If you want to build muscle, you probably already know that exercise alone isn't enough. Another thing that is also important is food. Eating like a bodybuilder can help you build muscle and lose excess weight if you combine diet with proper exercise. The basic idea is to eat foods that are high in protein and fiber, and low in carbohydrates and fat. You should also eat more often.
Step
Part 1 of 3: An Effective Approach
Step 1. Consume the right amount of protein
Maybe you know that the diet of bodybuilders is very high in protein. You don't need huge amounts of protein to build muscle. Excessive protein will become calories, so it is less effective than carbohydrates. For most people, 1.75 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is sufficient.
- Some food choices that are high in protein include: London broil steak, salmon, chicken breast and pork tenderloin.
- If you are a vegetarian, you can still eat like a bodybuilder. Even vegetarian bodybuilders have become commonplace nowadays. Some substitutes for vegetarians include: soy (and other legumes), seitan, buckwheat, quinoa, and mycoprotein.
- For breakfast, have oatmeal and egg yolks, or a protein-rich cereal and protein shake. Avoid sugary cereals.
Step 2. Drink fluids to get nutrients between meals
You can get a lot of energy between meals by drinking protein shakes. This drink is very useful if you want to fight the urge to eat junk food.
Whey protein is easily digested and absorbed by the body
Step 3. Don't skip meals
Skipping meals is just as bad as not exercising. The body needs nutrients obtained from food in order to continue to build muscle mass.
If you're having trouble keeping up with your meal schedule, try to always carry a small container filled with some food with you
Step 4. Eat in a balanced way
Although protein is a very important food ingredient, you should also eat a balanced diet. Especially vegetables and complex carbohydrates should be the main ingredients in your diet.
Some bodybuilders recommend eating broccoli, asparagus, or spinach, but there are many other options
Step 5. Don't run out of fluids
Our bodies are mostly filled with fluids. To keep your body functioning properly, you should not be dehydrated. This is important for everyone, especially for those who do hard training.
Step 6. Consume fat in moderation
It's okay to eat certain types of fat, but don't overdo it. Avoid foods that contain added fat, such as fried foods and butter.
If possible, avoid oil, butter, and rich sauces. As much as possible use a light cooking spray to replace the oil and butter
Step 7. Don't eat processed foods
Bodybuilders try to "eat clean". That is, avoid unhealthy foods, such as processed foods and fast food.
The food will turn into fat, not muscle. Don't forget, your body reflects what you eat
Step 8. Avoid sugary foods
As much as possible avoid refined sugar (refined sugar) and other simple carbohydrates. This is a type of food with empty calories that replaces the function of healthy foods that can build muscle mass.
- The best course of action is to remove these foods from the house so that you are not tempted to eat them.
- Eating carbohydrates before bed is a very bad act. Carbohydrates will be stored as fat because you will not be moving your body for several hours.
- This rule has an exception: after a hard workout, you can eat some simple carbohydrates. If you really crave bagels after working out at the gym, you can indulge in that desire, but don't forget to eat protein.
Step 9. Don't eat too often and be careful eating out
When eating out, you can't control the ingredients in your food. Usually the food served in restaurants also contains more salt and fat than the food you cook at home. Don't eat out too often.
When you eat out, try to choose lean protein with a side dish of simple vegetables. Observe the menu carefully to find the best option that suits your efforts in shaping your body
Step 10. Don't eat too much
The term "bulk up" often means that you can eat as much as you want. This is not right. Like other people, bodybuilders must also pay attention to the amount of food consumed.
- The calculation is simple. If you consume more calories than you burn through exercise, the excess calories will be stored in the body as fat. As a bodybuilder, your calorie threshold may be higher than for people with low physical activity. However, this threshold must still be considered.
- It's a good idea to read food labels, count calories, and make sure that the calories you're consuming are as close to the right amount of protein as possible. You do have to eat a lot, but everything has a limit.
Part 2 of 3: Approaches That May Be Effective
Step 1. Cheat once in a while
There's nothing wrong with planning to cheat once in a while. If you know that you are going to cheat on food, say once a week, this can help control the temptation to cheat at other times.
Use "cheat" food as a reward if you can achieve certain accomplishments in training. This can be used as a powerful motivator
Step 2. Have a micellar casein protein snack before bed
Snacking before bed can help fight the urge to eat an unhealthy snack in the middle of the night. A number of bodybuilders firmly believe in the efficacy of micellar casein protein, both in supplement form and in cottage cheese. The reason is because this protein takes longer to digest, so it will be useful for the body's metabolism which runs slower at night.
Step 3. Try changing the type of fat you consume
Fat exists in a variety of calories in small amounts, making it easier for you to meet food goals when you gain muscle mass. You do need some type of fat to have a healthy diet. The question is, what kind of fat? Most experts recommend consuming monounsaturated fatty acids and Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in avocados and fish. Saturated fat is usually considered unhealthy, but some bodybuilders recommend consuming it in small amounts.
Omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids are very important ingredients for muscle growth. You can get it in foods like avocados and fish
Step 4. Try taking supplements
When used in moderation, dietary supplements can help fill gaps in your diet. Supplements specifically designed to build muscle, along with good protein powders, can complement the food you eat every day. However, don't forget that you shouldn't rely too much on supplements. Most of the nutritional intake you consume should come from fresh food, because this is better for the body.
Supplement sellers often make inaccurate claims. Most will not cause effects that can replace good and healthy food ingredients
Part 3 of 3: Straightening the Myth
Step 1. Choose a meal schedule based on when it's best for you
One popular myth is that you have to eat 6 or more meals a day to promote glycogen storage, or replenish amino acids, or prevent catabolism. There is extensive evidence to undermine this assumption. What matters most is the number of nutrients and calories you consume, not the number of times you eat a meal in a day. If you prefer and can train harder by eating food 3 to 4 times a day, just do it.
Step 2. Treat breakfast like any other meal
Many bodybuilders overestimate the importance of breakfast. In fact, eating in the morning has no additional effect on muscle mass compared to eating at other times. You should eat a breakfast full of healthy protein, but choose the portion and time that suits you based on things that can keep you alert and ready for exercise.
Tips
- Cook your own food. Cooking your own meals ahead of time for a week will make it easier for you to eat right to build your body.
- Consume a whey protein blend that contains less carbohydrates, less fat and less sugar (eg 3 grams or less). Many stores have food samples, so you can take them home before you buy them. There are some types of protein shakes that really aren't great.
- Eat foods with a low glycemic index.
Warning
- Whey protein shakes may not be suitable if you are allergic to milk. Look for a protein shake without using milk.
- Children and pregnant women, women trying to conceive, or nursing mothers should be careful not to take too much mercury. The EPA (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency) recommends that they don't eat more than 340 grams of salmon or small tuna a week (170 grams if albacore tuna), and should completely avoid shark, swordfish, tilefish, and fish mackerel. Also avoid other fish recommended by your local doctor.
- Avoiding major food groups and replacing them with protein shakes or processed protein powders can increase your risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, some diseases, anemia, gastro-intestinal dysfunction, and other unpleasant side effects.
- Always follow your doctor's instructions before embarking on any diet.
- Eating too much protein can raise cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol or are at risk for cholesterol, do not follow this plan.
