Organic Diet for Bodybuilders

Let me ask you a question – if you’re the proud owner of a Chevrolet Camaro, would you put the cheapest fuel in your brand new car? I guess probably not.

However, have you ever noticed how many luxury cars (Merc, BMWs, Jaguars, etc) pull up to the Mcdonald’s or Burger King drive through window for a $2 hamburgers?

Those drivers has no problems forking out $1000+ monthly car payment, but would wince when asked to buy “premium fuel” (quality, organic food) into his own body. Something is wrong somewhere J

The US FDA lists more than 3,000+ chemicals that are allowed to be added to our food. One billion pounds of pesticides and farming chemicals are used on our crops every year. It is estimated that an average American consumes as much as 150 pounds of chemicals and food additives each year!

Is this good for you? I don’t think so.

Going organic or semi-organic is one way to cut down these chemicals. Organic foods is not just for bodybuilders – it’s for everyone who’s concern about their health.

Food grown on certified organic farms does not contain pesticides, herbicides, Fungicides, hormones, antibiotics or chemical fertilizers and it’s also not genetically modified.

Let’s get back to bodybuilding – our number #1 nutrient is protein. Let’s look at some benefits of “organic” grass fed beef and free range chicken and eggs.

These protein sources have distinct advantages of not having those potentially dangerous chemicals, antibiotics and hormones.

What about costs you say?

Well, all I can say is that if you can afford it, then why not? Why put “junk” into your body when you can afford the real good stuff? As a natural bodybuilder, you would avoid steroids and other performance enhancement drugs – so why expose your body to other chemicals if you can help it? You can be confident in spending the extra money on grass fed beef and free range chicken because you’ll be avoiding the chemical toxins, antibiotics, etc.

If cost is a big factor, don’t sweat it too much. Read the labels and wash your vegetables thoroughly. Drink lots of water. Focus on nutrition and lifestyle improvement, and not worry too much about going organic or not.

While I’ve begun to consume organic food where possible, I’ve not gone totally organic. Don’t sweat the small stuff – eat right, follow a proper diet and do your workouts

Best Bodybuilding Routine

The best bodybuilding routine is one that is specifically tailored for you according to your goals and needs.

You may be tempted to follow the routines of those bodybuilders with hulking physiques – but you must remember that these people have been training and doing those routines for years. I’m certain they did not start out with their current routine.

So, be rational and patient. Work out a routine that suits your current physical abilities and slowly build up from there. Otherwise, you may end up spending more time recovering from muscle injuries instead of training.

Bodybuilding is not something that happens overnight – you need to lay the foundations first with a good diet, appropriate routine and sufficient rest. You must think long-term in bodybuilding – starting off with a light training  and slowly progress by adding to your routines as you bulk up.

So, to summarize, the best bodybuilding routine is one that is customized to your current physique and according to your goals. In time, you will achieve the desired bodybuilder’s physique

Origins of BodyBuilding – History

Nobody knew for sure where or how bodybuilding first started, although there are many evidences that point its origins to the 19^th century European strongman acts in circuses and theaters. The first noteworthy international Bodybuilding competition is the Mr. Universe contest in 1947, just two years after the world war II. (Body building for women started much later, in the 1970s)

So, what is BodyBuilding? It’s basically the process of developing a great physique (well defined muscle tone and huge mass for aesthetics) through specific exercises, weight training and following a specialized diet program. Bodybuilding is often done for competitive purposes although there are more men nowadays who take up bodybuilding to shed the 98-pound weakling physique and for general health purposes.

I was once a “98 pound nerd”, and I couldn’t get a date even if I had resorted to bribes. Sure, all the girls told me that I’m a nice guy, but they would come up with all sorts of excuses the moment I asked them out. That’s when I decided to build some mass and have that “hunk” look.

It paid off handsomely. It was a slow process, but over the months, I managed to gain muscles and girls started to notice me.

That was some 20 years ago. Now, I’m happily married with 2 super active kids. I still work-out every week, although not as much as before, and I can tell you – I still get glances from girls due to my “hunk” physique.

Bodybuilding and Alcohol

If you are a bodybuilder or if you’ve just taken up bodybuilding, you will need to control your intake of beer (or any alcoholic beverages). This is because alcohol inhibits your body’s natural abilities to heal after a workout session – and it may also cause other health related complications that’s detrimental to your bodybuilding.

Research has shown that alcohol consumption reduces the body’s aerobic capability, endurance, recovery time after a stressful workout. It also stops the body’s ability to metabolize fat.

In other words, alcohol prevents your muscles from getting the necessary oxygen and nutrients it needs in order to recover from the small tears and pulls. The bloodstream is the main conduit that takes oxygen and other nutrients to the muscles, and if it contains alcohol, it will severely diminish its ability to deliver the necessary oxygen and nutrients to your muscles.

This will cause a much longer time for you to recover from your workout and your training will also be less effective.

Does this mean you can no longer enjoy a cold beer with your buddies if you decide to take up bodybuilding? Well, I always believe in moderation. If you simply cannot do without an occasional beer or two, then plan for it.

For example, if you have scheduled a block of 3 -4 days rest in a row, then day 2 is good time to go for a drink with your buddies.

BUT drink in moderation!