Fundamentals of healthy nutrition of the bodybuilder

Today the bodybuilding more often is popular, and both with the younger generation, and at experienced athletes. Certainly, the powerful component of success in this sport depends on the balanced diet therefore we suggest you to learn about the basic principles of separate food and features of the dietary menu at occupation in the gym.

Efficiency of healthy nutrition of the bodybuilder

Good pumping of muscles which the calories consumed by the athlete to a large extent influence is very important for any bodybuilder. Than more them gets to an organism in the course of meal, especially muscle growth will be effective, but to limit accumulation of fat and to put the received energy on the right track — it is necessary to control the food. It is impossible to eat twice a day and to hope for good results, let you also eat 3 bowls of soup and two bowls of fried potato for once.

For growth of muscles the organism needs a certain amount of the energy received together with food, and calculation of the calories demanded to the person is made taking into account the total weight: not less than 40 kcal have to fall on one kilogram, but if you spend 4 hours in the gym, then and calories it is required 15-20% more, than to the ordinary person.

There are several general rules of food of bodybuilders:

1. The ratio is considered ideal I WATCH within 20/20/60 therefore it is impossible to consume all necessary calories only from fats or only from carbohydrates.
2. Be ready that together with muscles also fatty tissue will increase therefore you should not skip classes in gym and to abuse fat products.
3. It is impossible to do without minerals and vitamins therefore if you cannot provide their delivery together with food, then it is worth asking for the help special sports additives.
4. His individual diet developed taking into account physical capacities, flavoring preferences and the state of health is important for each athlete.
5. For maintenance of normal exchange processes and due level of glucose, consumption of food rich with proteins has to happen every three hours. Such regularity also favorably affects increase in muscles.
6. If you really want to increase the muscles, it is necessary to eat also after classes in the gym, trying to consume more carbohydrates.

Video: Food of the natural bodybuilder However you should not eat everything that it "under a hand will get". Always consider calories, observe balance I WATCH and use vitamin complexes for athletes. In combination with the individual program of trainings of such mode will be enough for achievement of the desirable results in a rating of muscles.

Whether you know? The first-ever gym opened in Sweden in the second half of the 19th century. The special contribution to this event was made by the doctor Wilhelm Zander.

Food of bodybuilders

When choosing food, to the beginning and already experienced athletes, mostly it is worth paying attention only to digestible versions, with a necessary set of useful components.

Are especially rich in carbohydrates:

• buckwheat;
• rice;
• porridge.

A large amount of useful fat contains in:

• mackerels;
• herring;
• tuna;
• salmon.

But it is yet not all set of products on which it is worth leaning for obtaining the most effective result from trainings. Proceeding from quantity of any given component, all food can be divided into several groups: protein (it proteinaceous), carbohydrate and with high content of fats. Let's consider the forbidden and resolved options more attentively.

Proteins

It is known that all ligaments, sinews and muscles of our body to a large extent consist of a protein. Besides, protein intensifies biochemical processes, normalizes a hormonal background of an organism and promotes optimization of power and metabolic processes in it. Most of all useful proteins contains in the following products:

• boiled chicken breast;
• stake and chops from pork;
• tinned salmon, tuna or other seafood;
• eggs;
• peanut butter;
• home-made cottage cheese;
• skim milk, kefir, yogurt;
• bean (haricot, beans, peas);
• beef;
• walnuts.

Important! Proteins of animal origin are considered as the most effective therefore if the person does not eat meat and dairy products, growth of muscle tissue requires bigger amount of soy and mushrooms. Alternatively it is possible to consider the possibility of use of special sports additives which will help to resolve an issue of good muscle bulk.

Carbohydrates

As well as proteins, carbohydrates are directly involved in power and metabolic processes, but at constant physical activities the expense of these components occurs much quicker. At fitness class or bodybuilding they have to occupy 50% of all nutritious components consumed by the person therefore athletes should pay attention to the following list of products:

• black bread;
• oat flakes;
• pasta (home-made noodles);
• muesli;
• various porridges (rice, wheat, oat, buckwheat, corn);
• mushrooms;
• peanut;
• potatoes;
• apricot seeds;
• bananas;
• melon.

To increase tastes of the carbohydrate food, you can add yogurt to porridge or fruit, thereby delivering additional amount of protein in an organism.

Examine the best exercises in bodybuilding for beginners.

