Bodybuilder nutrition essentials. Unleash the titan within you!

Sample diet before training

A weekly nutrition plan for a person who wants to gain weight looks something like this:

1. For breakfast: 1 banana, 2 whole eggs and 3 whites.
2. 2 hours after breakfast: 1 banana, 300 grams of yogurt, 50 grams of mixed nuts.
3. For lunch: 250-270 grams of brown rice, 160 grams of turkey and ½ part of an avocado.

60-90 minutes before training, it would be correct to organize a small snack consisting of 3 slices of whole grain rye bread, 1 banana and a serving of protein shake (at least 1.5 scoops).

For breakfast, you can use products such as: omelette with tomatoes, shrimp and herbs, oatmeal or barley porridge, low-fat cheese, pears, apples and cocoa.

Lunch may include: stewed lean beef, chicken or turkey with a side dish in the form of durum wheat pasta, brown rice or green peas.

Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is an excellent source of fast carbohydrates and accelerates the production of endorphins. Therefore, it can be consumed shortly before training as a natural pre-workout.

Cereals

Oatmeal is one of nature's powerhouses, affordable and packed with nutrients that provide an incredible boost of energy. This is why oatmeal is widely used not only in bodybuilding, but also in other sports such as weightlifting, cycling or wrestling. They eat it mainly in the morning in the form of muesli or protein shakes.

There are two types of oat flakes: uncrushed oatmeal and steamed flattened oatmeal, which are almost identical in nutritional composition, so consuming one type or another is just a matter of taste preference.

Athletes who prefer to consume oatmeal in shake form can use instant oatmeal, which dissolves completely in water or milk.

Oatmeal binds with water, which means it lingers in the stomach longer than other foods, keeping you full for a long period of time.

Gain muscle mass, not fat

No matter what you think of it, the average person eats completely differently than an advanced bodybuilder. And the point is not that the menu of the latter contains various sports nutrition. It is the selection of products in this case that will be very specific.

Let's start with the fact that during training your body experiences extreme stress. Oddly enough, it is a stressful situation that allows us to develop and move forward.

I will give an example that is accessible to anyone. If you fast for a long time, then the moment you start eating normally, the body will try not only to restore what was lost, but also to make reserves for future nuclear times. Therefore, you will begin to gain weight rapidly. This is the main harm of any extreme diet with significant calorie restriction.

Approximately the same processes will occur with your muscles. Imagine that you regularly train and use large working weights, which means you invariably injure your muscle tissue, they stretch and even tear (we are talking about microtraumas).

The natural defense mechanism in this case will work according to the previous principle. The muscles will begin not only to strengthen, but also to increase in volume to protect your body from upcoming overloads. All this is expressed as progress and mass growth.

Therefore, in order to maintain this balance, we need nutrients that will support the body's work, time and strength loads.

As for nutrients, it should be carbohydrates from which we get energy. As well as proteins, which are the main suppliers of amino acids, and from them, in turn, new muscle tissue cells are built.

Another postulate, without which you will not achieve anything, is this: you must receive more than you spend.

Naturally, you and I need some kind of reference point, that is, the number of calories from which we will start. How do we know how much energy is needed for the daily needs and requirements of our body? There are a lot of ways to calculate these numbers, starting with counting the calories of all the food you ate during the day and analyzing your daily weight gain and weight.

And you can end up with complicated formulas that take into account height, age, current weight and even the gender of a person. They will have to be tediously multiplying, adding and squaring.

The simplest equation is your weight multiplied by 30. The resulting figure will be the average amount of calories you need.

So, let's say you multiply your weight by 30 and get the number you're looking for. We add 500 kilocalories to it on top. This will be nutrition for a surplus or excess of calories. If this is not enough, then add more. If you continue to gain weight even with this schedule, then we remove the excess.

You will definitely have to make allowances for genetic data, that is, take into account your metabolism. If you are an endomorph (see

article on how to pump up an endomorph), whose metabolism (what is metabolism) is naturally slow, then you will have your own adjustments. And a completely different nutrition plan can be for an ectomorph with a high-speed metabolism that can cope with large volumes of food without loss.

Stick to your meal plan[edit | edit code]

For this entire system to work effectively, you must strictly follow your strength nutrition diet. Add your favorite foods to your diet. Use the sample menus presented in Chapters 12–15 to create your own personalized meal plan. If you don't like the foods suggested, you won't be able to follow this plan. If you take liquid supplements, try different brands and flavors to find the right products for you.

Listen to your body and adjust your diet to the time when you usually feel hungry. You may prefer to vary your meal times rather than sticking to a set schedule. But also remember your actual food and drink needs; Sometimes we confuse the feeling of thirst with the feeling of hunger. Wherever you go, try to always keep some kind of drink and something to eat on hand. Most successful strength athletes carry a backpack full of food and drinks with them everywhere they go. This way, they will always be able to stick to their eating schedule. And if they get hungry, they won't be dependent on vending machines or other quick food sources that are high in fat and sodium.

When you are trying to lose fat, you may have difficulty visiting restaurants and especially traveling. If you do find yourself in this situation, try to find a restaurant that specializes in healthy eating and can easily accommodate your custom order. But don’t forget to ask for the recipe for the dish. Menu descriptions of items may be incomplete or inaccurate. You can even order food not listed on the menu - restaurants like this should probably accommodate your requests.

Remember to always calculate the number of calories you need based on your current weight. If you gained weight during the muscle-building phase and now want to lose those extra pounds, start with your current weight.

No one will do this for you. You know that in order to become fit and strong, you have to work hard on your body. Your muscles also need nutrition to grow. Plan your diet and stick to it constantly. You will be shocked by your excellent health and appearance and also by your athletic results.

Answers to basic questions

1. How many meals should a bodybuilder's diet consist of?

The standard diet of the average person (breakfast, lunch, dinner) is not suitable for a bodybuilder. A fan of this sport should have a food intake system consisting of 5-7 meals a day. With this routine and diet, the athlete’s body does not experience hunger.

Hunger is the main enemy of a bodybuilder, since it begins the production of necessary substances from the body’s reserves and the muscular system. Muscle loss continues throughout the fasting period and only stops after eating. For healthy nutrition, you need to increase the number of meals, but make the portions more moderate. A bodybuilder's diet should be frequent, but not dense.

