Brendan's story: building muscle and a healthier relationship with food while traveling 40 weeks a year
Brendan, a Mavy Wellness client and nutrition scientist who travels about 40 weeks a year, lowered his weight and body fat, built significant muscle, and developed a healthier relationship with food on a whole food plant based diet. He started his program the day before a two week trip to three countries and still made progress.
Where he started: Brendan had been plant based for six years but ate too little protein, did mostly cardio, and was stuck in an all or nothing cycle of strict restriction followed by overeating.
What changed:
Consistency over perfection. Winning the next meal instead of writing off the whole day.
Mindful eating. Learning to notice when he was eating on autopilot.
Balanced meals with more protein. Beans, tofu and tempeh that kept him full.
Four strength sessions a week. Added to his cardio and back physical therapy.
A travel kit. Instant lentils, roasted edamame, protein powder and oatmeal in his suitcase.
Life now: "The cravings for the old things have really started to go away." Brendan shared his story on the Forever Fit Podcast.
What the research says. A 2018 review of 49 studies in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that protein helps resistance training build muscle, with the benefit leveling off around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. [1] A 2019 NIH study found that people ate about 500 more calories a day on an ultra-processed diet than on an unprocessed one, without trying to. [2]
"Forever Fit is an inspiring, evidence-based guide to developing a strong body and sustainable lifestyle."
Brenda Davis, RD, Plant-Based Trailblazer, Bestselling Author, on Forever Fit
If your schedule never slows down, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
Morton RW et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine 52(6):376-384. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/
Hall KD et al. (2019). Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: an inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake. Cell Metabolism 30(1):67-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008
About the author. Maxime Sigouin is the founder of Mavy Wellness (formerly FitVegan Coaching) and the author of Forever Fit, a book endorsed by physicians including Neal D. Barnard, MD, Laurie Marbas, MD, and James F. Loomis, MD. He has coached for more than six and a half years and, with his team, has coached nearly 1,300 adults over 50 on a whole food plant based diet. He hosts the Forever Fit Podcast, with more than 450 episodes.
Last updated: October 26, 2026. Results vary from person to person. This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise or nutrition program.
