Getting Enough Protein on a Plant-Based Diet

Most people know that consuming enough protein is important. It builds and supports muscle tissue, helps you feel satisfied after your meals, and has an important role in many functions throughout the body. But what often comes to mind when people think of protein is meat, eggs, and milk. There's a common misconception that vegetarians and vegans don't or can't get enough protein. Since going vegan at age 16, I can't count how many times I've been asked how I get my protein in. 

When I got into weightlifting, I started paying closer attention to how much protein was in my diet and dug deep into plant-based protein sources- both the quantity or grams of protein, as well as the quality or how absorbable and useable each particular form of protein is in the body. Through resistance training and consuming high-quality plant-based protein sources, I was able to gain a significant amount of muscle and strength. I even entered a powerlifting competition and won "best female lifter" 

All of this to say, building strength and muscle as a vegetarian or vegan is by no means a walk in the park, but it is a lot easier than most think when you know where to look and what to get. While plant-based protein sources are becoming more popular, many of the vegan "proteins" in stores are often highly processed, have long ingredient lists, and aren't actually a good source of protein. For something to really be a good source of protein, it should contain at least 10g of protein per 100 calories. As there are 4 calories per gram of protein, this equates to 40% of the calories coming from protein.

Whether you're vegan or vegetarian, want to minimize saturated fat/ cholesterol, or just want more variety with your protein sources, this guide is for you. It includes each of my favorite options (alphabetized), with a breakdown of protein quantity (✓ for having 10g protein per 100 cal), notes and meal ideas, ingredients, and grocery stores you can find them at (in the Portland, OR area). 

Additional Sources of Plant-based protein:

(Not as many grams of protein per calorie but a nice complement to the higher-protein sources)

Lentils, quinoa, peas, beans, hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds

My Fitness Journey Through Pregnancy and Postpartum (Twice)

As a trainer who used to feel invincible, pregnancy and postpartum humbled me. 

So much of what I expected it to be like turned out to be the exact opposite. My favorite exercises became the least enjoyable. A one-minute daily practice prepared me more for delivery than any class, video, or doula. And I felt stronger at 36 weeks pregnant than I did a year after giving birth.

I had my son in 2021 and my daughter in 2025. While the pregnancies themselves weren't all that different, the way I went about them was. Here, I'll share what I did, what I learned, and what I'd do differently if I ever have another.

First Trimester: The Hardest Part No One Prepares You For

I was ecstatic finding out I was pregnant both times. The first few weeks, I felt I had sort of a glow- probably just from having an exciting secret. But those feelings were quickly pushed to the side when sick-to-my-stomach took center stage. I was nauseous every day for about three months, discovering that "morning sickness" can actually last all day. The thought of certain foods- many of which I used to love- disgusted me. To this day I still can't bring myself to eat some of the foods I turned on during pregnancy. Pretty much anything with spice or strong flavor was a no-go. I'll never forget asking my husband to get me Thai food- my favorite- but all I wanted was: "Plain white rice...  and don't you dare let anything else touch it." The plainer the food, the better. I lived off rice cakes, crackers, oatmeal, and granola bars.

While pregnant with my son, I was a salaried manager. It was hard, but I had flexibility. I could retreat to my office when I needed a break, and no one batted an eye when I came in later or left earlier. With my daughter, I was a trainer getting paid by the session. Showing up for clients with energy, focus, and enthusiasm while feeling that sick was a completely different challenge.  I wanted nothing more than to go nap in my car. 

I also gained weight quickly during both pregnancies. While certain foods repelled me (veggies, protein, spices), simple carbs and sweets seemed to temporarily relieve the nausea- or at least distract from it. I felt like a hypocrite, encouraging clients to work out while being too tired to do my own. My stomach already looked bigger, and it wasn't the blueberry-sized baby. 

People talk about pregnancy cravings, nausea, and exhaustion. But they don't talk about the silent heaviness of the first trimester. You haven't announced your pregnancy yet, so you try to hide it- but it gets harder as you suddenly feel nothing like yourself.

Second Trimester: Relief at Last / Pregnancy Scare

After the longest three months of my life, the queasiness and exhaustion went away. I felt like a new woman. Work became easier, and I started looking forward to my workouts again. With my son, I was a little hesitant to continue my normal heavy lifting, thinking I needed to switch to more low-key "pregnancy workouts". The second time around, I trusted my body more. I continued doing what I had been doing pre-pregnancy, adjusting where needed.

Still, certain exercises became uncomfortable fast. One of the very first was hip thrusts, a long-time personal favorite. The pressure from the bar touching my lower abs didn't feel right, so I worked my glutes in other ways- step-ups, lunges, seated hip abductors, etc.

 Pull-ups were another surprise. I'd been doing them for years, but never realized how much core involvement they required until pregnancy. I had even set a goal to continue doing one pull-up per week through pregnancy and turn the videos into a compilation. 

But one day, something felt off. I felt a sudden pressure in my abdomen I hadn't noticed before... then a "pop." The next day, I had a pregnancy scare and went in for an emergency visit. The baby was okay, but the ultrasound revealed an abnormality. I was now labeled "high risk" and told to stop all exercise- including setting up weights for clients. Just as I was starting to feel good working out again, I had to stop. Even though I understood why, it was hard losing that outlet.

