Weightlifting Bodybuilding – Baby Steps

If you are just getting started in bodybuilding, you may be tempted to start with heavy weights in your training sessions. You may have heard that using heavy weights will lead to quicker results – ripped muscles in less time.

This is correct to a degree – i.e. working out with heavier weights will produce bigger muscles in a shorter period – however, the downside is – you may end up in hospital due to muscle injuries and tears.

Random studies has shown that majority of those who experienced weight training related injuries started off with heavy weights instead of slowly increasing and adjusting the weights as they progress. As a result, many unfortunate beginning bodybuilders have found themselves taking unplanned vacations from their workout sessions due to severe muscle injuries.

The fact is, muscle mass increase is maximized with CONSTANT weight training over an extended period. As you progress in your training, you can slowly increase the weights as your body and muscles adjust to the your bodybuilding workout regime.
There is a saying that goes – “Too much, too soon”. It is the same with bodybuilding. Start slow, start small, and most importantly, you must be consistent. In time, you too will have those huge biceps and muscle mass.

BodyBuilding Diet Overview

The saying “You are what you eat” is especially true for body builders.

Bodybuilding involve strict training routines and special diets to provide nutrients and energy to your body.

Our bodies are complex living machines – it’s ability to transform itself from a 98 pound weaking to muscular, ripping muscles with 6-pack abs hunk is simply amazing. But of course, you need to give your body the right nutrients – otherwise, no amount of training is going to make any difference.

Before we dive into the nitty gritty of bodybuilding diets, you need to be aware of the 2 main cycles of bodybuilding: Bulking Phase and Cutting phase.

Cycle #1: Bulking Phase

In this bulking phase, your goal is to build up your muscles, i.e. bulk up.

You will need more than what you’re currently eating now. Start with a “muscle bulking journal” and note down everything you eat. Calculate the totals for calories, proteins, carbs and fat. Ideally, you should be eating about 1.5g x your bodyweight in protein daily. This is to ensure you have sufficient protein for muscle growth. Your carbohydrate intake should be slightly above normal to ensure you have sufficient energy during your training and workouts.

Cycle #2: Cutting Phase

In this phase, your goal is to remove excess fat. Again, start with “fat loss journal” and note the amount of calories, protein, carb and fat you take each day. This time, your daily protein intake should be around 0.9g x your bodyweight. In this phase, your carb intake will be lower, and you may find yourself getting tired more easily during your training. This normal, so don’t worry too much about it.

These are the 2 bodybuilding cycles which you will cycle over time. The reason is because it is very difficult to put on muscles and remove fat at the same time.

So, adjust your diet accordingly to the bodybuilding phase you’re currently in. Remember to keep your ‘muscle bulking journal’ and the ‘fat loss journal’ so that you can keep track of your progress.

Bodybuilding Routines – Rest

If you’ve just started in bodybuilding, you may be very gung-ho about your bodybuilding routines and hit the gym everyday after work to work on those muscles. However, it is advisable to pace yourself and schedule breaks into your routine so that you do not over-stress your muscles which may result in injuries.

Many people assume that a bodybuilding routine that focuses on many hours of training will result in quicker muscle growth. While there is an element of truth in this, one must also be aware of the limits. If you want your bodybuilding training to achieve its maximum potential and to have long term effect, you need to schedule regular rests into your training routine. This will allow your body to “heal” after a rigorous workout. It is also during this rest period that your muscle mass is built up.

These are not just my own thoughts, but also the firm belief of many famous bodybuilding trainers.

One of the acclaimed bodybuilders – Sean Nalewanyj says, “Highly intensive training places very large amounts of stress on your body and if you fail to give the muscles adequate time to recover and heal in between workouts you will end up doing yourself more harm than good.”

Proper rest is as vital as the actual workouts and diets, and you should not neglect it. I would recommend taking a week break after an 8 weight training regime. This will allow your body to heal itself.

Finally, taking regular breaks in your training routine will also help you relax and enjoy the bodybuilding regime instead of viewing it as a chore.

A relaxed mind and a healthy muscular body is what you should aim for.

Bodybuilding Diet Plans

A good bodybuilding diet plan is essential if you want develop those muscles and trim those fats. All the workouts and weight lifting will come to naught without a proper diet plan which is key to supplying your body with the essential nutrients to build the muscle mass.

There are many different diet plans – but here are 4 quick widely accepted fundamentals of a proper bodybuilding diet plan. Use these tips to tailor your own custom diet plan.

Fundamental Tip #1

Decide which phase you are working on (bulking phase or cutting phase) and then determine how many calories you should consume each day. If you’re in the bulking phase, you need to consume more than you burn in order to gain muscles. Your journals (muscle bulking journal and fat loss journal) will come in very handy for this.