1. What foods are needed for proper nutrition?

To answer this question, you need to understand the basic principle - that a bodybuilder’s food should consist only of natural foods! An athlete’s diet cannot contain doshirak, expired foods, or harmful food additives; it must consist of 80% meat, fish, vegetables and fruits.

Only on a natural basis can you build a proper muscular system. The bodybuilder’s body is subjected to constant stress; only products of natural origin, which must be included in the daily diet, can help to endure them painlessly.

“Proper” foods also include those that are grilled or steamed, without adding oil, or boiled. The correct method of cooking will provide an enriched diet of beneficial microelements and vitamins for a bodybuilder.

1. What protein ratio does a bodybuilder need per day?

A bodybuilder's menu should consist of a huge amount of protein (natural protein found in pure meat and nuts); this element is the foundation for muscle building. To provide progressive sports nutrition, you must consume 2 grams of protein per 1 kg of live weight. Only this ratio will ensure a rapid gain of muscle mass and constant progress. To ensure your diet is rich in protein, you should include the following foods in your diet:

• Boiled or grilled chicken breast.
• Boiled eggs.
• Skim cow's milk.

Summing up

After reading the answers to the questions, we can conclude that an athlete’s diet should consist not only of natural products, but also contain a lot of protein. Only such nutrition will ensure a qualitative increase in muscle mass.

Protein-fat diet

Women, dreaming of a flawless figure, are sure that the first step on the path to grace is a complete rejection of fatty foods. In part, this is an effective method to stabilize weight, improve the health of the body, and cure one stage of obesity. But not all effective diets operate on this principle; this is confirmed by the protein-fat method for losing weight.

Features and rules of diet

To quickly and permanently get rid of subcutaneous fat, it is important to follow the following rule of a protein-fat diet: for 1 part protein there should be 3 parts lipids and less than 1 part carbohydrates.

Plant fiber should predominate in the minority, since its presence gives rise to increased accumulation of fat in the subcutaneous layer.

The protein-fat diet is based on protein consumption and allows you to include unsaturated vegetable fats in your daily menu. Basic Rules:

1. The diet requires three meals a day or multiple meals a day.
2. When eating protein-fat dishes in fractional form, you need to follow a regimen - meals every 2-3 hours.
3. Dinner is allowed 4 hours before bedtime.
4. Foods on a protein-fat diet should be rich in proteins, and carbohydrates should be excluded.
5. The amount of liquid is 1-2 liters per day, drink single servings 30 minutes before meals, while food does not need to be washed down.
6. The acceptable amount of calories for protein-fat weight loss is 1200-1400 kcal per day.
7. Moderate physical activity builds muscle mass and reduces body fat.
8. When eating a protein-fat diet, additional intake of multivitamin complexes with a high calcium content is recommended.

List of permitted and prohibited products

The use of a protein-fat diet ensures rapid weight loss and burning of subcutaneous fat if you consume the permitted products from the table above. The use of prohibited ingredients only worsens general well-being, promotes weight gain, and an unaesthetic appearance of the figure. If you stick to a protein-fat diet for two weeks, minus 10 kg is guaranteed.

Menu options for the week

If the desire to lose weight is final, and a protein-fat nutritional system is chosen as an effective diet, then this is a good opportunity not only to quickly get rid of extra pounds, but also to somewhat refresh and tighten the skin, restore a natural glow and inner self-confidence. The number of meals is 2-3, but otherwise you need to adhere to the menu below:

1. For breakfast - lard with a fresh slice of bread, scrambled eggs, tea without sugar.
2. Lunch – a portion of fried meat with boiled potatoes, pickled cucumber.
3. It is advisable to skip dinner altogether, but if you want to eat, you can treat yourself to heavy cream and cottage cheese pancakes.

Such dietary nutrition makes the protein-fat method especially productive, and the first changes in your figure will become noticeable within a couple of days.

Before starting a diet, you should consult with a therapist about contraindications and chronic diagnoses in your own body.

If there are no restrictions, then all that remains is to figure out for what purpose such a diet is needed: to gain muscle mass or lose weight.

For weight loss

Protein-fat diet in bodybuilding for weight gain

The proposed method is effective not only for fast and high-quality weight loss, because even professional athletes can quickly gain muscle mass and stay in shape in this accessible way. Protein-fat nutrition should be fractional, and it is not prohibited to consume protein shakes to accelerate the desired effect. Allowed dishes are presented in the table.

On the subject: Diet apples kefir buckwheat reviews

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Source: https://tvoi-detki.ru/belkovo-zhirovaya-dieta-2/

Nutrition rules

The bodybuilding diet is designed for a minimum of 6 meals, but to achieve serious results you should eat 8-10 times a day. Fractional nutrition is necessary to constantly replenish the muscles with energy and protein, since if there is a lack of building material, muscle mass will not be able to grow, and we need good results.

In the first half of the day, it is necessary to give the body a boost of energy in the form of slow (complex carbohydrates), and the second half of the day should be rich in protein. This means that in the morning you should eat a lot of carbohydrates and a small amount of protein, and in the evening, on the contrary, more protein and less carbohydrates. This rule is justified by the fact that in the morning you need to get energy, which will be spent throughout the day, and after training, the muscles need protein, it will strengthen damaged muscle tissue. Since in the evening there will be no place to spend energy, you should not consume carbohydrates.

Pre-workout nutrition

It is necessary to eat 2 hours before strength training, the food should consist of complex carbohydrates and proteins to provide sufficient energy and material for muscle growth. Half an hour before class, you need to drink a protein shake; it can consist of milk and cottage cheese, or you can buy special protein drinks.

During training, drink non-carbonated mineral water and, if possible, add 5 g of amino acid to it.

After training, you can replenish your energy reserves with fast carbohydrates within 30 minutes, or wait an hour and eat a full protein meal and slow carbohydrates.

Before going to bed, it is necessary to give the body a good portion of proteins, since during sleep the substances necessary for the muscles will not be supplied.

How much protein is needed for muscle growth?

During training, there is a huge load on the body and muscle fibers are damaged, so a bodybuilder's diet should contain a lot of proteins and carbohydrates, in other words, you should consume more than you spend. This approach to muscle building will help you achieve maximum results.

After training with metal, it is necessary to strengthen damaged tissues, where protein will go. Restoring muscles requires time and materials that must be regularly supplied to the body, all bodybuilders should know this.

