How to Bulk Up or Lean Down on a Plant-Based Diet

Whether you’re looking to bulk up and gain muscle or slim down while on a vegan diet, plants can provide everything you need to tackle either of these goals.

You don’t need science to tell you that losing weight or gaining muscle on a plant-based diet is possible. Just watch The Game Changers, a revolutionary documentary highlighting the many plant-based professional athletes who are excelling at their sports.

So, what's the key to leaning down or bulking up while eating vegan or plant-based? It’s all about the numbers, namely calories. “If you want to increase muscle, you have to be in a calorie surplus, consuming more calories than you expend in a day’s time while slimming down is the opposite,” says Adam Stansbury, a fitness trainer in London who’s known as the "Plant-Powered PT."

And while either bulking up or slimming down can be done on a plant-based diet, there’s one important difference: “Whole, plant-based foods are nutrient-dense but not calorie-dense,” says Karina Inkster, vegan fitness and nutrition coach in Powell River, British Columbia. “Comparing a vegan diet to eating lots of calorie-dense processed foods, it can be slightly more challenging to bulk up [on a vegan diet] and slightly less challenging to slim down,” Inkster explains. But you can definitely choose how your body responds to your diet by choosing the types of foods you eat. Here’s how to get it right.

If you want to gain muscle, two main nutritional strategies should dominate your game plan: Being in a calorie surplus and getting the right amount of protein. “You have to stimulate the body to grow muscle,” Stansbury explains. “It’s an energy-intensive process and generally not something the body wants to do.”

Most nutrition professionals recommend that vegans get slightly more protein than their non-vegan counterparts if they want to build muscle. “This is just to ensure that you’re getting a wide variety of amino acids and enough of the essential amino acids, which your body can’t produce,” Inkster says.

How much more protein you need when building muscle depends on your size and activity level, as well as your body goals. Stansbury recommends at least 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight, up to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, if you’re a bodybuilder, Inkster recommends anywhere from 1.8 to 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on your type of training and your intensity.

Just make sure you’re eating a variety of protein sources, such as beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and textured vegetable protein. Add in nuts, seeds, nut butter, and a scoop of plant-based protein powder in a smoothie in the morning. One word about protein powder? “It’s not absolutely necessary, but it boosts your protein without also boosting your carbs and fats,” Inkster says. So if you're trying to bulk up, it can help your worked muscles repair faster.

Your rate of muscle gain will largely depend on your strength training experience and regimen, Inkster says. Men who are beginners can expect to gain 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of muscle per month while women who are beginners can expect to gain .65 to a pound of muscle per month. Men on the more advanced scale will gain up to .6 pounds of muscle per month while advanced female trainees will gain, at most, .25 pounds of muscle per month.

Losing fat and getting lean on a vegan diet is exactly the same as losing fat on a non-vegan diet. “You have to make sure you’re in a calorie deficit,” Inkster says. 

Leaning down is not complicated. Your body will respond quickly to the whole foods you eat consistently. Accomplishing it is easy if you follow the philosophy of eating the rainbow and foods you could grow (if you owned a farm). “Focus on eating a variety of different colored plant foods, especially fruits and vegetables,” Stansbury says.

Also, make sure you’re eating foods that give you lots of calorie bang for your buck like big salads that fill you up for relatively few calories, Inskter says. And of course, protein is still important to help ensure you’re losing fat, not muscle. Focus on including protein-rich foods like tofu, tempeh, alternative pastas made from beans or edamame, hemp hearts, chia seeds, nutritional yeast and textured vegetable protein.

How much fat you lose will vary, but remember that it’s about losing it permanently, not necessarily quickly. “Research by Precision Nutrition shows that a reasonable rate of fat loss is one to two pounds a week for men and .8 to 1.6 pounds for women,” Inkster says.

Remember that the body takes time and resists change, Stansbury says, no matter your goal. Be patient and stay consistent with your efforts to follow a plant-based diet, either to bulk up or to lean down. Your body will undoubtedly respond.

The base of Vega is pea protein, brown rice protein, and sacha inchi (a seed eaten like a nut) protein. One serving of Vega has only 80 calories and 15g of protein. Vega's protein powder is a great choice for anyone who struggles to get enough greens in their diet. The proteins are combined with alfalfa powder, spinach powder, broccoli powder, and organic kale powder giving you 2 servings of veggies in one scoop. The taste of this protein was described as "artificial" whereas others thought it tasted like birthday cake. We recommend adding this into a smoothie, but luckily all you have to add is fruit since Vega has the greens covered. This low-cal powder won't break the bank at $1.20 a scoop.

