Everyone knows that nutrition is about the most important element in the scheme of things for a bodybuilder. The quality and quantity of the food that you eat – and the times that you choose to eat it – makes a significant difference in the way that you look, feel and develop. Food is also crucial to energy in the gym, and is often the unnamed culprit in a bad workout session.

But barring sticking with cans of tuna and cooked yams, or chicken breasts and brown rice, nutrition can be a mystery to a lot of newbies and seasoned competitors alike. Most stick with just a few staples in order to simplify, but it may not be serving their every need – either in the gym or up on the stage.

The 6 Food Groups

Usually, nutritional bibles will show a pyramid with grains/cereals, proteins, dairy and fruits and vegetables as the 4 food groups. For bodybuilders, it’s a bit different and probably looks more like this:

Meats/ Proteins

Cereals/ Grains

Vegetables

Fruit

Dairy Products

Oils/ Nuts

A bodybuilder’s food intake for peak performance and peak condition should include something from each of these groups, but the ratios are greatly skewed from what is typically espoused by nutrition bibles.

Ratios are approximately:

Off Season:

40% Meats/ Proteins

10% Grains/ Cereals

20% Vegetables (Starchy and unstarchy)

10% Fruit

10% Dairy

10% Oils/ Nuts

Pre-Contest:

40% Meats/ Proteins

5% Grains/ Cereals

30% Vegetables (10% starchy and 20% unstarchy, leafy green vegetables)

30% Oils/ Nuts

Fruits typically are cut out in the last 5 or 6 weeks. As long as vitamin supplementation occurs, it’s not an appreciable deficit.

Typically, we are told that 60% of our diets should come from carbs, 20% from protein and 20% from fat. But let’s face it… eating like this is a sure-fire recipe for bodybuilding failure! Following the above plan is much more likely to create the kind of physique you want, and provide the energy you need to succeed in the gym and up on the stage.

Calories – Do they Count?

In this age of low carb diets (and bodybuilders have been cycling carbs for much longer than it’s been in fashion) it’s easy to think that calories don’t count! But, in fact, they do. Don’t ignore calories – it’s one of the biggest mistakes that a bodybuilder can make! That means, don’t ignore the fact that what you take in, carb-free/ carb-light or not, still counts. Sure, it counts much more when you include complex carbs back into the picture during an off season phase, but calories count anytime. Fail to count them and you set yourself up for bad habits that spill over into the off season.

Get in the habit of counting calories during a pre-contest phase, and you’ll probably be fine. Once you add starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and additional grains, such as rice, you won’t go astray.

For a 200 pound bodybuilder, here’s how calories should look:

Off season (growth): 3000

Off season (maint.): 2500

Pre-contest (fat loss): 1800

Eating Quality and Quantity in the Off Season

Off season and mass building aren’t synonymous with Burger King or McDonald’s. Occasionally, this kind of food is okay, but in general, they are not their own food group and are not the best quality food to feed your body.

It merits mentioning that eating a large quantity of calories during an off season phase is crucial to success. But it should also be mentioned that the quantity must also include quality. Simply shoveling 3000 calories of any kind of food into your mouth isn’t the way to address mass building.

Think of feeding your body in the same way you would a new home project. Do you want linoleum in your kitchen, or ceramic tile? Would you build your home with recycled lumber and expect it to last for 30 years, or would you be better off using brand new lumber? Would you want to use sandpaper on your roof, or wood shake or ceramic tile? These are all important decisions in what your final product looks like, and how enduring it will be.

Think of food and feeding your body during a mass phase in the same way. Eat steak, chicken, and other quality protein, good carbs like potatoes, yams, oatmeal, and fats such as olive oil and nuts. Just eat more of it than you would during a pre-contest phase.

5 Must-Know facts About Bodybuilding nutrition!

There are several different theories and cliques arguing the issue of the correct methods to use for bodybuilding nutrition. Dietary science has both proven and confuted many in the past. It is very crucial for the commencing bodybuilder to focus intensely on his nutrition, as this can either intensify his efforts, or completely obviate them. Here are a few of the significant areas to focus on. It is very important that before you start any bodybuilding or fat-loss plan that you confer with your physician, as there can be lasting modifications to your physiology if the diverse programs are adopted haphazardly.

