Eating vegan for bodybuilding

[Guest guest]

[While I am by no means vegetarian, let alone vegan, at least half of my

meals during the day are meatless and dairy-free. It's always good to find

meal plans from vegan bodybuilders because of their need for adequate

protein intake.]

 

The Rugged Kitchen, Installment 5

http://www.ruggedmag.com/index.php?type=Article & i=11 & a=1

 

An Interview with Mike Mahler

By Christina Jenkins

Current Issue: #11 - 08/25/2004

 

 

This month we have a special treat. I had an opportunity to interview Vegan

strength coach and kettlebell instructor Mike Mahler regarding his diet and

nutritional strategies. I was also able to obtain of few of Mike's favorite

recipes to share with all of you.

 

On With the Interview

 

Christina Jenkins: Before we get started, Mike, why don't you give us a

little background information on your position in the industry, what you

do, your training expertise, and some of your professional accomplishments.

 

Mike Mahler: I have been into strength training for twelve years and got

hooked when I was 18. For the last two and a half years, I have been a full

time strength coach based in Los Angeles, Ca. My specialty is kettlebell

training and I have done over 30 workshops across the US and overseas. I

also came out with a DVD last year that goes over several kettlebell drills

for the martial arts community. I write a great deal and have been

published in a variety of magazines including: Hardcore Muscle Magazine,

Ironman Magazine, Ironman Magazine Japan, Testosterone Magazine, and

Industry Magazine. Last year I was awarded the title of Senior RKC by Pavel

Tsatsouline and I have been an instructor at the last 6 Kettlebell

certifications. Right now I am in discussions with top strength coach

Charles Staley regarding the possibility of co-writing a book.

 

CJ: Wow, sounds like you've been busy. Mike, I know you're a Vegan and have

written several articles on Vegetarian strength training. Tell me, how long

have you been a Vegan and why did you decide to become one?

 

MM: I became a Vegan ten years ago and was a vegetarian for many years

before that. I became a vegetarian to meet girls ;-) Just kidding. I do not

eat meat for ethical reasons. When I was 16 I read an article with Harley

Flannagan, the founder of the NYC hardcore bands the Cro-mags, in which he

stated that you can't talk about peace while eating a steak. Harley said

that you have to remember that an animal died in agonizing pain to get

there. That resonated with me a great deal. Then I went to Kenya with my

parents and while watching some beautiful animals in their natural habitats

I knew that I did not want to contribute to animal suffering. Of course,

there is no way to completely prevent suffering of all beings; however, I

wanted to do my best to limit my involvement in the pain of others.

 

CJ: I gotta' say, while I love my veggies, I also love a good steak. How do

you feel about that?

 

MM: It is not so much that I have a problem with people eating meat, but

rather the way animals are treated on factory farms. The conditions are

deplorable and that needs to change. The movie The Fly II had a scene in

which a golden retriever was mutilated in a science experiment. That got me

thinking about all of the animals that are exploited in labs and factory

farms and I'd rather not be a part of that.

 

CJ: How does being a Vegan differ from being a vegetarian?

 

MM: In addition to not eating animal flesh, Vegans do not eat animal

byproducts such as milk, eggs, and in some cases honey. Most vegetarians do

consume eggs and dairy products, however.

 

CJ: What foods generally make up a Vegan's diet?

 

MM: It depends on how much you know about eating right (laughing). My diet

is made up of lots of beans, rice, sprouted bread, quinoa, almonds,

pistachios, walnuts, peanut butter, almond butter, salads, flaxseed oil,

olive oil, coconut oil, and some non-dairy/egg protein shakes. Many Vegans

make the mistake of eating too much pasta, cereals, and other junk foods.

Like any diet, a Vegan diet requires proper planning.

 

CJ: I notice many " healthy fat " foods among your list. These are good food

choices for anyone, not just Vegetarians. Let's talk about protein powders

and shakes. Can Vegans use them?

 

MM: Sure, some options for protein powders include: rice protein, pea

protein isolate, and soy protein isolate. I do not recommend soy as many

people are allergic to it and there are many studies that state that it can

increase estrogen levels in men. The verdict is still out, but I do not

want to find out the hard way if you know what I mean (laughing). In other

words, I do not want to wake up one day and say, " Hey, I have breasts! "

Rice protein and pea protein isolate are the best options for Vegans. Pea

protein isolate has an amino acid profile that is comparable to whey. A

company called Pure advantage makes some great powders for vegans and

athletes. Check them out at www.pureadvantage.com.

 

CJ: With all the current research surrounding post workout nutrition, it

has been labeled as somewhat of an " exact science " as of late. Being a

Vegan, what is your approach to post workout nutrition?

