

The Vegan Superhero Diet

The Ultimate Guide to Body Transformation and the Vegan Diet

Robert Babaji

Wagsword Entertainment

ISBN: 9781370013982

First Edition

Copyright © 2016 by Robert Babaji.

All rights reserved. Cover design and photos produced by and are copyright Robert Babaji. Unreferenced photos are in the public domain. Errors and corrections to wagsword@gmail.com

Table of Contents

Chapter: Foreword

Chapter: Navigating the Book

Part I: Basics of Veganism

Chapter 1: Introduction to Veganism

Section 1.1: When a Diet is not a Diet

Section 1.2: Superheroes

Section 1.3: Jumping Social Situations in a Single Bound

Chapter 2: What to Eat on a Vegan Diet - Part I: Key Principles

Section 2.1: Macronutrients, Considerations and Concerns

Section 2.2: Micronutrients, Omega 3/6, Water and Fiber on a Vegan Diet

Chapter 3: What to Eat on a Vegan Diet - Part II: Sample Diet & Meal Suggestions

Section 3.1: Sample Diet

Section 3.2: Vegan Superhero Meals

Part II: The Vegan Superhero

Chapter 4: Before We Begin...

Section 4.1: Inspiration

Section 4.2: Goals

Section 4.3: Sacrifice

Section 4.4: Motivation

Section 4.5: Moderation

Section 4.6: Final Thoughts on Mental Prep

Chapter 5: Vegan Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

Section 5.1: Sleep

Section 5.2: Typical Fat Loss / Muscle Gain / Maintenance

Section 5.3: Superhero Body Recomposition

Section 5.4: Be Patient

Section 5.5: Should You Build Muscle or Lose Fat?

Section 5.6: Picture Journal of My Vegan Body Transformation

Chapter 6: Training

Section 6.1: Alternatives to Hypertrophy Based Fat-Loss and Muscle Gain

Section 6.2: No Cardio?

Section 6.3: Calisthenics - What I did then

Section 6.4: Weight Training - What I do now

Part III: Justice: A Time for Change

Chapter 7: Veganism and the Law

Section 7.1: Background

Section 7.2: Literature Review

Section 7.3: Proposal

Section 7.4: Framework for Change

Section 7.5: Reference List

Chapter 8: Supernatural Villains and Heroes - Appeal to Higher Laws

Section 8.1: Divine Justice

Chapter 9: Final Thoughts

Foreword

The Vegan Superhero Diet' exists because I wanted to provide all the information required for anyone who wants to get the most out of their health and fitness goals while thriving on a vegan diet. We live in a world of YouTube channels profiting from trickling click-worthy only information across weekly content, fitness magazines and their drug-enhanced poster boys feeding skewed misinformation to benefit their sponsors and promote a consumer lifestyle, Instagramers putting camera-friendly form before function, and personal trainers and nutritionists that profit from selling you the secrets of health from the confines of a well lit room while charging you by the hour. Even within the vegan promoting community there is this air of chasing a buck. Doing good - as long as I get famous. Global health, and the ethical and environmental consequences all the while suffer. I was fed up, so I wrote this book. A single resource, provided free of charge for anyone who wants it.

If you are reading this you are interested in minimising the suffering inflicted on animals, the environment, and people from poor dietary choices. Or perhaps you already eat a vegan diet and are looking to get the most out of your diet to achieve your goals. Either way, thank you for making the effort to make the world a more peaceful place. With this book I will show you not only how you can be vegan and achieve your personal goals for health and fitness, but how an understanding of the diet and other strategies presented here will make being vegan and following the strategies in this book the most effective way to make that happen.

It is a book especially for those interested in fitness, weight loss and muscle gain, and is a comprehensive yet simple resource to give you all the tools you need to achieve health goals on a vegan diet. Regardless of fitness and body transformation goals however it will give you a better understanding of veganism so you can learn how you can eat and live healthier on a vegan diet.

I started my fat loss journey five months ago to show just how suitable veganism can be for improving your fitness. At the end of the five months I made massive improvements and am the lowest body-fat percentage I've ever been - 10%. More importantly, I was secure in the knowledge that I could make my body do whatever I want it to! I got the body type I was striving for and its just getting better and better, all the while eating of course the most nutrient dense diet in the world - a whole foods plant based (vegan) diet.

I'm not a juiced up, HGH-loving MensHealth model. I'm not a former athlete. Maybe for some people starting in fitness with distorted views of what is possible without drugs think that kind of body is the benchmark. There is not much I can say to that, except that they will learn a lot from the pages of this book which is extensively researched and whose principles I have successfully implemented and could do so again in a heartbeat.

Although this book is intended for and applicable to all genders, I thought it was important especially among men to show that vegan doesn't mean weak, carbs don't mean fat, and that going vegan means you can make outstanding progress in the gym. Statistically, men account for only 21% of the vegan population.[] Certain gender stereotypes exacerbate this, such as the fiction that 'real men' are callous, entitled and violent in life and in their eating habits - an attitude that according to the Australian Institute of Criminology is the primary cause of many social problems we have today including violent crime and violence towards women.[] Compounding this attitude is the lack of education relating to men's interests and this humane alternative diet.

I tried and failed to go vegan about a year before it truly stuck. The reason I failed? Poor information leading to me believing, erroneously as it turned out, that a vegan diet was no good for me or my goals. I experienced a similar phenomenon years earlier when transitioning to a vegetarian diet - continuing eating animal products that caused me tremendous physical discomfort (such as whey protein powders for example) and even in the early months attempting to force myself to eat animal flesh under the false impression that I needed to for optimum health. I shake my head at my own stupidity. This was in spite of my psychic awakening at the time, which although beyond the scope of this book, caused me to experience severe pain at the ingestion of any animal flesh and shows just how destructive my misinformation was. In many ways, I never chose to be vegetarian - but I chose to be vegan and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. This book seeks to encourage remedy for the male gender stereotype and to provide a wealth of knowledge to those seeking to eat vegan.

A disclaimer - body transformation is a highly disciplined and potentially difficult task to set for yourself. And if you think that getting that body you always wanted will get you the girl or the guy, make you happier or do anything else for you other than changing your body... think again. Although this book is a surefire way to get the body you always wanted, please take care of your mental health. Tracking calories and working out for a better body is not a body image disorder, it's being disciplined to achieve a goal. Getting down on yourself and feeling inferior to others while constantly chasing unattainable goals because you feel you don't have value as a person, these are practices to steer clear of. Seek help from loved ones or professionals if you feel this applies to you. Body transformation can be a fun and creative process, like building a house of cards or making a motorbike from scratch. It's a project, separate from you, so please avoid identifying with your body too much throughout the process. Take the discipline you learn during the process, along with your new found health, and apply it to making positive changes in other areas of your life and in your inner development.

And if you have any health concerns, even though all the principles in this book are based on the most current medical and scientific research, I suggest contacting a vegan friendly medical professional.

When in doubt, remember why you started.

Please share this free eBook with anyone you think may be interested in its contents - I want people to be empowered to eat vegan. This book is my contribution to making widespread veganism a reality and I therefore consider it a public service - hence the price tag of free. If this book has helped you and you want to balance out the karma and support me, please visit  The Vegan Superhero Diet Facebook page or  click here to make a donation. The most important thing however is sharing this eBook with anyone you think it would help in an effort to help the animals and the environment by allowing more people to find their way to a healthier, stronger, more ethical, super version of themselves.

Robert Babaji

Navigating the Book

This book starts off with its first part as an introduction to veganism, as I initially share some thoughts on the diet from a social perspective. I then discuss the basic tenets of eating vegan, my recommendations and contraindications, my advice on macronutrients and the like, as well as what I consider to be the essentials for optimum health and well-being, after which sample diets and meal suggestions are given.

With the second part of the book, body transformation becomes the focus as I share tips for motivation and goal setting, and then discuss the in's and out's of vegan weight loss and muscle gain, presenting an easy and flexible option for starters, and a more extreme option for those determined to get results. This includes oscillating between phases of caloric restriction using my "staggered dieting" technique which really was key to my success, and periods of muscle gain. I finish off the section with training advice and routines.

Finally, the book ends with a small section on my legal perspective and recommendations concerning the move to a vegan diet, and my spiritual perspective on why veganism is necessary for those involved in spiritual practices.

Part I. Basics of Veganism

1 Introduction to Veganism

1.1 When a Diet is not a Diet

The word diet has two meanings;

  1. What kinds of food a person eats [noun]

  2. Restricting the quantity of your food (e.g. to lose weight) [verb]

'The Vegan Superhero Diet' is used in the first sense - as in "veganism is the species specific diet for human beings."

There are those in the vegan community that advocate for referring to veganism as a lifestyle and not a diet.

"Lifestyle" refers to the way in which a person lives. As diets are part of "the way in which a person lives" they are automatically part of a person's lifestyle. Calling veganism a lifestyle, not just a diet, implies that there is a diet as well as other factors that dictate the way the person lives. These "implied lifestyle" restrictions on veganism exist because there can be so much more to veganism that just food. Animal welfare, the environment, public health and safety to name a few. And honestly, I wouldn't have written the book if there wasn't.

Although I believe veganism can be a lifestyle, as it can impact other ways a person lives their life, I am not forcing it to be - certainly not within the confines of this book. The focus of this book is to empower people to adopt a vegan diet, giving them all the tools they need to do so while enabling them to achieve their body transformation goals if they have any.

The other reason I lean toward using the term diet is due to the fact that people are more inclined to change their diet than their lifestyle. It is one change. A big change, with a big impact on your health and the lives of sentient animals. If you want to take it as a first step into a lifestyle change, or not, it is really up to you. But that doesn't negate the incredible difference you are making because of your dietary change.

The key to making lifestyle changes that work is changing one behaviour at a time - and that's exactly what I'm here to help you do ] The dietary side of veganism for many people causes the most trepidation. There is a lot of ignorance about dietary requirements, and this book helps clarify those and creates an in for people that would have otherwise not attempted it on dietary grounds. Another problem with promoting veganism as a lifestyle is largely due to people identifying with their lifestyles and as such will do almost anything not to have to change their identity. (Although in modern times, people are identifying with their diets more and more - to the point where it is a faux pas to bring it up in dinner casual conversation for example!)

There is a compliance gaining tactic that is very successful called the Foot-in-the-door (FITD) technique "that involves getting a person to agree to a large request by first setting them up by having that person agree to a modest request."[] People are generally less inclined to take up long term journey's, and encouraging this from the start may not be the best way to convert you or anyone else into adopting a vegan diet - the most impactful change one can make.

Start with a day or two a week if you want to, gradually committing to the change once you can. Start small and involve yourself in online communities such as vegan groups for your city on Facebook for community support (just be wary of the misinformation regarding diet that is out there.)[] Cutting down does a lot of good, however to truly allow your body to heal itself from the damage caused by repeated ingestion of cholesterol and other damaging compounds found in animal products, as well as put you into the only group with a healthy BMI regardless of activity level, long term veganism is the best bet.[][]

Getting everyone to see that eating this way can really work for them and their goals is the first step. I believe if the goal of veganism is truly to end animal suffering, save the environment, and improve people's health - then education and effective compliance gaining tactics that bring and keep most people eating a vegan diet should be favoured over trying to control how veganism is perceived.

1.2 Superheroes

Life for life, I'm pretty sure the vegans beat the Avengers - and the Avengers have the advantage of being made up!

Superheroes;

  * Protect the innocent.

  * They fight for justice and to save the world, often from the evil's of men such as greed and callousness.

  * They inspire people with the sacrifices they make for others.

  * And they place moral principles and ethics, heroism, before anything else.

Vegans are everyday superheroes.

  * They abstain from "meat and dairy" - which in a more honest world would be called tortured then murdered bodies, stolen bodily secretions procured through rape and child abduction, and my favourite, the chicken menstrual cycle resulting in the murder of unneeded male baby chicks.

  * They know out there are billions of animals being murdered, and have decided to stand up and do something about it, even if it means confronting this institutionalised callousness and greed.

  * They also know that going vegan is the best way to save the world from imminent destruction, as the meat and dairy industry is a, if not the, leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions - far more than cars, trains, planes, trucks and other forms of transport. Saving lives, and saving the planet.

  * They fight the callousness and greed that occurs when the arrogant place their own savage appetites before the life of a sentient being not to dissimilar from themselves.

  * They may not inspire everyone, these modest everyday folk, but their moral prioritisation makes them heroes.

The best part is, human beings don't need these "foods" to survive. In fact, they cause tremendous health and economic consequences, and a vegan diet has been conclusively shown time and again to combat the leading forms of disease in humans.

If you are still on the fence on the environmental, health and ethical reasons for eating plant based, jump to the final part of this book for a highly referenced analysis dealing with many of the points discussed above in greater detail.

When we accept violence as acceptable in our food, it is spreads like a wild flame to all areas of our life and society. In a world where these products are ubiquitous, being vegan can at times be challenging. But in doing so, these superheroes inspire others to put higher principles first and certainly before prostituting their values, saving the world one meal at a time.

1.3 Jumping Social Situations in a Single Bound

An important realisation I came to as a vegan was that although I had become aware to my social conditioning that allowed me to go vegan, many others are still subject to their psychological defense mechanisms put in place not by themselves, but by the society they occupy.

The closest most of us come to recognizing these defenses is the sense of relief, lightness, or connection to our food we feel if and when we stop eating animals. The "psychology of eating animals" is ... 'carnism'... the invisible belief system, or ideology, that conditions us to eat certain animals... So carnism, like other violent ideologies, must use a set of social and psychological defense mechanisms to enable humane people to participate in inhumane practices without fully realizing what they are doing. In other words, carnism teaches us how not to feel.

Carnistic defense mechanisms serve to create a gap in our consciousness when it comes to "edible" animals; we don't make the connection between the meat/eggs/dairy on our plate and the living being it once was. And this gap in consciousness exists across cultures; though the type of species consumed changes from culture to culture, in meat-eating cultures around the world, people tend to classify only a small handful of animals as edible. All the rest they classify as inedible and disgusting or even offensive to consume. []

When I first became vegan it was almost impossible to interact with non-vegans without the overwhelming need to shake them till they stopped hurting the animals I love so dearly. It has taken me many failed attempts at this, in person and on the many Facebook posts of the internet, to see that some people simply are not capable of perceiving reality due to their psychological defense mechanisms. In a word, they are insane. Trying to talk sense into an insane person, even though we are putting it so clearly that one plus one does in fact equal animal cruelty, their minds will simply not allow them to make the jump. My advice - don't try and convert everyone. You couldn't anyway for this very reason. Instead, choose to act as an open example, and those that have a genuine interest in the subject matter, that is those most ready to actually see reality outside their psychological defense mechanisms, will approach and talk to you regarding the subject. Or you could always write an eBook! My point is, learn to not need to change everyone into a vegan - stop caring what everyone thinks and does and do what you need to do to make the most change. If you feel the need to make a difference as a vegan beyond your own actions, then lead by example, by perhaps attacking the industry itself, or spreading the vegan word in some other more creative way. No. Filling your Facebook feed with cruelty posts doesn't count - and is often counter-productive as it triggers a disgust response before any real learning can take place.

Unfortunately, due to the profound denial and illogical justifications that ring discordantly within the disunity of the mind of non-vegans, even if you conduct yourself with patience and humility, you will be met with violence. Non-vegans get angry at vegans as they remind them of their own behaviour, and this discomfort is misinterpreted or redirected as anger to those that shone light on their suppressed feelings held in place by psychological defense mechanisms. Learn to deal with negativity, understanding what is happening is a great tool to becoming a noble warrior - and not a shit slinger. It is in the way you carry yourself, and deal with adversity, even more than your ability to overcome it, that will reveal the heroic content of your character.

"A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral."

Leo Tolstoy, Crimsoncat

2 What to Eat on a Vegan Diet - Part I: Key Principles

I love the kinds of foods I eat and always am blown away by the inventiveness of vegan chefs and the vegan community as a whole. The basic rule of veganism is - Does it come from an animal? No? Then it's fine!

My advice - keep it simple.

If I was to get really simplistic about it I would suggest sticking to whole plant foods that are high in fiber such as;

  * Fruit - Dates, bananas, red grapes, berries, whatever you like

  * Vegetables - Sweet potato, kale, broccoli, eat the rainbow as they say and get in your large serving of greens daily.

  * Beans and legumes - Beans, lentils, etc.

  * Brown rice or fiber enriched pasta

  * Wholemeal breads/wraps

  * Antioxidant rich foods - This means blueberries, cherries, kale, cloves and cinnamon, as well as if you're into it red cabbage, goji berries and cacao.

Cut out all animal products including meat, chickens, fish, dairy and eggs, as well as processed sugar and junk foods. By default, you will have to replace them with something, and you'll be replacing them automatically with healthier food with zero cholesterol and trans fats and plenty of phytonutrients and prebiotics. Read on through to really get the most out of your diet as there are some important things to consider.

