9 Bodybuilding Diet Tips

Here are 9 essential bodybuilding diet tips to help you jump start your diet plan.

1) Eating the wrong types of carbs.

Carbohydrate is very important in your diet. If your body does not have enough carbs for energy, it will start to break down the muscle proteins, i.e. your body will enter a catabolic state and your metabolism will slow down significantly. This will result in lost of muscle mass.

So, what type of carbohydrates should you eat? There are basically 2 types of carbohydrates – complex carbs and simple carbs.

Complex carbs is what you should eat as it releases energy constantly over a period of time. This will give you sustainable energy throughout the day as you do your workouts.

On the other hand, simple carbs are will give you energy spikes – often, your body will receive more energy than it require at any given time. This may result in the extra energy being converted into fat for storage. Also, you will usually feel lethargic once the sugar level falls.

For more info, please read the article on the truth about carbohydrates here

2) How Much Protein?

Protein is the core nutrient in any bodybuilding diet plan. It is the main nutrient required to build muscle mass. Many bodybuilding experts recommend 1g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight to start with.

The actual amount of protein you need will vary from individual to individual – e.g. depending on one’s metabolic rate, the intensity of your training sessions and your bodybuilding goals. If you want to build more muscles mass in a shorter period, you may need to slowly increase your protein intake to 1.1g or 1.2g per pound of lean bodyweight.

3) To cheat or not to cheat?

Actually, that’s not the question. The real question how often should you cheat on your diet and what you should cheat on.

Like it or not, cheating in any bodybuilding diet is un-avoidable. I cannot imagine myself eating the same type of food, day in, day out, 365 days a year, for 20-30 years. Yuck!

So, how often should you cheat on your bodybuilding diet? It really depends on your bodybuilding goals – are you in it for competition or just trying to put on some extra muscle mass?

Here’s a good rule of thumb:

• If you’re into competition, then limit your cheat meal to once a week or once a fortnight.

• If you’re just looking to gain extra muscle mass, then 2-3 times a week is permissible.

However, do cheat sensibly and don’t go overboard by eating too much wrong foods. A huge tub of ice-cream in one sitting will probably undo 2 weeks of training and workout.

4) Facts about Fats!

Contrary to popular belief, you as a bodybuilder, should eat some fat! Really, not all fat is not created equal. You actually need some fat to help you gain muscle mass the keep your body healthy and strong.

Some fats are required by the body for healthy metabolism and hormone production. Stay away from saturated fats and trans fatty acids, but do take the following – egg yolks, flaxseed oil, virgin olive oil, canola oil, natural peanut butter and fish oils. They are all excellent sources of healthy fats.

5) Variety in your diet is GOOD!

Have you ever eaten so much tuna that you can’t even stand to look at it anymore? I have. Following the same diet every day can be unbearable – and I’m here to tell you that you CAN and SHOULD vary your bodybuilding diet.

Use this bodybuilding diet plan as a guide as you vary your meal plans. As long as you have sufficient intake of protein, complex carbs, green vegs, it does not really matter whether you decide to skip tuna for a week.

Remember, a bodybuilding diet is first and foremost a healthy diet. Variety is very important to help you follow through your bodybuilding commitment.

It will also help you enjoy your bodybuilding diet program for years to come and you will also tend cheat less.

Look around for some healthy bodybuilding recipe cookbooks that will give you choices, ideas and healthy alternatives to the staples of chicken, tuna and brown rice.

6) Nutritional Supplement Fallacy

“Take this Miracle Protein Powder and You’ll make the Incredible Hulk look like a 98 pound weakling”

Rubbish! Nutritional supplements are exactly what they are – “supplements” to your basic diet in case you have insufficient nutrients from natural foods.

Nothing can substitute the nutrients and metabolic effects of natural foods., so don’t let the all the marketing gimmicks sway you.

Nutritional supplements will only help IF you have a proper diet & training program in place. Otherwise, you’ll just be throwing good money down the drain.

7) Track Your Calories!

If you want to make real progress in bodybuilding, you need to track how your body is reacting to your specific diet. You need to track the proteins and calories you consume. This will allow you to make the necessary changes if you’re not seeing the results you desire.

