Blog / Food

Vegan meals after a workout

A plant-based meal with a good serving of protein within a couple of hours of training. Same rule as anyone else, with soy, lentils and tofu doing the work.

A container of chickpea and lentil curry with rice and a glass of soy milk on a gym bench

The same rule

What matters is the protein across the whole day and a decent serving within a couple of hours of the session. The full reasoning.

What the meal looks like

Thirty grams or more of protein, some carbs and vegetables. A tofu and vegetable stir-fry with rice. A lentil and chickpea curry with a glass of soy milk. Tempeh, roasted potatoes and greens. Leftovers count.

When a plant shake helps

When the next meal is hours away, or you are not hungry after training. A scoop of pea or soy protein in soy milk is around thirty grams of protein, made in thirty seconds.

Carbs are part of it

After a harder session, the rice and the potatoes are refilling what you used. The plant-based plate keeps them at a sensible quarter.

Sleep finishes the job

The meal starts the repair. Sleep is where most of it happens. Why recovery takes longer now.

Follow along

Train first, then eat like it mattered.

13 minutes · no equipment

Thirteen leg moves, thirty seconds each.

Squats, split squats, glute bridges and kickbacks. Then the meal above.

  • 01Prisoner squat and sumo squat
  • 02Split squats, each leg
  • 03Glute bridge and hold
  • 04Single-leg squats to finish
Watch on YouTube

What this needs

The kit mentioned above.

Links go to Amazon and a purchase through one pays me a small commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what gets recommended.

Where this shows up

The tests this affects.

Before you ask

Three questions.

Is soy milk enough on its own after training?

A glass is around seven or eight grams of protein, which is a start. Pair it with a meal, or add a scoop of plant protein, to reach a full serving.

Do vegans need more protein after training?

Not more in total, but slightly bigger servings at each meal help, because plant protein is a little less concentrated.

Should I take creatine?

It is worth a look for vegans in particular. Why, and what to check.