2.1 Macronutrients, Considerations and Concerns

Fats and Why I Don't Recommend 80/10/10

The two essential fatty acids the body must derive from food are alpha linolenic acid (an omega 3 fat) and linoleic acid (an omega 6 fat). But what does that mean as far as what you should eat? I recommend you keep your fats to around 20% of your daily caloric intake, the bulk of which come from your daily servings of ground flaxseeds/chia seeds and almonds. Avocado and hemp seed are other great sources of healthy fats. This recommendation is well within the Australian and Canadian recommendation that sets the upper limit for 35% (that some speculate as being overly high.)[]

I do not recommend eating 80/10/10, a low-fat diet that consists of eating 80% of calories from carbohydrate, 10% fats and 10% protein. If you enjoy the diet and feel good on it, then by all means continue, as the diet has many positive affects including the reversal of heart disease and increased lifespan and may also be useful for young women who experience acne or menstrual problems, or post-menopausal women struggling to maintain a healthy body fat percentage. []

This book focuses on 'body weight maintenance and regular exercise', as opposed to focusing on 'overemphasis on one component' which seems to be best practice.[] That said, although the scientific community appears to differ on the certainty of the damage of saturated fats,[] it is likely best to avoid saturated fats in your diet. It is possible that any fats you consume over your daily servings of flaxseeds/chia seeds and almond, even if these extra fats are comprised of suspect saturated fats such as those found in coconuts, will have no negative impact on your health. However it is best if possible to be cautious, especially if you have a heart condition or diabetes, and keep favour essential fatty acids while avoiding saturated fats as much as possible.[, ] As a side note, even flaxseeds, chia, almonds contain saturated fat, but around 10 times less than high saturated fat foods like coconut.

I went 80/10/10 when I first went vegan, as many if not most people do. I was drawn to it in part due to is is ad libitum i.e. no caloric restriction. After my profound dissatisfaction with veganism a couple months into it, I read an article by Mike Mahler which was one of the best things that ever happened to me on this journey. I literally felt like a crack addict when I first started being vegan, and increasing fats in my diet promoted enhanced well-being and allowed me to function in a more grounded and psychological stable way. The article got me away from the "High Carb Low Fat" movement that is so popular among vegans. I felt so much better after upping my fats to around 20% of my daily calories based off its recommendation.

Vegans tend to follow low fat, low protein, and heavy carbohydrate diets, which is a big mistake. Only a small percentage of the population will feel optimal on such diets... Load up on healthy fats such as: Hemp seed, olive oil, almonds, walnuts, marine algae DHA, pecans, almond butter, and avocados.[]

Although taking people off a "standard"-type American diet and putting them on 80/10/10 has been shown unsurprisingly to promote an increase in psychological well-being, I am not aware of any research done into the measurement of psychological well-being comparing to a whole foods plant based vegan diet at 20% and 10%. I only can provide anecdotal evidence towards 20% fats promoting groundedness and increased well-being. It has helped me, Mark and others, and although well within the acceptable recommendations and literature, may not have a few of the health benefits 80/10/10 that I have covered above that may be important to you.

I can only speak from experience, and in my experience comparing my experience of 80/10/10 to a vegan diet with higher protein and fat intake, I wouldn't wish how I felt on 80/10/10 on my worst enemy. This is grounds enough to warrant a recommendation that can easily be ignored upon individual discretion or experimentation.

Protein - The Rarest of Nutrients...but not really

Most people shouldn't be concerned about protein - if you are getting enough calories, you are getting enough protein (unless you are an alcoholic of course!). This is because protein is in basically everything.

"Where do you get your protein?" is an in-joke in the vegan community. Most don't need to worry - just eat well and focus on whole foods and especially fiber rich nutrient dense foods.

However...

As far as quantity of protein, I used to get about 50-60g per day, the which pretty much happens naturally if you're eating whole foods, and throw in say a high protein meal such as lentils or beans every day / other day. I ate no shakes or bars. I got pretty muscly on this diet, and never had any trouble making gains in the gym.

However, after reading this medical journal article on vegan athletes, turns out I was eating the protein closer to a 'sedentary subjects' recommendation. I intended to maximise my muscle gain through higher protein loads, giving myself every advantage. The following extract is provided for evidentiary purposes;

Based on the evidence in the literature that diets high in unrefined plant foods are associated with beneficial effects on overall health, lifespan, immune function, and cardiovascular health, such diets likely would promote improved athletic performance as well.

Athletes indeed do require a greater quantity of protein than sedentary individuals; however, the amount of protein required has been a point of confusion and disagreement among both athletes and the scientific community. Because protein may comprise 5% of the energy burned during exercise, positive nitrogen balance is needed as raw material for anabolic processes V to replace these losses and/or build additional muscle mass. Insufficient protein ingestion leads to negative nitrogen balance and insufficient recovery. An early nitrogen balance study of sedentary subjects and strength athletes revealed that for zero nitrogen balance, sedentary subjects required 0.69 gIkgj1 Idj1 and strength athletes required 1.41 gIkgj1Idj1 . This demonstrates that 1.41 gIkgj1 Idj1 represents a minimum for muscle maintenance in strength athletes (46). Some recommendations are made as a percentage of kilocalorie, some as grams of protein per kilogram body mass. A 2004 review concluded that athletes, even those in strength sports, should follow the same recommendations as the general public V approximately 12%Y15% of calories from protein, adjusting only total calories based on physical activity (37). Increasing caloric intake to meet physical activity requirements would inevitably increase the 0.8 gIkgj1 Idj1 figure that has been established for most of the population, regardless of whether the percentage of calories from protein changes. Therefore, it is not difficult to reach protein requirements with proper dietary planning, even for an athlete on an entirely vegan diet (Table 2).

A 2009 review places the ideal protein requirement for athletes between 1.4 and 2.0 gIkgj1 Idj1 (22). The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 1.0Y 1.6 gIkgj1 Idj1 for endurance athletes (depending on intensity and duration of exercise) and 1.6Y2.0 gIkgj1 Idj1 for strength athletes, compared with the 0.8 gIkgj1 Idj1 RDI for sedentary individuals. They further recommend that this protein come primarily from whole foods (3). In 2009, the Swiss Forum for Sport Nutrition designed a food pyramid for Swiss athletes taking athletes' extra energy requirements into account. By their estimates based on their review of the literature, protein intake for athletes should be 1.6Y1.9 gIkgj1 Idj1 depending on training duration and intensity. Meal plans based on these variables were tested and were able to meet energy demands of athletes in 97% of instances (30). We suggest that percentage of kilocalorie likely is the more favorable way to express athletes' protein needs, since athletes' caloric needs are related more closely to training volume than to body mass. Based on the Swiss Society for Nutrition's estimates of calorie expenditure (30) and a mid-range of proposed estimates of protein requirements from the literature, we calculated approximate kilocalorie and protein requirements for a 150-lb endurance athlete (3600 kcal, 120 g protein) and 200-lb strength athlete (4800 kcal, 160 g protein), each training 4 hIdj1 .[]

As a training strength athlete, this means 1.6-2 g per kilo per day. Basically for me at 64.5kg, around 90-120g of protein. Which as you can see from my sample diet, even on a calorie deficit is quite easily done if you desire it. For ease of this, as well as cost-efficiency, one or two rice protein shakes a day can simplify the process, especially when trying to lose weight. Keeping your protein at these levels during a cut will minimise muscle loss, and during a muscle-gain period will maximise your muscle growth.

Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Nutrition

Although working out depletes your glycogen stores to some degree, there seems to be no advantage to quick replenishment of these through a high-carb meal post-work out as is common practice unless you are massively depleting your stores twice within an 8-hour window, such as a professional athlete, or are participating in endurance sports. It turns out that meeting daily carbohydrate needs is more than sufficient and the common practice appears to have no benefits.

Parkin et al compared the immediate post-exercise ingestion of 5 high-glycemic carbohydrate meals with a 2-hour wait before beginning the recovery feedings. No significant between-group differences were seen in glycogen levels at 8 hours and 24 hours post-exercise. In further support of this point, Fox et al. saw no significant reduction in glycogen content 24 hours after depletion despite adding 165 g fat collectively to the post-exercise recovery meals and thus removing any potential advantage of high-glycemic conditions.[]

What does appear to have an anabolic affect is protein both before and after exercise.

High-quality protein dosed at 0.4–0.5 g/kg of LBM at both pre- and post-exercise is a simple, relatively fail-safe general guideline that reflects the current evidence showing a maximal acute anabolic effect of 20–40 g. For example, someone with 70 kg of LBM would consume roughly 28–35 g protein in both the pre- and post exercise meal. Exceeding this would be have minimal detriment if any, whereas significantly under-shooting or neglecting it altogether would not maximize the anabolic response. Due to the transient anabolic impact of a protein-rich meal and its potential synergy with the trained state, pre- and post-exercise meals should not be separated by more than approximately 3–4 hours.[]

I recommend this practice - though don't think of your meals in terms of protein and carbs. For example, during muscle-building (as I discuss later, for periods when I'm aiming to lose fat and am practicing caloric restriction I will train fasted);

  * Have a high protein pre-workout meal

    * This is usually my 150g of oats for breakfast, which gives me 26g of protein even before I add my ground flax seeds/chia seeds (and berries/cloves/cinnamon for antioxidants).

  * Post workout might be;

    * A rice protein shake with a bag of spinach, some antioxidant rich berries and some bananas and dates. 30+g of protein.

    * Brown rice with spinach and peas. 28g protein (depending on serving size, just keep adding peas!)

    * A bowl of some muesli and fruits with scoop rice protein with water. 30+g of protein.

Get creative - just remember to go for a meal high in antioxidants and protein.

Carbs and Why I Don't Recommend Low-Carb and Paleo

Fruits and vegetables, as well as whole foods like legumes and grains, are the most healthy foods you can eat and are loaded with phytonutrients, enzymes, fiber and vitamins and minerals that we require to be our healthiest selves. Provided you are getting enough fats and protein, what remains will naturally be made up of carbs. Over 7 kgs lost in a little over 4 months - carbs don't make you fat! Don't let your fears of carbs, protein, etc. stop you from embracing a cruelty-free, extremely healthful vegan diet. When I started my Vegan Transformation I never though I'd be 12% body fat, let alone finish at 10%.When I was cutting down, many days my carbs were as high as making up 80% of my calories. Don't let this scare you - carbs do not make you fat. If you are in a caloric deficit, the fat will come off, its that simple. The real challenge is getting all your nutrients, and this is where a whole foods, plant based vegan diet is truly your ally, and the best diet in my estimation to be used for achieving fitness and health goals.

Furthermore, Atkins-style elimination of carbs from your diet does not make you achieve your fat loss goals any quicker. Low-carb diet reasoning revolves around insulin, and that because carbs increase insulin then one should not eat carbs. The problem here is that its just not true, in fact when a slab of cow flesh and salmon fillet was compared with a large apple, a cup of oatmeal, a cup and a half of white flour pasta, it was the dead animals that caused the highest insulin response - as much insulin release as pure refined sugar in fact.[] A common reason people experiment with low carb diets is the state of ketosis - the survival state entered into when you cut carbs and force your body to rely on an inferior energy source. I can tell from experience that you that you are more likely to quit your diet because of how horrible you are feeling than see it through to the end thanks to the wonders of ketosis. And for the measly extra 200 calorie reduction this starvation state gives you, the agony is simply not worth it. Remember, this is a slow and steady wins the race type scenario, not a go all in and burn out to quickly rebound because you feel like crap scenario.

Another common low carb diet variant is the Paleo movement. If you are trying to eat as closely to what you believe cavemen ate for some reason (Paleo), please check out The University of Chicago's 'The Importance of Dietary Carbohydrate in Human Evolution'.[] Please be aware of the negative health impacts regarding the diet, especially related to heart disease, our biggest killer. In this study, young and healthy subjects were put on a Paleo diet along with a CrossFit® based, high-intensity circuit training program for 10 weeks, and LDL cholesterol actually went up, counteracting the improvements commonly seen with improved fitness and body composition.[][]

For your own long-term health and well as short term body transformation goals, a whole foods rich vegan diet should be favoured.

Carbs, Fruit and Diabetes

"Carbs cause diabetes". This excuse is used by parts of the fitness community and those who generally just want to be healthy often as an excuse to not go vegan - a diet typically high in carbs.

As this article states, "All large populations of trim, healthy people, throughout verifiable human history, have obtained the bulk of their calories from starch."[] and that high-carb diets have actually been used to treat type-2 diabetes, as also indicated in these articles.[, ] When doctors say you can eat as much fruit as you want there is no need to be cautious. There are even diabetes.org.uk articles covering the myth of not eating fruit if you have diabetes.[]

"Diabetes can be brought on by a number of factors, including old age, obesity, lack of exercise, or a genetic predisposition."[] The same article makes it clear that carbs do not cause diabetes.

Some people rejoice and use as evidence the sudden and significant weight loss experienced through carb cutting. However this is due to water loss as, the body can simply not metabolise an unlimited amount of fat, its why dieters need to be careful not to cut their calories too much. "When you consume carbohydrates, your body converts them to glycogen, which is then stored in the muscles for energy. For every gram of glycogen stored, you gain approximately 2.7 grams of water. This water retention occurs because your kidneys hold on to sodium in response to carbohydrate consumption."[]

I really don't believe our bodies are that different. In fact, I think with the exception of genetic factors, our bodies do exactly what we tell them to do. Including get diabetes, get obese etc. Fruits are the most healthful foods on the planet and you are putting yourself at great risk if you actively avoid eating them.

The Global Burden of Disease Study published in 2012, is the most comprehensive and systematic analysis of causes of death undertaken to date, involving nearly 500 researchers from more than 300 institutions in 50 countries, and starting with almost 100,000 data sources. What did the researchers find? Here in the U.S., they determined that our biggest killer was our diet. Number 1 on their list of the most important dietary risks was not eating enough fruit, responsible for an estimated 4.9 million deaths a year around the world.[, ]

Why I Don't Recommend "Raw Till 4"

There is no good evidence that a diet consisting solely of raw fruits and vegetables is superior to a vegan diet rich in whole foods.[] Quite surprisingly they have been shown to be typically deficient in energy, protein, and many important vitamins and minerals, most likely due to the volume of food needing to be eaten, the nutritional inadequacy of modern cultivated fruits, and nutrient absorption.[] Cooking food can actually boost the absorption of phytonutrients, and has shown identical nutrient absorption of beta-carotine for example between those eating a standard diet to those eating seventeen servings of carrots a day.[, ] Another common myth regarding raw food relates to the preservation of plant enzymes in our food, however since we are not plants we have no need for plant enzymes, and can instead produce all the enzymes we need to function from the protein we eat.[]

Eating a combination of raw and cooked foods appears to be the most sensible and scientifically supported recommendation.

Why I Don't (Strictly) Recommend "Intermittent Fasting"

There is some evidence to suggest benefits of IF including increased lifespan and ameliorating aging-related diseases, and there is also possibly a slight increase in the compositional fat loss amount weight loss (75% vs 90%) and muscle retention benefits also.[, , ]

However contrary to popular belief, there doesn't appear to be any weight change benefit to IF, it will not magically strip the fat from your body, except that it may force people to eat less as they have less of a window with which to consume foods.[] An important negative is that fasting of this type may actually impair power and speed in athletes.[] Furthermore and perhaps most importantly, optimal muscle growth occurs when you consume nutrient dense food regularly throughout the day.[] From my personal experience, I felt light headed, grumpy from hunger and saw a decrease in productivity after so many hours of being without food when I tried IF by not eating till early afternoon. If it works for you, great! Just don't bend over backwards for the minor benefits that may jeopardise your overall success.

What I do recommend when trying to lose fat, a strategy that that does end up inadvertently similar to IF, is that you train fasted (in the morning obviously). This forces you to push your breakfast forward a few hours, and your hunger will usually force you to have eaten your calories before nightfall.

Why I Don't Recommend Avoiding Gluten without Diagnosis

Unless you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, wheat allergy or actually have a very rare gluten sensitivity diagnosis avoiding gluten can actually decrease your quality of life.[, ] Often self-diagnosis of gluten sensitivity is actually another type of intolerance, such as lactose intolerance, or overgrowth in the bacteria of the small intestine.[] As such, if you believe this to be an issue, seek medical help before jumping to avoiding gluten as the solution to your intestinal problems.

But What About Your Blood Type?

No evidence exists to validate any health benefits of blood type diets. In a systematic medical study that screened 1415 references it was determined that "no studies that showed the health effects of ABO blood type diets were identified."[] The diet appears to be entirely made up, and is based on a belief that adherence to a specific diet according to blood type improves health and/or decreases risk of disease compared with nonadherence to the diet.[] The diet however has no scientific backing or analogy in nature. Cows for example have 11 major blood groups, and like all the other animals on the planet have a species specific diet. The species specific diet for humans being a herbivorous diet consisting of only plant foods.[]

In Summary

Your macronutrient ratio will end up something like 65% carbs: 15% protein : 20% fat - but I find it best not to have this as a focus. Just keep your fats to around 20% of your calories, avoiding saturated fats where possible and favouring sources of plant-based omega 3 and 6 (in their correct ratio, discussed below). Eat 1.6-2g of protein per kilo per day, getting a good serving of protein before (when not in a fat loss phase) and after your workout. And get the rest of your calories in nutrient dense, fiber and antioxidant-rich carbohydrates.

2.2 Micronutrients, Omega 3/6, Water and Fiber on a Vegan Diet

As if the ethical and environmental reasons alone are reasons weren't enough, the vegan diet is definitively the healthiest diet there is for primarily four important reasons;

  1. No cholesterol containing foods

The main cause of atherosclerosis (heart disease) [only occurs in herbivores, and our nations number one killer]) and Alzheimer's) - it's also free from drugs/hormones, parasites and bacteria.[][][]

  2. High fiber

Fiber is by and large the healthiest thing you can put into your body, and protects against many diseases. It is also only found in plant foods.

"A large amount of research has reported an inverse relationship between fiber consumption and the risk for coronary heart disease and several types of cancer."[][]

  3. High in antioxidants.

These are found exclusively in plants, with a host of health benefits.

