Bodybuilding Diet
Do you need to be a bodybuilder like Arnold Schwarzenegger to follow a bodybuilding diet?
Who Can Follow a Bodybuilding Diet?
People of all ages, sex and walks of life have transformed their bodies and health through emulating the practices of champions like Arnie.
Men and women with 'ordinary bodies' can use the same nutritional, exercise and weight lifting advice intended for bodybuilders to lose weight, get physically fit and to change their lives.
How can you follow a bodybuilding diet without ending up looking like Arnie? The diet that bodybuilders use doesn't turn them into hulks - that is more dependent on the weights and repetitions in their strength programs. A bodybuilding diet is designed to help you eat the right way with quality, nutrient-rich foods.
What is a Bodybuilding Diet?
The intention of a bodybuilding diet is to get muscle-building and fat-burning results from your exercise and training program, and also have a consistent level of energy throughout the day. You want to lose body fat and build lean muscle. There are many specific diets out there that you can choose from, including those developed by ex-bodybuilders, personal trainers and food supplement companies. As long as you follow a healthy diet, then the detail is in the timing and quantity of food.
What is a Healthy Diet?
A healthy diet is a balance of quality proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in your food. The emphasis is on quality foods in order to get the best nutritional benefits. Most countries have recommended guidelines on what people should eat on a daily basis:
- lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans
- some lean meats, fish/seafood, eggs, dairy and whole grains
- some essential fatty acids in the form of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils
- RDI (recommended daily intake/allowance) for vitamins and minerals
- drink plenty of water
- reduce alcohol, saturated fats, sugar, and processed foods
Other recommendations include maintaining a healthy body weight and doing regular exercise.
What's Different about a Bodybuilding Diet?
Most bodybuilding programs usually include three alternative days of weight/strength training, three alternative days of exercise and a day of rest. Muscle grows and strengthens on the day after weight training, when the muscle is repairing. The bodybuilding diet needs to support this process in a healthy and healing way.
The secret that all bodybuilders know is that meals need to be relatively small and often throughout the day. Each needs to contain good quality protein, some carbohydrate and a small amount of 'good' fats.
How Can I Follow a Bodybuilding Diet?
- Drink water regularly - when you wake up, after meals and between meals.
- Exercise in the morning before breakfast, when you will gain the most benefits
- Have a good breakfast, lunch and dinner with some protein, carbohydrate and fat to fill you up
- Eat every two to three hours to accelerate your metabolism and to maintain steady energy levels throughout the day
- Add vegetables to at least two meals daily (lunch and dinner)
- Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day
- Ensure snacks between main meals are rich in protein
- Use protein powders or bars for one to two snacks a day
What is a Sample Bodybuilding Diet Day?
- Breakfast: 7am
- 2 eggs
- 1 slice of whole-wheat toast with one tablespoon all-natural peanut butter
- 1 piece of fruit
- Snack: 10am
- Turkey breast or cottage cheese and celery or tuna on rye bread with an apple
- Lunch: 1pm
- Grilled chicken breast
- Salad
- Snack: 4pm
- Meatball or sugar-free yoghurt or protein bar
- Dinner: 7pm
- Grilled steak (marinated)
- Steamed vegetables
- Steamed brown rice
- Snack: 10pm
- Protein powder shake with water
Why Do I Need a Protein Powder?
Protein powders are designed to work with the body in optimising the outcome of exercise programs. High protein and low carbohydrate sports food supplements are formulated to increase endurance and reduce recovery times between workouts.
The protein powders are combined to assist in reducing muscle breakdown during exercise and assisting with muscle rebuilding after exercise. Ideally a good protein powder will also include amino acids for muscle building, dietary fibre to help with regularity, and vitamins and minerals such as zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 and B12. These powders are not designed as food substitutes, but are expected to be consumed in conjunction with a nutritious diet, exercise and training program.
What Results Can I Expect on the Bodybuilding Diet?
You will get out of any eating plan what you put into it. This includes setting your daily and weekly goals for your diet, exercise and weight/strength training programs. Plan your meals in advance so that you eat frequently and use good quality food sources. Keep a record of what you eat and when, to help you keep on track.
Small frequent meals will keep your metabolism ticking away, keep hunger at bay and your blood sugar levels even. This will have the effect of burning fat and supporting your muscle building program. Your overall success will be made easier and you should see consistent results each week.