1. H2O consumption is the principal catalyst that allows for your body to wash out waste, thereby readying the cells for fresh nutrient ingestion, as well as allowing for unproblematic cellular division, allowing for cell growth. Alot of of the toxins that are flushed out of the cells by water consumption are inimical to cellular growth and mitosis, and will seriously stunt if not completely halt your bodybuilding program. Uniform intake of water also can assist in the loss of water weight, thereby chipping in to fat loss.

2. Food is the elementary building block of muscle, and comprises one of the most important aspects of your bodybuilding program. An unsuitable ratio of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates can extend to fat retention, energy loss, and a mostly poor result of your program. Please confer with a registered dietician and/or a physician to employ the suitable dietary intake ratios that are applicable for your particular program.

3. Nutritional Bars are fast becoming the food article of choice for a bodybuilding or fat-loss diet. Alot of of these bars are high-protein low carbohydrate, such as has been generalised by the Atkins and Zone diets. An important condition in your choice of supplemental food bars is the ratios of carbohydrates to fat. Complex carbohydrates are preferable, with a higher ratio of protein. Protein is one of the most important muscular building blocks, and should be interpreted as being one of the exceedingly well regarded factors in your nutrition plan.

4. Nutritional supplements have also seen an enormous increase in fame. Some of the more popular include pills that purportedly increase thermogenesis, or the bodies burning off of fat for fuel. There are a enormous number of these types of fat-loss supplements on the market, and the best advice is to research the prospective supplement soundly. Pay very little attention to testimonials; rather avail yourself of the abundant medical research on the web, and the encyclopedic knowledge of your doctor. Surely consult your physician before taking ANY nutritional supplements, as several can have unintended side effects that can become life-threatening, such as Ephedrine.

5. Rest is an often overlooked portion of a complete bodybuilding nutrition plan. A solid 8 hours of sleep is conducive to cellular growth and regeneration, and allows the budding bodybuilder to conserve their energy for the next workout routine.

Please be cognisant that it is a the complete bundle of nutrition, exercise, and water intake that meld to form the most synergistic facet of a bodybuilding or weight loss program. All of the factors work collectively to form a sum greater than the parts, permitting the beginning bodybuilder to raise their physique properly, and with results that are projected to last.

Many bodybuilders consume maltodextrin or dextrose for the energy required to complete 60 to 120 minutes weight and cardio training sessions. These carbohydrate sources are selected because of their slow-burning nature, which aids in blood glucose level management following workouts as well. However, many bodybuilders are quickly discovering that honey is a great substitute with some additional benefits.

Honey, like dextrose, is terrific in post-workout protein shakes for increasing insulin levels in this very small anabolic growth window. Not only does it provide a different taste (always a plus in the bland world we know as bodybuilding nutrition), but the body, which can actually stretch this anabolic window for a longer period of time, also burns it slower. Honey should not replace dextrose as your primary post-workout carbohydrate source. After all, nearly half of its calories come from fructose, the carb flavor that often becomes fat. But it is a viable option to keep on hand should you ever run out of dextrose, if you’re enjoying a cheat meal, or if you’re in a bulking phase and extra calories are what you are seeking. Honey can be purchased at any grocery store, and can be a great grab if you’re on the road without a good protein shake, and just picking up some lunch meat or other quick protein source following a workout. Knock down 1-2 tablespoons of honey with the meat for maximization of that time period following a workout. A fast food solution (which should always be the exception, not the rule) would be some KFC chicken smothered in honey from their handy honey packets.

Honey also provides additional anti-oxidant effects on the body, making it doubly useful for bodybuilders in that all-important recovery window following a workout. Be careful if you are allergic to honey (as many are) and consult a doctor if you have any adverse reactions to this tasty and useful food. Enjoy the variety and added benefits that honey can provide to your bodybuilding diet!

Been to a grocery store lately?

Does your mouth start to water when you pass aisle after aisle of….

-Potato chips

-Pop tarts

-Ice cream

-Cookies

-Fresh baked pastries

-Cakes

-Carbonated beverages

-Syrups with high fructose corn syrup

Mmmmm…I can almost taste it right here from my computer.