Tom Brady's TB12 pea protein powder consists of simple ingredients with no additives. For anyone who is allergic to soy or nuts, TB12's pea protein-based powder is a great option. It's hard to say no to this powder with 24 grams of protein. Don't hide this powder in a smoothie, mix it with water and you will immediately see a thick consistency resembling a vanilla milkshake. Not only does it look like a milkshake, but it tastes like it too. TB12 recommends drinking this powder up to 20 minutes after a workout for the best recovery. You have to order this powder on the TB12 website since it isn't available in stores or on Amazon. Less than $2 per serving!

PlantFusion is a blend of peas, artichokes, algae, and superfoods. The deep yellow-gold coloring of PlantFusion's protein powder set this brand apart from the rest. Some testers found the flavor wasn't overwhelming, making it a great addition to a smoothie, whereas others felt the powder was sweet. For those of you who aren't a fan of Stevia, buy the natural, no-stevia blend. This protein powder is low in fat, and carbs, making it a great choice for anyone wanting to lose weight while still getting enough protein (21g a serving). PlantFusion's powder has a sweetness not everyone enjoyed since Stevia is an ingredient. $1.20 a scoop, makes this a deal!

Vivo Perform is the most superfood-packed protein powder of this bunch. Athletes will appreciate this protein powder made of pea protein, hemp protein, plant-based BCAA (branched-chain amino acids), reishi mushrooms, acai berries, lucuma fruit powder, maca powder, and turmeric extract. Vivo Perform is $59 on Amazon so go straight to their website for a cheaper price at $51 for the pouch pictured below. With 25g of protein and complete amino acid profile helps athletes to build, perform, recover, and absorb. If you want a quick protein drink after a workout, use a shaker bottle when mixing or this powder will stick to the sides of the cup. In the mood for a protein-filled breakfast? Add to your oatmeal or smoothie bowl with this recipe.

Elevate is a pea and hemp protein-based powder that also is made with sweet potato powder. For anyone looking to convert from whey protein powders, Elevate is the plant-based protein for you. This powder is meant to be used in beverages such as smoothies. The thin consistency doesn't mix well with water and becomes chalky. If you aren't in the mood for a protein smoothie, add a scoop to your pancake batter. For a complete recipe check out Elevate's Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Pancakes. This powder is another affordable choice at $1.60 a scoop.

Momentous protein powder is a combination of pea and rice protein concentrate. Testers liked the initial scent of mint and thought it was refreshing. This powder is perfect for anyone who likes sweeter drinks. Momentous powders are NSF International Certified for Sport, which means the product label is 100% accurate and there are no banned substances present in this powder. This is one of the pricier protein powders at $60 a tub but is worth it for athletes looking for a clean and effective post-workout powder. We recommend either mixing with water or adding to a smoothie for a more nutrient-dense drink. The priciest powder of the bunch at $3 per serving.

Garden of Life is made of pea, buckwheat, amaranth sprout, and brown rice. We didn't love the green color of the powder or the way it smelled but once we mixed it with water, it tasted surprisingly good. Garden of Life is the easiest to mix with water, plan-based milk or in a smoothie. The vanilla flavor isn't overpowering so you can add this to any combination of smoothies and not be overwhelmed by the taste of vanilla. And it's only $1.20 per scoop!

Tone It Up protein powder is a blend of sunflower seeds and pea protein. The minute we opened the container, everyone loved the smell of this powder. Tone It Up is known to be a great addition to baked goods. The next time you make your protein muffins, add Tone It Up to the mix. We don't suggest adding this powder with just water but instead a smoothie with fruits and veggies.

The name of this powder says it all. Nuzest is the cleanest protein powder since it is made out of only 3 simple ingredients: Pea protein isolate, natural vanilla flavor, and thaumatin (a low-calorie sweetener). For $45, you are supposed to get 20 servings out of one container, but at a glance that didn't seem accurate. This high protein, low carb powder is perfect to blend with plant-based milk and ice. The consistency is smooth and adds thickness to any protein shake.