[Clever_user_name]

To get back on topic, I'm no expert on plant-based to GAIN, since I've been overfat most of my life (working on fixing that problem). But I would guess that it would be hard to eat enough calories to gain on a plant-based diet. That is, unless you've got some liquid support (or unless you eat a bunch of crap, like vegan chips, vegan cookies and "rice dream"). Consider the following:

1 cup of beans
1 cup of rice
2 cups of veggies (zucchini, broccoli, carrots etc)
1/4 cup of mixed seeds/nuts (pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, almonds etc)

That would be a filling meal. I can't imagine eating that 5-6 times per day, and I've got a huge appetite. Supershakes, IMHO would be essential to gaining on a plant-based diet.

[Ryan D Andrews]

Originally Posted by espndude21

Thanks for your replies!

Clarification here, since I don't need to take any calories away do you think it would be wise just to take the calorie amount of meat and substitute the same amount with beans?

I've watched the S2B videos they released on their new website and the "muscle meal" is something like

2 palms of protein
1 fistful starch/fruit
3 cups of veggies
1/4 cup of fat
8 oz. water

What would you do to adapt this to a plant based eating plan while still maintaing the calories?

Protein here would be beans or peas or tempeh or tofu or protein powder.

Try to make your 1/4 cup of fat a nut or seed, this will add more protein (instead of using oil, which is just fat).

[espndude21]

Originally Posted by Ryan D Andrews

Protein here would be beans or peas or tempeh or tofu or protein powder.

Try to make your 1/4 cup of fat a nut or seed, this will add more protein (instead of using oil, which is just fat).

Thanks Ryan!

I'm just trying to get my head on straight as I look at my options at becoming more plant based.

[Ryan D Andrews]

Originally Posted by espndude21

Thanks Ryan!

I'm just trying to get my head on straight as I look at my options at becoming more plant based.

Cool. Yeah - it can be different at first....

[vrlucci]

I'm just starting Precision Nutrition. I gained 50 pounds in the last year and a half, most of it in the Fall of 2011 when I started taking anti-depressants. In the spring of 2012, I switched to a plant based diet. I didn't lose any weight, but stopped gaining weight. I feel more in tune with nature and don't suffer as many digestive problems. In the past, I've been successful at losing weight on a paleo type diet. I'm a 35 year old female, I just wonder if staying on the plant route is in my best interest, or if I need to move back to an animal based diet. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

[ripock]

Every eating system works, if you do it right. Plant-based eating has its own hurdles (e.g. getting enough protein). I ate veganly for six years and never had a problem except, as you say, I found it hard to lose weight because I eat naturally. Now I am experimenting with meat. As you said, I felt better physically as a vegan than as a omnivore. So, I will probably revert back to veganism after I lose my weight.

You should ask specific questions and you will get specific answers about plant-based eating. I will tell you one thing that sustained me: eat macrobiotically. Make everything from scratch. Packaged food is packaged food, regardless of whether it is vegan, vegetarian, or whatever. If you buy "healthy" prepared food, it will still have hydrogenated oil, high fructose syrup, and the whole gamut of chemicals. Make your own beans, eat plants, toss the bread out.

That being said, ask whatever is on your mind.

Oh, one last tip. Be sure to eat an appropriate amount of fat. I would typically eat half a cup of beans and one or two vegetables. You have to add fat somehow or you will be very unsatisfied and craving. I liked to use coconut oil or eat some olives or some brazil nuts.