How does that fit into your fitness plan, or your weight loss diet plan?

Gooey chocolate chip cookies, devil’s food cakes, ultra high sugar cereals…all washed down with your favorite carbonated beverage.

Uh oh, there goes your weight loss diet plan.

Ok, I’m getting off track here….and so is your fitness plan.

Whatever.

Let’s focus and regroup.

Here’s a challenge for you (pay attention, this is a good start to a weight loss diet plan)…

Next time you go to the grocery store, put 10 healthy things that will help achieve your overall fitness plan and your weight loss diet plan in your cart before you put 1 unhealthy thing.

Yep, you heard right.

It’s not only a challenge, but this should be the way (now and always) you grocery shop for you and your family.

For every 10 things for your fitness plan….you are allowed 1 “treat”.

So, for example…you could put things in your cart like:

-Oatmeal

-Assorted fruits and vegetables

-Lean meats (chicken, beef, some kinds of fish, etc.)

-Whole grains

-Low fat yogurt (no sugar added)

Then…..after 10 of these items that help you achieve your weight loss diet plan….you can go ahead and “treat” yourself to one of those high calorie, “fat in the box” cookies…….if you so desire.

But here’s a little secret…

A shocking, little-known, secret that will keep you on your fitness plan like glue…

You think you can handle it?

Ok, here goes…

After you start CONSISTENTLY buying and eating healthier foods…you will no longer be interested in those “treats”…which will eventually do nothing but make you feel bad…but you WILL BE HAPPY about your newly found self-esteem, and your body will be very thankful…it may sound hard to believe right now…but it’s true….very true.

Why?

Because you are CONSISTENTLY conditioning yourself to eat healthier foods and following your fitness plan and staying on top of your weight loss diet plan…and your body is responding to it…

Better yet, your body is EXPECTING it.

I remember when I was back in college and when I was eating very healthy and working out like a champ, I was following my fitness plan to a “T”…

I was doing this very consistently for a good while…then, one night I went out to dinner with some friends.

Didn’t really think about how I had been eating lately (very healthy) and ordered myself a nice juicy, fatty hamburger and fries.

Well, about a ½ hour later, after my stomach kept asking me “What in the world is this in here?”…I became very familiar with the bathroom for a little while.

Onward.

Ok, I didn’t tell you that story to make you scared of eating hamburgers, or say that you can never, ever, ever eat anything you want or crave…

But be smart.

Use your common sense.

Follow your fitness plan.

Stay on your weight loss diet plan.

Eating Twinkies will never help you lose the fat off your body.

Neither will the candy bars.

Or the….

Well, you get the picture.

So…realize that it all STARTS at your local grocer.

And if you follow my advice, you can make sure it doesn’t END on your waistline.

I’ll talk to you soon.

Chris C.

P.S. You think this is the end-all, be-all of fitness and nutritional tips? Well, it’s not even close…just go on over to www.fitnesswithchris.com and look at all of the information I have for you for you to follow and improve your fitness plan.

Building muscles is not all about lifting weights and working out non-stop. You need a healthy body building nutrition program in order to make your body building routines more effective. Eating is one thing but eating a healthy balanced meal for building muscles is another thing entirely. You need to understand that food is very necessary in the bodybuilding process and not just eating any thrown together meal, eating processed foods is totally out of the question.

There are several healthy meals that can help you build your muscles the natural and healthy way. In this article you will get healthy body building nutrition tips that will nourish your body the way it is meant to be.

1) Eat whole foods – these foods will help you achieve a lower body fat, so that the muscles you have spent so much time building will show better. Do not eat any food that comes out of a box – you could have an occasional pizza (emphasis on the word “occasional”). You should eat whole foods about 90 percent of the time.

Fats – fish oil, flax seeds, olive oil, real butter, nuts etc

Carbohydrates (Carbs) – whole grain, pasta. Brown rice, quinoa, oats etc

Fruits – orange, pears, banana, apple (an apple a day keeps the doctor away)

Vegetables – eat spinach, tomato, carrots, broccoli, salad etc

2) Eat More – You need to eat more because your body needs food for energy and also for muscle growth and recovery. Eating frequent meals will boost your metabolism, therefore helping you to lose fat fast. The key is to eat more frequently, not necessarily more volume.

