Veg diet for muscle gain

Mohit Vashisth

1 year ago

Veg diet for muscle gain

Fibre Intake Nutrition Food Physical activity

Happy Tummy Expert

1 year ago

Dear Mohit Vashisth, Thank you for the question

Gaining muscle mass, toning of muscles, and body shaping requires specific exercise regimen followed by appropriate dietary changes, especially in terms of good quality proteins balanced with appropriate calories, which should be done under professional guidance. For specific exercise regimen please contact a fitness expert.

Some of the nutrients that support healthy muscles and bone include protein, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium etc. Some of the food sources rich in these nutrients include milk and milk products, green leafy vegetables, lentils, soybean, nuts, etc. Include these foods in your daily balanced diet.

WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2^nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification

18.5 to 24.9 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

25 to 29 - Overweight

Above 30 - Obese

As per WHO BMI (Body Mass Index) classification, a person weighing less than 18.5 kg/m2 is considered underweight.

A high calorie and high protein diet is recommended for muscle gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 0.8-1g protein per kg body weight.

Here are some vegetarian sources of protein

Milk & milk products like paneer.
Legumes: lentils, beans (chickpeas, kidney, mung, pinto etc.), peas (green, split, etc.), soybeans (and products made from soy: tofu, tempeh, etc.), peanuts.
Nuts and Seeds: almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds.
Whole Grains: wheat, quinoa, rice, wild rice, millet, oats, buckwheat,
Other: while many vegetables and fruits contain some level of protein, it’s generally in smaller amounts than the other plant-based foods. Some examples with higher protein quantities include corn, broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, and artichokes.

Here are few guidelines that can be considered

Having a Healthy Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning. Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs.
Maintain a positive energy balance where the calorie intake should be more than the energy expenditure.
Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs. Some of the energy dense foods include Whole wheat, multigrain, millets, dairy products, nuts, colocasia leaves, banana, raisins, pulses/lentils etc.
Do not skip meals. Eat small frequent meals.
Three major meals a day with healthy nutritious snacks in between is preferred.
Try to increase the serving size and portion size gradually and systematically
Include healthy fats from nuts and seeds.
Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to maintain hydration
Indulging in physical activity can help in increasing the appetite and give a feeling of hunger.
Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.