Keep a journal of your daily calories can be tedious process, but after a while, you’ll get used to it and you’ll find it to be an indispensable tool in achieving those muscles and the 6-pack abs.

Rome was not built in a day …

In our modern microwave culture, it’s tempting to want to change our diet immediately and see results next week. Unfortunately, this will not work in bodybuilding. Your current body shape is the result of many years of your current diet and lifestyle. You can’t simply throw everything out and follow a strict bodybuilding diet and expect miracles next week. It just don’t work that way.

You’ll probably end up with more body fat. Start by either slowly increasing or decreasing your calories over a period of time (depending on whether you’re in the bulking phase or cutting phase).

For example, you could start by increasing an additional 100 calories every 3-5 days until you have reached the desired caloric intake. Then keep track of your body weight and fat percentage and re-assess your diet plan again. Remember, Rome wasn’t build in a day.

9) Water, water and water …

80% of our body is made of water. Over 70% of our muscles consist of water. Water is required for all metabolic processes, including protein synthesis. Water is used to rid our bodies of toxins, plays in important role in fat metabolism and maintain a healthy immune system.

A simple rule of thumb is to drink 8-10 cups of water per day (or about 60% of your body weight in pounds. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, then drink at least 108 oz. (3.2 liters) each day.

Increase your water intake during the summer, and during vigorous training sessions. Dehydration will make you sluggish and slow down your training sessions.

Start Bodybuilding – 4 Tips

Here’s a quick 4 tips to help you get started with bodybuilding right away.

Tip #1:
Start with the end in mind. Do you plan to be professional body builder and enter competitions? Or are you into bodybuilding for health purposes and to look like a “hunk”? Once you know your goal, it’s time to do proper research and planning.

You need to know how your muscles work and how to best increase your muscle mass so that you can develop the most effective training routine. If you can find a professional trainer, then all the better.

*note: if you get the workout routine wrong, you could be actually losing weight instead of gaining muscle mass.

Tip #2.
Eat well and eat right. As a bodybuilder, you need to increase the amount of food intake – especially protein which is vital for building muscle mass. In addition to protein, you’ll also need complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables for a complete and balance diet. Avoid junk food such as burgers and fries.

Tip #3.
Focus on all your muscles. It’s a common mistake for beginners to focus all their routine on increasing their biceps and getting their six pack abs. Develop a balanced workout routine that involves all your muscles.

*note: Start with the smaller (lighter) weights first and slowly increase the weights over time. This will prevent muscle tears and injuries.

Tip #4.
Take a break. You cannot rush your results by working extra hard or staying at the gym for extra long hours. If you over-stress your muscles, it will only results in muscle injuries and tear. You need to give your muscles time to rest and repair itself after each workout session. If you don’t, it won’t grow the way you envisioned it. Remember, your muscles grow during the rest periods, not during your workout sessions.

For best results, you need to proper training and proper workout routine. Find a professional trainer if you plan to enter competition. Otherwise, there are many good courses available online that can put you on the right track to achieve those muscle mass.

Final notes – develop a schedule that covers your training, your eating, and proper rest!

PS: Don’t get discourage if you don’t see results right away. Bodybuilding takes time, effort and discipline. If you persevere, you will surely be rewarded with finely toned muscles!

Bodybuilding and Steroids

Steriods are illegal bodybuilding competitions, but the use of steroids is not illegal per se – if you’re not into competitive bodybuilding.

There are many amateur bodybuilders, sometimes, even the pros do use steriods to help them achieve their goals faster.

However, you must ask yourself – is it worth it?

Steroids may ‘artificially’ boost the muscle gain in a short period – but what about the side effects? Many doctors and professionals concurred that the use of steriods will actually damage your body in the long run, i.e. steroids can put undue strain to your heart and other vital organs.

One has only to look at the highly publicised cases of some high-profile individuals who have died as the results of taking too much steroids.

I strongly advise you to stay away from steroids – the reason why you took up bodybuilding is because you love your body and want it to look its best – why destroy it with steroids?

Go for natural bodybuilding – follow a proper diet plan, workout in the gym and get plenty of rest. This method may be slower, but it’s proven and it’s safe.