Skinny Vegetarian trying to gain muscle

You're welcome.

I would have no idea how many calories I'm consuming. I don't count calories. And as for why, I'm going to quote Brendan Brazier in his book Thrive:

"There are two main reasons for this. First, foods in their natural, nutrient-dense state can be digested and assimilated with less energy expenditure than processed, refined foods. Second, when more nutrient-rich foods are present in the diet, the body does not have to eat as much as if it were fed less nutrient-rich foods. In addition, when the body is fed the nutrients it needs, the brain turns off the hunger signal. And so, the need to continually consume, a state many people who subsist on a refined-food diet experience, ceases, and not as much needs to be eaten and digested. And since, as I noted above, the digestion and assimilation process for many processed foods is an exceptionally large energy draw, cutting out such foods will immediately translate into a net-energy surplus, meaning more usable energy. And with this extra energy, the body will likely choose to improve immune function and quick restoration of cells damaged by stress - essentially, anti-ageing activities."

Basically if you're eating natural and unrefined foods then you just eat until you are satisfied. You could eat 100 calories worth of spinach or drink 100 calories worth of soda. They are going to have two very different effects on your body and supply you with different amounts of energy. So don't really focus on the amount of food, but more the quality of the food.

I can't really comment on a pescetarian diet because I don't eat fish as I am an ethical vegetarian. Going the extra mile and eating vegan is for the health benefits and the way it makes me feel.

During the week I eat as follows, very boring and repetitive but I'm super lazy when it comes to preparing food and I'm just eating for effect and not for enjoyment:

Breakfast and lunch - Smoothie (2 cups water, frozen banana, 250g frozen mixed berries, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1/4 cup almonds, 1/4 hemp seeds, small handfull goji berries, 2 tsp creatine) - Salad (150g baby spinach, tomato, cumcumber, half red capsicum, dressing of flaxseed oil, hempseed oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic) - Fried rice (1 cup white rice, extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup peas, soy sauce, salt and white pepper)

Dinner - A carrot, an apple and a little zip lock bag filled with some dates, dried apricots, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, pistachios, macadamias, walnuts, a brazil nut and cashews. - Once or twice a week I might just buy dinner and I'll get a vegan burrito or a veggie burger but from a place which makes it in front of me using fresh and unrefined ingredients.

Weekend - Eat whatever!

/r/vegetarian Thread