Fundamental Tip #2

Keep your metabolism and energy level up throughout the day by eating 5-6 small meals each day. This will consistently give your body sufficient energy provide and nutrients to encourage muscle growth and food cravings down. A good ratio of nutrients are:

- 40% protein

- 40% carbs

- 20% fat*

* yes, you still need to consume fat, contrary to popular belief, but the right kind of fat. I’ll talk more about eating the right kind of fat for body builders in another article.

Fundamental Tip #3.

Get 10% of your target calorie intake in grams of protein. For example, if you’re on a 2500 calorie diet, try to eat 250 grams of protein each day. If you’re taking 5 meals a day, that would be about 50g of protein in each mean.

Fundamental Tip #4

Water is essential for bodybuilding. When you workout, a lot of water is lost in sweat. Your muscles will lose some of their water as well. Therefore you need to drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated. Your body and muscles will become stressed if the water level is not replenished.

A good rule of thumb is this: Consume water (in oz) equal to 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.

*note: the above is just a rule of thumb. Some people have extremely high metabolic rate, and may sweat more than others. So, if you’re still thirsty after a good workout, please drink more.

Below is a typical 6-Meal BodyBuilding Diet Plan to help you get started.

Meal 1 (Pre-workout): 6 egg whites, 1 egg yolk, 1 cup of instant oatmeal, 1 glass of juice

Meal 2 (Breakfast): High Energy Meal replacement bar (or shake) and flaxseed oil. Make sure the replacement bar/shake has high protein.

Meal 3 (Mid-morning): 8 oz. lean meat, 2 cups green vegetables, 1 cup brown rice, 1 glass of water

Meal 4 (Lunch): Tuna in water, leafy salad (avoid mayonnaise), 2 slices of wheat bread.

Meal 5 (Tea/Snack): Meal replacement packet, flaxseed oil, 1 glass of water.

Meal 6 (Dinner): 1 baked boneless chicken breast, or salmon steak. (8oz of lean meat), 2 cups green vegetables, 1 baked potato, 1 serving of green beans, 1 glass of water. * Just before bed, you may want to drink a glass of protein shake.

Take your time to tweak the sample meal plan above according to your needs. It will take some time getting used to eating the same thing every day, but persevere and follow a proven system, you’ll be rewarded with bulging muscles and 6-pack abs.

“You are what you eat…”

The Truth about Carbs

Carbohydrate is an essential food for all bodybuilders. It is the main energy source for the human body. We get our energy by breaking down (metabolism) the carbohydrates we consume.

Carbohydrates also plays a very important role in the way your body uses protein. When you have sufficient carbs, your body will use protein to build and repair muscles. If you do not have sufficient carbs, then your body will metabolize (break down) protein for energy. It’s a process called glycogenesis and it takes take place when your body is running low on carbs.

When this happens, you will lose muscle mass and strength. Therefore, it is very important that you have a solid understanding of the roles carbohydrate plays in bodybuilding.

There are two types of carbohydrates – simple carbs and complex carbs.

Simple carbohydrates (small molecules of sugar such as glucose and fructose)are often called “empty calories”. The reason for this is because simple carbs are easily digested and releases an over abundance of energy rapidly. This extra energy is converted to glycogen and fat in our bodies. Food like cakes, ice-cream, pastry, chocolates falls into this category.

On the other hand, complex carbohydrates are simple sugars (glucose and fructose) that are bonded together to form a chain. It takes a longer time for digestive enzymes to break/metabolize the chain into individual sugars for absorption by your body.

For this reason, digestion and absorption of complex carb takes longer. This provides the body with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat. This is also the main reason why bodybuilders are advised to take complex carbs as the main part of their bodybuilding diet.

Another key point to note is the energy requirements of a training program. The intensity of your workout and the duration will help quantify the amount of calories your body needs to keep itself in a balanced nutritional state.

If your energy level is low, your body may begin to metabolize body fats and proteins for its energy. This will result in both fat loss and muscle loss. By ensuring that you have adequate supply of energy (complex carbs), you can ensure that your workouts will lead to muscle gain and not muscle loss.

*Important note: Post workout Window.

This is the first 120 minutes following an intensive workout. During this time, your body is depleted of energy and require simple sugars to replace the deleted glycogen. It is therefore very important that you consume simple carbs immediately after a good workout. This is the only time that simple carbs are suitable for the bodybuilder.

A proper bodybuilding diet plan, whether it’s for mass gaining purposes or leaning out, should consist mostly of complex carbs. Complex carbs are digested slowly and released into the bloodstream steadily over a period of time. This provides a steady source of energy for muscles throughout the day. With complex carbs there are no highs and lows in energy as they stay steady throughout the day.

To summarize, consume appropriate amount of complex carbs according to the energy requirements of your training program, and consume simple carbs during the first 120 minutes after vigorous workout to replenish your body’s glycogen (energy) store to prevent the breaking down of muscles.