"A plant-based diet protects against chronic oxidative stress-related diseases."[]

  4. High in essential vitamins and minerals

A diet high in a variety of plant food is more likely to contain all the essential vitamins and minerals. However, as I will discuss soon - "The intake of vitamin D and vitamin B12 among vegans was very low in the present study and it is lower than what has been observed in previous studies."[][]

Now although veganism is your best bet for getting your fiber, antioxidants, and (with the exception of D and B12) vitamins and minerals while avoiding cholesterol and typically trans-fat as well, I just want to touch on the best ways to ensure that all your dietary needs are being met so you can maintain optimum health.

This article will focus on the main areas I have needed to make the most effort to ensure I am hitting all my minimum requirements - a feat that less that 1% of the population currently achieves. For me these are getting;

  * Whole foods

  * Vitamin D and B12

  * High antioxidants

  * Vitamin E and a good Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio

  * Calcium Potassium Zinc Vitamin C

And minimising or eliminating;

  * Added Salt

  * Junk foods

I've put all my specific recommendations in the bullet points below to make it easier. Try and make these principles a part of your daily practice and you will be among the most elite when it comes to nutritional intake.

Water

Making sure you get enough water will ensure you are able to deliver your optimum physical and mental performance, as well as supporting kidney and cardiovascular health, gastrointestinal function, and much more.[] Although an average requirement is not generally given due to variations in activity level and climate, an adequate intake for both adult men and women seems to be close to 2.5L per day, not including variance based upon large losses during exercise or physical activity.[]

A good way to make sure your are getting enough water is to add herbal tea to a 1.25L bottle and sip throughout the day, refilling once, or have a glass or two before and after all meals.

Whole Foods for Fiber

Keep your diet high in whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, and favour where you can brown rice and other whole food plant sources over their white equivalent. These foods are also high in vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients, that is to say they provide host of disease prevention compounds. []

Supplementation of Vitamin B12 and D

Okay, so I've mentioned it a few times now and its becoming a bit of an elephant in the room. Now before anyone jumps up and exclaims "I knew it the vegan diet is deficient!!" take note;

Animal products and processed foods are typically fortified with, that is they have added to the food as a supplement, Vitamin B12 and D.

As such, vegans tend to have lower amounts of these. That said, as more and more vegan foods are fortifying their foods with B12, supplementing B12 is less of an issue.

Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin's exposure to sunlight. As it is dependent on latitude, season and time of the day, as well as requiring a fair amount of skin to be exposed, supplementation in our modern age is medically recommended regardless of dietary practices to ensure your body is getting enough of this important hormone.[]

I recommend you go out and purchase some Vitamin D oil and B12 tablets. Take the B12 once a week and the D everyday/every other day.

Or you can just not wash your food and get more sun... but it's 2016 - just take some supplements and be as healthy as possible. Personally, I like to use nutritional yeast on my pasta as a kind of vegan Parmesan - its delicious and high in B12.

High Antioxidants

Where to begin. My diet is so high in antioxidants at this point, here are some of my favorites (also happen to be the highest sources commonly available)

  * Frozen blueberries

  * Frozen cherries

  * Oregano

  * Hibiscus tea - I throw 4 bags in a liter of water, and sip throughout the day. I like the brand "Celestial", but any tea with 'Hibiscus' as the first listed on the ingredients list is great. It's also a tasty way of getting half my daily water.

  * Blackstrap molasses - a healthy sweetener high in vitamins and minerals.

  * Cloves and cinnamon - usually in my oats or a shake

  * Goji berries

  * Cacao I have yet to go get them, but apparently Indian Gooseberry (almla) is an incredibly potent antioxidant.

I also like to include turmeric, an anti-inflammatory, as much as possible, as well as 50 g of lemon juice and 30 g of (apple cider) vinegar daily.[]

Vitamin E and a good Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio.

This is a tricky one, but its worth thinking about. Its important to get your omega ratios in check, and to make sure you're getting enough omega 3. Don't worry, I'll make it easy for you;

  * Just take about 20-30 g of flax seed meal or chia seeds as you prefer daily for all your Omega 3 needs. Remember to ground your flaxseeds as the body may not digest whole flaxseed.

  * 40 g of almonds a day for all your Vitamin E needs (wheatgerm oil is an alternative source of vitamin E though it is significantly higher in saturated fat), also a source of Omega 6

Take care of your brain, heart and skin and be sure to get these in daily.

For those that care the optimal Omega 6/3 ratio is 2.3:1[]

Calcium

Two words my friend;

  * Blackstrap Molasses.

Just 50 g of this gives you half your calcium and magnesium requirements for the day. Typically, plant milks are fortified with this, but as I generally don't drink these, the molasses makes it real easy for me to meet my needs. Especially when I put it in a shake with say 200 g of kale in there - taking me to 80% of my calcium needs in one hit.

Potassium

97% of Americans are deficient in this. From the same article;

"Fruits and vegetables, especially the potato, are excellent sources of potassium and play important roles in protecting against hypertension and, perhaps, in improving bone health."[]

Unfortunately, there isn't one thing I can recommend to you that's going to give you all your daily potassium needs in one hit, though a couple glasses of coconut water give your around a third. Sticking to the above recommendation of having a diet high in fruits and veggies is your best bet. Bananas, although not the best, are typically a good source for me. Dried apricot and spinach can be good sources too.

Zinc

Especially important for men's health, "zinc deficiency in humans is now known to be an important malnutrition problem world-wide."[]

Make some of these a regular part of your diet and you should be fine. I personally cook 100g daily for some lovely porridge, and throw all sorts of lovely fruits and antioxidants in there, which gets me off to a good start. If you are otherwise worried, a zinc supplement goes a long way, especially for sexually active males. Oats Baked beans Chickpeas

Vitamin C

I started taking Vitamin C one morning after I felt a cold coming on and read that there was some evidence to suggest that high doses of vitamin C can reduce the duration.[]

The surprise was, my dry skin really cleared up only a couple days. I now take the powerful antioxidant daily after I did some research and discovered that;

"Higher intakes of dietary vitamin C have been correlated with a decreased risk of dry skin, suggesting that ascorbic acid may have effects on trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). In cell culture models, addition of vitamin C promotes the synthesis of barrier lipids, which would establish a functioning stratum corneum with low water permeability."[]

Salt

Do try and keep your salt low, or better yet, quit adding it to your foods. I find herbs such as oregano, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander or basil work even better and their health benefits are substantial.

"The World Health Organization promotes salt reduction as a best-buy strategy to reduce chronic diseases."[]

"I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men."

Leonardo da Vinci, Vitruvian Man

3 What to Eat on a Vegan Diet - Part II: Sample Diet & Meal Suggestions

3.1 Sample Diet

This is based around the previous section - the essential nutrients you require. The difference between a diet where you are trying to lose weight vs put on muscle really comes down to altering portion sizes or adding/subtracting another meal from the suggested meals in this book or another delicious and nutritious vegan recipe of your choosing. It's that simple.

All measurements are weight prior to being cooked.

Let's say we are trying to diet to lose weight, hitting 1,850 calories (500 below our maintenance of 2,350). [Your specific numbers are determined in a later chapter.]

  * Workout - (Fasted) 20 minutes of weight training = -110 calories

We now know we need to eat 1960 calories for the day.

  * Breakfast;

    * Option 1 \- RB's Porridge [931 calories / 27.5 g protein]

      * Cook 100g of quick oats with 2 glasses of water, adding frozen blueberries or cherries, or goji berries (50g). Pour into a large bowl and add;

        * A banana, or grapes, or dates, whatever fruit I feel like. (150g [less for dates and calorie dense dried fruit])

        * 40g Almond Butter

        * 20-30g Flaxseeds for Omega 3

        * 5g Cacao

        * Cinnamon and cloves or allspice for antioxidants

        * 20g of hemp seeds

        * 25g of molasses for sweetness, iron etc.

    * Option 2 \- Chocolate pancakes [925 calories / 41.5 g protein]

      * Use Orgran's No-Egg / baking powder as an egg replacement using your favourite pancake recipe. My version mixes wholewheat flour (100g), protein powder (25g), hemp seeds (20g), flaxseeds (20g) and molasses (25g).

      * Apple purée and ginger as a healthy topping, with fruit - 1 apple (180g) and prunes (40g).

  * Coffee or Protein Shake

    * Small Soy Latte [150 calories / 9 g protein]

    * OR 1 scoop of rice protein with water [97.5 calories / 21g protein]

  * Lunch;

    * Option 1 \- Pasta [589.5 / 30.4 g protein]

      * Fiber enhanced Pasta (100g) with Tempeh (100g)

      * Canned Tomato Puree (Passata) (200g)

      * Optional Additives - Oregano, Turmeric and Apple Cider Vinegar.

    * Option 2 \- Rice and Lentils (or beans) [582 calories / 25.5 g protein]

      * Red lentils (80g) simmered in boiling water for 20 minutes, add turmeric, coriander and cumin, with some lemon and garlic paste. Serve with rice (80g).

    * Option 3 \- Sandwich

      * 125g Sourdough bread (2 thin slices) [361 calories / 14.7 g protein]

      * Try to add 230 calories by adding;

        * Prunes (blended) (50g) [120 calories]

        * Margarine (5g) + Vegemite (5g) [26 calories]

        * 2 slices Vegan Cheese - [114 calories]

        * Fried tofu slices (250g) [173 calories / 20 g protein]

        * Veggie patty - [160 calories]

        * Add some salad or veggies or fruit to make the total things you're having with the bread equal around 230 calories. Basically an apple or a couple tomatoes.

  * Midday Shake;

    * Example - Kale Cherry Madness [311 calories / 25.3 g protein]

      * Kale (100 g)

      * Cherries (50 g)

      * 1 Banana

      * Cloves and cinnamon

      * 1 scoop of rice protein (optional) [97.5 calories / 21 g protein]

    * Other things to think about using when making your shakes are;

      * 50g blueberries

      * Chia seeds (10 g)

      * Molasses (25 g)

  * Dinner; Depending on what you chose, you may not have any food calories left in the bank to spend. If you do, here are some meals worth around 125 calories that will get you to your desired calories for the day.

    * 180g grapes

    * Soup - peas (80g) + corn (80g)+ 1/2 tsp vegetable stock

    * Low calorie vegetables e.g. broccoli (350g) or frozen spinach (250g) [104 calories / 8.5 g protein]

  * TOTAL = 1929 calories / 104g protein

Remember this is just a sample based off preferences! They key is to align what you are eating regularly with the principles outline in this book. If a vegan cookbook helps get you there, and you have the time for cooking more extravagant meals, then go for it. The meals provided in this book are intended to be simple, inexpensive and quick-and-easy to prepare.

Going through my diet history, I pretty much stuck to this day in, day out, for months. I've added more protein to this meal plan to make it suitable for any level of training during maintenance or putting on muscle, and to maximise muscle retention during periods of fat loss. It sounds boring, but its actually quite tasty and you grow to really enjoy after a few weeks. A couple times a week, feel free to throw in some food you like. I for example would have sweet potato fries with ketchup maybe once a week and it was a real treat! I simply incorporated it into my calories and was still on track.

3.2 Vegan Superhero Meals

A lot of the vegan sites out there tout foods so complex to make, with exotic Instagram-friendly ingredients, it's no wonder veganism has such a high rate of recidivism. The foods that make up my diet are simple and inexpensive, with minimal preparation time and high nutritional value.

Stick to simple recipes that you can make quickly and set yourself up for success. Most of these take no time at all to cook, so "I'm too busy" doesn't keep you from being ethical and healthy.

  * Once you're on top of it and want to play around, PETA has a list of simple vegan recipes that are a bit more in depth  
http://www.peta.org/recipes/

  * Also try Pinterest, Google, and Instagram - just search vegan or vegan food for some more adventurous cruelty-free recipes.

The following notes are pretty self explanatory hence the absence of recipes, but if you're adding these to your weight loss/muscle gain diet be sure to track the calories and protein with an app/website like Cron-O-Meter.

Basic Approaches to Food

  * Adapt - Whatever you enjoy eating, there is probably a vegan version online or in a vegan cookbook somewhere. Embrace the experience of learning to cook in a different way - egg substitutes, milk alternatives, cuisines that are more vegan friendly, and so on.

  * Large servings over small! - Big meal doesn't equal big calories. Eat big! The key is to include plenty of whole foods - this means loads of fruits and veggies in your meals, next adding grains and legumes, and then whatever else you desire. Favouring these big meals and making them the main thing you eat will keep your water and nutrient content of your food high, including fiber.

    * An example; a coffee and a muffin could be upwards of 600 calories, where a massive bowl of brown rice and veggies could actually be less.

  * Fruits, veggies and antioxidants in every meal - Regardless of your preferred meal size and frequency. It is also especially important to have a large serving of greens a day, not simply treating greens as a side dish, but thinking of them in much larger portions.[]

  * No Oils - I suggest not cooking with oils as a general rule, at they are quite calorically dense and nutrient poor, and water does the trick just as well. You should make this a habit.

  * Abundance \- Everything you eat has calories, don't become calorie-phobic. Calories are good, you need them to thrive. Always make sure you have some good sources of calories around, especially if you have long work hours or lead a busy lifestyle. Stock up on fruit and veggies from the best source you can, but also make sure you have ample supplies of oats, brown rice, dried fruits like dates and apricot, healthy snacks like crackers for when you are exceptionally time poor, and as counter-intuitive as it might seem, low sodium canned beans and legumes and frozen vegetables like peas and corn.

  * Pre and Post Workout Meals - Remember to have a good hit of protein and antioxidants before and after working out, so simply time your meals accordingly.

  * Familiarise - Another tip is to start to become aware of vegan friendly restaurants around you and your work, and learn to ring ahead or become familiar with common vegan options when eating out or when you find yourself in social situations. Some situations are no win however, this goes for anyone with any particular dietary requirement, and coming prepared with a back up plan in these as the world slowly turns to accommodate an ethical diet will keep you from going hungry in the interim. A bag of dried fruit, a packed sandwich, a fruit smoothie, these things go a long way in a pinch.

  * Track Intake - I am a bit extreme with tracking calories, but only when I am after extreme results. This is because in my experience, your discipline with tracking pretty much equals the results in body transformation. Eyeballing, and going off your gut feeling based on how full you are - these things work once every so often, and are important tools to have. Sometimes your body just knows what it needs and will tell you, and the more practiced you get the better you will get at listening to your body. Furthermore, there will be situations where you just wont be able to track calories and your experience in tracking your prepared food will serve you well here. But building your progress on these habits will be like building your house on sand. Get the results you want or need, and then you can enjoy the luxury of not counting calories for a while if you so desire.

  * Body Fat - Just remember to keep your body fat in a healthy range, ideally 9-12% for men, 19-22% for women. The recommended healthy body fat range for adult males is 10-22% and for females 20-32%. [][]

Antioxidants

Examined in the previous chapter, daily I include a good amount of cloves, cinnamon, cacao, blackstrap molasses, and berries. I also try to have around 30g of vinegar a day, and 50g of lemon juice, and sip my 2.5L of water with 3 Hibiscus or other herbal tea bags in there throughout the day.

Fruit & Nuts

Please don't believe the irrational fear around fruit - fruit is recommended to diabetics and in case the actual proof doesn't sway you, I am evidence it makes no difference on body fat composition, having lost 7 kg in around 4 months eating high carb.

Eat as much fruit as you like, but at least several servings per day. Preparation time - 1.5 seconds.

  * Bananas, dates and grapes are staples for me, but also berries, plums, etc.

  * Avocado

  * Nuts - Almonds, Pistachios, Walnuts - High Protein, High Fats

  * Nut Butters - High Protein, High Fat, High Calories

    * Nut Butters are perfect for those people struggling to eat enough! When desperate for hitting your calories for the day, eat these nut-butters by the spoonful and be thankful.

100% Veggie Meals

  * Flavoured to taste;

    * Soups!

      * Vegetable / Lentil soup (w spices)

      * Pumpkin sweet potato

      * Broccoli soup

      * Carrot, sweet potato and ginger

    * Veggie Bowls

      * Try incorporating caramelised onions, grilled eggplant

      * Add beans or lentils to veggie bowls when possible

    * Baked veggies

    * Homemade sweet potato or kale chips

    * Spiced Lentils - High Protein

    * Salad

    * Spinach - A 250g packet daily in a shake or at night should become a habit

    * Beans - Baked, Black

    * Tomatoes, Peas, Corn, Carrot, etc.

Shakes and Juices

For those with busy lives, that maybe aren't able to take many breaks at work or have trouble preparing food for the next day, a healthy and high calorie shake can be a life saver. Get yourself a 2L bottle from somewhere, and keep adding goodies in the blender till its full. I still go out of my way to have a nice green shake with kale/broccoli, adding even carrot and beets as well as say banana, berries and dates. If you really struggle to make your calories, add nuts, molasses, dates, heaps of fruit like bananas, even some healthy oils if you need to.

Try and stay away from juice. Stick to foods with high fiber almost exclusively, as fiber is the most protective food you can put in your body.

I also supplement when I need to with rice protein, and this makes a great addition to shakes if you have higher protein needs, for example if you are a strength athlete. I recommend jumping online and buying in bulk. At the local store, 1kg will set you back $60, vs online at say  bulknutrients.com.au where you will get the same amount and quality for a third of the price.

Cereals / Breakfast Oats

I used to make my own oat milk almost everyday which is inexpensive and delicious, and allows me to avoid the processed milks that are out there as part of my daily diet. I put the pulp in my muesli and it actually adds to the nutrition and taste.