 

MM: My approach is the same as any other athlete. The only exception is

that I use rice protein or pea protein shakes after workouts rather than

whey protein. For carbs, I prefer mixing frozen fruits such as mangoes,

pineapple, and acai into the shakes rather than sweeteners such as sucrose,

dextrose etc.

 

CJ: Since you don't eat meat, from what foods does the bulk of your dietary

protein come?

 

MM: I have two protein shakes a day that provide 70-80 grams of protein.

Then I get another 70-80 grams from food. A can of lentils has around

thirty grams of protein for example and an almond butter sandwich with hemp

bread has around 20 grams of protein.

 

CJ: Now, it has been founded that the protein in legumes, vegetables,

beans, rice, and the like is " incomplete " protein, meaning that these

proteins lack some of the complete amino acid chain. I've heard it proposed

that by combining several of these foods together you can obtain the

complete amino acid chain? Are you familiar with this idea and can you

elaborate on it?

 

MM: Yes, it is true that most vegetables and grains do not have all the

essential amino acids. However, a combination such as black beans and rice

or peanut butter and whole wheat bread work well to provide complete

proteins for muscle building.

 

CJ: Nutritionally, can you give us an example of what an average day looks

like for you?

 

MM: Sure.

 

Breakfast: Protein shake with 3 tablespoons of rice protein powder or pea

protein isolate mixed with 8oz of Almond Milk, 8oz of water, 1 tablespoon

of wheat grass powder, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil or coconut oil, 1/2 cup

of frozen fruit (mangoes or pineapple)

 

Mid afternoon snack: 1 cup of almonds and 1/2 cup of raisins

 

Lunch: Mixed salad with 1 slice of almond cheese, and 1/2 cup of walnuts. I

usually add a tomato and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.

 

2 slices of Ezekiel or hemp bread with 1 tablespoon of peanut or almond

butter.

 

1/2 cup of berries

 

Post workout Shake: (same as breakfast except no flaxseed oil or coconut

oil) On days that I do not workout, it is exactly the same as the morning

shake.

 

Dinner: 1 can of lentils mixed with 1 cup of rice and 1/2 cup of fake meat.

I steam some vegetables and add that to the mix.

 

I end the meal with something sweet such as 2 ginger cookies or some dark

chocolate. Sometimes I have a glass of whine or a beer with dinner.

 

Late night snack: some fresh fruit, peanut butter sandwich, etc.

 

I do not count calories and generally eat what I want.

 

CJ: What do you have to say to those individuals who think that you can't

get strong or gain LBM (lean body mass) unless your diet contains tons of

animal flesh on the menu?

 

MM: I think that my example proves otherwise. Contrary to what many people

believe, it is certainly possible to get bigger and stronger on a

vegetarian diet. Like any other diet, the key is to ensure that you are

getting adequate calories and a balance of protein, healthy fats, and

carbohydrates.

 

CJ: With all this food talk, I'm getting hungry. What are some of your

favorite Vegan Recipes?

 

MM: Some awesome Vegan dishes are General Tso's Surprise with veggie meat,

which is similar to General Tso's chicken; sweet and sour tofu; Chana

Masala, an Indian dish with chick peas; Dal and rice, which is another

Indian dish with lentils; and Spicy Eggplant and brown rice.

 

CJ: Thanks Mike. I learned a lot and will share these recipes with our

readers. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.

 

MM: Thanks a lot Christina and please have your readers visit my website

for more information on my training ideas, workshops, and products at

www.mikemahler.com.

 

Vegan Recipes

 

Mike Mahler was kind enough to share with us three of his favorite dishes.

He gets many of his recipes from Vegweb.com. They provide many delicious

vegan and vegetarian dishes. You'll also notice Mike enjoys dishes made

from many exotic spices and herbs. If you're interested, I've included

informative links about some of the ingredients listed below; just click on

the ingredient. I found it fascinating to read of all of the health

benefits and nutritional information these sites provided.

 

With all of these zesty ingredients, eating Vegan isn't boring at all. Enjoy!

 

Chana Masala

 

Ingredients:

 

1 can garbanzo beans

1 big onion very finely chopped or processed in a food processor/grinder

1 clove garlic, minced or pureed

1 tsp pureed ginger

1/2 tsp turmeric powder1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp garam masala*

1/2 tsp amchur powder (dried mango powder)

1 cup plum tomatoes, pureed

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Optional: Tomato (cut into wedges), slit green chilies, and cilantro (chopped)

 

Instructions:

 

1. Heat oil in a frying pan.

2. Add onions and sauté.

3. When onions are translucent, add ginger and garlic and sauté on medium

heat.

