The fitness industry has grown considerably in the last few years. Bodybuilding is a big part of the fitness industry and many young athletes strive to have a career in bodybuilding or they just want to gain some muscle and look good on the beach. There are many different diets that assist in gaining muscle mass, a few examples are the Atkins new diet revolution, the South Beach diet, anabolic diet and many more. Look below and choose your bodybuilding food plan today!

The Atkins New Diet Revolution:

Robert C. Atkins is the founder of the Atkins new diet revolution. Not only is he the founder, he is also director of the Atkins Complimentary Medicine Institute in New York. This is a great thing for anyone trying to find a new diet to follow that has scientific proof behind it. It  is always good to know how well thought out the diet is. The Atkins diet is a low carb, high-fat diet, where there are no restrictions on the fats that are consumed.

The diet starts with an introductory phase that normally ranges between 2 and 36 weeks. The introduction only allows you to consume 20 grams of carbs a day and consuming fruits, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or any dairy products will not be allowed. After the introductory phase, there are two more phases that follow where the main goal is to increase carbohydrate intake by 5g or 10g increments. Next up is the maintenance phase. Many diets dismiss the importance of controlling the intake of calories. Atkins believes in his diet that it is important to regulate the intake of calories and adjusting it for either weight gain or weight loss.

The South Beach Diet:

Associate professor of medicine at the Miami School of Medicine, Arthur Agatston, invented this diet. A professor that surely put some great thought into designing the South Beach diet. The purpose of this diet ensures that whoever follows this diet will get rid of their sugar addiction. The first fourteen days of the South Beach diet will consist of an induction phase.
In this phase, you are sure to lose some weight, but for gaining muscle mass this is good to ensure you are gaining quality mass and not just gaining fat. Also in the first phase fruit, bread, pasta, and alcohol are prohibited. In the second phase low, GI fruits and starches will be allowed. Once the target weight has been reached you will, maintain the second phase.

The End Zone:

Barry Sears developed the end zone diet to be based more on percentages that need to be taken in daily. This plan suggests that your diet needs to consist of 40% protein, 30%carbs, and 30% fats. The purpose of this diet is to control insulin levels and eicosanoids.
In this diet, it is also seen that high-GI food causes obesity. In this diet, you have more control over how much macronutrients you get in and can gain quality muscle mass. Another positive about this diet is that it promotes the intake of fatty-acid which has many health benefits as well.

Very low-fat diets:

These diets have very low fats, high carbohydrates, and moderate protein intake. Very low-fat diets are primarily based on the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, no fat dairy products and low quantities of sugar intake.
Very low-fat diets are normally used by athletes and active individuals. If you are looking to build muscle mass, this diet would be perfect as you have only enough fats to fuel your workouts and gain some great muscle mass.

UD2 Diet:

This diet was created by Lyle McDonald and it has its limits. If you are male, you should not have a body fat of more than 15% and if you are female, you should not have a body fat of more than 22%. This diet starts with a catabolic/low-carbohydrate phase, to promote fat loss in the beginning and an anabolic/high-carbohydrate phase to rebuild and gain muscle mass.
The first two days of this diet are low-carbohydrate days and are done in conjunction with high-intensity training with little rest in between. The third day of this diet is normally a repeat of day one and two, but there is no training done on this day. On day four, you will be consuming both low and high carbohydrate meals. During the day you will have low-carbohydrate meals and a high-carbohydrate meal before you have your workout. On this day, you are required to do a physically demanding workout. During day five, six and seven, you will do some heavy weight training and consume low-carbohydrate meals. You will not be training on day seven and that will be seen as your rest day.

The Anabolic Diet:

The Anabolic diet requires one to carb-deplete during the weekdays. This means you will consume low carbs, high fats, and high protein meals. During the weekend you will be required to carb-load, which means you will consume high carb, moderate fat and low protein meals during those two days. This diet was developed by former world champion powerlifter Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale. This diet allows you to feed your muscles over the weekend and ensure you build quality muscle during the week.

It is very important to eat long-lasting carbohydrates over the weekend. Because you will not be eating any carbs during the week. Carbs should give you energy during most parts of the week.  When carb depleting during the week, your muscles will consume all nutrients in the food eaten every weekend, making the absorption quality much better.

Conclusion

When looking at diets to meet your goals it is very important that you ensure you are following one that fits into your schedule and that is convenient and easy to follow. This will ensure you stay on the diet for longer and see the needed results.

It is also important to ensure that the diet has the required result on your body; this might require you to test out diets and see if they work, before finding the perfect one. Make sure you understand the science behind each diet. Also look over each exercise done in conjunction with the diet to receive the desired results.