Eat your breakfast – do not skip breakfast because you need to get calories in the first hour, so eating breakfast is very important.

Eat every 3 hours – eating six meals each day will give your muscles a steady intake of protein which is a very necessary body building nutrition source, and will also help your body speed up muscle repair and recovery. Eating 6 meals everyday will also boost your metabolism.

Eat after each workout – make sure you get proteins and carbs post workout in order to help you with muscle recovery and replenish your energy stores.

Fill up on calories too – Make sure you get enough calories; you can track your calorie intake using special devices.

Eat foods that are rich in calories such as 100g raw spinach is 25kcals. 100g raw rice is 380kcals, eat lots of pasta, mixed nuts, oats, olive oil etc

3) Body building nutrition is not complete without milk. Drinking a gallon of whole milk each day will help you gain some good fat which is necessary for body building. So, got milk?

Who said you need to use steroids in order to achieve your dream of having big strong muscles? A healthy eating habit with your workout regimen is enough to help you build muscles naturally.

People seeking counsel on bodybuilding have a lot of resources they could use. You could ask others you know from the gym, your trainer, or even peruse the latest fitness magazine. The internet offers a wealth of information as well, from diet info to routine techniques.

Bodybuilding experts will occasionally write for bodybuilding websites. The methods described are created to ensure that you get a good, healthy workout and can sculpt the type of body that you are looking for. Do some online research and youll come up with several websites that have good tips and tricks that you can incorporate into your workout. There is also a chance that nutritional information may be found online as well.

Because a bodybuilder has certain nutritional needs that must be satisfied, you need to ensure that the nutritional advice that you follow includes a well balanced diet. This becomes even more important when you are trying to add greater muscle mass to your body. You will be burning more calories than most people, and therefore your diet will need to be configured to suit your body’s needs.

Be careful of the bodybuilding tips that you find online. Not everyone is qualified, so check into the reputation of the person who is giving advice on bodybuilding. Find out what credentials the individual claiming expertise has that allows him or her to give advice to folks who are looking to build their muscles. It can be difficult to determine which sites offer safe and healthy advice for bodybuilders, so you should proceed with caution.

Blindly following the bodybuilding tips from a person who isn’t knowledgeable can place you at greater risk for an injury. Anything that doesn’t sound familiar or isn’t clear should be double-checked, with your trainer if possible. They can advise you on whether the information is safe and appropriate to your bodybuilding goals.

Check with your doctor before you follow any medical advice from a site online. It is never a good idea to take any medication or other drug without being seen by a doctor. The bottom line is when you are reading the bodybuilding tips online use some common sense.

Dont follow something blindly because it promises you a toned sculpted body overnight. The only way to achieve the muscles that you are after is through hard work and patience. You will need to monitor your diet and find the exercises that work the best for your body type.

Let’s face it, we live in an image conscious society, not a health conscious one. Many people confuse the two, but the difference is clear. Because of the extremes that many people are willing to go to try to look good including calorie restricting diets, taking pills and potions to lose weight, and even cosmetic surgery, it is clear that people are more concerned with looking good rather than feeling good or even being healthy for that matter. The fact is, there are plenty of activities we can take part in that can make us not only look fantastic, but get into fantastic healthy condition as well. One of these is bodybuilding.

Bodybuilding is the act of improving one’s physique through weight training, aerobic training, and eating a healthy diet. This activity can make you look incredibly younger and feel better than you have in your entire life. Because of the lack of knowledge that many have about bodybuilding, many decide not to try it, but really, it is pretty simple to get started with this effective and physique improving activity.

First of all, it is important to understand the different types of routines you may encounter in the world of bodybuilding. There are two basic types and they are called full body, and split body routines. Full body, as the name suggests, are exercises that involve your entire (or most of) your body. These include exercises such as squats and deadlifts. Split body exercises are those that focus on individual muscles such as dumbbell curls. As a beginner bodybuilder, you will want to focus on the full body ones as they will provide you with the best “bang for your buck” when it comes to adding significant amounts of muscle in a short period of time. Begin with a routine that will see you completing several sets of full body exercises during each workout and schedule workouts at least 3-4 days per week. It is important to start with light weights so that you don’t hurt yourself, but make sure to increase weights incrementally so that your progress will continue.

