FREE 7-Day High Protein Vegan Meal Plan for Muscle Gain

What Is A Healthy Vegan Diet?

A vegan diet is a way of eating that avoids all animal products like meat and dairy products. A whole food plant-based diet is made up of legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

If you don’t already know about all the health benefits of a plant-based diet, make sure to check out my post for more details.

What Vegan Foods Are Included in A High Protein Vegan Diet?

Best Vegan Protein Sources

• Seitan (I like to make this homemade from vital wheat gluten)
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Lentils
• Beans (black beans, chickpeas/garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, pinto beans, etc.)
• Edamame
• Chickpea and lentil pasta
• Plant-based protein powders (I prefer pea-based protein powders)
• Nutritional yeast
• Plant-based milk (pea milk and soy milk only)
• Vegan meat substitutes (I generally recommend eating whole foods and minimally processed foods for the majority of your protein intake, but vegan meat substitutes are fine in moderation, which usually have soy, pea, or wheat protein as the main protein ingredient.)
• Vegan protein bars (these are convenient when on the go)
• Non-dairy protein shakes (these are convenient on the go, but again I generally recommend whole foods for the majority of your diet.)
• Nuts, seeds, whole grains, and non-starchy vegetables also have some protein but they will contain more fats or carbs than grams of protein.

Vegan Carbohydrate Sources for Muscle Gain

When it comes to carbohydrates for muscle gain, there is more lenience on the types of carbs you can eat because building muscle requires eating plenty of carbs.

That being said, the best carb sources for healthy diets in general are whole foods like legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Fiber-rich foods will also help to keep blood sugar more stable compared to refined grains and sweets.

• Legumes (soy, peas, beans, lentils)
• Vegetables (sweet potatoes, potatoes, broccoli, leafy greens, green beans, carrots, bell peppers, onions, cucumber, squash, tomatoes, etc.)
• Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pastas, whole wheat breads, oats, barley, millet, farro, bulgur, etc.)
• Fruits (berries, bananas, apples, citrus, melons, grapes, etc.)

It's okay to still have some refined grains or sweets while trying to gain muscle, but as with most things, moderation is best to avoid gaining excess fat.

Vegan Healthy Fats

On a vegan diet (or any diet for that matter) it’s important to prioritize omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats as your main fat sources. Saturated fat should make no more than 7-10% of your daily calories for best health outcomes.

• Omega-3 fat sources (chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, flax seeds, algae-based supplements)
• Unsaturated fat sources (nut butters like peanut butter, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, cashews, avocados, brazil nuts, etc)

Most of the nuts and seeds above will contain small amounts of saturated fat, but the biggest saturated fat sources from a vegan diet will come from foods derived from coconuts (including most vegan butter) and palm oil.

Who Should Not Follow A High Protein Diet?

Keep in mind that high-protein foods may be something to avoid if you have certain medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease (if you're not on dialysis). Therefore, always speak with your doctor and a registered dietitian about your own specific needs before starting any new diet plan.

How To Gain Muscle On A Vegan Diet

Yes, it's possible to gain muscle while following a vegan diet. When done the proper way, studies show that plant-based interventions can increase muscle mass and strength (even in older adults who naturally have a harder time putting on muscle).  

While some studies show that animal protein is more beneficial than plant protein for lean mass, other studies have found no difference in muscle gain, strength, or performance as long as enough protein is consumed.

Plant-based proteins are often thought to be less effective than animal-based foods for muscle gain due to reduced digestibility, lower amino acid levels, and incomplete amino acid profiles. However, eating a high protein diet and combining different protein sources can overcome this issue.

The position stand by the International Society of Sports Nutrition states that it’s possible to have complete proteins in a vegetarian or plant-based diet with careful nutritional choices and proper supplementation.

There is also some research suggesting that because plant-based diets are anti-inflammatory, there may be less muscle protein breakdown compared to more inflammatory diets.

Consume Extra Calories

To gain muscle, we want to be in a calorie surplus (or consume extra calories). However, it is important to not overdo the extra calories or your weight gain could be more extra fat than you want.

Weight gain should be between 0.7-1.5 pounds per week to ensure gains are mostly muscle. If you're gaining more than 1.5 pounds per week, you're likely gaining extra fat rather than mostly muscle.

To reach this goal, you want to add about 500 extra calories to your calculated calorie needs daily while also exercising to promote muscle gain.

But keep in mind this is just a general guide to help you conceptualize that you need to eat more to put on mass. For the majority of people, I don't believe it's necessary to physically count your calories.

Get Plenty of Protein

Protein needs for vegans, older adults, and athletes can range from 1.2-2.0 g/kg of body weight during maintenance.

However, for someone who wants to gain muscle, the protein goal should be 1.6-2.2 g/kg of body weight (or 0.72-1.0 g per pound of body weight).

For example, for someone who weighs 180 pounds, the protein goal for muscle gain would be between 130-180g of protein per day.

If someone is obese with a lot of extra fat, the lower end of this range will suffice as the ratio of muscle to fat is different than someone who has a lower body fat percentage. For example, for someone that is 300 pounds, it would not be necessary to consume 300g of protein.

Eat Enough Carbs

It's essential to eat enough carbs daily if you want to gain muscle. We aren't about the low-carb life around here.

Eating about 3-5 g/kg or more carbs per day is a good goal when gaining muscle. For the same 180 pound person, that would be 245-409g of carbs per day.

Exercise for Muscle Gain

Resistance training (aka lifting weights) plays a crucial role in gaining muscle. If you expect to put on a significant amount of muscle mass, you’ll need to build strength with exercise.