Third Trimester: The Strongest I've Ever Felt

With my son, I walked a lot outside as it was Spring/Summertime, and continued lifting without pushing myself. With my daughter, after months of follow-ups, I was cleared from high-risk status and slowly returned to my workouts. With both pregnancies, I now couldn't see my toes anymore and many exercises were out. Getting in and out of a lying position was an exercise in itself, and my belly dictated a lot of modifications:

• Bench press   →   machine chest press

• Cable rows on the bench   →   cable flexion rows on the floor with my legs wide 

• Squats   →   wide stance / sumo 

• Deadlifts   →   sumo   →   back to conventional with a wider grip

• Lying core work   →   Bird dogs

• Hip thrusts   →   high-rep banded glute bridges

Out completely: Overhead presses, dips, pull ups, pulldowns 

My new best friends: Rack pulls, lunges, split squats, seated arm work 

After the hiatus from lifting with my daughter, I was surprised to find that the third trimester was the strongest I've felt in my life. Even now, over a year postpartum, I don't feel as strong as I did then. I'm not sure if it had to do with the added weight, increased blood flow, pregnancy hormones, or something else. But I felt unstoppable. Still, I proceeded with caution and only did what felt good. After the pull-up incident, I  didn't push through anything that felt even slightly off. I continued lifting up until the week of her birth.

Labor & Delivery: The Mental Marathon

As my son's due date came and passed, I became determined to avoid induction. So determined that I walked five miles through Forest Park the day before he was born. Labor started in the wee hours of the next morning, and I went to the hospital a few hours later. I thought I'd done everything to prepare - watched countless videos on what to expect, did hip rotations on the "birthing ball" religiously, and even hired a Doula. Still, those 18 hours of labor were harder than I could have imagined. But afterward, I remember thinking "If I can get through that, I can get through anything."

With my daughter, things moved much faster. Contractions started before 38 weeks. I attended a birthing class while they persisted, half pretending they weren't real. I knew it was a marathon that would only get harder, and I had to pace myself. I went about my day, getting lunch and then groceries, pausing mid-aisle as each contraction passed. Around 2am the next morning, I could no longer sleep through it. She was born four hours later. 

Both deliveries were unmedicated. I don't know if I would have been able to do that had it not been for the warm tub at the hospital. With my son, it instantly took the edge off of the most difficult contractions. So with my daughter, it was a non-negotiable part of the plan. I didn't deliver in the water, but it sure was a saving grace as my body prepared for it.

It's said that the second delivery is faster than the first. I think there's some truth to that, but there were two key differences that also made a big difference for me:

 First, I stayed in my own environment for longer, getting through more of the hard work on my own before rushing to the hospital. Mentally, this made the whole process not feel as long, and kept me calmer. 

Second, I followed a simple daily practice in the weeks leading up to her birth. I'd set a timer for a minute, clench a big handful of ice in both hands over the kitchen sink, and take deep, 10-second belly breaths until the timer went off. This might sound small, but with repetition it taught me how to breathe through discomfort. Since contractions also last about a minute, it provided a simulation of what getting through one would feel like. Each time I did it, the minute felt shorter. 

It wasn't all smooth sailing. After my daughter was born I looked at my husband and said "I'm never doing that again." But the mental preparation made it feel more manageable.

Postpartum: The Most Vulnerable Period

It took a lot longer to feel like myself again than I thought I would. In a lot of ways, I actually felt more connected to myself and "like myself" during pregnancy than in the year following. Maybe part of it has to do with being more intentional during pregnancy- eating well, staying hydrated, taking care of myself for the baby. Then suddenly, it becomes about survival.

After having my son, I had lower expectations. I held onto the idea of listening to my body for longer into postpartum, letting myself rest and gradually return to exercise. There wasn't a timeline and I didn't really know what to expect, so I just let it happen day by day. It did take quite a while to feel comfortable in my skin again, but for some reason I felt less pressure to look or perform a certain way. I wish I'd given myself the same grace after having my daughter.

I was back in the gym a week after her birth. I still remember a stranger complimenting how much weight I was lifting. It gave me a sense of reassurance that I was still strong even though I didn't feel it. But it also fueled my expectation that I could just get right back to lifting what I was before- like my body wasn't going through massive physical and hormonal changes. By the end of the first week back, I hit a wall. I was deadlifting, and all of a sudden it was like all my strength had left my body. I was frustrated that a weight that used to feel easy now felt impossible.

 I took some time off again. When I did finally go back I felt like a beginner starting from scratch. I even avoided the gym I worked at because I didn't want to be seen. I've never felt more vulnerable in my life.

 Looking back, I know I pushed myself too hard off the bat and my body experienced a backlash. I would never hold a client to those same unrealistic expectations, so why was I being so hard on myself? I should have focused on recovering and given myself more time to ease back in. Instead, I was in a race with myself to get back to lifting how I was before.

The transition back to work added another layer. The first month, I was head down and all about staying above water. Rebuilding my business, pumping between clients, adjusting to life with two kids. But pretty soon, the overwhelm caught up to me. Pumping became a logistical nightmare, my supply plummeted and I had to start driving to my daughter's daycare in the middle of the day to feed her. The sleep deprivation grew and I fell back into an old pattern of comfort eating. Food was the numbing agent that got me through it all. Over a short time, I gained back much of the weight I had lost. I felt frustrated and defeated. Finally, I started taking steps to address the root cause of these feelings instead of burying them with cookies and ice cream. 

Final Thoughts

While it may take time to feel as strong or fit as I once did, I can now look back and feel proud of everything my body carried me through. I've learned to listen- to my body and my instincts.

Pregnancy and postpartum might look effortless for some, but everyone struggles in their own way. It's the biggest transformation our bodies go through in such a short time. If I could do it again, I'd release all expectations, put less pressure on myself, stop chasing approval or admiration from others, and trust my body sooner. This season of life is one of the hardest and also one of the most beautiful. It shows us what we're capable of, uncovering the strength that's always been there and always will be there. If you're in this season right now, you're not behind. You're in the middle of becoming.