In this early stage of bodybuilding, nutrition and rest are EXTREMELY important. You will want to be taking in adequate amounts of protein in order to provide your muscles with the nutrients they need to grow, and carbohydrates as well as this will provide the fuel for your muscles during your grueling workouts. In addition, make sure to get PLENT of sleep (at least 8 hours) each and every night as it is during this time that your muscles actually repair themselves and GROW. Many beginning bodybuilders experience significant growth with a one day on one day off workout routine. This gives their body one full day of recovery in which to grow between workouts.

So remember, beginner bodybuilders need to start light, but gradually add increasing weight. You need to concentrate on full body movements and don’t worry so much about split body routines at this stage. Finally, make sure you eat the proper foods and get plenty of rest. If you follow this simple but effective advice, you will have much success in positively transforming your body through bodybuilding.

We feel vindicated that our vision of the strong, liberated woman has been accepted by the main stream media, as well as by the sports world and the medical community. Weight training will pay off for you in the long run. The following are just some of the rewards women enjoy by following the bodybuilding lifestyle.

Body Fat Control

Weight control is the main reason most women work out, but aerobics alone isn’t the best approach. By building some muscle, you increase your metabolism so you can eat more without gaining fat.

Increasing Bone Density

Weight training is the best way to make your bones stronger. This is important in your younger years so you can have more bone density as you age, when osteoporosis could otherwise be a major health problem.

Avoiding Terminal Illness

Bodybuilding exercises for your back and shoulders can help prevent bad posture and back and shoulder pain that comes from spending too much time at your computer.

Strength

Everyone likes feeling strong. It’s more important as you grow older.

Body Contouring

Weight training tightens sagging triceps and hardens wobbly thighs which are the main problem areas for women.

Healthy Children

Healthy mothers have healthier babies, and the bodybuilding nutrition and exercise lifestyle can help you before, during and after pregnancy.

Stress Management

A tough session focusing on moving lots of weight can ease the day’s tensions and release calming endorphins. Bodybuilding training is the best tension reducer around.

Easy on the Joints

Knees and ankles may not be able to withstand continued aerobics or running programs, but with smart weight training you can work out without jarring your joints.

Buddies Welcome

Bodybuilding is something you can do with the guys, with the girls, or by yourself.

Healthier Lifestyle

The bodybuilding lifestyle of good nutrition, no smoking, minimal alcohol, adequate rest and sleep will make you healthier and stronger and help you avoid diseases associated with bad habits.

Self Realization

You do something that feels good. You develop your physical potential, not letting sexist stereotypes hold you back.

An exciting development in the functional food area is the fortified egg. Bodybuilders know that eggs are a good source of protein, but eggs can now also be a good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Some egg producers are adding flaxseed to the feed of hens. Adding omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of flaxseeds, to the diets of hens increases the omega-3 fatty acid content of eggs by over six times that of regular eggs. Eating two fortified eggs may provide an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Egg producers also add vitamin E to the flaxseed feed to keep it stable. This can cause the vitamin E content of fortified eggs to be as much as eight times higher than that of normal eggs. It is also worthy to note that eggs can taste better with the vitamin E enrichment

Legumes

Sometimes referred to as the poor mans meat, legumes are an excellent source of soluble fiber, which is important for keeping an athletes blood sugar and energy levels stable. As far as plant foods go, most legumes are relatively high in protein and are a good source of slow releasing complex carbohydrates. This is great for providing a more stable and longer lasting supply of energy for working out. Legumes can be eaten in chili, stews, and soups, and are also enjoyable when served cold in bean salads. Some of the more common legumes found in the U.S. include pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and black-eyed peas. Legumes can be purchased dry, canned, and sometimes frozen.

Allium Vegetables

Allium vegetables, such as garlic, chives, onions, scallions, and leeks, are a flavorful way to add healthful nutrients to a bodybuilders diet. The benefits of garlic and other allium vegetables may come from their abundant flavonoids, such as quercetin, and also from their sulfur-containing compounds. Allium vegetables may be more beneficial when uncooked. So you may want to add them to sandwiches, salads, salad dressings, and other raw recipes to get the most from them.