  * Alternative Milks;

    * Soy Milk \- Bonsoy is one of the few that are actually healthy. Avoid overly processed, soy-isolate containing soy milks if possible.

    * Oat Milk

    * Rice Milk

    * Almond Milk

  * Egg Alternatives;

    * Just add 20g of chia or ground flaxseeds to 80g of boiling water!

    * Ripe bananas

    * 1 teaspoon of baking powder

    * Orgran's 'No-Egg'

  * Muesli - Beware of those packed with added sugar.

  * Weetbix

  * Cornflakes with Fruit and Nuts

  * Veggie sausages with mustard, served with toast and tomato

Soy Foods

  * Tofu / Tempeh

I sometimes have about 150g of tempeh a day, just quickly fried with some mustard on the side, for an extra 27g of protein. If I was smart, I'd have a side of chopped/frozen veggies cooked real quick too.

Rice Meals

Eat rice rather than flour meals (breads and pastas). They are too easy to digest and starve your digestive bacteria in the process.

Spice according to taste. Want Mexican? Then use some salsa mix seasoning. Indian? Stick to cumin/coriander/turmeric. Italian? Oregano and go heavy on the canned tomato. Rice with mixed veggies This is the staple, vary it up with whatever veggies you have around. Get creative! Or boring with frozen veggies such as peas and corn with some soy sauce. Whatever you like.

  * Rice with Spinach and Peas

A great post workout meal. Just season with some vegetable stock or curry powder and welcome to heaven.

  * Rice with Mushrooms and Black Rice

Cooked in the risotto style, slowly adding vegetable stock to the rice and mushrooms.

  * Brown Rice with Lentils (Dal) / Split Green Peas

Red lentils are so easy to cook. Just simmer them in boiling water for 20 minutes, add turmeric, coriander and cumin, with some lemon and garlic paste. Its beyond delicious. Serve with rice.

  * Rice with Veggies and Tofu

A nice curry, add some tofu or tempeh if you like, a bit of lemon and tomato paste I've found goes a long way. Spice to taste, or pick up those pre-made spice mixes in the international food isle.

  * Tacos / Mexican Food

Get out the avocado, salsa, red kidney beans with salsa mix, and send your senses south of the border. Tacos! Wraps! ¡Ay, caramba!

Root Meals

  * Baked Sweet Potato

Poke it with a fork and wrap it in aluminum foil.

  * Mashed Potato

Chop and boil. Takes 20 minutes or less, can use sweet potato if you prefer. Serve it with some vegan butter.

Bread Meals / Pasta

  * Salad Sandwich with veggie patty, sauces and salads

  * Pizza - With Vegan Cheese, or no cheese

  * A wrap or Lebanese bread is a nice base alternative in a pinch, go nuts with the toppings and maybe even add a bit of oil to keep it from getting too dry.

  * Breads and muffins - Favour bread from a bakery over the cheap supermarket stuff, and be sure to check the ingredients list - not all bread is vegan! Also, choose multi-grain or wholemeal.

    * Avocado on toast

    * Toast with homemade plum jam (by blending prunes) / Vegemite

    * Toast with molasses and cinnamon

  * Crackers and veggies with hummus

  * Pastas include Wholemeal, Plain, and enriched [with semolina etc.]

    * Pasta with Tomato Sauce, seasoned with basil/oregano and nutritional yeast for vitamin B12. Try adding olives or sun-dried tomatoes as a flavour boost.

    * A rustic soup with pasta thrown in - tomatoes, green beans, lentils, potatoes etc.

Sweets / Flour Based Meals / Junk Foods

Definitely sometimes foods, that doesn't mean never have them. Who cares if you throw in one or two a week, if your within your calories and the vast majority of your food is healthful, go nuts.

  * Sweets

    * Chocolate tart

    * Choc mousse

    * Chia pudding

  * Lord of the Fries - Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries with Tomato Sauce

  * Pancakes with Wholemeal Flour, and molasses instead of sugar + Fruits, Jam, Peanut Butter

  * Corn Chips / Crackers with Salsa or Hummus [moderate protein]

  * Vegan Desserts such as Banana Bread, Cookies, Dobby's Donuts etc.

Mock Foods

Often High in Protein, something you only should worry about if your diet sucks, say its all sugared drinks, these are often heavily processed and I don't eat them usually.

  * Soy Sausages

  * Veggie Burger Patties

  * Seitan Products

Hard Gainer Foods

Some people out there just have a hard time getting all these calories in. I would know, I was one of them. My advice is to for a short period of time, say 2 weeks, really make the effort to hit your calorie needs, favouring shakes as discussed above if you need to, preparing your daily food in advance and spacing out your eating. Also start to favour more calorie dense foods such as nut butters, dried fruits, and breads. Seeking to get all your calories from raw food or fruit and veggies in situations like these is often the type of extremism that holds vegans back from achieving their goals. Moderate your intake of these low-calorie, high fiber and water content foods that fill you up, and until you are able to eat more in line with the suggestions made in this section focus instead for a diet that is providing you with the nutrients you need to succeed.

Alcohol

Alcohol consumption causes "enormous morbidity and mortality worldwide" and is "one of the most serious health risks in the world".[, ]

Despite it being the most frequently consumed drug among athletes and habitual exercisers, it is linked to higher injury rates, decreased energy during workouts, a weakening of the immune system, and many other factors that could slow your results significantly.[] For the purposes of body transformation in males especially, "alcohol use is associated with low testosterone and altered levels of additional reproductive hormones" and this is true even if alcohol consumption is on one occasion or long-term.[] Testosterone plays a key role regarding muscle mass and muscle protein synthesis.[]

Like many other foods, alcohol is a poor choice in and of itself because you could be replacing the "empty" calories for alcohol you are consuming with more healthy alternatives.

Supplements and "Superfoods"

The only true supplement I take is creatine, which helps provide energy to cells,[] essentially making your stronger and able to lift more. After a loading period of 20g a day, I cut down to 3-5g daily, and find this is especially good for me as I do not train with a partner at the gym - no spotting.

If you have any weight loss products or testosterone boosters, or any other magic beans, just dig a hole in your backyard and bury them immediately. Or just throw them out. They don't work, and the ones that do have horrifying side effects. There is no short cut or magic formula needed, just follow my advice for the correct period of time and you will succeed. The only other supplements I can recommend are your daily vitamins and minerals that you feel you need to supplement to ensure you are getting enough.

Popular supplements these days include spirulina, chlorella and acai. Now although these can be great sources of nutrients, many people rely on these to counteract the affect of their poor diet overall. It is the large changes to your diet as recommended in this book that will make the difference in your health and well being, not a sprinkling of these "superfoods". If there truly is a superfood (along with cruciferous vegetables) it is fiber. The best source of fiber? Eat massive servings of whole plant foods.

Individuals with high intakes of dietary fiber appear to be at significantly lower risk for developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Increasing fiber intake lowers blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels. Increased intake of soluble fiber improves glycemia and insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic and diabetic individuals.[]

"My refusing to eat meat occasioned inconveniency, and I have been frequently chided for my singularity. But my light repast allows for greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension." Benjamin Franklin, The First American

Part II. The Vegan Superhero

4 Before We Begin...

The next few chapters will deal with how to use your diet and lifestyle to transform your body regardless of your ideal body type. I will outline how to go about mentally preparing yourself, then the specifics of losing weight and building muscle and finally detail the best strategies to achieve your ideal body for both men and women.

As I mentioned in the last chapter, a good goal to aim for it to reach an ideal body fat of 9-12% for men, 19-22% for women while having a good amount of muscle on your frame (in all the right places of course!) The recommended healthy body fat range for adult males is 10-22% and for females 20-32%, with +30% [or less than 5%] for men and +40% [or less than 15%] for women posing serious health risks. [][]

Before we get started on the hows and whys of body transformation to get you to this level, let me run you through some common mistakes that are keeping you from actually achieving your body transformation goals.

4.1 Inspiration

So often people do not set realistic goals but rely on inspiration.

Inspiration. We've all had it.

That moment when we are out and see a bus stop poster of that person with that perfect body we always wanted. Reflected in the glass is our own reflection, too flabby, too skinny, too whatever - in spite of all the years we've been working towards something better. And we say,

"Why them?! Why not me?"

And decide to join the gym the next day. Perhaps it was New Year's Eve and you make it your resolution. You buy a fitness magazine and the flashiest active wear and a ready to achieve your goal.

But you don't.

And a few months pass, and there's a new poster with a new model - same reflection in the glass though.

Let me be upfront with you. The odds of you succeeding with this strategy are not in your favour. Take a look outside, see all those people walking around? They are all thinking the same thing. Now there are degrees, of course, and some people are well on their way to achieving their goals. But everyone is working toward a change.

Inspiration is the fired shot at the beginning of the race. It gives you the impetus to start running.

However, relying on this initial psyche-up to see you through what is going to be a long haul is just silly. There is no way to sustain that kind of inspiration every second of every day. But that's the period of time you need to be on track, as all it takes is that one surrender to the mighty Doritos packet to ensure your downfall.

Inspiration is that personal trainer at the gym yelling slogans at their client that looks like they've been at it for hours and are about to have an aneurysm. People think this is what it takes to make change happen. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Exercise for weight loss and muscle gain shouldn't be soul crushingly hard. In fact, most of my workouts when cutting down only go for around 20-30 minutes and are quite mild for the most part - though I do lift heavy to be sure.

Consistency, as a good friend once told me, is key. The ringing shot of emotional inspiration will be long gone by the time you are months in. So how do you maintain consistency if you are not inspired?

Well it starts with goal setting. If you feel you already have effective goal setting techniques, feel free to jump to the next section "Being Realistic".

4.2 Goals

Priorities

Effective goal setting is an important life tool to have. It is important your life as a whole is functional and that body transformation is (able to be) a priority in order for you to get the most out of it. Let's walk through some basics of goal setting just so we know that this is something that will not ultimately derail your entire programme.

If you are unsure of what to do in your life to get "the right fruit", the right achievements, or maybe don't even know what they are or should be, this procedure can help to clear things up.

Step 1 - Define Your Current Goals

Write a list of whatever goals you have. All the things big or small in life that you are working towards or hoping to achieve - even if you don't know how to achieve them. It is very important that you be honest with yourself here, don't leave anything meaningful off because you think its stupid or selfish etc.

Step 2 - Define Your Values

Your values and archetypes help you understand why your goals are your goals, and helps you approach them in a way that serves your highest ideals. Write down all the values on this list that resonate with you. Then select only 10. Then narrow that list down to three - these are the core values with which you should start to live your life.

Step 3 - Define Your Archetypes

It doesn't matter if archetypes actually exist or not - this is a great tool to get outside of your left brain and be honest about the kind of person you really are. This step takes a bit of time, but if you're willing to put in the work it will give you a whole new understanding of why you value what you value. Check out  Carolyn Myss work on archetypes in here book Sacred Contracts or for free on her website or  my simplified and expanded take on them at thedivineriver.com to learn how to define and utilise your archetypes.

Step 4 - Align Your Goals With Your Values

If your goals aren't in line with your values, then why are you working towards them? View the two lists side by side and ask yourself if any goal is out of place. Are any of these not your but maybe your parent's for example? As always, be realistic - but don't limit yourself based on what you think you can do, this may not always be what you can actually do.

Step 5 - Expand Your Goals

Now look at your values and take some time to think of there is anything more appropriate that you could be spending your life doing. How can your actions further these values in the world? Your world?

Step 6 - Consolidate Your Goals

Get an app like Trello, our put each goal as a heading across a piece of paper, then underneath write "Goal - ..." and describe it in succinct detail in a sentence or two. If any of your goals go together, for example "I want to sing" and "I want to perform for people", group these into one (and have multiple actions).

Step 7 - Redefine Your Goals

It is time to redefine what you spend your time going after. This may mean making some goal-sacrifices so you can do less things but giving each the focus it deserves. Maybe you will have to come back to one after you have succeeded in another. I recommend no more than five total goals at any given time - and it is my experience that you can only really work on three major goals consistently. So think about what should really be on this list and commit to a new set of goals. If everything is same as when you started in Step 1, perhaps your not being courageous enough, or maybe you were already living sensibly and perfectly aligned with your values!

Step 8 - Action Your Goals

If your goals aren't actionable - that is if there are no steps you can realistically achieve with hard work alone - then they are not goals but dreams. Hopes. You can have these, why not, they can motivate you to fight harder. But you cannot expect them to happen, nor can you be disappointed when they don't. So find the steps that will take you from where you are now, to each goal. Like building a bridge from one side of a river to the next with actions. Write these actions under your headings, consolidating when necessary.

Step 9 - The Daily Grind

This is where the 'different fruits, different roots' aspect comes into it. What are you going to work on today that will get you where you want to go 100 tomorrows from now? Know how much time you can dedicate to each goal per day, and be realistic about it. If there's not much you can devote to it, then apportion your time to reflect this. If the time you can devote is almost nothing, maybe it's time to accept that you can't do everything and let go of this goal for the time being.

So now you have your goal down and have made them actionable. Hopefully your health and fitness was able to be one of your priorities! Let's get back to the task at hand and see about providing the tools to make that happen.

Being Realistic and Pacing Yourself

Pointing at the bus stop model and saying "That!" is not a good goal setting strategy. That is someone else, that is not you. That person most likely is on all sorts of drugs to look that way. They may suffer health and sexual dysfunction and never be able to go off the drugs for the rest of their lives. We don't want to be like that. We want to be heroes.

Be Realistic!

Most people underestimate the amount of fat they need to lose in order to get the body they have always wanted. I did it, I thought I was 17% when I was really closer to 22% body fat! Know that this will take time. Loads of it.

Goals are important, but you need to be realistic and have the know how to back you up.

A good way to stay realistic is to measure your body fat and focus on making progress, not on achieving nearly unattainable bodies reserved for those with elite genetics and a penchant for drug use.

Tracking

To track your progress, jump online and buy a pair of fat-calipers and a tape measure. I got mine as a set on eBay for less than $10. Then get an app like  BodyTracker, which is free on iOS (iPhones/iPads). Then measure yourself regularly. If you are in a fat loss phase, measure your body fat and weight, and if you are in a muscle building phase, measure the size of your muscles over time while tracking body fat every so often.

For those over the middle of the Normal zone, 15% body fat for men and 27% body fat for women, just use the navy method where you can simply use a tape measure and scale. For those closer to an ideal body fat percentage, start tracking with calipers and say the Parrillo method to truly have the piece of mind that what you are doing is working, and to know definitively when you diet will end.

  []

Track your results - your body fat and weight - and track your behaviour \- your food and exercise.

There are many sites online that do the same thing if you can't download an app. Seeing those numbers go down, knowing that what you are doing is working even though that image in the mirror seems to stay the same, it's invaluable. Reliable extrapolation

Once you are able to see how much weight you are losing over say a few weeks, it is fairly simple maths to figure out how long it will take for you to reach your goals.

Let's say like me you are losing 1 body fat percentage every 10.5 days. Well 105 days will see a 10% loss in body fat. There are slight variations to this, but I have found it fairly reliable regardless.

Making up a little graphic, with short term goals (I picked body fat percentages) and an image of a body type close to yours with the body fat percentage you are after, may just get you off your ass and to the gym, or keep your ass on the chair when you really just want to eat some more.

Have a look at how on point my progress was from the below motivational graphic. I achieved my goals earlier than predicted, but it was still very close to being on point. If you're savvy enough, make up a little graphic an put it as your phone wallpaper, I promise you - it will work wonders for your discipline. Take a look at mine made up months in advance, very accurate, and the bottom stats showing where I was a week before I finished my diet.

4.3 Sacrifice

"Sacrifice is at the core of being a hero." Marc Bernardin

Nothing in life is free. Life is transactional. You have decided to buy a new body. Now what model will you get? You want the half a joy want the 'half a kilo lighter' model? That one doesn't cost that much. Want the 'put on a bit of muscle and a fair bit of fat too but still not happy with it' model. Yeah, that one's a bit more expensive. The 'deluxe movie star' model just might be out of your price range. It takes a LOT of sacrifice, the only currency that body transformation accepts of course. Even if you decide to cheat and take drugs like steroids, you have potentially sacrificed your health, and perhaps even your reputation, criminal innocence and/or honesty and integrity.

Here are the sacrifices I think you should make;

Sacrifice Looking Good

Yes, I know this seems counter intuitive, but at least for me, your going to look worse before your look better. Must pass through skinny-fat to get skinny. For me, passing though skinny was the most efficient way to get fit and ripped. There will be months where you look worse than when you started. Accept this as part of the sacrifice.

Sacrifice Eating Whatever You Want

The western diet and eating habits is not conducive to health or developing an athletic appearance. Commit to weighing your food. Commit to tracking your calories, every one of them, for as long as you are dieting. If that's 6 months, well 6 months comes and goes, but your success will stay with you. Use an app like Cron-o-meter religiously, it's free online if you like, or a small fee on your phone which I recommend. Spend $4 on your body, it's well worth it.

You will start to see that eating out everyday becomes as my sister put it, 'More of a burden than a pleasure.' That food is full of salt, added oils and sugars and is made to taste good at any cost. Even 'healthy options' are often loaded with calories and low in the nutrient department. Nothing beats preparing your own food for nutrition and success.

Sacrifice Your Time and Your Effort

At the gym, preparing meals, even not feeling at your 100% best because you are calorie restricting is part of this sacrifice.

Sacrifice Being Liked by People.

This means fitting in at lunch, being told your too thin and you should stop dieting, having your dietary choices questioned, your social life impacted and so on.

