Question: I want to know what should I eat. I am a vegeterian and I don't like non-vegetarian foods. I am thin and I want to gain weight through exercise. Can you help?

Answer:

One of the most important things you can eat when trying to build yourself up is protein. Being a vegetarian is going to make it a little harder to get the protein you need to build your muscle but it definitely can be done. Most of the higher-quality protein sources are animal-based (e.g. chicken, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, etc.) but there are certainly good sources of vegetable protein. These include soy, beans, etc. If you're able to eat eggs, I would recommend you do that. Eggs are a very good source of high-quality protein.

In addition to protein, you're going to need to eat more calories in general. Basically that means eating more food. Exercise will give your body the push it needs to build muscle but it needs more food to be able to build that muscle. Eat frequently throughout the day.

As far as exercises go, click here to have a look at some exercises you can use.

Also, I always include exercise tips with my monthly newsletter. You can read all the previous issues by clicking here.

Issue #17 has a good article on how to do squats, which is perfect for your desire to gain weight.

Click here to have a look at the following page in my link directory for sites related to vegetarian eating.

Back to Beginner Q&A