From the Lab

Vegan Diet for the Slim Woman: 135–160 lbs, Recomp Phase

Name: XPERFORMANCELAB
Rating: 5.0

          May 29, 2026
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          By Xavier Savage
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          Slim
        

Vegan Diet for the Slim Woman: 135–160 lbs, Recomp Phase

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If you’re a woman at 135 to 160 pounds following a vegan diet for ethical, environmental, or health reasons, body recomposition is absolutely achievable – but it requires the most deliberate nutritional planning of any framework in this series. There is no room for casual eating. Protein, B12, omega‑3s, and several other nutrients require intentional sourcing.

I’m Xavier Savage, a personal trainer based in Houston, Texas. I write vegan recomp protocols for Slim archetype clients across the US, Canada, and the UK through XPL online training. I do not try to talk vegan women out of being vegan – I help them do it in a way that supports muscle development and fat loss simultaneously, which is entirely possible with the right structure.

What Vegan Actually Is – Mechanically

The vegan diet eliminates all animal products – meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and honey. The primary nutritional risks are: B12 deficiency (there is no adequate plant source – supplementation is mandatory), omega‑3 deficiency (algae‑based DHA/EPA supplementation addresses this), and lower intakes of vitamin D, zinc, iodine, and iron. Protein requires intentional food combining or reliance on concentrated vegan protein sources.

Common misconception: Vegan diets are automatically healthy. Oreos are vegan. French fries are vegan. White bread is vegan. A vegan diet can be extraordinarily poor nutritionally if food quality is not prioritized. For recomp, your vegan diet must center whole plant foods and concentrated protein sources, not processed vegan products.

Exact Numbers – Vegan for Slim Recomp

Daily calories: 1,700‑2,000. Macronutrient split: Fat 20%, Protein 25%, Carbohydrates 55%. At 1,850 calories: Fat 41g, Protein 116g, Carbs 254g. Note: hitting protein above 116g on vegan requires concentrated sources – aim for 120‑130g, which may push protein percentage slightly higher.

Minimum daily protein: 120g (vegan‑adjusted – this is harder to reach than other diets and requires supplementation). Sources: tofu (8g per 100g), tempeh (19g per 100g), seitan (25g per 100g), edamame (11g per 100g), lentils (9g per 100g cooked), chickpeas, black beans, vegan protein powder (pea, soy, or rice blend – 20‑25g per scoop), and nutritional yeast.

Mandatory supplements: Vitamin B12 (2,000mcg weekly or 250mcg daily), algae‑based DHA/EPA omega‑3 (300‑500mg daily), vitamin D3 (vegan‑sourced, 2,000 IU daily). Consider zinc and iodine if intake is low.

Protein combining: Combine legumes with grains (rice and beans, hummus and whole grain pita) to obtain all essential amino acids across the day. You do not need to combine at every meal – just across the day.

What you eat: All plant foods – vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, soy products, nuts, seeds, plant oils, and fortified plant milks.

What you eliminate: All animal products without exception.

Water: 80‑100 ounces daily.

One‑Day Sample Meal Plan (1,850 calories, ~125g protein)

Breakfast: Tofu scramble (6 oz firm tofu) with vegetables and nutritional yeast, 1 slice whole grain toast – about 400 calories, 30g protein

Lunch: 1.5 cups cooked lentils, 1 cup quinoa, large vegetable salad with tahini dressing – about 650 calories, 35g protein

Snack: 1 scoop vegan protein + 1 banana + 1 tbsp peanut butter – about 320 calories, 28g protein

Dinner: 6 oz tempeh stir‑fry with vegetables and edamame, 1 cup brown rice – about 580 calories, 38g protein

Timeline

Week 1‑2: Protein and supplement planning is intensive. A vegan protein powder is effectively mandatory to reach targets. Set up your B12, omega‑3, and D3 supplements from day one.

Week 4: Once protein and supplementation are consistent, body composition begins changing. Energy stable from high carbohydrate availability.

Week 12: Visible recomp progress. Research confirms vegan athletes build muscle equivalently to omnivores when protein and training are matched – your results will reflect your protein consistency.

For the training protocol to pair with vegan recomp’s high carbohydrate fuel, see the glutes protocol and the quads protocol. For a less restrictive plant‑forward approach, see the plant‑based protocol. Take the XPL Archetype Quiz to confirm your archetype.

I train clients in person in Houston, Texas and work with people across the US, Canada, and the UK online through XPL. Take the XPL Archetype Quiz to get your exact protocol, or visit xperformancelab.com/plans-pricing to work with me directly.

The standards behind the standards. — Xavier Savage, XPL Xesthetic Performance Labs, Houston, TX