Proper nutrition for bodybuilders is half of success. There is not a simple, but a scientific approach to this issue, which allows you to build muscle mass without problems for the health of the athlete. Otherwise, there may be disorders in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and cardiovascular system. On the way to achieving your goals, it is also important to look after your overall physical and psychological well-being. And this can be helped by an entertaining online casino, such as RedDog online casino with video poker, where bodybuilders can enjoy video poker between workouts, giving their bodies the variety and relaxation they need.
To build voluminous, strong and sculpted muscles, it is not enough to master the various training methods of the world or any personal techniques. Without proper nutrition in appropriate amounts, it is impossible to achieve high results. Nutrients are required for continuous muscle mass growth after training and full recovery. In other words, in order to increase muscle volume, you need to eat a lot, but properly, otherwise you will not build muscle, but fat.
This nutrition programme is highly effective, progressive and affordable. The reason is that it is based on the most modern achievements in the field of nutrition, so it serves as an ideal complement to any training processes that are based on a scientific approach. This approach to nutrition will allow you to increase muscle mass quickly, without gaining excessive amounts of fat.
Some athletes who are “on mass”, suffer from the negative effect of fat in the body, on insulin sensitivity, and this slows down the process of muscle mass growth. Such a diet is devoid of such a disadvantage. Thanks to such a programme, it is possible to gradually increase the number of calories consumed by athletes, so that the body has time to adapt to it. In other words, problems such as catabolism and excessive fat deposits are left behind.
“Without proper nutrition and in the proper amounts, you can’t get significant results from your workouts.”
A bodybuilder’s basic diet
Naturally, you need to start things off with an athlete’s basic diet. Since there are individual differences in metabolism, as well as the activity level of each athlete, it makes no sense to use standard equations to calculate the number of calories, nor will it work. Calorie counts should be based on the amount of calories that are absorbed with the beginning of the training process and constantly adjusted based on results.
Such a programme requires tracking the exact number of calories and macronutrients over the next 6 weeks of active training. This approach may be new and unfamiliar, so it is better to find information about it on the Internet, spend some time to study the very meaning of this methodology. The fact is that many athletes blindly adjust their calorie intake and then complain about the ineffectiveness of training.
As a rule, an athlete does not know exactly how many calories he consumes. Therefore, it will be necessary to start a diary and, having adopted special programmes, keep records for the first three days. It is necessary to record everything that is eaten during this period. There are special applications for smartphones, which will help to calculate the average data on calorie consumption for a given period of time. In other words, you will have to be closely involved in your diet.
To speed up the process of increasing muscle volume, it is necessary to add about 300 kcal to the basic indicators (average). During the next 2 weeks you should monitor the increase in body weight and volume by measuring the volume of your chest, neck, arms, etc. During the same period it will be necessary to measure the level of fat deposits with the help of a caliper, guided by such factors:
- if weight gain without fat deposits is carried out, it is necessary to add another 300 kCal to the diet (daily);
- if there is no increase in body weight, it is necessary to add about 500 kCal.
This process is repeated every couple of weeks, adding more and more calories, but there are some nuances.
Increasing the number of calories
Increase the caloric intake of the diet exclusively according to the above methodology.
As a rule, after increasing the number of calories, fat begins to be deposited. Subsequent actions can have the following character.
First of all, you should refuse to increase the number of calories, although there is another option proposed by Lane Norton. Its essence is to add every fortnight not 300 kcal, but only 50.
These calories will be burned during each day, but after a couple of months the body will start to receive enough calories, which will lead to building up the necessary body weight.
This amount of calories should be divided into 3-4 meals, consuming them every 4 hours. The task can be simplified by making the portions equal in volume, except for the portion that is taken immediately after the workout. This portion should contain 20% more calories than the other portions.
Protein
Protein should be consumed at a rate of 1.5-2 g per 1 kg of body weight for the first 6 weeks. This amount differs from the one consumed by some bodybuilders to a lesser extent. The most important thing here is to consume only high quality foods.
Some athletes think that this is not enough, but studies show that 1.5 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight results in muscle growth. Each serving should contain at least 30g of protein from a variety of sources.
Fats
Only dietary fat should be consumed, which has a number of functions. First of all, it is a form of concentrated energy. Some fats influence the secretion of hormones. In order to keep the body healthy and to ensure growth during the first 6 weeks of intense exercise, an optimal amount of fat should be consumed.
Once a baseline calorie level has been determined, the fat intake should be determined and should account for up to 30% of the total diet. As the intensity of training increases, this percentage will increase. If the level of calorie intake increases by 300 kCal, the level of fats should be about 150 kCal. The energy value of 1 g of fat is about 9 kCal, so each time you add 300 kCal to your diet, you should add 15-17 g of fat. If the diet increases by 50 kCal, 5 g of fat should be added each time.
Fat intake depends on carbohydrate intake as compared to protein intake, which has a constant component. If you eat foods rich in carbohydrates, the amount of fat should be reduced and vice versa.
There are 3 main types of fats: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated. It is more optimal to consume all types of fats rather than just one.
Carbohydrates
The last component leads to some confusion. To understand this problem, it is better to divide carbohydrates into 2 groups.
- Starchy carbohydrates, which are quickly digested by the body and contain a sufficient number of calories.
- Fruits and vegetables. These contain fibre, which is a little more difficult to digest. Fruits and vegetables are less calorific and have fewer carbohydrates.
The only challenge is to use these foods correctly. There are a number of guidelines to help you do this, for example:
- Fruits and vegetables should be consumed with every meal.
- Starchy carbohydrates are best eaten in the morning and after a workout.
- When little starchy carbohydrates are consumed, more fats, as well as fruits and vegetables should be introduced into the diet.
In this case, the amount of protein will be at the same level, and the remaining calories are distributed between fats and carbohydrates.
The energy value of 1 g of carbohydrates is about 4 calories, so increasing the caloric value of food by 300 kCal, it is necessary to add about 35-40 g of carbohydrates. When only 50 kCal is added, carbohydrates account for about 12 grams.
