When building muscle through physically intense workout routines that are required to obtain some serious body mass, it is important to also look at what you’re eating. “You are what you eat!” applies especially to this particular topic because all the effort you put into your exercise routine can be easily lost depending on what kind of food you eat. A high calorie, protein-enriched diet is absolutely necessary for body builders during the “bulking” phase.

Bulking Phase

The bulking phase is where bodybuilders will use intense lifting and dieting to burn body fat while maintaining and growing muscle. In this time, you’re going to want to increase your calorie consumption by 15% of the calories you maintain. A good way to measure how many calories you’re maintaining is to weight yourself 2 to 3 times a week to view your weight gain/loss ratio. If you aren’t losing or gaining any weight then the calories you are consuming are going to be the calories you’ll want to increase from. 

Calories for Bulking

If you are consuming 2000 calories a day then you are going to want to start eating 2300 (0.15 x 2000). Make sure you ease yourself into the diet because a drastic caloric changes can cause the body too much strength which could negatively impact your workout routine. It is also important to cut down 15% of calories during the cutting phase. 

Cutting Phase

The cutting phase is when a bodybuilder will change his/her workout routine and diet in order to cut down body fat. One will increase workout routines while cutting 15% of the calories they are maintaining. This will be the second phase in the process.

Calories and Consumption

Generally, it is recommended to get about 30%-35% of calories from protein, 55%-65% from carbs, and 15%-20% from fats. It is also recommended to consult with a doctor or nutritionist for more personalized results.

What Kinds of Good Foods to Consume

Where you get your food from is just as important as how many calories you intake. Bodybuilding does not negate the need for a well-balanced diet. More importantly, pay attention to the food source and understand how each of the following can compliment a healthy bodybuilding diet for the best results.

Proteins

Proteins are essential for building muscle and are one of the most important parts of the bodybuilders diet. Be selective of the sources that your protein comes from forbest results. 

Meats

For both high caloric intake which builds mass and muscles, as well as a decent source for peptides and amino acids, proteins derived from animals mainly for me are your best bets. As an added bonus, most of the animal sources below are also packed with essential nutrients and vitamins such as B12.

• Pork tenderloin
• Venison
• Ground beef
• Steak
• Duck

If you are already pushing your maximum caloric intake yet still need additional protein, you may also consider leaner meats such as fish or chicken.

Dairy

Dairy is an excellent source to increase muscle mass while boosting bone structure and straight. 

• Yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Soft cheeses
• Sour cream

Vegetables

For more hardy sources of protein, you should try starchy vegetables. Because many of these do have a high sugar content, this should be a limited source for protein consumption.

• Corn
• Lima beans
• Legumes
• Potatoes. 

For more lean vegetables options, you should try:

• Tomatoes 
• Spinach
• Mushrooms
• Cucumber
• Peppers
• Green beans. 

Supplements

For those looking to increase protein into their diet, sometimes the easiest choice is using powdered supplements. Look for whey protein and similar ingredients to pack on the muscle without the calories. 

Caffeine

Caffeine is useful, when use in moderation. It decreases fatigue and increase your energy to be able to handle heavy exercise. Caffeine has also been proven to improve short term memory and heart complication when taken in moderation. 

Whey Protein

Whey protein is generally added to a diet in powder form. It can be put in meals or smoothies and shakes. Whey improves growth hormones in the body that also exists within the muscles. Additionally, it is a good source of leucine, an effective amino acid involved in the stimulation of muscle growth. 

Because the body can create a dependency on whey protein, it is important to wean yourself off of it if you do included in your diet and take it only as directed.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is excellent for additional energy and it most effective in performance enhancements. Creatine has also been proven to be the safest performance enhancing supplement that is on the market. 

Studies have shown that creatine can improve training strength about 5%-%10. The usual dosage a person is about 3-5 grams daily. People have reported to have taken up to 20 grams for years with no reported side effects. It’s also significantly more affordable than most other performance enhancing drugs.

An Average Meal Plan for One Day:

An average meal for a body may look something like this:

• Breakfast: Six egg whites and two whole eggs, 2 slices of toast, a bowl of oatmeal, and a banana.

• Snack: An apple with some turkey bacon.

• Lunch: Cooked salmon or cod, sweet potatoes or yams, and some cottage cheese.

• Snack: Dried cranberries, applesauce, and some broccoli. 

• Dinner: A lean sirloin steak, some asparagus, cooked brown rice or  mashed potatoes. 

Foods to Avoid:

While there are certain foods that are excellent for the prospective bodybuilder, some things are better off avoided. while they may promise added protein or the ability to add calories to one’s diet, certain foods do more harm than good.

Sweets

Added sugar found in donuts, candy bars, soda pop,and ice cream are detrimental to your bodybuilding journey. it is a no-brainer that they should be avoided as they are chalked full of calories but hardly any nutrients. Maintaining nutrients is key to store energy for physically grueling exercise routines. These kinds of foods will prohibit your ability to function in performing those tasks.  

Alcohol

Excess alcohol consumption will make it difficult to lose fat and gain muscle mass. Alcohol is packed with added sugar and carbs that will not benefit losing fat since the carbs in beers, ale, and other alcoholic drinks usual process into fat more quickly than other carbs.  

Fried Foods

Fried foods such as fried chicken, fried fish, and cheese curds can increase your chances of inflammation and disease. It also increases your chance of crashing during workouts due to lack of energy. It also can cause intense inflammation in your joints and muscles.

Don’t Binge Before Lifting

Like with most diets, it is best to eat small meals throughout the day. With bodybuilding specifically you want to have fuel in your body to convert to muscle. For this reason, you should a lot of time between eating and lifting. However, you may want to have a small stack but something that’s not packed with protein or heavy before lifting.

Additionally, high fatty foods such as fatty meats, butter, and heavy cream or sauce.  You also want to be wary of high fiber foods such as broccoli and beans, as these may slow your digestion and cause cramping.  

A Final Note on the Bodybuilder’s Diet

It is important to understand the dynamics of nutrition if you plan on becoming a bodybuilder whether professionally or even as a hobby. The body, like any machine, needs the proper care and fuel to be able to work functionally. Be mindful of supplements, any additions, or changes to your diet. If you have any health concerns, contact a dietitian or your healthcare provider before practicing bodybuilding.

Sources:

Food and meal plans

Alex Stuart, bodybuilding.com, sec 3. 

Supplements and dieting:

www.healthline.com, Bodybuilding meal plan, author unknown

Risks of bodybuilding

Eirik Garnes, Darwinian medicine, Dangers of bodybuilding, Section 1-5.

Creatine benefits

Webmd.com, creatine, unknown author