Fats

Even if a main objective of trainings is weight loss, it does not mean yet that it is necessary to eat only vegetables and fruit without fat content. Considering nutrition value of a concrete product, distinguish several types of fats, but at occupation bodybuilding it is important to consume only products with "useful" monounsaturated and natural transfats, avoiding sated (except harm for a figure, they can do much harm to a cardiovascular system). Considering it, it is better for athletes to choose such products in the menu:

• avocado;
• almonds;
• flax seeds;
• organic peanut butter (its structure has to contain only oil of a plant and salt);
• seafood (salmon, tuna, trout);
• pork.

To less useful, and even even to harmful fat-containing products, it is worth carrying:

• chocolate;
• cakes;
• mayonnaise;
• sausages;
• pastries.

At their production various preservatives and additives are used today.

Also "forbidden fruits" for bodybuilders will be:

• salty and sweet products,
• spicy and fried food,
• various semi-finished products;
• powder juice;
• any alcoholic products.

Whether you know? In the world Manokhar Aych who in 2016 died in India on 105 of life was considered as the oldest bodybuilder until recently. In 2017 its "title" was intercepted by American Ray Mun who in 2018 was 88 years old.

Basic principles of food

Above we already considered the general requirements to food of bodybuilders, but it should be noted also the fact that features of a diet, so, and the principles of food, will depend directly on an ultimate goal: to pump up muscles (most often it interests athletes) or to lose several extra kilos.

For a set of muscle bulk

It is wrong to believe what for increase in muscle bulk simply needs to be eaten more. The healthy nutrition of the athlete provides use only of "useful" products, plentiful drink and orientation to the concrete period of consumption of food (before occupation in the gym or after it). Therefore to pump up muscles it is worth being guided by the following principles of food:

1. Not less than 5-6 times a day are desirable to eat food (anabolic influence of the consumed products continues only 3-4 hours therefore there will be not enough three meals a day). Frequent food does not overload in the moderate portions a GIT, but promotes constant receipt in an organism of useful substances.
2. food which are almost made for the bodybuilder have to be characterized by high caloric content, otherwise nutrients will not be acquired with a due speed. Vegetables and fruit have to occupy no more than 30% of total number of products in the athlete's diet that the cellulose which is present at them did not influence intestines and did not lead to loss of nutrients.
3. Consumption of fats and fast carbohydrates is allowed only in small amounts, and saturated fats of animal origin (for example, margarine or fat) it is better to exclude in general as they only promote increase in contents of fat cages. The same concerns fast carbohydrates which in a large number to contain in sweets and rolls and increase glucose level in blood of the person. Because of it the organism should transform excess sugar to fat savings.
4. Surely observe the drinking mode, water for the athlete the same important component, as well as food. Intensive metabolism promotes increase in need of an organism for liquid therefore athletes should drink not less than 3-4 liters of liquid every day. Dehydration — is inadmissible.
5. Increasing muscle tissue, it is desirable to divide daily amount of food into equal parts, but in the first half of day (that is till 16:00) it is necessary to eat about 70% of everything planned per day, and to leave the remained 30% for dinner after evening lessons. Several hours prior to physical activity it is desirable to eat a little porridge and also vegetables and flour products, but only if they are really protein-rich also medlennousvoyaemy carbohydrates. After exercises, geyner (carbohydrate and proteinaceous cocktails), and in an hour — proteinaceous and carbohydrate food, and even with a small amount of confectionery will be useful. It is worth leaving sour-milk products, vegetables, beans, salads and eggs for the period of an evening meal not to overload a stomach before going to bed.
6. You should not exclude fats from the diet absolutely. Level of this component lower than 10% will promote unnecessary change of metabolic processes.
7. Approximate ratio I WATCH for an optimum set of muscle bulk will be such:

• the carbohydrates received with food — 50-60% (from total number of the consumed nutritious components);
• proteins — 30-35%;
• fats — 10-15%.

It is important! If you are not sure that you will be able to pick up to yourself completely balanced diet, taking into account all suitable products for gain of muscle bulk, then it put better to entrust the professional coach.

