How going vegan helped this woman get into incredible shape

She is proof you can get enough protein in your diet through plants

You don’t necessarily need meat to build muscle or a healthier body in general. This woman lost over 44 pounds when she adopted a vegan diet alongside a weightlifting programme.

Reddit user LittleDerpa says adopting a plant-based diet improved her mental health in addition to helping her build muscle and lose fat.

Real name Bronagh, she said: “Feeling happier, fitter and stronger than ever! Thanks to beans, edamame, lentils, peas… and barbells!”

We asked Bronagh exactly what she eats to build muscle and strength while dropping body fat.

She aims to eat one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you thought this was impossible on a vegan diet, you’d be mistaken.

“My post workout meal can vary. If I finish my workout close to dinner time, then I will have rice and beans, or rice and lentils, lentil & sweet potato shepherds pie, chickpea curry. Basically, something with beans or lentils.

“I also drink a clear vegan protein from Myprotein. If I work out earlier in the day then I go for a smoothie with Myprotein/Myvegan protein blend with soy milk, cocoa, and banana. Or some ‘ice cream’ made with frozen bananas and also Myvegan protein powder.”

Her transformation is also proof that lifting weights won’t make women bulky, as some people think. If anything, hitting the weights room is even better than traditional cardio when it comes to losing weight.

Bronagh lives in Ireland and trains six days a week with weights. This is her specific workout routine:

Monday and Thursday – Push Day (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps):

• Chest: Bench presses, incline fly, pushups (4 sets of 12 reps each exercise)
• Shoulders: Dumbbell front raises, dumbbell lateral raises, military press, kettlebell clean and press, up right/bending down rows (4 sets of 12 reps each exercise)
• Triceps: Extension (can be cable, barbell, dumbbell) and cable push down (4 sets of 12 reps each exercise)

Tuesday and Friday – Pull Day (Back/Biceps):

• Back: Pull ups, dumbbell one arm rows, wide/narrow pull downs (4 sets of 12 reps each exercise)
• Biceps: Dumbbell/barbell curls – this can be concentration, reverse, hammer curls (4 sets of 12 reps each exercise)

Wednesday and Saturday – Leg Day (Legs/Glutes):

• Legs/Glutes: Barbell squats, leg/hamstring curls, goblet squats, abductor, deadlift, leg presses, (4 sets of 12 reps each exercise)

Other users on Reddit were seriously impressed by the transformation.

One poster said: “You look incredible, what an awesome transformation!” while another commented: “Dude, you lost a freaking decade, like whoa.”