Mollusks

Low in fat, a source of protein, and high in essential minerals, mollusks can be a good addition to a bodybuilders diet. Three popular and nutritious mollusk choices are clams, oysters, and mussels. Clams, in particular, lead the way for all foods in heme iron content. Heme iron found only in red meat, poultry, fish, and seafood is iron bound to a nonprotein compound that is much more easily absorbed by the body than free iron. Clams are also an excellent source of vitamin B12 and copper. These three nutrients may help maintain good blood status for delivering oxygen to working muscles. Along with copper, mollusks are also rich in zinc and selenium. These minerals are necessary for the proper functioning of the bodys immune system and its antioxidant defenses. Mollusks can be cooked in a variety of ways, including steaming, stewing, roasting, baking, broiling, sauting, poaching, and frying.

Nuts

Nuts are a very rich source of nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetable proteins, fiber, vitamin E, potassium, folate, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, phosphorous, phytosterols, antioxidants, and arginine. Although nuts are considered a fatty food, the fat in them may be beneficial. Some healthful choices for the bodybuilder include almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, and pistachios. But remember, eating too much of a good thing can really increase your caloric intake, which could lead to an increase in bodyfat. A good guideline may be to eat one or two servings per day. A serving is one ounce (24 almonds).

Whole Grains

Bodybuilders may find whole-grain foods helpful in providing steady energy for hard training. Whole-grain foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and essential fatty acids. Some examples of good whole-grain foods include oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, barley, spelt, brown rice, and some hot and cold breakfast cereals. Be wary of products labeled 100% wheat, stone-ground, multi-grain, seven-grain, 12-grain, or organic. They often contain very little whole grain. Instead, look for whole-grain products that say 100% whole wheat.

Salmon

One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a great way to add more musclebuilding protein to your diet. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are important building blocks of cell membranes and, like protein, may help athletes recover from strenuous workouts. Omega-3 fatty acids are also a great addition to anyones fat-loss plan.

Tomato Products

Not often do you find a natural food that actually benefits nutritionally by being cooked and processed. This seems to be the case, however, for tomatoes. It appears that even though some vitamin C is lost when tomatoes are heated, the antioxidant power is increased during the process. Researchers have found that the antioxidant lycopene, which is the pigment that makes tomatoes and other fruits like pink grapefruit and watermelon red, is made more bioavailable to the human body after heating. Foods rich in lycopene include canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato paste, salsa, and ketchup.

Flaxseeds

Also known as linseeds, flaxseeds are small, oval-shaped seeds from the blue flowering flax plant. Flaxseeds are considered one of the best plant sources of healthful omega-3 essential fatty acids, and they’re also a good source of fiber. Flaxseeds (but not all flaxseed oil) are rich in phytochemicals called lignans that may have strong antioxidant properties that can help you stay healthy. There are several sources of lignans, such as whole grains, various berries, and soybeans, but flaxseeds are the best source. For easier digestion, flaxseeds should be ground first; a coffee grinder is good for this. The pleasant, nutty flavor of ground flaxseeds can be enjoyed in many foods, such as baked breads, muffins, and cookies. They can also be eaten in salads, cereals, soups, sauces, or mixed with a serving of NITRO-TECH protein powder.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables such as watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage are known as cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables are high in fiber, rich in vitamin C, very low in calories, and a good source of healthful phytonutrients. Eating cruciferous vegetables is a good way to take in important micronutrients without taking in a lot of calories. Bodybuilders wishing to lose bodyfat will find cruciferous vegetables to be a good addition to a their focused diet. Try to get three or more servings of these vegetables each week.

It is also interesting to note that cruciferous vegetables can be a dieting bodybuilders best friend, as in many cases they require more calories to be digested than they provide. Cruciferous vegetables not only help fill you up, but they also help you burn more calories!

Bodybuilders put great demand on their bodies during heavy training. Eating well will keep you going strong and staying healthy. Remember, a healthy bodybuilder is a better bodybuilder, so try to add some of these superfoods today.