Protein diet | Fitness and bodybuilding

The protein diet is a diet for lovers of fish, eggs and chicken, because these foods are the main ones in the diet. A protein diet is an ideal choice for weight loss for people who are involved in powerlifting and bodybuilding because protein helps in building muscle mass.

The protein diet is designed for two weeks. During this period, you can lose 4-8 kilograms of unnecessary weight, and sometimes more. The principle of losing weight is that during the diet, foods that contain carbohydrates are excluded from the diet, and if they are not supplied with food, then the body begins to draw on its old reserves - a layer of fat. But this is exactly what is needed for losing weight.

You need to remember that at the end of the diet you should not immediately return to your normal diet, because the lost kilograms will come back. Therefore, a protein diet should be a start to a healthy diet, and then the result of losing weight will last forever.

For two weeks, while the diet lasts, you cannot use sugar and salt (sugar substitutes are also prohibited), potatoes, bread, flour products, any cereals, alcohol when preparing and eating food, even if these are drinks with a low alcohol content and dairy products.

Attention!

It is important to know that a protein diet is not considered the basis for a healthy lifestyle, because long-term intake of protein foods and the absence of carbohydrates in them can adversely affect the condition of the skin and hair, and also lead to insomnia. Therefore, after the first 14 days of the diet, it can be repeated after 2-3 years.

Before using a protein diet, it is important to consult your doctor. Elderly people do not need to go on such a diet, because there is a risk of blood clots. Also, for people who have diseased kidneys, problems with gout, dysbacteriosis, colitis, not everything is in perfect order with the gastrointestinal tract, pancreatitis - a protein diet is not recommended.

If there are no contraindications, you can begin the diet. Over the course of all 14 days, you must drink as much non-carbonated water as possible (about 2 liters per day), this is so that the kidneys work normally.

To avoid overloading your digestive organs at night, you should have dinner 3-4 hours before bedtime.

And the main thing in a protein diet is its exact adherence; you cannot exclude anything, replace or rearrange foods, otherwise there will be no result, the load on the body will only increase.

Protein diet - menu of foods to eat:

Day one For breakfast, only a cup of coffee without sugar or cream. For lunch - two hard-boiled eggs, you can supplement them with boiled cabbage salad, seasoned with vegetable oil. Drink a glass of tomato juice without salt. For dinner, a piece of fried or boiled fish.

Day two For breakfast – black coffee with crackers. For lunch - a piece of fried or boiled fish and a salad of vegetables and cabbage with the addition of vegetable oil. For dinner – 200 grams of boiled beef and a glass of kefir.=

Day three For breakfast – black coffee with crackers. For lunch – a small zucchini fried in vegetable oil, snack on apples. For dinner - two boiled eggs, 200 grams of boiled beef, and cabbage salad dressed with vegetable oil.

Day four Quite a difficult day. Only black coffee is allowed for breakfast. For lunch - drink a raw egg, three boiled carrots, hard cheese - 15 grams. For dinner, eat fruit, but banana or grapes are not advisable, they are too sweet.

Important!

Day five Breakfast – raw carrots with lemon juice. Lunch – fish, fried or boiled, a glass of tomato juice. Dinner – fruit again.

Day six For breakfast – black coffee. Lunch - half a boiled chicken, in addition - a salad with carrots or cabbage. Dinner – two boiled eggs and grated carrots (a glass) with vegetable oil.

Day seven Breakfast – not coffee, but tea. Lunch is boiled beef, and fruit for dessert. Dinner - you can choose any one that has already been completed, but not the third one.

Half of the diet is completed. Week two of weight loss has begun, and now the countdown begins.

Day eight Menu, same as on the seventh day.

Day nine Breakfast – coffee. Lunch - fresh cabbage or carrot salad and half a boiled chicken. Dinner – two boiled eggs, a glass of carrots grated with vegetable oil.

Day ten For breakfast – carrots with lemon juice. Lunch – boiled or fried fish, tomato juice (glass).

Day eleven Breakfast – black coffee. Lunch – drink a raw egg, three boiled carrots and hard cheese (15 grams). Dinner – not very sweet fruits.

Advice!

Day twelve Breakfast – black coffee with crackers. Lunch – zucchini and apples fried in vegetable oil. Dinner – two boiled eggs, boiled beef (200 grams), fresh cabbage salad, seasoned with vegetable oil.

Day thirteen For breakfast – black coffee with crackers. Lunch – a piece of boiled or fried fish, a salad with vegetables and fresh cabbage, seasoned with vegetable oil. Dinner – boiled beef (200 grams) and a glass of kefir.

On topic: Diet when playing sports

Day fourteen Breakfast - black coffee. Lunch – two hard-boiled eggs, boiled cabbage salad, dressed with vegetable oil and a glass of tomato juice. Dinner – a piece of boiled or fried fish.

To make it more convenient to follow a diet, you can draw or print out a table with recipes, so you won’t miss anything.

In order to consolidate the success achieved, physical exercises are recommended. Therefore, this diet is more suitable for young people who watch their figure and play sports.

The most difficult days of the protein diet are the third, fourth and fifth days, and the last three days.

If you stick to a protein diet for two weeks and overcome your desires, you will get a very good result, which can be seen in just three days. The main thing, after all that has been done, is not to indulge in flour or sweet foods, but to try to maintain your good results for many years.

Source: https://www.zanfiz.ru/belkovaya-diyeta/

Products for muscle growth

When creating a menu for weight gain, it is important to take into account that for the complete absorption of proteins, they must be properly combined with amino acids. Carbohydrates play a leading role in nutrition aimed at weight gain, since if they are deficient, the body will “eat” muscle tissue during periods of increased physical activity

Products containing protein

Proper nutrition in bodybuilding is unthinkable without protein-rich foods. These include:

• Nuts;
• Beans, chickpeas, lentils and other legumes;
• Low-fat cheese, cottage cheese;
• Lean varieties of meat and poultry.

Soy is the record holder for protein content (about 36 grams per 100 grams of product), but it contains a high percentage of female hormones phytoestrogens, which slow down muscle growth.

High fat foods

To gain muscle mass, your weekly diet must include foods rich in unsaturated fats. Fats are considered the most readily available source of energy, but if saturated fats are overused, health problems appear such as: decline in immunity, wrinkled skin, increased wear and tear on joints and destruction of muscle tissue. Foods rich in unsaturated fats include:

• Hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds;
• Wheat sprouts;
• Sunflower seeds;
• Soya beans;
• Soy cheese (tofu);
• Seafood.