Building A Proper Bodybuilding Nutrition Program

In bodybuilding, the key is proper diet and exercise. Bodybuilding is not only for those who want to lose weight, but also for those who want to gain muscle definition and mass. Physique athletes and bodybuilders are mocked for obsessing over diet plans and exercise routines. We weigh foods, count calories, and try to break down meals into smaller ones. However, proper bodybuilding nutrition and planning is the key element in a successful bodybuilding routine.

There is a science to what we eat to build muscle, shred off unwanted fats, and build the best physique appropriate for every individual. A group of scientists and researchers specialize in research to understand proper bodybuilding nutrition. The studies have developed several methods and have proven to be effective throughout the years.

Body build-up

There must be nutrient-dense food which is rich in vitamins and minerals, and fiber-rich food included in the diet. These are not only good for the health but are also essential for muscle growth. Green leafy vegetables are also a must every day. Top athletes and bodybuilders consider food as their fuel in their daily workout. Food is better when it is in its natural state.

Protein

Our recommended protein powder(We highly recommend using protein powder for maximum muscle growth!)

Dymatize ISO 100 Whey Protein Powder Isolate, Fudge Brownie, 1.6 lbs

While amino acids are the building blocks of protein, in turn, protein builds up the muscle. An individual’s needs vary from another. For instance, a minimum of 30-40 grams of protein is the amount that is optimal in muscle-building. From there, the amount will go up or down depending on the person’s body weight.

There are different suggestions on how many times a person must eat in a day. However, some suggestions are not applicable to everyone. People have varying needs, lifestyle, and preferences and eating habits. I recommend eating  4-5 times a day and making sure that each meal contains enough protein in it. You should always go for high-quality proteins.

In between those meals, branched-chain amino acids work wonders in bodybuilding. Leucine is a type of branch-chain amino acid and bodybuilders need about 3 grams of it per serving. It is equivalent to 30-40 grams of protein coming from regular meals. Leucine is also present in supplements, snacks, and shakes specially made for bodybuilders.

Sources of Protein

Dairy is one of the most important sources of protein in our diet. Studies tell us that those who include more dairy products in their diet are healthier, leaner, and more muscular. Dairy products in their natural state have these three macronutrients: fats, carbohydrates, and protein. The amount of macronutrients you need depend on how the dairy products are filtered or processed. Whey and casein are also important components of milk protein which are also important in muscle-building and maintaining good health.

Aside from dairy products, animal-based sources such as eggs, lean meats (beef, chicken, and turkey) are also great sources of protein. The same is true with salmon, which, aside from protein, is also an excellent source of omega-3 acid.

Although protein supplements help, food is still the best source when in it comes to overall nutritional impact. Food that has not been processed and retains most of the essential nutrients is still the best option.

Carbohydrates

Apart from protein, carbohydrates are also important to give energy to the body. Again, the proper amount of carbohydrate intake depends on how hard a person trains. For instance, a person who trains three times a week would require more energy as compared to another who trains twice a week.

Carbohydrate sources

During workouts, it is important to eat the right types of food that will keep your stomach full. Low to moderate glycemic carbohydrates are the best options which can be taken from sweet potatoes and oatmeal. On the other hand, high-glycemic carbohydrates will give you a sugar rush but will quickly lower down, leaving a person hypoglycaemic and starving. Blood sugar will lower down and a person can lose focus and energy on the training.

It is recommended to maintain a ratio of 5:1 or lower between carbohydrates and fiber. For example, a loaf of bread containing 20 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of fiber has a ratio of 4:1. It is a ratio within the suggested range.

After a workout, eating a meal with high-glycemic carbohydrates and lower fiber is advised. This will replenish the reserves of the body’s carbohydrates. However, during other times, the carbohydrate and fiber intake must be balanced.

Power Breakfasts

After waking up, it’s perfectly okay to include a little bit more fat like eating whole eggs for breakfast. Oatmeal and yogurt also contains carbohydrates and lots of fiber. There are many people who try to eliminate carbohydrates but for those who train hard, carbohydrates are very critical.

Water

The human body is composed of 70% water. On regular days, I drink 8-10 glasses of water. However, when doing training, the human body requires more. To illustrate, in a CrossFit workout, training may be done in a room without air conditioning and profuse sweating is expected. A person can lose about a liter of fluid which is equivalent to losing a couple of pounds.

However, losing that amount of fluid also means losing electrolytes and sodium, which are required by the body to function normally. Cells get smaller when they are dehydrated. Any fluids lost during the workout should be replenished to maintain the body’s performance and overall good health.