You may have to sacrifice that feeling of having a full frame of muscle that can strongly affect you psychologically. This isn't even ego, I believe it to be largely physiological - a feeling of abundance, and maybe even more significantly, an absence of the physical and corresponding mental stress of famine. There may even be times you have to sacrifice the peace of your bed, when the nights have been long and hungry for months, and you know you are not truly at your best mentally, productively, or otherwise.

Most importantly...

Sacrifice Your Hunger!

Your hunger means what you are doing is working. It is as someone once told me - the fire that burns the fat. Feel your success nibble away at you, in the moments before you fall asleep, and know you are sacrificing for success.

4.4 Motivation

Why do you sacrifice? Why should you achieve your goal? The answer is by far the most important force that will help you stay on track - next to good information and know-how of course.

For me, a big part of this was doing it for veganism. I wanted to be an example to everyone that sees me, dispelling myths about not being able to eat carbs and lose weight/be ripped, not getting enough protein, not being able to build muscle and all the other misinformation that's out there. When my inspiration struck, I thought "I think I can do it. I finally know how to do it." 4 months and 8 kg later and here I am, well on track to achieving my goal.

I think about the world, and how there is so much unnecessary suffering and those enduring it, and I am motivated to continue my transformation.

There are little things that can keep you motivated;

Be honest about your motivations

Is it your health? If so, what does having ripped six-pack abs have to do with health? I'll tell you - nothing. Be honest about your vanity and don't cloud your reasons. Doing this will be your downfall, as it is your motivation in the dark hours of the most miserable nights that you will hold on to. Make it important. Success is the best motivator, so keep tracking your results and everything else!

4.5 Moderation

There is a different between discipline and extremism. And that difference is patience. Know there are no short cuts. Know this will go on a lot longer than you would like, and it's going to impact your life and well-being (at least in some ways) in a negative way.

Knowing this gives you the patience required to have discipline and be moderate. This means no you don't go to the gym every day for an hour or two trying to get the amount of calories you burned today even lower. It means you don't starve yourself by dropping your calories any more than 500-600 below maintenance in the effort to get there EVEN SOONER. This kind of behaviour won't get you there faster. It gets you there never. Moderation and consistency, not extremism and self-torture.

I want to add to this by saying that if you have achieved your goal and are still not happy with it, take a break. When I reached 10% body fat, all I wanted to do was keep going to get to 7%. In fact, I changed my goal a couple weeks out to 7% (thank goodness I had the common sense to not follow through with it).

Signs you should take a break are that you have been going for more than a 2-3 months and are changing your goals before achieving them. Achieve your goal, take a break by staying on maintenance or switching to a muscle-building phase.

You may find you are dropping your calories really low because you just want the diet to be over quicker, or aren't eating maintenance every 4th day. Your face my really start to look pallid, and your body will seem weak and frail - even if it is laced with muscle! You may miss any muscles that you lost during the cut, or just the fullness that your muscles have when you are not cutting. Social situations are depressing, and you miss feeling powerful and strong, and having mental and emotional energy. Maybe your relationships are starting to seriously suffer because of your dieter's fatigue. These are signs that you've had enough. Stop, and recover your mental and hormonal health/metabolic damage, then continue when the time is right.

Take a break, reach your goal, take another break, onto the new goal!

So you don't have a six-pack, thigh gap, or whatever other goal you were chasing just yet. Maybe you have a very good reason for getting these things, like say, you want to be a vegan role model and show what is possible on a vegan diet. Even so, be moderate, and be healthy. This is a long game not a sprint as the supplement companies would have you believe.

Also, sometimes life must take priority. Say you have a big project due, or photo shoot, or gig in a couple months. It's probably going to make sense that during this time you give yourself the opportunity to succeed by removing the draining mental obstacle of dieting during this period - sticking to maintenance instead.

4.6 Final Thoughts on Mental Prep

I'll end with this. I really hope you achieve your body transformation goal. I hope you are doing it for a good reason, and you better be doing it vegan or I'll be pissed off at you for killing all those animals in the process. That is a sacrifice you do not have the authority to make.

I want you to know this is a mental game. It is a game of wills. All the "Hardcore/Maximum Gainz/Get Shredded" protein powder and CrossFit® classes in the world are not going to give you what it takes if you don't have the will. Your body and mind will be literally fighting you to stop what you are doing and just eat and go back to how you looked before. This is called homeostasis. For me, the agony was torturous and near-constant until I got below 15% body fat. Then it was if my body got in line. It was a mental barrier. Quite possibly tied to emotional and psychological habits. It takes will power to break the barrier.

If you try and try and fail at this, maybe its time to take some time away from trying and work on developing your will power and self control. Be patient, and play the long game.

"Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn! You bury it in the ground, and it explodes into an oak! Bury a sheep, and nothing happens but decay." George Bernard Shaw, Shawshank

5 Vegan Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

If body transformation is not part of your goals as someone eating a vegan diet or as an athlete, by all means skip this chapter entirely.

Most people now days however, given the rates of obesity, are in need of body recomposition, typically weight loss. The good news? Bodies do exactly what you tell them - if your fat, skinny whatever, it's because of this principle. You just have to speak the right language, to get the right result. This chapter is about how to speak that language. Your body has responded to what you told it to do up until now, through your food and exercise habits. Now its time to tell it to do something else.

5.1 Sleep

The importance of sleep cannot be overstated, as poor sleepers are associated with a higher BMI and lower performance of physical fitness including having lower levels of muscular endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness.[, ] Think of sleep as the time in which all the efforts you made during the day get converted into results through your body having a chance to make all those chemical changes that will transform you, and aim to get at least 7 hours of quality sleep a night.

Good tips to improve quality of sleep include;

  * Listening to classical music[]

  * Meditating[]

  * Using aromatherapy[]

5.2 Typical Fat Loss / Muscle Gain / Maintenance

These are the easy options for people who do not wish to track their calories and activity. It is pretty simple:

  * Fat loss = Eat a little less, exercise a little more.

    * Go to bed a little hungry, but not starving.

  * Muscle gain = Eat till your not hungry, exercise for hypertrophy (muscle gain).

    * Go to bed not craving any more food.

  * Maintenance = Eat till your not hungry.

    * Go to bed not craving any more food.

Sound too good to be true? Well, in fact in a way it is.

Unfortunately for us, our bodies typically favour "homeostasis". Your body wants its composition to stay exactly where it is, where it perceives it as most stable. This translates to it not wanting to burn any fat, and keeping the muscle on your body - which takes daily energy to maintain and is therefore an expense - to the bare minimum to perform its daily tasks. This is not a problem in and of itself. The problem is that of body's 'set point'.

There is evidence for the idea that there is biological (active) control of body weight at a given set point....Regulation may be lost or camouflaged by Western diets, suggesting that the failure of biological control is due mainly to external factors. In this situation, the body's 'set point' (i.e., a constant 'body-inherent' weight regulated by a proportional feedback control system) is replaced by various 'settling points' that are influenced by energy and macronutrient intake in order for the body to achieve a zero energy balance.

In a world of abundance, a prudent lifestyle and thus cognitive control are preconditions of effective biological control and a stable body weight....

On a daily balance, excess weight gain is a failure in the fine tuning of energy balance, and obesity results from a chronic (but small) positive energy balance. The so-called energy gap (i.e., the daily imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure, resulting in excess weight gain) is about 50-150 kcal/day (0.2 to 0.6 MJ/day) only (corresponding to 5% of daily energy intake).[]

As you can see, the body's regulation of energy intake (food) and energy expenditure (daily activity + the energy your body need to stay functional) is not precise. The difference is not going "off your diet" and going nuts at a fast food restaurant, or eating too much bread etc.. It comes down to minute errors in your body's ability to self regulate - a couple more mouth fulls of your healthy lunch. Over time this error leads to obesity as the "biological 'brakes' are considered to be weak and do not really operate within an obesity-promoting environment."[]

What can you do about it?

I suggest you try the typical fat loss/muscle gain procedure any way! (It's pretty simple). If that doesn't work for you, or want to go straight to the big guns because you are serious about committing to making a change in your body for the better, "Superhero Body Recomposition" is the answer.

Typical Fat Loss for Men and Women (Revealing Your Shape or Getting Ripped)

Most people can lose a lot of weight without even counting calories by simply;

  * Drinking more water (good for all of us)

  * Increasing their activity level (including or exclusively lifting heavy weights to maintain muscle mass [See Training Chapter])

  * Eating high fiber meals

  * Cutting out meat and dairy (highly calorically dense, insulinogenic and associated with weight gain even when accounting for calories)

Doing this also implies eating more fruit and vegetables instead, natures most nutrient dense healthful foods with no cholesterol, high in antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Typical Muscle Gain for Men and Women (Building Shape - Getting Toned or Muscular)

The vegan diet is ample for putting on size and strength. Applying the same principles involved in the typical fat loss, also;

  * Cause muscle hypertrophy by using body weight or weight lifting techniques [See Training Chapter]

  * Eat until you are satisfied

5.3 Superhero Body Recomposition

If it is more reliable results you are after, a more elite level weight loss or weight gain, this approach gets you there quicker and more efficiently. Simply apply the following principles;

  * Approach body recomposition in phases;

    * This means spending some periods in a Staggered Dieting phase, and some periods in a Slight Surplus phase (see below).

  * Track all food you put in your mouth, track your workouts and track your body fat/muscle gain.

  * Workout with weights [See Training Chapter]

  * Manipulate your calories to get the desired effect.

If you have decided to make the sacrifice to get the body you always wanted, there are a few things you need to be prepared for;

* Mental fatigue and lack of energy are a reality, and when you are at it long enough - lack of sex drive. Because of this, you may not want to go out or do anything social during your cutting. Just take a look at the Minnesota Starvation Experiment that shows that cutting can be depressing. Weariness can become a constant to the point where you may not feeling like your regular happy social self in social situations.[][]
* You might feel a lot worse before you get better, but what's even more unfortunate is you might look it too. Glycogen depletion and hormonal difficulties etc. may have a negative effect on your appearance short term.

* Furthermore, I would like to add precautions for those with depression and mental illness like anxiety as the diet can exacerbate these - so perhaps consider going slow and taking breaks often.

The good news is - it's temporary! Commit and know it will be over in a few months. And take breaks every few months of course.

But brace yourself, set goals, and don't stop till you reach them - or why set them in the first place. If you've set it as a priority, then don't stop till you reach it.

Know your body and mind will be convincing you - not always - but some nights, when things are hard and you appear to have lost everything because of this stupid diet of yours. So keep to your goals, remember why you are fighting, and be realistic and tenacious.

Don't worry, once it's done - you bounce back so quick it's not funny. Within days, less even, as the last day of your diet it's like your brain knows it can stop fighting you. But hold on and don't stop till you see the body fat percentage you were after in the selfie on the screen in front of you.

Calories

Sometimes discipline is required with regard to eating. Some people would call that a diet, and avoid it at all costs! But this is the same principle we use in all other areas of our lives - time, money, relationships, etc. The key is in finding balance, and this is assisted by knowing where you stand.

There is a stigma in society regarding calorie counting. Lumped in with fad diet trends and extremism concerning people's relationship to food, the stigma is contrary to both what we know about homeostasis and the body's 'set point'[95], as well our food abundance and reduced physical activity "leading to the development of a constellation of disorders, including central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension (metabolic syndrome)."[91]

Contrary to pleas to "think of the children" when it comes to restricting calories, fears of eating disorders and damaging the body, there are tangible benefits beyond simply weight loss when it comes to losing calories. These profound and numerous benefits include extending lifespan/retarding the aging process, improving insulin sensitivity, reducing fasting glucose and insulin concentration, reducing metabolic rate and oxidative damage, improving markers of age-related diseases such as insulin resistance for diabetes, and has been shown to alter neuroendocrine activities in animals. [91] Restricting calories "can also oppose many age-associated pathophysiological changes, including learning and behavior changes, plasma insulin concentrations, and resting energy expenditure."[91]

If people were to treat their finances the same way that they treat their "calorie bank", the amount of calories they can eat in a day without having a negative affect on their bodies, I think it would be safe to assume that everyone would be broke. Tracking your calories, like tracking your weekly budget, is simply prudent account keeping. And once you make it a habit, you barely have to think about doing it. It guarantees by the end of the week your body is right where you want it to be, a little more fit, a little stronger, or even just exactly where you started - but not weighed down by the debt of excess fat thanks to your irresponsible calorie spending.

Until we find a way to solve the problem of the body's 'set point', calorie counting could be the one of the best tools we have to treat our bodies kinder.[95],

In order to manipulate your calories, you need to know your daily calorie requirement (maintenance calories) - what your body needs to stay the same weight.

10 – 18 years old

Men - 17.5 x W + 651

Women - 12.2 x W + 746

19 – 30 years old

Men - 15.3 x W + 679

Women - 14.7 x W + 496

31 – 60 years old

Men - 11.6 x W + 879

Women - 8.7 x W + 829[46]

Where W is your weight in kilograms.

Now we multiply this according to your daily energy use. This is a one-time thing, no need to do this every day, it's just an estimate of how active you are generally as a person. Don't include your exercise/sport in this unless that's what you do for a living, we track exercise separately to this.

Take the number you calculated and times it by;

  * 1.2 - Very Sedentary (bed bound, chair bound)

  * 1.4 - Sedentary work and no strenuous leisure activity (office worker)

  * 1.6 - Mostly sedentary work and little or no strenuous leisure activity (students, lab assistants, drivers)

  * 1.8 - Moderately active work, predominantly standing or walking (waiters, shop assistant, teachers)

  * 2.0 - Heavy activity (trades person, or high performance athletes)

  * 2.2 - Significantly active (with your occupation and added strenuous exercise)

For most of us, its going to be around 1.45. I've found this to be true for me, as someone who just really uses the computer and walks places now and again when I'm not exercising.

Congratulations - this is your "maintenance calories".

N.B. Although there are some discrepancies as to what individuals of similar BMIs have as their caloric requirements, this is likely going to be very close unless you are an outlier (which by definition is unlikely), in which case your changes in weight and body fat over the period of a month will help you determine what your caloric needs are.

How to Change Your Calories to Reach Your Goals

So you know how many calories you need to stay exactly the same weight. Shazam! Now all that remains is subjecting this number to the superpower of thermodynamics by controlling and monitoring your food and exercise. Your best bet to do this is an app like Cron-O-Meter which also is accessible over the web via their website 'cronometer.com'.

  * The numeric recommendations are within 50 calories. That is, if you are supposed to eat 2800 calories today and you eat 2750, or even 2850, that's completely acceptable. Any more or less, whether you're bulking or cutting (potentially not so much for recomping) you are just cheating yourself.

If you are trying to put on muscle - Slight Surplus

  * Maintenance calories plus 200-300 calories daily. (+500 is the upper limit, will result in more significant fat gain and may not yeild any extra muscle gain)

    * 1 kilogram of muscle gain every 2 months. (This slows down over years the closer you get to your genetic potential [around 25 FFMI])[63]

      * This amount of muscle gain appears to be all the human body can naturally build.[64][63] Do not attempt to eat loads of food, fatty foods or otherwise, in an attempt to make your weight gain occur any faster. This may not sound like much, but on a body with low body fat an extra kilogram of muscle looks incredible. Don't "dirty bulk", consuming far above your caloric requirements, as all that does is put on fat that you will have to lose - and it doesn't change human physiological restrictions. This goes for men and women that have suffered a misadventure and are looking to return to a healthy weight.

        * The only time you should ever do this is if your body fat has for whatever reason dropped to <5% for men or <15% for women. For everyone else, be consistent and be patient.

      * 250 calories above maintenance seems to be the sweet spot. I have serious doubts if eating any more has any significant value to lean muscle gain. As a natural bodybuilder you can only, at best, put on around 115 calories of muscle per day - though there is a lot of "broscience" surrounding this figure including charts from Lyle McDonald and Alan Aragon that typically suggest a potential in line with my recommendation. If you believe you can put on more without drugs, congratulations, you are in the genetic elite or really must be a superhero. 250 calorie surplus is often recommended over the 115 that is strictly in line with this theory on the subject as all bodies have different and largely immeasurable caloric needs, and you can't control where the calories of your excess end up.

If you are trying to lose fat - Staggered Dieting

The "Staggered Dieting" principle is one of the foundations of making caloric restriction actually livable. In my experience, dieting three or four days in a row then taking one day to eat at maintenance makes a massive difference on mitigating the negative psycological affects of caloric restriction. I have tried "dieting" many times in the past and crashed and burned every time. Staggered dieting allowed me to actually continue to the point where I could lose a substancial amount of body fat. It seems to stave off the body's "starvation-mode" mechanism, at least for a few months - after which a well and proper break is required. It is, as far as I'm concerned, regardless of how urgent your fat loss is, an absolute must to ensuring the success of your dieting and should not be broken for any reason.

  * Maintenance calories minus 500 calories, 3 days in a row, then on the 4th day eat a day at maintenance calories.

    * This equals 1 kg fat loss every 20 days.[69]

      * Also, make this bigger eating day your biggest training day.

        * I don't recommend dieting this way for any more than three, maximum four, months at a time. After this, give your body a couple weeks to a couple months off at least, eating at maintenance until you recover from any metabolic damage, usually a couple weeks, then maybe spending some time building muscle (see above).

        * Once you reach a fairly lean and muscular body, every 2-3 weeks switch between putting on muscle and losing fat as desired based on your new goal.