Fats, despite their high energy potential, are characterized by a long process of breakdown, therefore they make the body lethargic and reduce vitality. Proper nutrition consists of food that is prepared without frying in butter or vegetable oil. It is preferable to steam or bake products in the oven.

Carbohydrate-rich foods

The diet of a natural bodybuilder for mass should include predominantly complex carbohydrates

Therefore, you should pay attention to the following products:

• Oatmeal, buckwheat, corn and pearl barley;
• Rice (roughly processed);
• Asparagus, green beans;
• Raisins, dates and other dried fruits;
• Durum wheat pasta.

Fruits and vegetables are a source of carbohydrates, as well as useful fiber, necessary for the high-quality digestion of animal proteins. In addition, they contain a lot of vitamins, microelements and amino acids, without which one can only dream of gaining muscle mass.

Nutritional supplements

Most modern sports involve the use of special supplements that are useful for both girls and men.

• With the help of high-quality whey protein, you can increase your muscle mass gains.
• Gainer is a super-calorie mixture consisting of carbohydrates and easily digestible proteins. You can consume it either immediately after training or during your first meal.
• Creatine doesn't need much introduction as it is one of the most popular muscle building supplements. You can take a few grams of it both on training days and during rest.
• Vitamin-mineral complexes accelerate metabolic processes and have a positive effect on the process of weight stabilization.

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Is the bodybuilding diet right for you?

Whether you should follow a bodybuilding-style eating plan depends on your individual situation. If you are a competitive athlete, you need to measure and weigh your food much more often than if you were just a regular trainer.

If you're not going to be standing on stage anytime soon, you just need a balanced diet that you can stick to.

Counting every calorie is unlikely to work in this regard, so you should instead focus on nutrient-dense whole foods and take full advantage of their variety to maintain and improve your health.

Using spices, homemade sauces, and alternative protein sources are healthy ways to keep your food flavorful.

Why is bodybuilder nutrition so important for gaining muscle mass?

To effectively grow muscles and increase strength, a bodybuilder's sports diet should consist of plentiful amounts of protein and calories, as well as trace elements and vitamins. For example, for visible muscle growth, an athlete must consume at least 2 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day. Carbohydrates are especially important, without which an actively training body will not have enough energy for effective recovery. Moreover, without getting the required amount of calories, the athlete will quickly get tired during weight training.

The more calories consumed, the higher the food costs. Protein-rich foods are especially expensive. Yes, and vitamin food has a hefty price tag. Even if you save on useless food (fast food, smoked foods, sweets, etc.), it is not always possible to provide the required level of nutrition for muscle growth. Prices for poultry, meat and fish will still remain high. Preparing a balanced and varied diet for weight gain every day will not only allow you to get the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins, but also save money.

Meat

Meat is an ideal source of protein. Bodybuilders mainly use chicken or turkey in their diet. 100g of meat typically contains about 20g of protein - the ideal amount of protein to consume at one time. In addition, meat contains vitamins C, B1, B6 and B12, zinc, selenium, iron, all essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized by our body. Along with fish and dairy products, meat is a favorite source of protein for bodybuilders and other strength athletes. Beef, which contains large amounts of protein, minerals, vitamins and creatine, is also in particular demand among them. In addition, beef contains more vitamin B12.

Individual nutrition plan for a bodybuilder[edit | edit code]

As your weight changes, you must recalculate the amount of energy and nutrients you need. With the help of Body Expert, you will receive information on calorie needs, this is a necessary condition that allows you to create the correct nutrition for a bodybuilder for an individual, taking into account the individual parameters of the body.

Bodybuilder nutrition to maintain muscle mass.

Men who exercise five or more times per week need to consume 42 calories per kilogram of body weight per day (3,444 calories per day for an 82-kg man). Women who exercise five or more times per week will be able to increase muscle mass by consuming 44 to 50 calories per pound of body weight per day (2,950 calories per day for a 59-kg woman) and maintain muscle mass by consuming approximately 38 to 40 calories per day. kilogram of body weight per day (2360 calories). The larger and more muscular a woman is, the more calories she should consume to maintain her muscles.

Petite women may need less than 38 calories per kilogram of body weight per day to maintain muscle mass. For women, you learn a lot by trial and error, since all scientific experiments were done on men, and activity levels can vary greatly between individuals. For other parts of the nutrition plan, women should generally choose smaller portions. This diet is great for bodybuilders, weightlifters, powerlifters, and amateur strength athletes. Beginners must follow special instructions.

Nutrition for building muscles and gaining mass

. This plan requires consuming 44-52 calories or more per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on the intensity of the activity (4264 calories or more for a man weighing 82 kg); 2596-2950 calories for a 59 kg woman. Start with a minimal amount and add calories as needed. As noted earlier, for women looking to build muscle, 44 calories per kilogram of body weight per day will be enough. Petite women should consume slightly fewer calories at the beginning of a workout program and add more as their muscle size increases. This diet is suitable for all competitive strength athletes and amateurs. Beginners must follow specific beginner instructions.

Diet for terrain

(10-12 weeks of pre-competition diet). In order to reduce the fat component and start working on muscle definition, you should consume 35-38 calories per kilogram of body weight per day (3116 calories for a man weighing 82 kg; 2065 calories for a woman weighing 59 kg). Because it is more difficult for women to lose fat than men, they should consume a minimum amount of calories and increase aerobic activity to burn 300-400 calories per day. Again, petite women will require fewer calories. This recommendation applies mainly to female bodybuilders. Beginners follow the instructions for beginners.

Fat Burning

(maximum 7-14 days). This plan calls for consuming 29 calories per kilogram of body weight per day for women (1,711 calories for a 59-kg woman) and 32 calories per kilogram of body weight per day for men (2,624 calories for a 82-kg man). For smaller women following a reduced-calorie diet, this may also include reducing the number of recommended calories. Use this method only in extreme cases. This diet is only suitable for bodybuilders or competitive athletes gaining pounds for their weight class, but not for powerlifters (strength lifters) or Olympic weightlifters.

Powerlifters and weightlifters

gaining muscle mass for their weight category. Once you've followed a muscle-building diet, you'll need to go back to a maintenance diet for two weeks before you get into shape. This diet will allow you to get rid of subcutaneous fat without losing muscle mass, strength and endurance. This technique is also a good basic diet for high-impact strength athletes who are trying to lose subcutaneous fat.

