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Bodybuilders' Mass-Gaining Diets

The key nutritional components in gaining muscle mass are protein and water. Intake of both must be significantly increased if you want to gain mass. The fundamental truth of bodybuilding is "you have to eat big to be big," and the most effective way of consuming the vast amounts of calories needed is to follow a strict feeding schedule of high protein, moderate carbohydrates and moderate fat. Roughly 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight should be consumed and this routine must be maintained indefinitely to maintain mass.

  1. Omnivorous Diet

    • Meal 1 should be eaten at approximately 7:00 am and should consist of: 1 piece of fruit, 1 cup of non/low-fat yogurt, 1 serving of whole grain cereal and 1 packet of a meal replacement with 16 ounces of skimmed milk.

      Meal 2 should be eaten at approximately 9:00 am and should consist of: 1 serving of whey protein mixed in 10 ounces of water and 1 large piece of fruit.

      Meal 3 should be eaten at approximately 12:00 pm and should consist of: 1 serving of whey protein, 2 grilled chicken breasts, 1 serving of brown rice and 1 cup of low-fat yogurt.

      Preworkout meal 4 should be eaten at approximately 3:00 pm and should consist of: 1 packet of a meal replacement with 16 ounces of water and 5 to 10 grams of L-glutamine,1 large banana and 1 workout bar.

      Postworkout meal 5 should be eaten at approximately 6:00 pm and should consist of: 1 serving of whey protein combined with 1 5-gram serving of creatine mixed in an isotonic sports drink. These drinks contain similar amounts of salt and sugars found in the body and so are ideal for muscle recovery.

      Meal 6 should be eaten at approximately 7:00 pm and should consist of: 1 large green salad, 10 ounces of a lean round or flank steak and 1 serving of rice or 1 baked potato.

      Meal 7 should be eaten at approximately 10:00 pm and should consist of: 5 grams of L-glutamine, 1 packet of a meal replacement with 16 ounces of skim milk and 1 large banana.

    Vegetarian Diet

    • Meal 1 should be eaten at approximately 7:00 am and consist of: 40 grams of rice, pea or hemp protein mixed with 8 ounces of coconut milk and 12 ounces of water, banana and mixed berries.

      Meal 2 should be eaten at approximately 9:00 am and should consist of: 3 pickles, pistachios or cashews with almond butter and 2 apples.

      Meal 3 should be eaten at approximately 12:00 pm and should consist of: beans or legumes with brown rice or quinoa, salad or raw vegetables, 2 almond butter and jelly sandwiches with brown rice bread.

      Preworkout meal 4 should be eaten at approximately 3:00 pm and should consist of: raw organic food bar and raw vegetables and nuts.

      Postworkout meal 5 should be eaten at approximately 6:00 pm and should consist of: shake as for breakfast but without the coconut milk and include frozen spinach.

      Meal 6 should be eaten at approximately 7:00 pm and should consist of: stew with large amounts of legumes or yellow beans with potatoes. Instead, tofu with brown rice could be eaten with a large spinach salad.

      Meal 7 should be eaten at approximately 10:00 pm and should consist of: coconut milk ice cream or natural dark chocolate with large banana.

    Water

    • Though not shown in the above diets 1 8-ounce glass of water should be consumed for every 10 pounds of bodyweight at roughly 3 hour intervals.

    Fiber and Saturated Fats

    • For optimum digestion of nutrients 10 grams of fiber should be consumed for every 1000 calories. Saturated fat intake should be below 10 per cent of daily calories in order to gain lean muscle mass.

    Alternatives

    • The omnivorous diet is just a rough guide as to what meals can be prepared. To add variety any combination of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats can be used. For example the chicken breast and steak in the omnivorous diet could be substituted with a number of things including turkey breasts, salmon or tuna. For carbohydrates replacements try sweet potatoes or yams instead of potatoes and beans or pasta instead of rice.

      Variety in the vegetarian diet is harder and depends mainly on personal beliefs.Oriental sea vegetables such as arame, dulse or nori can be substituted for any vegetables and tempeh can be used instaed of tofu. However if you can consider egg and dairy products this will increase your protein options since then you can include egg and egg whites, cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, and milk. .

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