indigenous vegetables are particularly rich in vitamins and minerals, including their purple sweet potatoes and ‘goya,’ a bitter cucumber which grows throughout the region.

My father lived in Okinawa for several years and he attested to this. Some char siu pork is eaten on the island....but mostly fish and octopus. On things of note is Japanese have muuuuch higher levels of iodine in their diet than most of the worlds population. There could be some very real correlation here

 

[USMuscle9403]

The Okinawans have a low risk of arteriosclerosis and stomach cancer, a very low risk of hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer. They eat three servings of fish a week, on average ... plenty of whole grains, vegetables and soy products too, more tofu and more konbu seaweed than anyone else in the world, as well as squid and octopus, which are rich in taurine – that could lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.” Willcox goes on to outline how Okinawa’s indigenous vegetables are particularly rich in vitamins and minerals, including their purple sweet potatoes and ‘goya,’ a bitter cucumber which grows throughout the region.

My father lived in Okinawa for several years and he attested to this. Some char siu pork is eaten on the island....but mostly fish and octopus. On things of note is Japanese have muuuuch higher levels of iodine in their diet than most of the worlds population. There could be some very real correlation here

So you know for sure, that I can live with! Articles stating that their diets were almost all plant based were usually written by...well...

Thanks for the inside info, very interesting. I've become more interested in the diets of these longest lived people, although I imagine genetics still play a huge role

 

[heavyhitter]

So you know for sure, that I can live with! Articles stating that their diets were almost all plant based were usually written by...well...

Thanks for the inside info, very interesting. I've become more interested in the diets of these longest lived people, although I imagine genetics still play a huge role

I’m sure genetics is a large part of it....but as we well know there are things you can do to work around some of that. In general....I think most people need more sodium, lots more iodine, and more omega fatty acids in their diet. These things alone have greatly improved many of my bloodwork markers and in general I feel much better. Also, eating lower fodmap foods in addition to the protein I consume has made a large difference in my ability to process and digest these foods and reduced my level of bloating and discomfort. Constant irritation and inflammation can lead to many health problems. Much like how long distance bike racers tend to be muuuuch more likely to develop testicular cancer due to sitting on the bike seats, or how long term acid reflux can lead to cancers of the throat and esophagus

 

[Matsuo Munefusa]

So you know for sure, that I can live with! Articles stating that their diets were almost all plant based were usually written by...well...

Thanks for the inside info, very interesting. I've become more interested in the diets of these longest lived people, although I imagine genetics still play a huge role

It’s all genetics. My grandfather ate potatoes, sausage, butter, red wine, whiskey....that was his diet almost literally. He lived over 90.

 

[heavyhitter]

It’s all genetics. My grandfather ate potatoes, sausage, butter, red wine, whiskey....that was his diet almost literally. He lived over 90.

It’s definitely not all genetics, but they do play a part. Everybody knows someone who lived to be 90 eating nothing but hot dogs and drinking a 5th of whiskey every day...but they are the exception, not the norm

 

[USMuscle9403]

I’m sure genetics is a large part of it....but as we well know there are things you can do to work around some of that. In general....I think most people need more sodium, lots more iodine, and more omega fatty acids in their diet. These things alone have greatly improved many of my bloodwork markers and in general I feel much better. Also, eating lower fodmap foods in addition to the protein I consume has made a large difference in my ability to process and digest these foods and reduced my level of bloating and discomfort. Constant irritation and inflammation can lead to many health problems. Much like how long distance bike racers tend to be muuuuch more likely to develop testicular cancer due to sitting on the bike seats, or how long term acid reflux can lead to cancers of the throat and esophagus

Just curious on the Okinawans because I never see it mentioned, but it's the elephant in the room...what's their caloric intake like? I imagine they're fairly small body mass, as well?

 

[heavyhitter]

Just curious on the Okinawans because I never see it mentioned, but it's the elephant in the room...what's their caloric intake like? I imagine they're fairly small body mass, as well?

Quite low. Mostly one large meal a day with something smaller at some point. They don’t eat a lot of food honestly which plays a part in it. All foods are toxins to some degree and the more we ingest the more we are affected by it. As bodybuilders we obviously don’t have the option of eating very low calorie....but there are things we can take away. Like occasional planned fasting and eating the right foods

 

[Mr OZ]

You need to talk to my wife and a bunch of other folks that are vegan. But to be fair a vegan diet does not guarantee health in everybody if you are not smart about it.