Replacing with water is not enough. Studies show that drinking distilled water will take away more electrolytes when urinating. I recommend that you drink regular water. Adding a bit of salt in the water will help in replenishing the lost electrolytes.

Cheat Eating

While strictly following your bodybuilding nutrition plan is recommended, there is nothing wrong with a slight deviation from your meal plan at times. There is a lot of mental stress that is associated with religiously following a meal plan. Try to schedule a cheat day, so you can utilize it as a release valve to recover. I found that this method actually helps in making a person stick to the overall training program.

Challenges

It can be very difficult to start with training and changing meal preferences since it also means totally changing one’s lifestyle. There are no shortcuts in training. There must be a lot of discipline and patience involved. Depending on the program suggested by the nutritionist and the trainer, some training may take months. The entire training can be very demanding. It would require a lot of focus, dedication, consistency and determination.

It is best to consult with a trainer and a nutritionist first who can best recommend a proper diet and workout plan suited to a person. You should also recommended to talk to a doctor to make sure that strenuous physical activities and a bodybuilding nutrition program diet will not be detrimental to your overall health.

 Elimination of Fats

 Are there good fats?

 Omega 3 Fatty Acids

These are probably the most important and valuable fats that we should be considering. These are a form of polyunsaturated fats although they do tend to have a category of their own because they are so important to body health. Omega 3 fats can help prevent muscle breakdown and they are great for joint health. They have excellent anti-inflammatory properties with the ability to play a very valuable role in developing and maintaining healthy cells. This is done through strengthening the cell membrane and ensuring cells are able to retain their shape.

Fish oil supplements are a well-known source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fats have also been identified as playing an important role in the production of compounds called prostaglandins and resolvins. These compounds play an important role in improving the flow of blood in the body and also reducing inflammation. These benefits are two important considerations for bodybuilders. Inflammation is the part of the bodybuilding process related to tissue building but it will impede the recovery process for muscles if it continues for an extended period of time. Omega 3 fats should be part of the supplements program for any bodybuilder or athlete.

If you wanted to supplement using natural foods as well, then fatty fish, such as mackerel, salmon, and herring are rich in omega 3. They are also found in walnuts, almond butter, flax seeds, fish oil, avocados and flax oil.

 Polyunsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils, as well as sunflower and cottonseed oil. They tend to be a little less stable and more vulnerable to turning rancid than mono-unsaturated fat sources. Polyunsaturated fats tend to remain as liquids at room temperature where some mono-unsaturated fats will become solids.

Polyunsaturated fats are able to help prevent your body from developing insulin resistance, which can be a precursor to diabetes. It is thought that large quantities of mono-unsaturated fats could actually exacerbate insulin resistance.

 Monounsaturated Fats

The body is able to process monounsaturated fats efficiently. They are a good source of calories and will provide energy during heavy periods of training. One problem that many people face is the reduction of the quantity of saturated fat they consume. By replacing these with monounsaturated fats there will be an improvement and long-term it will lead to benefits in heart health, which will be beneficial to bodybuilders.

Monounsaturated fats have also been shown to increase the sensation of being full for longer. It has some impact on reducing variations in blood sugar levels. Bodybuilders can experience this during heavy workouts where they find there is an impact on energy levels and this could be accompanied by a craving for carbohydrates. An additional benefit is that monounsaturated fats are also effective in improving the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins that come from vegetables.

If you are looking for simple ways to get them in your diet, monounsaturated fats are mainly found in natural foods like nuts, avocados, olive oil, grape-seed oil, and canola oil. Olive oil is one of the best sources of monounsaturated fat. Peanut butter is also high in monounsaturated fats.

If you are looking for a food to include in your diet that is high in good monounsaturated fats then avocado is ideal. It promotes feeling full and helps to curb appetite while also giving you fiber and plant sterols that are great for reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in your blood. Maybe have it with extra virgin olive oil and some apple cider vinegar with your mother and do your health a favor.

 Saturated Fats

 Summary

3 Ways That You Can Add More Bodybuilding Protein Into Your Diet

Getting bigger and adding muscle mass is a very big part of bodybuilding. Have you ever considered what you can do to get your body in the best shape possible? You will find that you can do a lot of things that would be common sense, but you also need to learn how to add bodybuilding protein to your diet. Always go for the best possible results for your body. You will start to feel very good because you have a new body that you built out of hard work. I always feel confident to show off or compete because of how big my body became.