For weight loss

Certain reserves of subcutaneous fat are necessary to the bodybuilder, but you should not forget that at occupation emphasis is placed by this sport on increase in muscle bulk, but not a fat layer. Therefore, some athletes are forced to be "on drying", promoting a fast expense of fat stocks of a body. Not to be overzealous with such weight loss and not to do much harm the organism should adhere to some principles of food and trainings:

1. In the course of the occupations in the gym it is for a while better to refuse power exercises and to pay due attention to cardioloadings (best of all for run and swimming).
2. The habitual food allowance should be "cut down" on 1/3, but only so that in a week it was possible to dump no more than 1.5 kg (great values demonstrate loss of muscle bulk).
3. Diet basis "on drying" — stage-by-stage decrease in quantity of the products rich in fats and carbohydrates and also a complete elimination of sweets.
4. The admissible norm of caloric content of food is 1200-2300 kcal.

Ratio I WATCH at this time will be the following:

• proteins — 2/3 from total amount of nutrients, postupayemy in an organism;
• slow carbohydrates — 1/3 from total;
• fats — it is slightly less than 10%.

During "drying" do not forget to listen to yourself: you should not have strong feeling of hunger or especially attack food after a long break.

The menu for the bodybuilder

The general daily menu of the bodybuilder consists of two separate parts: day consumption of food and food before and after a training.

Day

It is possible to include three main meals in the day menu of the bodybuilder: the first breakfast, the second breakfast and an afternoon snack, and for the evening will remain two more dinners. In general the first half of an athletic diet will look as follows:

The first breakfast	The second breakfast	Afternoon snack
100 g of buckwheat cereal; 3 eggs hard-boiled; 5 egg whites; 1 apple	200 g of boiled veal; 100 g of porridge; 300-400 g of the boiled mixed vegetables; half-cups of the Greek nuts; 200 ml of skim milk	100 g of a tinned salmon; 2 tablespoons of olive oil; 3 cups boiled broccoli; 1/3 cups of lentil
In an interval between the main meals, consumption of special sports cocktails and additives is possible.

Of course, it is not obligatory for you to look for the products specified in the table in the market, but being guided by the provided data it is simpler to define, than it is possible to add the diet in each concrete time.

Before and after a training

The use of optimum amount of nutrients before and after a training plays still a large role, than other meals. At this particular time it is necessary to prepare at first an organism for the forthcoming loading, and then, to fill power losses that will also help to achieve good gain of muscle bulk. The approximate menu of the athlete before and after a training can look so:

Before a training	After the training (first dinner)	After the training (second dinner)
Protein cocktail with the maintenance of a serumal protein is not lower than 25 g; VSAA — 10 g; Carbohydrates — 50 g	100 g of pasta of firm grades or ¼ cups of brown rice; 1 average boiled potatoes; 200 g of fish (it is better boiled or baked); 200 g of stewed vegetables; 4 spoons of puree from avocado	200 g of skim cheese or in advance picked up dose of a casein protein

Additional additives

Unfortunately, he can receive not all nutrients necessary for the bodybuilder from usual food therefore to accelerate process of set of muscle bulk and to fill vitamin and mineral stocks of an organism special additives which need to be consumed together with the above-stated products were developed.

Read about the best vitamins for bodybuilders.

Food

Certainly, the food consumed by us always contains a certain amount of vitamins and minerals, but whether here enough it is not always clear. At sports activities the load of an organism increases several times therefore it is better for each bodybuilder to have at itself an additional set of multivitamin and multimineral complexes. Usually they are accepted together with the main food, but the nutritional supplements intended for consumption right after a breakfast, a lunch or in intervals between them meet. To what structure you would not give preference, be convinced that it contains the following set of components:

• B2 vitamin (Riboflavinum);
• B3 (nicotinic acid);
• B6 (pyridoxine);
• folic acid (B9 vitamin);
• B12 vitamin;
• vitamin E;
• vitamin A;
• vitamin C (ascorbic acid);
• selenium;
• magnesium;
• zinc.

Important! When opening the next small bottle with vitamins, available in vatu it is necessary to throw out at once. It is capable to accumulate in itself moisture because of what capsules of medicine can suffer from bacteria.

Such minerals as calcium, magnesium and zinc are not less important for the athlete. Quite often they do not enter a uniform complex therefore, most likely, they should be bought in addition separately. As for the most known ready vitamin medicines, athletes often give preference to the following:

• Animal Pak from Universal Nutrition;
• Opti-Men from Optimum Nutrition;
• Opti-Women from Optimum Nutrition.

These vitamin and mineral additives are designed to add useful components of food, daily supplying an organism with minerals necessary for it. However you should not buy them with a large supply as at house storage they often lose a powerful part of the advantage.