If you are trying to recomp (do both at the same time)

  * Maintenance calories minus 500 calories, 3 days in a row, then on the 4th day eat 1700 extra calories above maintenance eating;

    * Very high carbs and low fats (less than 30g of fat)

    * Unfortunately, I couldn't find academic resources that support this strategy, so take it with a grain of salt. It is based of Jason Blaha's YouTube video "Body Recomposition Basics Part 1 Nutrition Tips".[79] I include it here in spite of the lack of evidence I can find as it seemed to work for me when I experimented with it.

If you are wanting to stay exactly the same

  * Maintenance calories

    * This will likely result in some body recomposition if you are eating better and exercising, in the form of lowered body fat and increased lean muscle mass.

Important Notes

  * These amounts do not include exercise.

    * Use an app like cron-o-meter to figure calories burned out, or see below for some number to subtract from your maintenance calories.

      * For example if you are supposed to eat 1800 calories in that day and you work out to burn 200 calories, you will actually need to eat 2000 calories that day to be doing this diet correctly.

    * If you have been dieting for over a couple months, give yourself two weeks eating at maintenance before you start eating to build muscle. This is to allow your metabolism to recover from the (temporary) "damage" you have done to it by dieting.[134]

Activity \- KCal / hour;

  * Aerobics (high intensity) - 520

  * Aerobics (low intensity) - 400

  * Cycling (16 km / hour) - 385

  * Cycling (9 km / hour) - 250

  * Running (6 min / mile) - 1000

  * Running (10 min / mile) - 600

  * Squash - 615

  * Swimming (vigorous) - 630

  * Weight training - 270 to 450

5.4 Be Patient

Please be advised against deviating from the above figures. We all want results fast. But the serum formula here is;

  * Dedication + Self Control + Patience = Success.

Want to speed up the process by dropping down 1000 calories instead of my recommended 500? You will fail. Want to skip the 4th recuperation day and just diet all the way like an impatient fool? You will fail.

These principles are really at the max of what your body can do. If you start to go lower, or miss recoup days, your body and mind will go out of their way to make you feel miserable constantly (starvation mode/metabolism slow down), you will lose "muscle tone" and look awful even if you do lose weight, though realistically you will simply abandon your diet before your goal is reached and for all your pain will have accomplished nothing. Be patient and disciplined.

Some good workouts for most people as well as those listed above include;

  * Cardio - Athletics, Dancing, Swimming, Sports

  * Muscle / Strength - Calisthenics, Weight Lifting

  * Flexibility and Circulation - Yoga, Stretching, Pilates

5.5 Should You Build Muscle or Lose Fat?

I don't recommend building muscle until you have dieted to what is considered lean (around <9-11% body fat for men, and around 20-25% [depending on age] for women).

Beyond even the health benefits that I have discussed earlier, this is because if you're just starting out and you think you can maybe spend a few months putting on muscle and then will diet - you will likely lose (unless dangerous steroids are involved) a fair bit if not all of the muscle you have during the course of your diet, especially if it goes for a long length of time. Muscle gain, even more so than fat gain for which the principle is also true, takes time.

The body, even if you never miss a weights day on your diet, will start to cut into your muscles for energy. That said, if you've already been training for a few years, don't worry, you will lose muscle but not all of it, especially if you train trying to keep the same heaviness and rep range for as long as possible till you are forced to drop it over the weeks and months.

5.6 Picture Journal of My Vegan Body Transformation

It was always a mystery to me how the body looks at different body fat percentages. Hopefully this series of photos will give you some perspective as to what is realistic and achievable with relation to different time frames, and shows you that even though nothing looks like its happening for a while, eventually things just kick in to where you want them to be.

Picture 1 - Week 0 (22% Body Fat 72.2 kg)

Picture 2 - Week 1 (minimal fat loss)

Picture 3 \- Week 5 (2 kg fat loss - 19.5% body fat)

Picture 4 - Week 9 (4 kg fat loss - 17% body fat)

Picture 5 - Week 14 (6 kg fat loss - 14% body fat)

Picture 6 - Week 18 (7 kg fat loss - 12% body fat)

Picture 7 (Final) - End of Week 20 (Apx. 8 kg fat loss - 10% body fat)

"For as long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." Pythagoras, Hypotenoose

6 Training

Let me preface this section by advising you ensure you perform the routines with excellent form. If you need to get a personal training session to do so, then that's what you should do. This isn't about going so hard you are busting veins in your head either. As you will see, it is consistency that will get you there. Just beware of the phoney programs that personal trainers will get you to do - if ever anyone tells you to do a "back day", back away. Those kind of routines only work for people on performance enhancing drugs.

If your ready to build muscle, you need to stimulate muscle growth. We must progressively overload the muscles we want to grow, optimally by adding weight progressively over time as we get stronger, and also time under tension - practised typically by doing more repetitions of the exercise. Whether you do weights or calisthenics you should apply this principle. If you're not lifting more than you were two weeks ago you've not put on any muscle. Check your diet and make sure you are training according to the principles outlined below, mainly training to the point where you cannot keep going with good form and posture. Do not swing your body or the weights, this isn't caber tossing.

Other important tips to getting the most out of your training include;

  * Regular stretching - Try some physical yoga or dance stretches. There is no need to stretch before, during or after your workout however as this tends to cause decreases in strength.

  * Posture - Maintaining good posture is imperative to good form in the gym and getting results, and can also have a wealth of positive emotional affects - so stand tall![145, 126] If like me you spend a lot of time in front of a computer, I recommend investing in a kneeling chair, as "...ergonomically designed kneeling chairs set at +20 degrees inclination do maintain standing lumbar curvature to a greater extent than sitting on a standard computer chair with an overall mean difference of 7.633 degrees."[75]

  * If your gym has a sauna, make the most of it. Among other possible benefits like potential skin benefits, sauna bathing has been shown to reduce risk of cardio vascular disease and all cause mortality.[138]

  * Be sure to maintain hydration as dehydration can affect exercise performance.[54]

Women vs Men

Women and men may have different priorities as far as muscle gain and body recomposition. Some may be after a large buttocks, and others want a massive chest. The key here is not to avoid training some muscle groups, but to train all your muscles until you are happy with their size or "tone" and simply not continue adding any more weight to that area of your routine. It may help to add more exercises to the muscles you are interested in, but I recommend adding no more than one more per muscle group.

It important to point out that women performing strength training will not turn into She-Hulks, the type of aesthetic found among female bodybuilders and CrossFit®ers is due largely to drug use and hormone supplementation. Women respond just as well to building muscle as men, naturally have higher levels of body fat giving a softer look, and a strong and healthy musculature is very attractive for all genders.[65]

The recommended calistenic and weight lifting routines cover the major muscle groups of the human body and is ample for building and maintaining muscle in the development of any desired body type.

6.1 Alternatives to Hypertrophy Based Fat-Loss and Muscle Gain

Common feminine body goals include;

  * A flat stomach / thigh gap

    * Solution; Drop body fat percentage to lean levels

  * Toned arms etc.

    * Solution; Drop body fat percentage to lean levels and build muscle

      * These are two separate goals with separate strategies and should be approached as such, see the next couple chapters.

      * Toned Muscles - The truth is, your muscles are already "shredded" so to speak, they are simply concealed by the body fat your body is storing over them. So you must both lose body fat and build or hold on to your muscles to be toned. It's that simple. Both men and women make the mistake of lifting light weights with more reps to get "toned", but as I will discuss this is highly ineffective and actually counter-productive.

  * Round booty and curvy legs

    * Build muscle in the lower body

The principles outlined in this and the following chapter provide ample solutions to achieving these goals.

Some common poor body transformation strategies among women are;

  * Lifting Lighter Weights

    * Muscle Loss - This results in looking less toned overall and ultimately having unfavourable proportions - such as a flat bum, having no curves and boney arms. Your body has a use it or lose it philosophy when it comes to muscle, so you must assure your body it needs to have muscles that are as big as you want them. By lifting lighter weights, you are not telling your body that it needs to hold on to the muscle it has and so it will get used as fuel if you are at a caloric deficit.

    * No Muscle Gain - The whole point of lifting weights is to trigger hypertrophy, the mechanism with which your body decides to build more muscle. Training with low weights that you can comfortably perform 20+ reps per set and keep going means you are not effectively engaging your muscles to trigger hypertrophy. Essentially, although you are burning some calories, you are otherwise wasting your time and will not be building or telling your muscles to hold on to their muscles.

  * Spin classes / Aerobics-style classes / HIIT cardio

    * These are great for cardiovascular fitness. However as I'll discuss relying on that is not the best strategies to achieve your goals effectively.

    * If you're trying to lose weight and your calories are in a deficit through exercise or diet, then any muscle gains you are hoping to achieve through these classes will not happen. They are also as I have discussed and ineffective mechanism to promote muscle gain.

    * HIIT - as you remember from earlier in the book relying on an afterburn effect to burn calories is ineffective and without strength training will result in muscle loss (looking less "toned").

6.2 No Cardio?

I don't think enough research has been done on the importance of aerobic exercise, a.k.a "cardio", on a vegan diet with varied activity levels. As such I will present some arguments for and against and let you make up your own mind as to what works best for you.

Reasoning For Cardio

I like to occasionally indulge in cardio during muscle building phases, as there are psychological and health benefits to be gained, and a little extra time spend bulking is not a dreary as a few more days spent cutting. I don't consider myself a bodybuilder by any stretch of the imagination, and as I am advocating these principles from a holistic perspective, competitive level muscle gain isn't important to me. If it is for you, perhaps as counter intuitive as it is, consider limiting your cardio on a vegan diet especially when trying to lose fat.

High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise (HIIE) also known as HIIT is a popular form of cardio, and is known to increase your VO2 max, or your maximum rate of oxygen consumption, something that reflects the aerobic physical fitness of the individual.[43] An example of HIIT is when an individual would perform 6-10 cycles of sprinting, skipping, cycling etc at a fairly high output level for 60 seconds each cycle. This makes cardio of this kind ideal for when fitness is a priority. It may not be ideal to coincide this fitness priority within a fat loss priority, as I discuss below.

I would argue however that weights training, especially in the higher rep range, is already fairly similar to HIIT cardio and may yield identical effects. There is also some evidence to suggest that improved insulin sensitivity, appetite suppression and fat loss may make it a useful tool for those interested in fitness.[137] Anyone performing HIIT for the mythical afterburn however, the "Elevated Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption" that will provide you with maybe 50 more calories burned for every 20 minutes of exercise over its solid-state cardio counterpart, needs to reevaluate the evidence.

For the effort however, and restrictions in how long this exercise can be performed, as well as the stress it causes on your body and therefore the greater risk of injury, HIIT is just not worth it practically speaking.[89][45]

A great option for cardio can be solid state cardio, such as walking at a steady pace every morning for an hour before meals. Even this low intensity workout however can cause joint pain etc. and although the fresh air and alone time can be psychologically very beneficial, it can take its toll after a while.

Reasoning Against Cardio

Personally, I like to refrain from cardio during cutting. Staying in the caloric deficit sweet spot of 500 calories or so can become difficult when you throw cardio into the mix, whose caloric expenditure can be hard to track. By inadvertantly dropping your calories lower than this, you risk many of the negative psycological and physiological affects that come along with it that can make it very difficult for you to continue dieting. Dieting shouldn't be any harder than it needs to be, it lasts a long time and focusing on well-being over urgency will likely get you your goal as opposed to just crashing out.

Whether losing fat or building muscle, I prefer to no do cardio on top of my already strenuous weight lifting program that provides ample physical activity to promote health.[56] As I have stated earlier, I got my results without cardio, and personally believe - something that has been reaffirmed by others, albeit anecdotally, since - that the psychological strain of cutting and doing cardio can make finishing your diet at an elite level body fat percentage near impossible.

Veganism has been shown to reverse heart disease,[128] and sedentary vegans were shown to have better arterial health (0.56mm [carotid intima-media thickness]) than non-vegans (0.74mm), including even endurance runners (0.63mm).[67] and these are some other reasons why I avoided cardio while cutting - I didn't think it was necessary.

There are very clear health benefits to aerobic exercise, that are "probably because of positive effects on blood lipid levels and blood pressure",[103] something a healthy vegan diet already provides ample support for. More so than these benefits, as exercise is thought to increase oxidative stress,[44] and it is unclear how harmful subjecting the body to more oxidative stress through increased cardio would be.

Although much has been uncovered regarding oxidative stress and exercise, it is currently unclear as to whether exercise-induced RONS production and subsequent oxidative damage represents a necessary or detrimental stimuli to physiological function that should be utilized or minimized, respectively.[85]

Simply avoiding cardio makes for a much smoother ride, thanks to the reduction of stress and the ability to more easily track energy expenditure, and therefore leads to more definitive success. If this isn't that important to you, or the benefits of cardio are more important to you and your lifestyle, by all means include it as part of your routine.

6.3 Calisthenics - What I did then

Please read below, weight training, for more principles that can similarly be applied to this body weight exercise routine.

  * Chin ups for back and biceps (weighted when possible)

  * Push-ups/dips for chest and triceps (weighted when possible)

  * Squats/jumping squats/lunges for legs (weighted when possible)

  * Leg raises for abs (crunches if you prefer)

Typically 3-5 sets of 12 repetitions, all exercises performed every other day.

6.4 Weight Training - What I do now

Notes on Weight Training

Weight training is something you should do if you are serious about muscle gain or have gotten great results from calisthenics for a year. It's a little more complex but very effective.

Be sure to receive correct instruction on the performance of these exercises. For descriptions and graphics of the various exercises listed here, head to https://www.jefit.com/exercises/ or  download the app to your iPhone or iPad. You can make up your own workouts (based off my recommendations below) and track your results quite easily this way.

Some key pointers to remember are;

  * Focus on excellent form.

    * Don't swing the weight. Know what body part is being used in each exercise. The muscle your working should start the exercise - it's not a swing ramping up into the movement. Start from the starting position and make the muscle you are working push or pull the weight and exercise

    * Support with the abs and don't put pressure on your back.

    * If you can't perform with a full range of motion, or if you're swinging or using bad form, drop the weight and perform the exercise properly.

    * Don't rush to lift more - when you're stronger and have built the muscle, the weight you lifted will be way too easy and you'll need to increase it.

  * Rep range;

    * Warm up set

    * Lift as heavy as possible for a set of around 6-10 reps.

    * Then 2 sets at 75% of this for around 12-14 reps.

This graphic courtesy of strengtheory.com shows there is no difference in hypertrophy based on rep ranges. I like to have a fairly strong first set for the strength effect however.

  [121]

  * How much weight?

    * This will be determined by the rep range is indicated above. When you can easy go several over the number you have set, add more weight for the next work out.

    * Alternatively, you can do more sets - though this can be problematic for beginners who may be performing the exercise way under what is required for hypertrophy.

Fat-Loss Weight Training

I prefer 2-3 days on during which I work my whole body, 1-2 days off. Training is also performed fasted if possible to maximise fat loss \- so its the best idea to go to the gym first thing in the morning.

Recommended Routine

  * Warm up sets

    * 1 or 2 x 12-16 (50% of the weight you will lift next set)

  * Sets

    * Lift as heavy as possible for a set of around 6-10 reps. Then 2 sets at 75% of this for around 12-14 reps.

      * When I'm able to lift more than 10 reps on the action set (1st set), I increase the weight the next workout

Routine

  * Run/cardio machine for 5 minutes at 10 km/hr to warm up.

  * Day 1

    * Chest - Bench Machine

    * Triceps - One hand overhead cable

    * Abs - Ab Machine, Hanging Leg Raises.

Note - Day 1 is also my diet recoup day where I eat maintenance calories.

  * Day 2

    * Bicep - Bicep Barbell Curls

    * Back - Pulldowns

    * Shoulders;

      * Dumbell Shrugs

      * Lateral Cable Raises

      * Front Cable Raises

      * Rear Cable Raises

  * Day 3

    * Legs - Deadlifts, Leg curls, leg extensions, calf raises.

      * Kettleball swings and cable pull-throughs are my deadlift/squat alternative.

  * Day 4 is a rest day.

Muscle Gain Weight Training

Things get a little more intense when you have to build muscle. This is because as a natural lifter your body only builds muscle for 48 hours after your workout. So to maximise gain, you want to keep your muscles growing by training them every 48 hours (2 days). Muscle protein synthesis, the development of new muscle tissue, only lasts a day or two after your workout regardless of how hard you worked out or how long you are sore for.[50]

Training when building muscle is not performed fasted - your preferred gym time therefore makes no difference to results.

Recommended Routine

  * Warm up sets

    * 1 or 2 x 12-16 (50% of the weight you will lift next set)

  * Sets

    * Action set; Lift as heavy as possible (comfortably with good form, no roaring or brow vein/tendon popping please) for a set of around 6-10 reps.

    * Then 2-3 sets at 75% of this for around 12-14 reps.

      * When I'm able to lift more than 10 reps on the action set, I increase the weight the next workout

Routine

  * Run/cardio machine for 5 minutes at 10 km/hr to warm up.

  * Day 1 is upper body;

    * Chest

      * Bench Machine / Bench Press

      * Dips (one set at body weight, as many reps as you can manage)

    * Triceps

      * One hand overhead cable (far better than cable pulldowns for tricep isolation and injury prevention)

    * Abs

      * Ab Machine

      * Hanging Leg Raises

    * Bicep

      * Bicep Barbell Curls

    * Back

      * Pulldowns

      * Gymnastic Ring Rows

    * Shoulders (If this is too much for one day, doing shoulders on Day 2 is fine and may even be optimal)

      * Dumbell Shrugs

      * Lateral Cable Raises

      * Front Cable Raises

      * Rear Cable Raises

  * Day 2 is lower body;

    * Legs:

      * Deadlifts

        * Kettleball swings and cable pull-throughs are my deadlift/squat alternative.