Start With Bodybuilding Protein

Bodybuilding protein is the very first thing that you need to take care of so that you can get your body to start to grow. You will find that you can add a lot of weight really fast. When you’re packing the protein on,  you need to find the different exercises that will keep your body in the best shape. The only way to do this effectively is to break up your proteins into a few different categories. Every thing that you do will make your body much healthier, and you need to know how you can get your body to completely change.

     1. Eat More Protein

You need to have a very lean protein at every meal. A lot of people like fish and pork because of how little fat is on it. You can eat salmon at every meal and still be pretty happy with the way your meals taste, because it is very easy to add vegetables to your salmon. Cooking salmon can be done in a lot of different ways. Get more protein in your diet just because you chose to eat so much of it. You also have to be sure that you have planned how much of it you are eating. If you are only having one big meal, you need to make your portions bigger. If you are having a big lunch and dinner, you need to be sure that you have a smaller portion at each.

Types of Protein

Whey Protein

Whey is probably the most well known protein by weight lifters. It helps encourage muscle growth and sometimes fat loss. It can absorbed a lot quicker than other proteins. People tend to drink it in shakes and right after a good workout. Whey usually comes in powdered form, and is about 20% milk.

 Milk Protein

Milk has about 3 percent protein in it. Milk also has the 9 vital amino acids we need. Don’t worry there are plenty of ways to get this type of protein. It can come in protein bars and almost all shakes. The other way to get it is just by drinking natural milk from your everyday grocery store. Milk can be a game-changer in your protein packed diet.

 Egg Protein

Did you know in the average large egg there is 6 grams of protein? Eggs also contain all the vital amino acids necessary for protein synthesis. Apparently 6 grams is 11% of men’s daily intake of protein, but that’s not for bodybuilders. Scientists also have started dismissing claims of eggs having a role in heart problems. With all that being said eggs are definitely a good source of protein. Especially if you eat them with your everyday breakfast.

Regular Meat Protein

Chicken 4oz, 36g of protein

 

Beef 4oz, 28g of protein

 

Fish(salmon) 3oz, 22g of protein

 

Turkey 100g, 22g of protein

    2. Replace Meals

You can add protein to your diet really easily by just replacing meals. There are a lot of people who are going to find that they can make their shakes every day to have for breakfast and lunch. It takes seconds to do this, and it makes you a lot healthier. Imagine getting nothing but lean calories into your body, and you can go on about your workout. You might never have tried meal replacements, but this stuff really works. You feel good because all you did was drink a shake, and you just go on about your day as if all you did was have a glass of milk. It is simpler than anything else you can do for these meals.

Lift Carefully

You have to be sure that you use a special back brace so that you can lift safely. Be sure that you have planned to lift in different ways that will make your body that much healthier and stronger. Target your arms one day, pecs another day, and legs another day. You will make slow progress on each part of your body. I find that it is much easier to keep up with your program because you are not stressing your body out so much.

Get Some Cardiovascular Work In

You need to have some kind of cardiovascular conditioning if you wish to remain in good shape. Cardio is easy just go for a run or swim. You might not have noticed that many people do this! Just because you do not see them do it at the gym, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. You have to be sure that you have figured out what they are doing that you would want to do. This is not going to make you build muscle mass, but it is going to help you have all the energy that you need to build muscle mass. You will improve a lot faster because you are in good overall shape.

Reduce Stress

Your body cannot improve if you are stressed all the time. You have a lot of things that are very hard to do if you are stressed! Don’t let yourself drown in stress. Even if you are working out, you are not in good enough condition to have what anyone would consider a proper workout. You will start eating poorly, and you will not make the gains that you were hoping to make. It makes sense for you to take breaks, calm yourself at the end of the day, and make sure you get on a routine that helps your body acclimate to this new lifestyle.

   3. Use Protein Supplements Where Possible

You might have just gone out to have a shake with some friends, but most places will actually sell you some kind of protein booster that will make it much easier for you to get the protein you need into your shake. I always feel great because I’ve done so much work during the day. Now I can support my muscle growth by adding supplement protein in my diet. You can go back to the gym the next day ready to workout and add more muscle mass to your body.

Continue Lifting

You can always improve, by staying consistent. People who are lifting consistently will always see some kind of small gain. You may not have the best gain of all time, but you will see results. The gains you get will make your body feel and look better. You can see it in the mirror, and you cannot get complacent by stopping because you think you have reached the mountaintop.

Conclusion

You can add muscle mass to your body every day! Make sure that you try all these techniques to make your body look great. Each thing that you do makes you feel like you are in much better shape. You will begin to notice that you are seeing consistent gains. If you want to look and feel your best while having a lot of muscles to show off, follow the blueprint above.