Sports

It is possible to call not all vitamin complexes sports as many drugs are taken by people for improvement of the general health and are not connected with bodybuilding in any way. At the same time there are also special sports additives allowing athletes to achieve excellent results in the trainings. Most important for the bodybuilder will be such additives:

1. Creatine monohydrate — considerably increases force and endurance of muscle tissue due to supply of cages with an additional amount of water (creatine promotes increase in body weight in the first weeks of intake of additive). Most often it is accepted right after the training, together with a large amount of water. Optimum daily quantity creatine monohydrate — 3 g (apart from "loading" on 20 g in the first week of reception).
2. Protein — the main construction material for all muscles. Protein includes a set of irreplaceable amino acids which will help to replace a similar component of products. In other words, protein cocktails solve a problem of need of special diets, being characterized at the same time by the low caloric content and absence as a part of fats. On average standard daily rate of protein of 1.8-2 g on 1 kg of weight of the athlete, but it is desirable to distribute this dose on several receptions, together with the main food or right after food. It is in addition possible to accept 20-30 more g of a protein, directly after the training, but the single dose should not exceed 50 g (superfluous just it will not be acquired by an organism).

Learn how the protein affects a human body and whether it is harmful to health.

3. Caffeine and ephedrine — important components for those athletes who just dream to leave extra kilos. However joint action of these components not only quickly splits fat deposits, but also raises a muscular tone and also normalizes an emotional condition of the person. The main thing is not to exceed the recommended dosage (on 200 mg of caffeine and 20 mg of ephedrine three times a day), otherwise such side effects as insomnia, nausea, a nerve strain and attacks of alarm are possible.
4. Glutamine — the substance which is responsible for good immunity. This amino acid contains in muscle tissue and increases resistance of an organism to various adverse effects of the environment. To resupply spent in process a training, there are enough only 5 g of the glutamine a day which is previously dissolved in glass with water. The greatest possible amount of additive — 14 g a day.

Learn how it is correct to accept glutamine in bodybuilding.

5. Food substitutes — the protein and carbohydrate concentrate presented in the form of powdery mix of an ideal ratio. It is an excellent alternative to "having a snack" when on full meal there is no time yet. As well as proteinaceous mixes, powder substitutes of food stir in water or in low-fat milk and to improve taste of such food it is possible to add fruit or the crushed oatmeal cookies to a glass. Having made nutritious cocktail in advance, you can fill in it in a thermos and take anywhere.

Besides the listed sports additives there are also some other substances capable to give to the bodybuilder additional forces and endurance. The cod-liver oil containing an omega-3 fatty acids acts as a good example. They promote fast elimination of muscular pain and fast restoration of all organism after the training. Therefore if you want to achieve good results from occupations, it is necessary to consider all options of addition of sports and usual food.

Recommendations about healthy nutrition

Summing up the result of all aforesaid it is possible to create the following list of recommendations which have to help the bodybuilder with the organization of the correct and balanced diet:

1. The main construction material for muscle tissue — proteins therefore they should be accepted throughout the day (not less than three times a day). It is not obligatory to divide standard daily rate of substance into three equal parts, it will be better if for dinner you leave 60-70% of the necessary dose. Some part from this value can be delivered in an organism by means of food: fishes, eggs or beef, and additional proteins can be received from special additives.
2. Before occupation it is worth avoiding proteins of plant origin. The galaktozida (type of carbohydrates) which are contained in them are very badly acquired and finally become the reason of development of bacteria.
3. The use of carbohydrates should be postponed until a dinner as after the training they will be able quickly to restore stocks of the spent glycogen, without increasing at the same time the number of fat deposits.
4. It is better not to use products with fructose content after the training as they interfere with assimilation of the mentioned glycogen.
5. It is useful for all athletes to include protein additives in the diet: accepting them prior to a training, you will be able to build up muscle bulk and to lose weight, it is possible to use additive only after classes, several times a day.
6. You should not exclude fat-containing products from the diet. Fats are also necessary for an organism of the bodybuilder as proteins and carbohydrates, just in smaller quantity. After the training useful to the athlete will become components of meat, fish and nuts, and it is better to avoid the fats here sated anyway.

Separate and correctly balanced food is important absolutely for all people: children, adults, men, women, athletes and those who especially are not fond of physical activities. However if it is about bodybuilders, then they need to fill reserves of the spent useful substances, otherwise in an organism irreparable changes can begin and the physical activity will bring only negative results. You watch the diet and you will be always healthy.