      * Leg curls

      * Leg extensions

      * Calf raises

    * Forearms

      * Behind the back wrist curls

    * Neck (if you need to, but be very careful to avoid injury)

      * Front Resistance Nods (towel or weight)

      * Rear Resistance Nods (towel or weight)

  * Try and have around one day rest a week. For example;

    * Monday - Upper

    * Tuesday - Lower

    * Wednesday \- Upper

    * Thursday \- Lower

    * Friday - Upper

    * Saturday \- Lower

    * Sunday - Rest

  * Or two if you need it;

    * Monday - Upper

    * Tuesday - Lower

    * Wednesday \- Upper

    * Thursday \- Rest

    * Friday - Upper

    * Saturday \- Lower

    * Sunday - Rest

It's what works within your lifestyle. You only get out what you put in, but you know your own life and you know how much work you are prepared to put in. Training your upper and lower body as little as once or twice a week can yield amazing results long term.

Now go set some goals and spend your days working to reach them.

I hope you have enjoyed these sections on the vegan diet and how you can use it to maximise your fitness. I am sure if your dedicated your results will be the stuff of legend. You have the knowledge. You have the power! Now remember to use it with a sense of great responsibility, for the health and well-being of humans and animals alike.

"Being vegan is easy. Are there social pressures that encourage you to continue to eat, wear, and use animal products? Of course there are. But in a patriarchal, racist, homophobic, and ableist society, there are social pressures to participate and engage in sexism, racism, homophobia, and ableism. At some point, you have to decide who you are and what matters morally to you. And once you decide that you regard victimizing vulnerable nonhumans is not morally acceptable, it is easy to go and stay vegan." ~ Gary L. Francione, The Abolitionist

Part III. Justice: A Time for Change

7 Veganism and the Law

Many people in modern society consider veganism a first world dilemma. It is important realise however that those impacted the most by famine are those in the third world, and that the primary reason for this famine is animal agriculture. There is more than enough food produced on this planet to feed everyone. There is not enough to feed everyone - and all the livestock as well. A move toward veganism is a move toward improving living conditions for the world's most impoverished. Those next impacted however, are those still conditioned to eat non-vegan food.

Some believe that the law of nature excuses their actions, in spite of us certainly don't living under the law of nature. We this the case, killing others would be completely permissible. It is in fact illegal. As we do not need to do so to survive, this removes us from the savage laws of nature we may find ourselves in were we say stranded on a desert island that vegans always seem to hypothetically end up in.

As this is the case, and even if it wasn't, it is silly to use animals as our template for our own behaviour. They are wild animals, and we have moral agency - a knowledge and understanding of morality and righteous behaviour. Rape and murder are common in the animal kingdom, and have been with humanity for millennia just like a non-vegan diet. But to say people that are against rape and murder are on some sort of 'moral high ground' fails to account for standards of ethical behaviour. People that rape and murder shouldn't be left alone. Similarly, in spite of the social conditioning, the voiceless animal rape and murder victims of today deserve better. No one, in spite of appearances, wants to be on a moral high ground. But the vegan community must create change for the betterment of others affected by the actions of non-vegans. Namely, their unnecessary deaths.

Animals do not share the same legal rights as humans. Many moral atrocities have been legal in the past, such as slavery for example, and it is therefore preferable for a society to attempt to govern itself by moral and ethical principles, and for laws to move toward reflecting these.

This is problematic when a legal system is so strongly connected to an unethical industry, as is currently the case with animal agriculture.

It is the law of ethics and morality that makes someone who chooses to engage in immoral behaviour "less than". If every bite out of your Big Mac is one less bite out of a child's mouth in Africa, and is deemed necessary the cessation of breath of a living being, when alternatives exist - how is this not immoral? How can a moral person allow a dysfunctional, tyrannical society like this to stand?

This is where the real battle need to happen. The final battle on the halls of justice, spurred by the voices of the many who have seen the light and will not stand for the dark cages and slaughterhouses. An epic battle of good vs misinformed or callous, good vs socially conditioned, and yes, good vs evil.

May the heroes prevail.

The following is my legal argument to for the Australian government, and by extension other governments worldwide, to make a move toward the reduction and eventual criminalisation of meat.

7.1 Background

Modern evidence supporting the position of eliminating meat and dairy consumption is staggering. Human beings, and the legal system by extension, are faced with the important task of overcoming a deeply ingrained social behaviour as a response to several major issues including climate change, public health, and the ethical treatment of animals.

Fossil fuel uses and agricultural production have been identified as major problem areas of environmental impact with "a substantial reduction of impacts (from agriculture only being) possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products."[140] A reduction of 25-75% depending on results of successful emission reduction in the energy sector.[10] A recent progress report on climate change emphasised that "global climate change risks are high to very high" noting "substantial deviations from current dietary preferences are unlikely and would probably occur only as a result of policy interventions."[9] This affirms that is this is a legal issue of grave importance, not solely a health or environmental one.

According to the World Health Organization an unhealthy diet (and lack of physical activity) is the leading global health risk to health.[33] Heart-disease is the leading cause of death in this country and dietary risks are already a greater risk factor than smoking for Australians.[4, 6] Consuming the amount of cholesterol found in a single egg a day cuts a woman's life short the equivalent of five cigarettes a day for 15 years, with fiber consumption being the most preventative source equivalent to four hours of jogging a week.[16] For the build up of the plaque in our arteries to cease total cholesterol needs to be lowered to 150mg/dl, that of your average vegan.[132]

All attempts to combat the obesity epidemic continually fail and a quarter of Australian teenagers are now overweight or obese with numbers steadily rising.[25] Obesity among vegans is so rare as to spark a range of theories relating to why, with the leading theory being related to propionate created from fibre.[30] Animal foods are typically calorically dense, with two chicken legs needing an extra five kilometre jog to be burned off, emphasising the unrealistic view of burning off these excess calories through exercise.[7] In addition to this, total meat consumption is associated with weight gain even after controlling for calories.[2] None of these issues are taken into consideration in the dated, conservative, and ultimately ineffective NSW Healthy Eating and Active Living Strategy.[21] Cancer is the third leading cause of death in Australia, and like most major causes of death is treatable with a vegan diet.[4] The amount of reduction that has to take place is significant, with even a vegetarian diet not enough to have these IGF-1 lowering, anti-cancer effects.[136]

A vegan diet is an important step forward for the reversal of the health epidemic this nation is currently experiencing as it lowers risk for or even eliminates the risk of heart-attack, cancer (about eight times better at fighting cancer),[31, 11] strokes,[17] diabetes,[27] hypertension,[8] metabolic endotoxima and almost every major preventable illness.[3, 12]

7.2 Literature Review

  * Tess Vickery's legal journal article Where the Wild Things Are (Or Should Be): Rawls' Contractarian Theory of Justice and Non-Human Animal Rights is one of the few scholarly works dealing with enforced veganism, and does so by applying Rawls' contractarian 'Theory of Justice'.[142] It examines enforced veganism from a moral or ethical position, contrary to the health and environmental focus of this proposal, and discusses key obstacles to implementation such as the relative insignificance of the perceived loss of pleasure etc. She examines the practice of treating non-human animals as mere property as the current law dictates, and acknowledges that "effecting legislative change to make Rowlands' theory a reality in relation to the radical notion of mandating vegetarianism and veganism would be a momentous departure from the current animal welfare framework in Australia.".

  * A leader in Animal Rights within the legal profession, Steven M Wise employs an incremental approach to the liberation of animals by moving their status from property to legal persons in his book Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights.[29] He proposes this would be done first with great apes with the aims of having rights carry over to the greater animal community. The book gives ethical support to the proposal for legally enforced veganism, but it is important to note the difference here between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights, and the short comings of the Rights approach employed by Wise in his books. This can be understood through the works of American legal scholar Gary L. Francione who outlines the difference in focus between treatment and use, and whose works would also provide useful and relevant sources.[15]

  * Analysis of the battle with the community hazard that is tobacco provides historical guidelines for approaching this issue, and for this we have Tackling Tobacco the European Way, an article that acknowledges the importance of legal restrictions of hazardous products in spite of social resistance, as "legislative intervention may be needed partly because, as our world becomes more complex and risky, we become less able to take control of all aspects of our life."[73] The article deals with the issue of tobacco regulation citing several jurisdictions and behaviours, examining approaches to issues relating to manufacturers, banning advertising, underage sales of hazardous products, and is in this way an excellent comparative tool.

  * Slavery and the Law is a legal examination of the history of slavery within the US and although a different jurisdiction provides interesting insights into the resistance to liberation of human and non-human slaves.[66] Examining America's slave heritage and the established ideology of the law of slavery, it examines constitutional law and cases involving slaves. Dealing with civil and criminal court proceedings it engages in an interesting comparative law study of the law of slavery. The writ of habeas corpus has been used in comparative law in relation to the imprisonment of animals by Steven M Wise, however this book does not discuss this at length despite it being an important legal principle within slave law. For a local jurisdictional resource on similar material, Citizens Without Rights: Aborigines and Australian Citizenship is a useful piece of literature.[51]

  * There are also some key interdisciplinary journal articles that are worth mentioning in this literature review that have investigated plant-based diets and the prospect of human dietary changes. Lifestyle and the Use of Health Services and Vegetarian Diets in the Adventist Health Study 2: A Review of Initial Published Findings are two of the most notable and largest medical studies on vegetarians in human history and show a clear link between the diet and a long list of health benefits including lower all-cause mortality and body mass index.[28, 18]

  * Although technically a medical article, Influencing Public Nutrition for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention: From Community Intervention to National Programme - Experiences from Finland is a case study of the proposed changes to legislation this research proposal will be investigating.[24] This national programme that directly influenced diet took place over 25 years and saw the positive effects of cutting down meat on non-communicable diseases. There was an 80% drop in heart disease deaths "with greatly reduced cardiovascular and cancer mortality, the all cause mortality ... reduced about 45%, leading also to greater life expectancy: approximately seven years for men and six years for women."[24]

  * The climate control journal article The Importance of Reduced Meat and Dairy Consumption for Meeting Stringent Climate Change Targets is another interdisciplinary article with an environmental focus.[72] The third section of the paper deals exclusively with human dietary changes, applying a biophysical methodological approach with an emphasis on methane and nitrous oxide emissions. It acknowledges resistance to this reform, reiterating its importance, but laments that "only after productivity improvements and technical measures largely have been exhausted" would policy driven dietary changes likely emerge.[72] The book Beyond Animal Rights further explores the notion of universal veganism from a pragmatic perspective and raises some prospective problems and solutions to its practical implementation.[116]

7.3 Proposal

I propose that the hazard posed by the meat and dairy industry to humans, animals and the environment is sufficient grounds to push toward legally mandated, nationally enforced veganism. The research following will focuses on health and its economic and social impact much like tobacco industry regulation. It also examines environmental issues such as the agricultural impact on climate change with secondary consideration given to the ethical implications such as those found in the legal history of human animals.

A major obstacle to success could be industries that would be impacted from such restrictions, and the fear of national economic impact. The PCRM law suit against the USDA illustrates an instance of this policy interference in which the USDA was deceptive, avoided telling Americans to eat less meat in their 2005 Dietary Guidelines.[47] Agriculture and big food companies actively exploit the public through media manipulation and direct influence, leading to health complications in adults and children that are now costing the Australian tax payer $37.7 billion per year in matters related to obesity alone - a telltale sign of a systematic political failure.[14, 100] It is worth noting that the beef industry has a value of $12.75 billion,[19] sheep and lamb is $4.2 billion,[20] poultry is $5.6 billion,[36] aquaculture production approximately $1 billion,[57] and also that vegans are currently the only population with a BMI at an acceptably healthy level, excluding even vegetarians and flexitarians.[13, 26, 8] A national move toward a vegan diet could have a positive economic impact and bear a saving of approximately $14 billion (less approximately $5-7 billion when you further deduct livestock products such as milk and eggs), with the modification of those industries into the production of alternate agricultural commodities such as grain and fruit etc. further diminishing loss.[5]

Social and historical placement of these products within our culture enhances the challenge of eliminating them and the implementation of a legal framework to make this a reality. It is worth remembering that cigarettes were once viewed as objects of desire yet society changed how we viewed that product.[14] Similarly, in spite of knowing since 1950 the link between smoking an lung cancer, but Big Tobacco would deny the science for 50 years following.[14] In time however, given similar evidence and resistance, smoking advertising was banned, labels were placed on cases, and it became illegal to smoke in certain public places with those same products being severely taxed and not being allowed to be sold to children.

7.4 Framework for Change

Reform-oriented research in which after an evaluation of the existing rules on animal-personhood, environmental policy and mandates of the protection of public health, is intended to recommend changes in policy to achieve a benefit to the public through compulsory diet-reform.[32] It is intended as a policy analysis in which this problem is presented, alternatives are canvassed, evaluation takes place and a preferred solution is presented.[32] The research is also partly comparative in nature, contextualising the inadequacies within this area of law through historical inquiries into slavery, Aboriginal rights and the tobacco industry to illustrate similarities and difficulties facing this change in contemporary domestic practice.[32] One aspect of this includes having the NSW Tobacco Strategy and relevant legislation such as the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 critiqued.[23, 22]

The discovery of a legal framework for the implementation of a national vegan diet is an important step. After consolidating data from several social sciences that counter impending health and environmental difficulties, examining the social and economic reception of this, and framing the findings in the context of the legal history with the tobacco industry and the rights of Aboriginals, there needs to be policy changes that will facilitate this. Developing on the foundation of legal and interdisciplinary scholarship, the time has come to construct a legal practice worthy of a civilised society that can contest with the dangerous, culturally ingrained position that is consistently reaffirmed by various industry bodies.

7.5 Reference List

A. Articles/Books/Reports

AC Vergnaud, Meat Consumption and Prospective Weight Change in Participants of the EPIC-PANACEA Study (2010) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20592131>

ACMF, The Australian Chicken Meat Industry: An Industry in Profile (2011) <http://www.chicken.org.au/industryprofile/downloads/The_Australian_Chicken_Meat_Industry_An_Industry_in_Profile.pdf>

Alison L Harte, High Fat Intake Leads to Acute Postprandial Exposure to Circulating Endotoxin in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects (2012) American Diabetes Association <http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/2/375.full>

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Causes of Death, Australia, 2012 (25 March 2014) <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3303.0main+features100012012>

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Year Book Australia, 2012 (24 May 2012) <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1301.0~2012~Main%20Features~Agricultural%20production~260> Australian Government, Leading Types of Ill Health (2013) Australian Institute of Health and Welfare <http://www.aihw.gov.au/australias-health/2014/ill-health/#t1>

B Hippe, Quantification of butyryl CoA:acetate CoA-transferase Genes Reveals Different Butyrate Production Capacity in Individuals According to Diet and Age (2011) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21204931>

Barnard (ed), Dr Neal D, 'PCRM Sues USDA Over Deceptive Dietary Guidelines' (2011) 20(2) Good Medicine 6

Ben Geman, 'U.N. Climate Report: Be Afraid Globally, Prepare Locally', National Journal (online) 31 March 2014 <http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/u-n-climate-report-be-afraid-globally-prepare-locally-20140331>

BJ Pettersen, Vegetarian Diets and Blood Pressure Among White Subjects: Results from the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) (2012) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22230619>

Brian Resnick, 'It May Take a Global Vegetarian Movement to Combat Climate Change' National Journal (online) 31 March 2014 <http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/it-may-take-a-global-vegetarian-movement-to-combat-climate-change-20140331>

Chesterman, John and Brian Galligan, Citizens Without Rights: Aborigines and Australian Citizenship (Cambridge University Press, 1997)

D Ornish, Intensive Lifestyle Changes May Affect the Progression of Prostate Cancer (2005) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16094059>

Department of Agriculture, Australian Aquaculture Industry (6 May 2015) <http://www.agriculture.gov.au/fisheries/aquaculture/the_aquaculture_industry_in_australia>

Doll, Richard and A Bradford Hill, 'Smoking and Carcinoma of the Lung: Preliminary Report' (1950) 2 British Medical Journal 739

Dr Michael Greger, Thousands of Vegans Studied (29 October 2009) Nutrition Facts <http://nutritionfacts.org/video/thousands-of-vegans-studied/>

Dunayer, Joan, Speciesism (Ryce Publishing, 2004)

Finkelman (ed), Paul, Slavery & the Law (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2nd ed, 1997)

Francione, Gary L, 'Animal Rights and Animal Welfare' (1996) 48 Rutgers Law Review 397

Gary L Francione, Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach (2012) <http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/animal-rights-animal-welfare-and-the-slavery-analogy/#.VWvssM-qpBd>

Gibson, Miah, 'The Universal Declaration of Animal Welfare' (2011) 16(2) Deakin Law Review 539

Glasgow, David, 'The Law of the Jungle: Advocating for Animals in Australia' (2008) 13(1) Deakin Law Review 181

Heather J Baer, Risk Factors for Mortality in the Nurses' Health Study: A Competing Risks Analysis (6 December 2010) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3105270/>

Hedenus, Fredrik, Stefan Wirsenius and Daniel J A Johansson, 'The Importance of Reduced Meat and Dairy Consumption for Meeting Stringent Climate Change Targets' (2014) 124(1-2) Climatic Change 79

Hilden, Julie, 'A Contractarian View of Animal Rights: Insuring Against the Possibility of Being a Non-Human Animal' (2007) 14 Animal Law 5