We create a basic diet for a bodybuilder

Let's start by creating a basic diet. Due to individual differences in each person's metabolism and activity level, I prefer not to use equations to calculate calories. Instead, I think it's more effective to start by determining the number of calories you currently consume and gradually adjust it.

This program requires you to track your exact calories and macronutrients for the next 6 weeks. If this approach is new to you, look for information about it on the Internet and spend time learning about it.

If you don't know how many calories you consume, keep a diary or use special programs to record everything you eat in the first 3 days of your diet. Some smartphone apps will help you calculate your average calorie intake over this period.

To speed up the process of gaining muscle mass, you will need to add 300 kcal to your baseline intake. Over the next 2 weeks, monitor your body weight by measuring your chest, neck, arms, etc. Also monitor your fat levels using a caliper and follow these guidelines:

• If you are gaining weight without excess fat, add another 300 kcal to your daily diet.
• If weight gain does not occur, add 500 kcal.

Repeat this process every 2 weeks, adding more and more calories.

Nutrition for bodybuilders to gain muscle mass

This mass-building diet is perfect for lean men who want to build muscle while training in the gym.

Norm: approximately 3000 Kcal, 300 g carbohydrates, 225 g protein, 100 g fat

Please note that this meal plan is suitable for those who go to the gym in the afternoon. If you train in the morning, it's enough to switch up your meals so that you eat starchy foods during your pre- and post-workout snacks. Next, stay away from starchy carbohydrates throughout the day.

Meal schedule

• Dish 1: Starchy-carbohydrate
• Meal 2: Low/No Carb
• Meal 3: Low/No Carb
• Meal 4: (Post-workout snack) Starchy-carbohydrate
• Dish 5: Starchy-carbohydrate
• Dish 6: Starchy-carbohydrate

Recommended Recipes

Dish 1: Scrambled eggs with cheese and shallots

• Eggs (source of Omega-3) – 3
• Egg whites – 4
• Cheese (cheddar) – 1/4 tbsp.
• Shallots – 2
• Ezekiel bread – 2 pieces
• Apples – 1

• Protein powder (vanilla flavor) – 2 servings
• Blueberries – 1 tbsp.
• Almonds – 28 g
• Almond milk – 1 tbsp.
• Water – 1 tbsp.
• Ice – 3-4 pieces

Dish 3: Steak with tomato and bean salad

• Steak (grilled flank steak) – 170 g
• Tomatoes – 1
• Half a cucumber (sliced)
• Chickpeas – 1 tbsp.
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp. l.

Meal 4: Post-Workout Snack

• Chicken meat – 170 g
• Quinoa – 1/3 tbsp.
• Walnuts – 2 tbsp. l.
• Raisins – 2 tbsp. l.

Dish 6: White fish with yams and parmesan

• Tilapia – 170 g
• Parmesan cheese – 2 tbsp. l.
• Yams – 2 (medium size)
• Butter – 1 tbsp. l.
• Broccoli – 1 tbsp.

• Egg white substitutes: 2 slices turkey bacon, 2 small chicken sausages, 2 slices Canadian bacon or 1/4 cup. canned salmon
• Shallots can be replaced: 2 tbsp. l. salsa, 1/4 tbsp. chopped onion, or 2 tbsp. l. chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
• Blueberry alternative: 3/4 cup. frozen mango
• Instead of chicken fillet: 170 g pork tenderloin, 141 g buffalo ribeye, 141 g beef upper thigh
• Quinoa analogue: 1/3 tbsp. couscous, 1/4 tbsp. brown or black rice
• Substitution for tilapia: 141 g tuna steak, 198 g cod, 170 g shrimp
• Yams are replaced: 1/3 tbsp. agaric, wheat or pearl barley

The concept of “proper nutrition” for an athlete means eating exclusively those foods that contribute to the growth of muscle tissue. But it is better to exclude other foods that have little benefit from the diet. These products include carbonated drinks, sweet foods, baked goods, as well as unhealthy, fatty and fried foods.

Food purchased at markets is truly healthy, since it has not been subjected to special treatments that deprive the food of vitamins and microelements. In addition, they do not fry foods, but steam them, grill them, etc., without adding animal fats.

Oils and fats

Fats are vital for our body. However, many athletes reduce the amount of fat they consume to a minimum, which is a mistake, since they must be present in the daily diet, and they can be taken in the form of capsules with omega-3 acids or protein with flaxseed or safflower oil. If you still consider yourself to be one of the people who exclude fat from your diet, then refuse, first of all, animal fats, giving preference to fats of vegetable origin.

Nutrition for the Beginner Bodybuilder

Now you know how to prioritize and distribute calories and nutrients in your diet. Now let's calculate an approximate nutrition plan using an example.

No widgets added. Why doesn't it turn out like in the picture? It turns out that this is only halfway. Where did she come from? It turns out that to work with heavy weights, you need a lot of strength, and to work with very heavy weights, you need a lot of strength. When the required mass has been gained, the athlete reduces the amount of energy consumed, reduces the amount of strength training and adds more cardio training.

They allow you to burn more fat.

Not only beginners, but also professionals may not immediately choose the right nutrition for a bodybuilder to achieve great shape. Below, the proposed fundamental principles of menu design in bodybuilding will take you to the level of a professional. If you want to build muscle, lose fat, or get in shape, you will need a specific nutrition strategy, which will depend on your chosen goal.

It is also important to drink plenty of fluids to effectively remove waste products. To ensure the body works, it must receive a sufficient amount of carbohydrates

Moreover, their quantity should cover energy consumption with a slight deficit. This will allow you to effectively lose weight without harm to your health, this is what is called: nutrition for bodybuilders: diet for losing weight and muscles.

Proteins will predominate in the diet, but fats and carbohydrates should be in the minority. This will provoke weight loss. But the problem is that muscle tissue is easier to break down than fatty tissue and the body will inevitably lose the muscles built up with such hard work.

Proper nutrition for a bodybuilder

To avoid this, they need to be regularly exercised and their metabolism stimulated. Therefore, mass training is replaced by endurance training and cardio training. After this stage, subject to the rules, the thickness of the fat layer will become noticeably smaller, and the muscles will be much more prominent.

But not everyone is able to properly organize and calculate the menu. This is indeed a difficult task, requiring knowledge in the field of dietetics and sports nutrition, but there is a solution.

These companies specialize in preparing and delivering meals tailored to athletes of various sports.

