Meet Troy: A Body-builder goes vegan

  Troy Loferski first got interested in body-building during his college years. Back then, he says, he had a typical body-builder’s approach to nutrition. “I was focused entirely on macronutrients: how much protein, carbohydrate, and fat I was getting. I ate a lot of tuna, eggs, whey protein, and whole grains, but hardly any fruits and vegetables.  I’d read that they were so filling that they made it difficult to consume enough calories to support muscle gains.”

Troy became absorbed by his career and drifted away from training. With his 30th birthday looming, though, he decided in the Fall of 2007 that he wanted to get back in shape. This time around, however, some things had changed.

“I’d been thinking about adopting a vegan lifestyle. Initially, it was for ethical reasons but the more I looked into it, the more I was convinced that the vegan diet was also the ultimate healthy diet and great for longevity. And, of course, there’s a huge emphasis on fruits and vegetables and all the micronutrients and phytochemicals they provide.

“So, I wanted to pursue this healthy diet but I also wanted to start body-building again. At first, I wasn’t sure if it would be possible to do both. But I found a vegan body-building site [veganbodybuilding.com], and then I found Nutritiondata.com.

Troy last year (before becoming a vegan) and now:

“I just kept plugging different foods into the tracking tools to find the combinations that would provide the optimal balance of macronutrients and micronutrients.  I used the Nutrient Search Tool to find foods that had a certain nutritional profile. For instance, that’s how I discovered chia seeds, which I now eat almost every day. I didn’t even know you could eat them…I thought they were just for chia pets! They are a great source of omega-3 fats.

“I still log in everything I eat on most days. The tools on ND are fantastic, especially the pantry and the custom entry tool. The caloric ratio pyramid shows me my macronutrient ratios and the total consumption report helps me track all the micronutrients.

“I eat about 3,800-4000 calories per day with a ratio of about 55% carbs, 20% protein, and 25% fat. That’s way less protein than most body-builders eat—most of them don’t believe it’s possible to do what I’m doing. But my strength and energy levels are fantastic and I feel terrific. Plus, I know that this diet is also really healthy for me over the long-term. My friends and family were a little skeptical about me becoming a vegan, but now that they see how healthy I am, they are very supportive.

“Eating that many calories on a vegan diet can be a challenge. Fruits and vegetables are micronutrient rich but not macronutrient rich. It ends up being a lot of food. I drink 2-3 green smoothies a day, made with pea protein powder, flax or chia, nuts, fruit, and greens. They are 600 or 700 calories each (and no chewing!) so they help me meet my caloric needs. Usually I get about 200% or more of the DV for all the vitamins and minerals, except for sodium, which is usually less than 100%.

“I’m constantly telling other body-builders (and vegans) about Nutritiondata.com. It’s been a big part of making this work for me!”

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