Howells, Geraint, 'Tackling Tobacco the European Way' (2001) 5 Yearbook of New Zealand Jurisprudence 75

Hutchinson, Terry, Researching and Writing in Law (Thomson Reuters, 3rd ed, 2010)

John Tallent, Leftists and Animal Rights: Why Veganism is an Obligation and Not an Option (14 May 2013) Veganarchism Ain't No Joke <http://veganarchismaintnojoke.tumblr.com/post/50418819697/leftists-and-animal-rights-why-veganism-is-an> Klein, Sarah, 'Study: Insurance Companies Hold Billions in Fast Food Stock' (2010) Health.com <http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/15/insurance.fast.food.stock/>

L D'Elia, Potassium Intake, Stroke, and Cardiovascular Disease a Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies (2011) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21371638>

Lawyers for Animals, Books <http://lawyersforanimals.org.au/information/books/>

Medibank, Obesity in Australia: Financial Impacts and Cost Benefits of Intervention (March 2010) <http://www.medibank.com.au/client/documents/pdfs/obesity_report_2010.pdf>

Milligan, Tony, Beyond Animal Rights: Food, Pets and Ethics (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2010)

MJ Orlich, Vegetarian Diets in the Adventist Health Study 2: A review of Initial Published findings (2014) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24898223>

MLA, Sheep <http://www.mla.com.au/Cattle-sheep-and-goat-industries/Industry-overview/Sheep> NSW Government, NSW Healthy Eating and Active Living Strategy (2013) <http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/heal/Publications/nsw-healthy-eating-strategy.pdf>

NSW Government, Smoke-free Laws (9 July 2014) <http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/smokefree-legislation.aspx>

NSW Government, Tobacco Strategy (17 April 2015) <http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/default.aspx>

P Puska, Influencing Public Nutrition for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention: From Community Intervention to National Programme - Experiences from Finland (2002) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12027291>

Paskos, Mick, 'With All Due Respect' (1999) 73(8) The Law Institute Journal 38

Rachael Brown, 'One Quarter of Australia's Teenagers are Overweight or Obese, New Health Survey Reveals' ABC (online), 19 February 2015 <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-19/a-quarter-of-australias-teenagers-are-overweight-or-obese/6144806>

Rawls, John, A Theory of Justice (Harvard University Press, Revised ed, 1999)

RJ Barnard, Effects of a Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet and Exercise Program on Breast Cancer Risk Factors in Vivo and Tumor Cell Growth and Apoptosis in Vitro (2006) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16965238>

Roberts, Dr William Clifford, 'It's the Cholesterol, Stupid!' (2010) 106(9) American Journal of Cardiology 1364

Rollin, Bernard E, Animal Rights & Human Morality (Prometheus Books, 3rd ed, 2006)

Rowlands, Mark, 'Contractarianism and Animal Rights' (1997) 14(3) Journal of Applied Philosophy 235

Ruby Hamad, 'Meat the Hidden Culprit of Climate Change', ABC (online), (28 April 2014) <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-28/hamad-meat-the-hidden-culprit-of-climate-change/5414894>

S Tonstad, Type of Vegetarian Diet, Body Weight, and Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes (2009) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19351712> S Tonstad, Vegetarian Diets and Incidence of Diabetes in the Adventist Health Study-2 (2013) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21983060>

SF Knutsen, Lifestyle and the Use of Health Services (1994) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8172119>

Sharman, Katrina, 'Animal Law: An Emerging Field' (2006) 31(4) Alternative Law Journal 227

Sherman, Brian, 'Animal Law: Peering Over the Gap or Daring to Close it?' (2006) 31(4) Alternative Law Journal 226

Soliman, Sherry, 'Analyzing Serum-Stimulated Prostate Cancer Cell Lines After Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet and Exercise Intervention' (2011) 2011 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 1

T Arora, Propionate. Anti-Obesity and Satiety Enhancing Factor? (2011) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21255628>

TJ Key, Cancer Incidence in Vegetarians: Results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford) (2009) NCBI <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19279082>

UNEP, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production: Priority, Products and Material (2010) <http://www.unep.fr/shared/publications/pdf/DTIx1262xPA-PriorityProductsAndMaterials_Report.pdf>

Vickery, Tess, 'Where the Wild Things Are (Or Should Be): Rawls' Contractarian Theory of Justice and Non-Human Animal Rights' (2013) 11 Macquarie Law Journal 23

Vickovich (ed), Ilija, 'Animals and the Law: Theory, Policy and Regulation' (2013) 11 Macquarie Law Journal 1

Winalski, Amanda, 'Shocked, Horrified, Sickened: How Cigarettes - and the Lessons from the Tobacco Litigation - Can Take Years off Animal-Based Food Industries' (2013) 20(1) Animal Law 167

Wise, Steven M, 'The Basic Rights of Some Non-Human Animals Under the Common Law' (2007) 91 Australian Law Reform Commission Reform Journal 11

Wise, Steven M, Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights (Perseus Books, 2002)

World Health Organisation, Healthy diet Fact sheet N°394 (May 2015) <http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs394/en/>

E. Other

Aaron Timoshanko, 'Animal Welfare Law in Australia' (Speech delivered at the Voiceless Animal Law Lecture Series, Tindall Gask Bentley, 8 May 2013)

Dr Darren Calley, 'Animal Welfare Law and Unnecessary Animal Suffering' (Speech delivered at the Animal Welfare Law module, University of Essex, 19 February 2014)

Dr Michael Greger, Thousands of Vegans Studied (29 October 2009) <http://nutritionfacts.org/video/thousands-of-vegans-studied/>

Dr Michael Greger, 'Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death' (Speech delivered at the University of Pennsylania, 30 June 2012)

Fed Up (Directed by Stephanie Soechtig, Atlas Films, 2014)

Leslie Bisgould, 'It's Time to Re-Evaluate our Relationship with Animals' (Speech delivered at TEDxUofT, University of Toronto, 6 May 2014)

Prof Richard L Cupp and Mr Steven M Wise, 'Animal Personhood: A Debate' (Speech Delivered at the National Press Club, Washington DC, 11 February 2015) Steven M Wise, 'The Case for Non-Human Personhood' (Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, 7 February 2013) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv4-01DwB-w>

University of Melbourne, Research Unit in Public Cultures <http://public-cultures.unimelb.edu.au/about>

Vernon Tava, 'Animal Welfare Law in Aotearoa New Zealand: History, Promise and Review' (SAFE, New Zealand, 13 April 2013) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8wlnL7EJZc>

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi Goondness

8 Supernatural Villains and Heroes - Appeal to Higher Laws

8.1 Divine Justice

Believe it or not, there are many people that justify their non-veganism by appealing to their spiritual beliefs. 'I can do what I want because of a higher power/I bless my food/etc.', seem a more common excuse than you would rightly expect. For those that are interested in more than simply the diet, here I take off my fitness guru hat and put on my spiritual hat. I know a lot of people in the vegan community are atheists and of non-eastern spiritual traditions. My comments here are not meant to offend, but rather shed light from a spiritual perspective for those who appeal to this as a justification from their actions. If you consider yourself spiritual and are still consuming animals and their byproducts, please read on.

My Spiritual Mini-Bio - Through the tools and techniques of Babaji's Kriya Yoga over the course of a decade, and with the darshan of Sathya Sai Baba, and the guidance of saints such as Agastya even before birth, I progressed to a point of sufficient spiritual advancement with regards to the chakras and subtle energy channels of the human spiritual body. I am not a master by any stretch of imagination, though to say I am not enlightened would also not technically be true. Not cast out from society to live on a mountain top, I continue to live a normal life pursuing acting, fitness and veganism, studying law, and writing, while dealing with the everyday struggles of life.

The following being said, I really do think it is important to "bless your food". Both atheists and theists can agree that many religious rituals serve to fill some psychological need within a culture, for example many have a coming of age ritual that allows that mind to transition from identification as a child to letting go of childhood and embracing a new personality and role within society. Similarly, one's psychological relationship with food affects eating and even digestion habits, for as we all know the mind tells the body what to do and vice versa. I believe it is possible to create in your body an ample environment for digestion through intention and imagery. Furthermore, the energy and vigor with which you consume your food, the sacredness, will have an impact on your body overall.

It is for these reasons, as well as the less provable spiritual affects, that I encourage everyone to prepare yourself and your food for eating before every meal. Here is a non-denominational mantra that could just as well be modified to work for atheists.

I take this food of life I declare it the food of light

As I take it into my body it allows my body to glow

I take this food of light I declare it the food of God*

I am a Master in all that I am.

* God / My Best Self / Truth

1) You are what you eat - Fear and animal impulses

Self-control, self-sacrifice and discipline are for the most part not traits of the animals you consume - traits essential to using spiritual tools ardently to evolve. What is present in the flesh however is the memory of slavery and misery, and the anguish of death and its accompanying fear. There's also anger and violence, and a whole lot else. All these things you internalise and become. Good luck entering truly deep spiritual states and doing the hard work on your spirit with all this misery clinging to your spiritual body. It can be hell enough without these influences, I shudder to think about the alternative.

More likely your awareness will shut down and not give you access to these parts of your consciousness. You become unaware of large parts of yourself in order to continue to defy morality and function. Your thoughts become bestial and demonic. Awareness of the truth is a large part of spirituality.

How on Earth do you think you will become aware of greater truths when you fear the truth of yourself and the horrors of your diet? When you love your cats and dogs but keep your mind from thinking about the savagery that an innocent animal had to endure unnecessarily for your lunch choices? Ignorance is the opposite of enlightenment, and willful ignorance is criminal. Expand your compassion and awareness.

Taken one step further, the average level of consciousness of the world is influenced by what takes place within it. Just think on the 200,000+ animals that will be slaughtered today and imagine what effect that will have on the world. What are your goals as a seeker? World peace perhaps? It starts with silencing the misery of these animals that reverberates throughout the globe.

2) You are what you eat - Unenlightenable

Animals are amazing being capable of teaching humanity much of what it has lost on the way to so called civilized society. One thing that animals cannot do however, is achieve enlightenment. Animals are not in possession of the higher chakras that enable this process to occur, and as the spirit is inexorably linked to the body, the animal flesh and products you consume essentially bring you down to the level of an animal spiritually. If it is progress and evolution you seek, it is not possible like this.

3) The heart-bypass phenomenon

Taking this shutting down phenomenon one step further, it has been presented by another spiritual writer that humanity has through years of aggression and other factors bypassed their spiritual heart. Hence the ability for people to rationalise the most abhorrent of behaviour that would cause an open heart to weep. The heart does not follow the twisted logic of your head. This shutting down or closing up of the spiritual parts of yourself, in this case of the heart, is the direct opposite of spiritual evolution. In fact, awakening only occurs upon permanent removal of the negativity that's causing this inability to blossom.

Please understand, your happiness is directly proportional to your awareness. When you are enlightened, you have full awareness at all levels of your self and as deep as they can go. The only way this occurs is like I said, once all obstacles are removed. The negative death energy of meat is one such obstacle. The heart is all compassion. It will not bloom in the presence of this thing that hurts it. What it will do is close up to protect itself, which if you eat meat, it has already done.

4) Base level humanity ("compassion")

Has your spirit evolved to the point where you have the basic level of humanity required to say "No I will not kill animals." If not, perhaps your spirit is not as evolved as you think it is. I personally wouldn't even consider this compassion, but a more baser first chakra level awareness of the world around you and the impact your actions have on it.

5) Seeing God in all beings

Expanding on the previous point, do you see God in all beings? Do you see yourself in all beings? We are all one, even the most basic seeker can agree on this. If your consciousness has evolved to this point, then how could you cause God and yourself such unnecessary and severe pain? More likely, you are putting yourself before what you perceive to be others, which are in fact the same spirit and spark of consciousness as yourself.

6) Putting others before yourself

This is a basic expression of selflessness. Selfishness is contrary to the spiritual attitude you need to embody in order to truly sacrifice all that you are to the Divine. We are all equally in possession of the divine potential. Externalising the ritual of devotion to God with a belly full of a murdered animal (that was God), one you didn't have to eat, is a bit rich. I know it, and guess what, God knows it too. As such, grace will not fall upon you, and even more than the highest spiritual discipline and exercises in the world, it is grace that will bring you to the divine.

Taken to its next logical conclusion - if you put your selfishness before the murder of an animal, you are certainly not anywhere near the level of putting nothing before the divine will. If God himself manifested in front of you, you would not be able to do refrain from putting your own selfish desires before his. How do I know? Because God has manifested in front of you and you have not been able to do this.

7) Overcoming base sensory desire

This does not exist in the astral plane, there is no touch, smell, taste. The senses of the astral plane are different. If you are still stuck on and addicted to these senses, your spirit will be drawn to the only place it can experience them. Good old sucky Earth, no astral heaven for you.

8) Karma

Karma is the negativity that attaches to your spirit. The same one I mentioned earlier that keeps your chakras closed (chakras being your spiritual awareness at all levels). Piling on the bad karma in the form of murder is not going to get you enlightened any time soon. You'll be too busy paying for those deaths in misery, and besides, they will stick to your spirit like a cancer.

9) Impacted pineal gland and psychic centres

As mentioned before, you are what you eat. Animals don't have access to the psychic and super-consiciousness. Among humans, this is reflected physically in the pineal gland. Now I don't know about "calcifaction" and all that other stuff, for all I know my pineal gland is a calcified as ever. What I can tell you is that they are connected, and a vegetarian diet, and if I'm being really honest, a vegan diet, will allow you to purify that part of your body. This is opposed to the meat eating diet that will in fact close this up, and provide a constant assault on it a every meal. Probably for the best as why would you want to be psychically open to all the suffering you are causing?

10) Vegetarianism as a prerequisite to higher spirituality

It is. For all the reasons mentioned, as well as for health reasons (the body and spirit are bound together in life), environmental reasons (there may not be an Earth to spiritually evolve on if we don't as a species change) and to be in line with ethics and logic (thought, word and deed being congruous).

All this is important because you cannot really expect to do all the exciting things that drew you to "consciousness" and spirituality in the first place unless you overcome what I deem to be the most basic and initial hurdle. Trust me folks, this is just the beginning of a road far longer and bumpier than you could possibly imagine. But the journey of a thousand miles beings with a single step, and thus far all your steps have basically been for nothing. Sorry, I know it feels like you've worked hard. So step up. It is not possible to achieve any impressive or even averagely decent spiritual self while eating meat. You must, as I will discuss in a later blog post, build a spiritual foundation.

Bonus) Energy Vampirism

Although in theory at least not all meat eaters are energy vampires, this is a very common trait among them, especially related to their hearts. Reading the above points, its not difficult to understand why - a closed off heart cannot receive or emit spiritual energy. This is much like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it, or coaxing a cat you abuse to come play with you. Think of this energy as an essential nutrient that the meat eater is not getting. This coupled with the fact of the diet inherently clogs the arteries through cholesterol (only found in animal products) and saturated fats, an injured body part is prone to taking in prana (spiritual energy) from wherever it can, including from other people. Whether you notice this theft or not, it plays on every relationship and interaction you have at least at a subliminal level.

No compassion? No bass level humanity? All the other points I've made. The higher states are not achievable, the depth of the heart's love are not achievable, even a foundation of spirit is not achievable. All your spiritual work and mediation is ultimately useless to your life - a life begging you to deal with the basics first.

Take the first step. Adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet today.

I will also end by saying if you have been vegetarian, I thank you on behalf of all the animals. If you've been vegetarian for a while though, please consider educating yourself and adopting a vegan diet - the dairy industry has as much blood on its hands as the meat industry - 100% of all dairy cows are sent to the slaughter as are the male chicks. A lot of these points may therefore also apply to you.

"To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana." Buddha, Prince (en)Lightning

9 Final Thoughts

Justice can also be thought of as "the quality of being just, impartial, or fair." As such, vegans are in a position to be examples of how to live a just life, one that is fair to the innocent animals and the many human beings that suffer due to the non-vegan industries.

Regarding your fitness goals - there is a process to everything especially if you are natural and don't want to do yourself harm. Patience is a virtue, and if you didn't get it all by the time you achieve your first goal, or if you need to take some time and recuperate, don't hesitate. Get back your energy, allow your body to recover, allow your life to recover, allow yourself time to not lose everything in the process and take some time to get back what you lost on the way to your goal.

I encourage everyone to join local Facebook vegan groups like 'Sydney Vegan Club' and others that are more tailored to your specific interests, such as dating, humor, etc. These make you feel part of a community of like-minded and supportive individuals who most of the time just want to lend a hand and some encouragement.

If you are interested, put your skill to good use to promote the vegan movement and raise awareness. There are many meet-ups and opportunities for activism if you just take the time to find out about them. Again, Facebook groups are your ally here!

Good luck and thank you so much for trying to do your part to minimise the suffering of the innocent in this world. Your health, and hopefully eventually the world itself, will thank you in kind for your generosity.

"After becoming aware of the suffering my diet was causing, it was either change and live according to my values and go vegan, or accept I was a phoney. Luckily for me I did some research and found out I can actually be healthier on a vegan diet. I've been vegan a little over a year - I am leaner, stronger, and healthier than I've ever been, feeling amazing knowing my food choices reflect my values." Robert Babaji, Dr. Unfatten

Instagram  
@thevegansuperhero

Facebook (personal)  
Facebook.com/RobertBabaji

Facebook (book)  
https://www.facebook.com/The-Vegan-Superhero-Diet-140581783041839/

Spiritual Blog  
thedivineriver.com

Email  
robertbabaji@gmail.com

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