For example, the Grow Food company offers a menu for weight gain, cutting and functional training, as well as simply two options for balanced diets.

Bodybuilding is a fairly popular sport among men and women and is a process of body modification by increasing the hypertrophy of muscles in general, and individual muscle groups in particular, as well as the formation of body relief by reducing subcutaneous fat. We do not consider issues of the training process; these issues are covered on specialized web resources with videos and in specialized literature. It is generally accepted that diet for bodybuilders, along with strength training, is the basis of bodybuilding. Moreover, it is a properly selected diet when training in the gym that allows you to solve specific problems that athletes face - gaining muscle mass, increasing strength, burning subcutaneous fat. Generally speaking, the main nutritional goals for bodybuilders are:.

Let's look at the menu for drying. It is implemented for 5 and 7-day meals.

Increasing the number of calories

Bodybuilder's Calorie Guide To accelerate muscle gain, add 300 calories to your base diet. Monitor your weight for two weeks, measuring the amount of fat and muscle. If you've gained weight other than fat, add an extra 300 calories. If you are not gaining weight, add 500 calories.

Once your calorie intake increases, you will begin to gain fat. What to do in this case? You can choose one of 2 options.

First, stop adding calories. However, I like one method that I learned about from Lane Norton. He recommends adding significantly fewer calories. Therefore, we will add only 50 kcal to the daily diet every 2 weeks.

They will be burned during daily activity, but after a couple of months of this practice, your body will receive the amount of calories it needs to build muscle mass.

Spread these calories over 3-4 meals, consuming them approximately every 4 hours. To make things easier, keep your portion sizes the same except for your post-workout meal. It should contain about 20% more calories than the rest.

Exactly what calories should you consume? Let's find out!

Squirrels

Consume proteins at the rate of 1.5-2 g per kilogram of body weight over the next 6 weeks. This is significantly less than some bodybuilders consume. And one more tip - buy high quality products.

Why so few? Research shows that consuming 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight will result in muscle growth. In our program, we try to optimize protein intake. I believe that if you consume high quality protein, there is no need for excess protein.

Distribute protein evenly between meals. Each of them should contain at least 30g of protein. Also use various sources of it. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Chicken thighs
• Chicken breasts
• Turkey breasts
• Salmon
• Mussels
• Tuna
• Shrimps
• Lean beef
• Pork tenderloin
• Chicken sausages
• Turkey bacon
• Eggs
• Whey Protein
• Casein protein
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese

Fats

Dietary fat serves several important functions. First, it provides a concentrated form of energy. Some fats also affect hormone production. To maintain your body's health and growth over the next 6 weeks of intense training, you must consume adequate amounts of fat.

Once you've established your caloric baseline, calculate your fat intake so that it makes up about 30% of your diet. Further this percentage will increase. When you increase your calorie intake, for every 300 kcal you add, you should get 150 kcal from fat. There are 9 kcal in 1 g of fat, so with every 300 kcal, 15-17 g of fat should be added. When increasing the diet by 50 kcal, add approximately 5 g of fat.

Unlike protein, whose intake remains more or less constant throughout the day, fat intake should be inversely related to carbohydrates. In other words, if you eat foods rich in carbohydrates, you should reduce your fat intake, and vice versa.

There are 3 main types of fats: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats. Don't focus on just one, eat different types of fats. Here are some of my favorite sources:

• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Avocado
• Almond
• Walnuts
• Pistachios
• Macadamia nuts
• Butter
• Coconut oil
• Linseed oil
• Cheese

Carbohydrates

The last of the macronutrients that probably has the most confusion around it. To get the most out of the different types of calories, I divide carbohydrates into 2 groups.

1. Starchy carbohydrates

The following foods are quickly digested and high in calories:

• Regular potatoes
• Sweet potato
• Quinoa
• Rice (white or brown)
• Sprouted grain bread
• Tortilla
• Kamut

1. Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber and are digested more slowly. They contain fewer carbohydrates and are lower in calories. I've also included legumes in this list. So, the second group includes the following products:

• blueberry
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Oranges
• Pears
• Spinach
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• cucumbers
• Pepper
• Brussels sprouts
• Lettuce leaves and greens
• Green beans
• Carrot
• Green onions
• Mushrooms
• Bulb onions
• Tomatoes
• Lentils
• Black beans
• Beans
• Chickpeas

It is very easy to correctly include these foods in your daily diet. A few general rules that I follow when it comes to carb consumption:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal.
2. Eat starchy carbohydrates for breakfast and immediately after training.
3. At meals that do not contain starchy carbohydrates, consume more fat, as well as fruits and vegetables.

The amount of protein will remain the same. The remaining calories will be distributed between fats and carbohydrates.

There are approximately 4 calories in 1g of carbohydrates. This means that if you increase your diet by 300 kcal, you add 35-40 g of carbohydrates. If you add 50 kcal, 12 g will come from carbohydrates.

Take a break

Every bodybuilder has experienced this at one time or another: your schedule is so busy that you miss a couple of workouts in a row. To your great surprise, you are not losing weight, but seem to be growing. Why? Recovery!

Taking time off, along with adequate nutrition, allows the body to overcompensate and recover more fully from recent workouts. The same applies to nutrition.

It is recommended to have a cheat meal every 10-14 days and eat, in addition to what you usually eat, some foods that are not included in a typical bodybuilder's menu: ice cream, cakes, fatty cuts of steak, pizza, fried foods.

Should you overdo it? Absolutely not.

But taking one day and switching to fattier cut steak, eating a few muffins at dinner and ice cream for dessert won't hurt. Having a cheat day actually helps in terms of muscle growth. Of course, the next day you will need to return to a cleaner diet.

For men, a sports diet for burning fat: what it will look like

I will write out a sample menu for the week, you can change it to your taste.

Monday.

1. Breakfast: 100 g oatmeal, nuts
2. Second breakfast: 2 eggs, bran bread with cheese, fruit
3. Lunch: vegetable broth soup, fish steak, buckwheat, salad
4. Afternoon snack: boiled meat with vegetables
5. Dinner: 200 g cottage cheese, you can add honey
6. Late dinner before bed: a glass of kefir.

Tuesday.

1. Breakfast: 100 g millet porridge with honey, fruit
2. Second breakfast: boiled breast, vegetable salad
3. Lunch: vegetable soup, pilaf.
4. Afternoon snack: fish, spaghetti
5. Dinner: 2 eggs
6. Before bed: kefir

Wednesday.

