markdavidverghese
New member
33M vegan 2+ years. 6ft 185 - trying to get back to the better body composition I had as an athlete in college.
Maybe it’s just in my mind but when I was lifting 5-8 years ago I felt like my muscle mass was firmer and harder and more easily attained. Is this purely a calorie thing? Am I missing some amino acids or something?
Macros are currently around 25/35/40 P/C/F - I take a multivitamin and I do 2 vegan protein shakes a day morning and night. Currently hitting around 120g protein per day on average. Meals are typical soy products, beans / lentils, brown rice, lots of vegetables, oats, some fruit, some pasta occasionally.
Now I am likely at a caloric deficit on average because I’ve lost about 15 lbs the past 4-5 months. I’m not consciously cutting or bulking, I am just working to find a consistent routine of exercise and diet that is sustainable and keeps me strong and lean. Naturally focusing on weight loss but have been trying to get enough protein to still build muscle while I do it, which I definitely have as I’m lifting stronger these days.
I workout 4-5 days per week, 3 lifting sessions and 2 hiit cardio sessions plus usually some outdoor activities like hiking/skiing/biking.
I have this feeling like after for example a vacation where I’m not actively lifting for a week, my muscles feel like they’re depleting faster than they would in the past.
Any comments or tips are appreciated, thank you
Maybe it’s just in my mind but when I was lifting 5-8 years ago I felt like my muscle mass was firmer and harder and more easily attained. Is this purely a calorie thing? Am I missing some amino acids or something?
Macros are currently around 25/35/40 P/C/F - I take a multivitamin and I do 2 vegan protein shakes a day morning and night. Currently hitting around 120g protein per day on average. Meals are typical soy products, beans / lentils, brown rice, lots of vegetables, oats, some fruit, some pasta occasionally.
Now I am likely at a caloric deficit on average because I’ve lost about 15 lbs the past 4-5 months. I’m not consciously cutting or bulking, I am just working to find a consistent routine of exercise and diet that is sustainable and keeps me strong and lean. Naturally focusing on weight loss but have been trying to get enough protein to still build muscle while I do it, which I definitely have as I’m lifting stronger these days.
I workout 4-5 days per week, 3 lifting sessions and 2 hiit cardio sessions plus usually some outdoor activities like hiking/skiing/biking.
I have this feeling like after for example a vacation where I’m not actively lifting for a week, my muscles feel like they’re depleting faster than they would in the past.
Any comments or tips are appreciated, thank you