youfailme asked: I also lift and your blog has really inspired me to switch from a majorly animal protein based diet to a vegan based. Do you have any tips on how to get a good amount of protein when bulking off of a strictly vegan diet?

It makes me proud that I’ve partly caused a change in your diet - especially towards a vegan one. It isn’t hard to get protein if you’re getting adequate calories. It isn’t something you really need to hunt hard to get. If you’re eating enough then the chances are you’re getting adequate protein.

I personally go for beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts (cashew, almond) and seeds (hemp, pumpkin) as my main protein sources. There’s also a lot in bread, grains and cereals. Cashews, hemp and pumpkin are all considered ‘complete protein’ sources. So are quinoa and buckwheat which are both grains / cereals. Try using them instead of cous cous, wheat-based stuff or rice for a more nutritious meal - or maybe add them in too!

I know all of these sources come along with a load of carbs (and also fats in the case of nuts and seeds) but if you’re bulking this is perfect. It also will help give you energy if you’re doing a lot of exercise too.

And if you really want to make sure you’re getting enough you can get vegan protein powders. You can get soy, pea, rice, hemp, and probably a load more. These powders have been highly processed though so I wouldn’t rely on them as a good source of protein. Just something extra to supplement your wholefoods with if you feel it is necessary.

I hope this helps! If you have any more questions ask away and I’ll try my best to give a decent answer.