I'm vegan/vegetarian. How do I make sure I'm eating enough protein?

Everyone and their dog seem to be focused on getting enough protein these days! And it’s no wonder - especially if you’re training actively - consuming enough protein is a must. Not sure what ‘enough’ protein means - check out our guide here! Protein is one of the three major macronutrients, and it supports muscle growth, helps in the production of enzymes, hormones and antibodies - what’s not to like! The first thing that comes to mind when we think about protein is meat - for example, take chicken breast - boasting an impressive 31g of protein in 100g chicken breast! Ermmm, but what happens if you don’t eat meat?

If you’re a vegan / vegetarian, this blog post is for you! 

We spoke to Bethany, a founding member of our gym and a StrongHerd member. She’s always been an active person: she’s been practicing dancing and martial arts since she was 6 years old, and has been lifting for 5 years now! She became vegan 4 years ago for general health reasons and hasn’t looked back! We asked her what she found most challenging about being vegan in the beginning:

Definitely navigating protein. Aside from that, once you become vegan, there’s a lot of new foods and ingredients you need to make yourself familiar with - from tofu, through mock meats, to new spices! As a meat-eater, oftentimes meat itself is your flavor - think bacon, sausages, etc. - you don’t really need to season those, do you! However, once I removed meat from my diet, I had a lot of exploring and learning to do in terms of combining different spices and flavors, most of which were new to me!

Now, onto the elephant in the room: protein! Any tips & tricks you’d like to share?

It’s not easy, but it’s also not that difficult! I spent a lot of time looking for inspiration -  on Instagram and reading cookbooks. I’m also going to be honest - I have to admit, I made a lot of disgusting food in the beginning! But it’s a work in progress, the more you cook, the better you get at it. I’d definitely recommend playing around with ratios, different flavor combinations and spices. One other thing that worked quite well for me was veganising my favourite meals - it’s an easy way to start. You won’t feel like you’re changing that much at all! If you like sausage & mash as much as I do - just swap the sausages for vegan ones and you’re all sorted. Important thing to note here is that you will have to try a few different mock meat brands before you find you fave.

And what does a typical day look like for you in terms of food? 

I’d usually start with a protein shake for breakfast - easy and quick, and swapping your whey protein powder for a vegan one makes absolutely no difference in terms of taste. For lunch I’d have a rice bowl with lots of veggies, some tofu, and a nice sauce - currently obsessed with kewpie mayo! I know this question is coming so I’m just going to answer right away - I like smoked tofu, and I pan fry it - super delish! Dinner is where the mock meats come in, I quite like mock pulled chicken as it’s the one with the best macros; then I add some carbs and veggies and I’m good to go!

What’s your experience been like training as a vegan? 

I’m the strongest I’ve ever been! I’ve been eating 100-120g protein and have gained muscle mass - so yes, it IS possible! You just have to be mindful of what you’re eating, and have to put the extra effort in educating yourself and making the right food choices. Being vegan actually makes you quite creative, it pushes you to learn how to really cook, and explore different flavors and techniques. So worth it!