The Lazy Vegan

• 

Well, its been awhile since I posted on this blog and I’m due for some major updates. I have been training like a mad man at my old stomping grounds, Hyde Park Gym and spreading the good vegan message through my continued success in lifting as I near age 50. Ten out of my thirteen of my personal training clients are now vegan and have all been gaining muscle as some, who desire too, have been losing body fat. To say I’m proud of them is a major understatement. I feel like my life goal of spreading fitness, longevity and a compassionate way of living through good training and a vegan diet have continued to develop. One of the reasons I have writing this post is to address the issue of this plant based diet. I have answered the same questions for my clients and others who are interested in the “correct way” to eat for muscle growth and fat loss. The answer is very simple. Its also really easy. A high speed blender to blow up a bunch of greens and fruit for breakfast and lunch and a gigantic salad or stir fry in the evening. Thats it. Every single person I have put on this plan has succeeded. This is precisely why I titled this article The Lazy Vegan. I still workout with high intensity three to five times a week to stimulate muscle growth, but the weight loss and nutritional support for growth is the easy part. I think way too many people freak out about nutritional timing, their fat to carbohydrate to protein rations with incessant meal planning and clock watching. Having competed in over twenty body building shows Vegan and non-vegan, I can assure you that Eating fewer calories than you burn with high quality organic plant life is always going to work. No magic supplement. No magic food timing. No insane cardiovascular training. Just solid, natural food that doesn’t contain processed grains, fake sugars and unnatural chemicals.

Heres a basic idea of a morning/ lunch smoothie:

1) Fill a high speed blender (Vita-Mix or Blendtec are my favorites) with greens (Kale, Spinach, green leaf…hell, even Arugala works) blend down with a cup of water
2) Two or three bananas
3) 3/4 cup of frozen blue berries or any berries for that matter
4) 1/2 frozen cherries
5) 2 scoops of pea, rice or hemp protein powder or a can of black or navy beans or even a block of tofu
6) 1 or 2 cups of soy, almond or coconut milk
7) a small avocado

A basic lunch or dinner:

A massive salad;
1) big bowl of spinach, arugala, green leaf or some other leafy object that tantalizes your senses in the produce isle
2) 2 raw or cooked beets sliced for you masticating ease
3) 8-16 onces of Tofu cooked in a skillet with tamari and coconut oil
4) 1 cup of raw or cooked cauliflower or broccoli
5) one 16 once can of beans or lentils
6) a salad dressing of tamari, apple cider vinegar, miso paste, almond butter

again, this is just a basic idea of what I and many of my clients eat most days. Just like workouts, diets are best when messed with. Don’t let yourself become bored with the same running plan, weight lifting program or exact dietary plan. Just as your body changes with training, so will your desire to eat new, interesting whole foods. The produce aisle is not intended to intimidate you to eat everything but to inspire your palette to experiment with new food ideas. The only things that need to stay consistent in your life of fitness are whole foods and intense workouts. If you want to know more about the training style that has helped me run two 100 mile races and win two 24 hour foot races, win my division in body building shows, a first place in my division at the World Kettlebell Competition and win one World and three American records in indoor rowing, check out my website and earlier postings on this blog. If you live in Austin Texas, please come by Hyde Park Gym and see where lean muscles are made.

My email: Abarbisch@yahoo.com
My site: http://www.Solidpt.com
The gym I train in: http://www.hydeparkgym.com