I went from a diet that consisted of grass fed beef, wild caught salmon to Vegan and my LDL halved. I have posted the blood test results on here previously.

From what i have read the healthiest diet would be pescatarian - plant based forming the foundation with some fatty fish thrown in. Personally I would prefer to supplement with algae oil than contribute to the horrors that we do to our oceans

 

[TrippplePPP]

If ones goal was longevity and a very lean 220 pounder would the vegan diet be the healthiest . I ask because most plants are easier to digest , promote nitric oxide release , higher in potassium and other essential minerals.

Bro, you are asking a bunch of guys who eat meat 2-8x/day how to live the longest with a diet that is the most extreme opposite of how they approach life. What do you think they are going to tell you? And now that I typed this I'm thinking this is a troll post now...

 

[alfresco]

If ones goal was longevity and a very lean 220 pounder would the vegan diet be the healthiest . I ask because most plants are easier to digest , promote nitric oxide release , higher in potassium and other essential minerals.

Lots and lots of really good input here.

Now . . . a lean 220 lb. vegan bodybuilder is not going to happen in
your lifetime. Not that is impossible, I think it is, but it will take a
paradigm shift in diet and nutrition that most bodybuilders are not
capable or willing to make after having been brainwashed for so
long into thinking otherwise.

Health and successful bodybuilding today do not go hand in hand,
we all know that. They can but right now they don't.

Personally I have no axe to grind of this subject. Do what you want to
do, live and let live, but do no harm to others. Again, personally, I think
a plant based food plan with a sprinkling of eggs, fish and dairy is best
for me. And when I say that I mean a sprinkling, it is occasional, part of.

My opinion.

I will tell this story again because it clearly illustrates what is possible,
what the human body is capable of under extreme stress. (For those
that are sick of this story, you are free to move on ) My wife has
walked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), from the Mexican border to Canada,
all on a plant based food plan. (More people have been to the top of
Everest than have completed this as a through hike.) Now . . . I did very
careful and accurate measurements; size, strength and bf before she
started and after she finished. In a habitual caloric deficit for months
and months, being unable to carry more calories than she burnt, overall
she lost weight but her leg and calf size increased.

Hips stayed the same size. From the hips up, significant loss of fat, muscle
and strength. But not one sick day while averaging over 20 miles a day
for months and months with some 30 milers thrown in for shits and grins.

The parts that grew (legs) were stronger, the parts that were smaller were
weaker. There was no signal, no significant stimulus to get bigger but the
legs had to get with the program . . . adapt. Zero loss of strength, even
stronger in some lower body exercises. Upper body took a beating, this
we anticipated.

She gained muscle on a strict plant based food plan in a caloric deficit; gained
strength and size where required and lost fat in the process. I know this is an
extreme example, probably not typical but it is an example of what the human
body is capable of.

 

[Dugbet]

**broken link removed**

Mediterranean diet has always been among top all around diet.

Hard to live in Romania being a Vegan, everyone loves Meat here.

Actually, there is no such thing as the Mediterranean diet, I am from Spain and I know what I am talking about. It's not like a paleo, keto or vegan diet, the Mediterranean diet is too ambiguous. It is only a trademark to sell products from Spain, Grece, France and Italy.

Of course, extra virgin olive oil, blue fish, cheese, Iberian pork, vegetables... all of that is healthy, but you can eat all of that within a keto or paleo diet.

Pizza and pasta can be part of a Mediterranean diet, and that is not healthy for most.

 

[Dugbet]

She gained muscle on a strict plant based food plan in a caloric deficit; gained
strength and size where required and lost fat in the process. I know this is an
extreme example, probably not typical but it is an example of what the human
body is capable of.

There is nothing magical in this, it is a kind of body recomposition (destroying muscle in some areas and developing it in others), it is possible with rookies: untrained people or with excess body fat.

The body is not stupid, if it needs to walk, it will keep the legs strong as long as you have enough calories and protein. But if you have an "artificial" development caused by weight training, if you stop lifting and start walking miles and miles, you will lose that visual/aesthetic muscle.