1. Breakfast: 100 g buckwheat with meat
2. Second breakfast: cottage cheese with low-fat yogurt, fruit
3. Lunch: lentil soup, chicken fillet with buckwheat
4. Afternoon snack: 2 egg omelet with cheese, cucumber
5. Dinner: fish steak
6. Before bed: kefir

Thursday.

1. Breakfast: oatmeal, fruit
2. Second breakfast: vegetable stew, boiled meat
3. Lunch: soup, fish steak with rice, vegetable salad
4. Afternoon snack: cheesecakes/curd casserole
5. Dinner: 2 eggs, cheese
6. Before bed: kefir

Friday.

1. Breakfast: 100 g barley porridge, fruit
2. Second breakfast: sandwich with meat and cheese, vegetable salad
3. Lunch: mushroom soup, macaroni and cheese, chicken fillet
4. Afternoon snack: cucumber, 200 g cottage cheese
5. Dinner: 2 eggs, fish with cheese
6. Before bed: kefir (no, not beer. So what if it’s Friday)

Saturday.

1. Breakfast: Cottage cheese casserole
2. Second breakfast: 2 eggs, cheese sandwich
3. Lunch: bean soup, stewed vegetables with meat
4. Afternoon snack: fish with buckwheat and mushrooms
5. Dinner: cottage cheese
6. Before bed: kefir

Sunday.

1. Breakfast: Oatmeal pancakes with honey
2. Second breakfast: 2 egg omelet with tomatoes and herbs, cheese sandwich
3. Lunch: vegetable soup, fish steak with buckwheat
4. Afternoon snack: julienne (chicken fillet with mushrooms and cheese)
5. Dinner: cottage cheese with nuts and berries
6. Before bed: kefir

Take that, Atkins!

Clearly, carbohydrates are a big part of Jay Cutler's off-season diet. He eats about 200g at breakfast and at least 300g after training. If there are two workouts per day, then after the second one, 200-250 g of carbohydrates are also provided. Bodybuilders knew about the "secret" of weight control with carbohydrates long before the general public began buying low-carb foods. An ordinary person would have been treated for obesity long ago if he ate such a huge amount of carbohydrates. But don't forget: Jay trains hard - sometimes twice a day, not counting cardio training. In addition, one should take into account the huge amount of muscle already built, which turns his body into a perpetual fat-burning engine. Thanks to them, metabolism and fat burning continue even during rest. It seems that Jay, even just sitting on the couch, processes more calories than the average person does during a daily run.

What foods to exclude from the menu

When gaining weight or in the construction phase, the products will not differ. The only difference will be in the number of calories consumed. Food should be fresh, no frozen food or processed foods. Also exclude alcohol and carbonated drinks from your diet. Pay special attention to foods high in fiber. Although it is useful, everything is good in moderation. Try to reduce your intake of sweets and foods high in sugar to a minimum. And don't eat fatty foods fried in oil. If you're going to fry, do it on the grill!

All of these foods slow down digestion and can affect fat storage in the body. They are also the cause of many diseases.

Proper nutrition in bodybuilding

Proper nutrition for bodybuilders is half the success.
There is not a simple, but a scientific approach to this issue, which allows the athlete to build muscle mass without problems for the athlete’s health. Otherwise, disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and cardiovascular system are possible. To build voluminous, strong and sculpted muscles, it is not enough to master various training methods around the world or some personal techniques. Without proper nutrition in appropriate amounts, it is impossible to achieve high results. Nutrients are essential for continued muscle growth after training and full recovery. In other words, in order to increase muscle volume, you need to eat, and eat a lot, but correctly, otherwise it will not be the muscles that will build up, but the fat layer.

This nutrition program is highly effective, progressive and affordable. The thing is that it is based on the most modern advances in the field of nutrition, so it serves as an ideal addition to any training processes that are based on a scientific approach. This approach to nutrition will allow you to quickly increase muscle mass, without gaining excessive amounts of fat.

Some athletes who are “on the mass” suffer from the negative effects of fat in the body and insulin sensitivity, and this slows down the process of muscle growth. Such a diet is free of such drawbacks. Thanks to such a program, 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 excess fat deposits are left behind.

“Without proper nutrition and in the proper amounts, it is impossible to achieve significant results from training.”

Sample menu for bodybuilders

After calculating the required caloric content of the daily diet, you can begin to compile it. Let's take an athlete weighing 80 kg as an example. On a day he needs to eat at least 180-200 g of protein, 350-400 g of carbohydrates and about 30-40 g of fats, mainly vegetable. It must be remembered that all this should be divided into five to six meals.

The main attention should be paid to breakfast, since during sleep you did not eat anything for 6-8 hours. So you need to get more calories in your first meal than in subsequent meals. The exception is the period after training.

At each meal, you should consume protein-rich foods, such as eggs, chicken, beef, dairy products or protein shakes, and the amount of protein consumed should be approximately the same throughout the day. So, let's make some approximate calculations.

Immediately after training

Baked or boiled potatoes

As you can see, the task has been completed.

To diversify your diet, you can replace products with similar ones, alternate side dishes, use different types of meat and poultry, and also experiment with sports nutrition, etc.

Now let’s take a closer look at the most useful products from a bodybuilder’s point of view.

Eggs. Egg white, as you already know, is absorbed better than any other. The yolk contains vitamin A, folic acid and carotenoids. To reduce your cholesterol intake, you can make omelettes using only whites. One whole egg contains on average: 76 kcal, 6.5 g of protein, 5 g of fat and 0.6 g of carbohydrates, and the protein contains: 16 kcal, 3.5 g of protein, 0.3 g of carbohydrates and no fat.

Beef. Beef contains not only proteins that are vital for gaining muscle mass, but also iron, zinc, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12. Choose cuts that contain less fat, namely the sirloin. 100 g of beef contains on average: 199 kcal, 28 g of protein, 9 g of fat, and there are no carbohydrates in it.

Cereals. Oatmeal is a good source of slow carbohydrates, while providing the body with energy for at least 3.5 hours after you eat. In addition, oatmeal contains a lot of plant proteins and heart-healthy soluble fiber. One cup of oatmeal contains: 145 kcal, 6 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat and 4 g soluble fiber.