You'll also want to continually increase the weight you are lifting over time to avoid plateauing.

Include A Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Snack

It’s helpful to consume a source of carbs prior to exercise for adequate energy throughout the workout. Caffeine may also help to increase stamina when taken before physical activity.

Then post-workout, it’s helpful to have both carbohydrates and protein to replenish glycogen stores and help muscles recover.

Get Enough Vitamins and Minerals

Poorly planned vegan diets can result in deficiencies in vitamin B 12, vitamin D, iron, zinc, calcium, and iodine. This can manifest as worse athletic performance, recovery, and bone quality over time.

Therefore, it’s important that vegans ensure they consume foods that contain these vitamins and minerals or supplement to prevent deficiency.

More Tips for Muscle Building

• Get adequate sleep each night (7-9 hours)
• Stay hydrated with water and electrolytes if needed
• Limit or avoid alcohol

Do You Need Dietary Supplements to Gain Muscle?

Protein Supplements

Using vegan protein powder or dairy free protein shakes to help supplement protein intake on a plant-based diet can be convenient and helpful, but it’s not always necessary if you’re able to eat enough vegan protein sources without them.

That being said, I personally use a vegan protein powder every morning in my oatmeal to help boost my protein intake. You can look at your own protein intake and determine if vegan protein supplements are something that would benefit you.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

There are 9 essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own in high enough amounts and therefore need to be consumed in our diet. Among those are the three branched-chain amino acids—leucine, isoleucine, and valine—which are thought to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (aka muscle gain).

Does this mean you should supplement with BCAAs to gain muscle on a vegan diet? Well, according to a review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, BCAA supplements alone do not promote muscle growth.

The idea that BCAAs stimulate muscle growth came about from studies in rats which showed BCAAs are the rate limiting step in muscle protein synthesis. However, when given BCAAs, muscle gain became limited by the availability of the other essential amino acids. Furthermore, studies in rats have limited relevance in humans because rats have a smaller percentage of muscle and have different regulation of protein muscle synthesis than humans.

In other words, building muscle will be limited by the lack of any of the essential amino acids. So for gaining muscle we need to consume protein sources that provide all essential amino acids after workouts and throughout the day, not just the BCAAs. Furthermore, BCAAs in excess can compete with the other amino acids for transport.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition states in their position
stand on protein and exercise that while greater doses of leucine have been
shown to stimulate increases in protein synthesis, a balanced consumption of
the essential amino acids promotes the greatest increases.

So no, BCAAs aren’t a necessary supplement for muscle gain. Instead, we need to make sure we consume enough protein from various sources to ensure we are getting plenty of all the essential amino acids.

Creatine

Vegans have been shown to have lower creatine muscle stores than omnivores. Therefore vegans may benefit from creatine supplementation more than those who consume meat. It is particularly beneficial for those who compete or train at high intensities or are looking to maximize gains. If you’re interested in supplementing with creatine, the ISSN recommends 3-5 g/day.

However, if creatine is not something you are interested in supplementing with, it’s not required for gaining muscle and you can certainly still gain muscle without it.

Even though vegans tend to have lower levels of muscle creatine, the overall consensus is that although current evidence doesn’t support that a vegan diet will enhance performance, it also equally suggests that an athlete can follow a vegan diet without detriment.

What Are The Health Benefits of Choosing Plant-Based Proteins Over Animal-Based Proteins?

Switching from animal-based foods to plant-based foods is associated with lower risk of heart disease and all-cause mortality.

Furthermore, compared with animal protein, plant protein is associated with reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol (aka "bad" cholesterol) but higher HDL cholesterol (aka "good" cholesterol)

Check out my post if you want to learn more about the health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Who Would Benefit From This Plan?

• Vegans Interested in Fitness: Vegans who want to optimize their fitness journey and achieve muscle gain while following a plant-based diet.
• Beginner Vegans: Individuals who are new to veganism and looking to understand how to fuel their bodies for muscle gain without animal products.
• Experienced Vegans: Those who have been following a vegan lifestyle for some time but want to fine-tune their nutrition and training strategies for better results.
• Fitness Enthusiasts: Anyone passionate about fitness who is interested in exploring the benefits of vegan nutrition and incorporating plant-based principles into their training routine.
• Vegan Athletes/Athletes Transitioning to Veganism: Athletes who are transitioning to a vegan diet and seeking guidance on how to maintain or improve performance without animal products.
• Weightlifters & Vegan Bodybuilders: Weightlifters and bodybuilders who want to build lean muscle mass and achieve a shredded physique while adhering to a vegan lifestyle.
• Individuals Seeking Fat Loss: For those looking to shed excess body fat and achieve a leaner, healthier physique, gaining muscle first can help to increase metabolism and make losing fat easier.
• Fitness Professionals: Personal trainers, coaches, and fitness instructors who want to expand their knowledge and expertise in vegan nutrition and training to better serve their clients.
• Anyone Curious About Vegan Fitness: Individuals who are curious about veganism and want to explore how plant-based nutrition and fitness strategies can enhance their physical performance and health.

What You'll Get in the Vegan Meal Plan for Muscle Gain

• 7-Day Meal Plan for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks
• Nutrition Information with Calories, Macros, Vitamins, and Minerals
• Grocery List with Amounts
• Recipe for Each Meal & Snack

Vegan Meal Plan for Muscle Gain (PDF Download)

This meal plan is based on an average of 2600 calories and and 140 g protein. Individual needs vary, so adjust based on your own needs.