4. Add all other spices (except mango powder) and continue to cook.

5. Add pureed tomatoes and cook on a low heat for about three minutes.

6. Add the chick peas with their liquid; stir well and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and then simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

7. Add the dry mango powder and allow everything to simmer for 2 more minutes

Serve hot garnished with fresh tomato wedges, slit green chilies and

chopped cilantro.

 

*Garam Masala: This can be store-bought, but isn't everything better homemade?

 

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

 

1 small stick cinnamon

3 to 4 cloves

4 to 5 black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

 

Instructions:

 

Grind all the ingredients into powder.

 

If you aren't used to spicy food, you may want to reduce the amount of

garam masala and cayenne pepper. But the Rugged ain't afraid of spice, now

are we?

 

Source: http://vegweb.com/food/beans/chanamasala.shtml

 

Spicy Eggplant

 

Serves: 2.

Preparation time: 20 mins.

 

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

 

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

1 Clove Garlic(minced)

1 Pc Shallot (chopped)

1 Eggplant/Aubergine (sliced)

1 Red Chilli (sliced)

1 Sweet banana pepper (chopped)

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Stock

Salt & Pepper

Pinch of Sugar

 

Instructions:

 

Heat oil in pan and toss in the shallots and garlic until tender. Next add

the eggplant and red chilli. Stir fry for a couple of seconds then throw in

the yellow capsicum also known as the banana pepper. Mix the ingredients

well, and then add the vegetable stock. The ingredients will absorb the

stock. Salt and pepper to taste and add vegan sugar

(http://www.vegfamily.com/articles/sugar.htm) and stir ingredients until

the eggplant is almost falling apart.

 

Serve with brown rice.

 

Source: http://vegweb.com/food/vegetables/199.shtml

 

Sweet and Sour Tofu

 

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

 

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

 

1 large block of tofu

1 green pepper and 1 red

1 onion – white or yellow

1 can chopped pineapple in it's own juice (save juice to marinate tofu)

1 can bamboo shoots or water chestnuts

1 jar sweet and sour sauce or homemade*

served over brown or white rice

 

Directions:

 

Chop tofu into cubes and marinate them in pineapple juice for 2 to 6 hours.

Sauté peppers, bamboo shoots and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil; add tofu.

Remove from heat and add sauce and pineapple chunks and it's ready to serve.

 

*Sweet and sour sauce:

 

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

 

1/3 cup vinegar

1/3 cup vegan sugar

2 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

dash cardamom or 1/4 teaspoon fresh

 

Directions:

 

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve

cornstarch. Stir over high heat until mixture thickens and begins to

bubble. This may be served as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or the fried

tofu recipe above.

 

Preparation time: 10 min

 

Source: http://vegweb.com/food/stirfry/3323.shtml

 

And One From Me

 

Pan-Seared Portobello Mushroom and Tomato Topped with Chive-laced Scrambled

Eggs

 

I made this the other day for breakfast and it was tasty. It's not

considered vegan recipe, but Vegetarian, because it includes an egg. For a

different flavor, try substituthing fresh basil and oregano for the thyme

and rosemary.

 

Serves 1 (multiply as needed)

 

Ingredients:

 

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 tsp. mixed minced fresh thyme and rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 Portobello mushroom (between 3 and 4 inches in diameter), stem removed

and cap wiped clean on both sides

Kosher or sea salt

1, 1-inch thick slice ripe beefsteak tomato, at room temperature

2 tsp. butter, olive oil, or nonstick vegetable spray

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp. snipped fresh chives, plus more for garnish

 

Instructions:

 

1. Mix the olive oil with the herbs and some black pepper, and brush it

liberally on both sides of the mushroom.

2. Heat a heavy-bottomed 8-inch non-stick skillet over high heat and when

hot, sprinkle lightly with salt. Add the mushroom to the hot pan and cook,

turning several times, until golden and cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Remove mushroom from pan and keep on a warmed plate, gill side up, covered

loosely with aluminum foil. Don't wipe out the pan; Just put it back on the

stove.

3. Using the same pan, warm a tsp. of butter or oil over medium-high heat.

When hot, add tomato slice and sear well on one side only. Sprinkle top

(raw) side with a little salt and pepper. Remove tomato, pace on mushroom

and re-cover. Don't wipe out the pan; just put it back on the stove.

4. Melt 2 tsp. butter, oil, or non-stick cooking spray in pan. When hot,

add beaten egg and let cook undisturbed, just until it starts to set on the

bottom. Reduce heat to low and stir, incorporating any bits or of mushroom

and tomato left in pan. Add chives, some salt and pepper, and cook until

it's done to your liking. Spoon scrambled egg over tomato and garnish with

more snipped chives. Serve right away.