Pasta. They are good because they contain a huge amount of calories, up to 200 per serving, you can add minced beef to them (you get navy pasta) or just pieces of lean beef, or you can limit yourself to tomato puree without fat and hot spices. Tomatoes themselves are rich in lycopenes, which reduce the risk of cancer. One serving (a bowl of pasta, half a cup of sauce, 100 g of beef) contains: 437 kcal, 33 g of protein, 51 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat.

Chicken breasts. It is an excellent source of protein with almost no fat. The main thing is to cook it correctly. Buy a portable home grill and cook the breasts on it, avoid frying in oil. 100 g of breasts contain on average: 165 kcal, 31 g of protein, 4 g of fat and 0 g of carbohydrates.

Apricots. Fresh apricots are rich in potassium - an invaluable microelement for the heart, which, in addition, really stimulates muscle growth. They also contain beta-carotene, vitamin C and dietary fiber. Dried apricots have a high concentration of all of the listed substances, but a low content of vitamin C. But canned apricots contain a lot of vitamin C, but they contain much less potassium and dietary fiber. Three fresh apricots contain: 54 kcal, 1.5 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates and 2.5 g fiber. A quarter cup of dried apricots contains: 84 kcal, 1 g of protein, 20 g of carbohydrates and 3 g of fiber. Half a cup of canned apricots contains: 64 kcal, 1 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates and 2 g fiber.

Potato. Potatoes contain a lot of potassium, vitamins C and B6, and dietary fiber. Under no circumstances should you fry it in fat. 150 g of this vegetable contains: 117 kcal, 2 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrates and 3.4 g of fiber.

Tuna. Tuna contains a large amount of protein and is also a source of Omega-3 fats, which can protect an athlete’s heart from overexertion. Omega-3 fatty acids also reportedly stimulate muscle growth. Many people eat fish straight from the can, but you can come up with something tastier, like a green tuna salad or a sandwich. 100 g of tuna contain: 116 kcal, 26 g of protein, 1 g of fat, no carbohydrates.

Protein is the most convenient source of protein. Moreover, isolate and hydrolyzate contain virtually no fats or carbohydrates, and therefore no “extra” calories. You can make protein shakes using milk with the addition of fruit, or you can add it to your oatmeal. The best types of protein are those that come from milk. Soy proteins are also useful, but are less digestible. But they contain isoflavones, which significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels. 30 g of protein contains 100 kcal, 24 g of protein, and the amount of fat and carbohydrates varies depending on the degree of purification.

Apples. It would seem that apples are a completely ordinary fruit. Meanwhile, they are very useful. It is an important source of easily digestible simple carbohydrates, which can help raise blood sugar levels almost instantly. Sour varieties contain a lot of potassium and vitamin C. Apples are rich in isoflavones and are good at satisfying hunger. This medium-sized fruit contains: 81 kcal, 21 g of carbohydrates and almost 4 g of dietary fiber.

Yogurt. Heavy training, like any stress, worsens digestion. Thanks to the presence of beneficial fungal cultures, yogurt helps solve this problem. In addition, it contains a lot of calcium, which is needed like air when you consume more protein than normal. As a result, the consumption of this microelement significantly increases, and the body takes the missing calcium from the bones, making them more fragile. Accordingly, the risk of injury increases. Yogurt can be mixed with fresh fruit, whipped in a mixer and drunk as a cocktail, and various sauces can be prepared from it. 240 g of sugar-free yogurt contains: 127 kcal, 13 g of protein and 17 g of carbohydrates.

Kiwi. The peculiarity of kiwi is that it contains more vitamin C than lemon! In addition, this fruit contains a lot of potassium. One kiwi contains: 46 kcal, 11 g of carbohydrates and 2.6 g of dietary fiber.

Orange juice. This drink contains concentrated carbohydrates, vitamin C, carotenoids, potassium, folic acid and helps to instantly raise blood sugar levels. A fresh orange, of course, contains more healthy dietary fiber than juice with pulp, but the carbohydrates coming from the drink are absorbed faster. One glass of orange juice contains: 105 kcal, 2 g of protein, 24 g of carbohydrates and traces of fat.

Gainer (protein-carbohydrate cocktail). This is an ideal post-workout food for body recovery. You can mix protein powder with milk and add fruit to the drink, or you can buy a ready-made protein-carbohydrate mixture. 600 g contains: 400 kcal, 20 g of protein, 60 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat.

Basic principles of athlete nutrition

Exercises in the gym will be effective only in combination with proper nutrition. There are different diets that are more effective in certain cases. For a novice bodybuilder, they are their own, since the main goal is to build lean muscle mass, and not lose weight. From the very beginning of your sports journey, you should adhere to the basic principles of nutrition.

During the first month and a half of training, the athlete should completely abandon a number of prohibited foods, these include:

• carbonated drinks;
• semi-finished products;
• white flour products;
• smoked meats;
• confectionery;
• fatty food;
• sausages;
• jams and preserves;
• pickles.

Most of the foods on this list are simple carbohydrates, and they are the worst enemies of an athlete, or any person in general. They are quickly processed in the body, turning into fat deposits. The second part of the described products retains water in the body due to the excessive content of salt and chemical additives.

Maximum mood for protein foods. Protein or protein should be the basis of your diet, it is what helps build muscle mass. Protein products that should be constantly present in the diet:

Carbohydrates, which should make up 30% of your menu, should also be correct, namely complex, these include:

• cereals, best of all buckwheat and oatmeal, rice and semolina porridge should be excluded;
• pasta from durum wheat;
• greenery;
• zucchini;
• tomatoes;
• cucumbers;
• wholemeal bread with bran;
• apples.

Of the fats, it is better to give preference to vegetable oils, for example, olive, flaxseed or sunflower oil. Nuts and some types of fish can also be their sources.

Train yourself to eat smaller meals, preferably more often, but in smaller portions. An athlete should eat at least 5–6 meals per day. The idea that you can’t eat after six is ​​a mistaken opinion; such a restriction will only hinder the gain of muscle mass. An hour before going to bed, you need to drink a protein shake or eat a pack of cottage cheese.

Carbohydrate foods should be concentrated in the first half of the day, the second half should be saturated with proteins.

Drink a lot of water; it will not be retained in the body if you do not abuse salt.

All dishes can be prepared:

• Grilled;
• in the oven;
• steam or cook.

Give up the habit of eating fried food; the dish will not be inferior in taste if it is grilled or baked in the oven, but the fat content in it will be significantly reduced.