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Nutrition Body Building Diet

Nutrition is absolutely critical to succeed as a bodybuilder. From building muscle to recovering from training to having the energy for you next workout, the phrase "you are what you eat" could never be more appropriate. While there is not one perfect diet, there are a few rules that you should follow for optimal performance and to build muscle without putting on body fat. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.

  1. You Need Amino Acids

    • When you train, you damage the fibers in your muscles and break down amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. The only way to restore them is by eating more protein, preferably from quality sources like lean cuts of beef, milk, eggs, chicken and fish. You will need more protein than an inactive person, so plan accordingly, and eat protein with every meal, including in-between meal snacks. If you are in a hurry, you can use a protein supplement, but make sure you read the label carefully, and ensure that everything in the supplement is something you actually need.

    Fat is Essential

    • Essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, are required for hormonal production and regulation. Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and herring are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids can be found in flax, nuts and seeds. While it can be difficult to get all of those in over the course of a day, you can supplement your diet with fish oil and flax oil, both of which are available in liquid or capsule form. This is important because a diet too low in fat will limit your ability to produce testosterone, which is the most important hormone in the muscle building equation.

    Carbohydrates

    • This is the area where you have the most latitude in your diet. You can base your carbohydrate intake on three things: training intensity, training volume and activity level. The higher all three of them are, the more carbohydrates you will need. There is, unfortunately, no formula, so you will need to experiment with your carbohydrate intake and find out what works best for you. Regardless of needs, you should get most of your carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed grains.

    Putting It All Together

    • You need to keep a dietary log, and track your caloric intake over the course of a week. At the end of the week, judge your progress. If you are gaining muscle but not fat, you are doing fine, if you are gaining both, you may need to cut something back a little, but do not make drastic cuts, slow and steady wins the race. If you are not progressing fast enough, increase your protein intake, then look at your fat and carbohydrate intake. It will take time for you to find the right balance, so be patient and track everything.

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