Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Knowing when to eat
• Part 2 of 3: Knowing what to eat
• Part 3 of 3: Knowing what not to eat
• Tips
• Warnings

If you want to build muscle, you probably know that training alone is not enough. Your diet is also important. Eating like a bodybuilder will build muscle and lose weight, if you combine this diet with the right training schedule. The idea is to eat a lot of protein and fiber, and little carbohydrates and fat. With this diet you also have to eat much more often than usual.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Knowing when to eat

1. Eat a good breakfast. Many people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is especially true for bodybuilders, as you haven't eaten anything before breakfast for eight to ten hours. Make time for a good breakfast every morning.
   • Eggs are eaten a lot for breakfast, and luckily for bodybuilders, protein is one of the best things you can eat. They are rich in proteins. Discard the egg yolk and eat the egg white with oats, then you have a tasty and healthy breakfast.
   • If you don't have time to prepare a very full breakfast in the morning, you can also have a bowl of high-protein cereal or a protein shake. However, do not eat cereal with sugar.
2. Eat more meals. Bodybuilders should eat six times a day, instead of the traditional three or four times.
   • If you eat more often, your muscles will store more carbohydrates, a fuel reserve called muscle glycogen.
   • Frequent meals also ensure that the muscles get the amino acids they need to recover more regularly after being damaged by a tough workout.
3. Take a liquid meal between normal meals. In addition to your meals, you should also drink protein shakes.
   • These shakes ensure that you get enough amino acids. It also helps with the urge to eat unhealthy foods between meals.
4. Eat a snack before going to sleep. Eating a snack right before bedtime can help prevent the urge to eat in the middle of the night. If you choose the right diet for this, you also reduce the risk of muscle catabolism. Muscle catabolism, or muscle breakdown, is the result of exercising too much, which can weaken your body and your immune system.
   • Eat something high in micellar casein proteins right before going to bed. Most protein shakes are great for this. You can also have some cottage cheese. Add some almonds so that you also get healthy fats.
5. Never skip a meal. Skipping a meal is just as bad as skipping a workout. Your body needs the nutrients to build muscle mass.
   • If you find it difficult to plan all meals in your busy schedule, consider always carrying a cool box that contains one or two meals.
6. Build it up slowly. It can be difficult to implement all the changes at once. Some people recommend that you build up the bodybuilder's diet slowly over the course of about four weeks.
   • During the first week, you will just eat three meals, but switch to the foods described in Part 2. In the first week, you should also buy some protein powder and start eating more calories.
   • Add one meal every week until you eat six a day. This gradual transition is easier for most people.

Part 2 of 3: Knowing what to eat

1. Eat a lot of protein. You probably know that a bodybuilder eats a lot of protein. In fact, you should eat about 40 grams of protein per meal.
   • Some good options for a high-protein meal include steak, salmon, chicken breast, and pork tenderloin.
   • Being a vegetarian or vegan doesn't mean you can't eat like a bodybuilder. In fact, bodybuilders who are vegan are increasingly common. Some vegan alternatives are soy (and other legumes), seitan, quinoa, buckwheat and mycoprotein.
   • For the shakes you have between meals, whey protein is best, especially for beginners. Whey protein is easy to digest and absorb. It is also rich in amino acids.
2. Eat the "good" fats. Not all fats are bad for you. In fact, some are essential for both bodybuilding and good health in general.
   • Monounsaturated fatty acids and Omega 3 fatty acids are important for muscle growth. It is in, among other things, fish and avocado.
   • You shouldn't overdo it, of course, but it's also okay to eat some saturated fats every now and then. If you do it in moderation and train intensively, they also have nutritional value.
3. Keep it in balance. While protein is critical, it is important to eat well-balanced meals. Vegetables and complex carbohydrates, in particular, should be the staple of your diet.
   • About 25% of every meal should consist of compact carbohydrates, such as potatoes. Another 25% should be fibrous carbohydrates (such as green vegetables). The remaining 50% must be proteins.
   • Sweet potatoes and asparagus are a great choice. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of energy-rich carbohydrates. Bodybuilding experts recommend asparagus, especially just before a competition. Broccoli and spinach are also good options.
4. Take supplements. When used in moderation, dietary supplements can supplement any deficiencies in your diet. Special supplements for bodybuilders, combined with a good protein powder, can complement meals.
   • However, it is important not to rely on supplements too much. You should get the most nutrients from fresh food, which is better for your body.
5. Stay well hydrated. Your body is made up mostly of water. For it to function properly, you need to stay hydrated. That is important for everyone, but especially for people who train heavily.
6. Occasionally cheat. The next part is about what not to eat. That said, it's a good idea to indulge in sinning every once in a while. Knowing how to cheat, say once a week, can help you better suppress the urge to sin a lot.
   • For example, you can use your "cheating meal" as a reward for reaching your training goals. This can be good motivation!

Part 3 of 3: Knowing what not to eat

1. Avoid processed foods. Bodybuilders try to eat as "pure" as possible. That means you should avoid unhealthy things like fast food and ready meals.
   • This type of food is converted into fat, not muscle. Remember, you are what you eat!
2. Do not eat sweets. You should avoid processed sugars and simple carbohydrates at all costs. These foods are empty calories, taking the place of healthier options for building muscle mass.
   • It is best not to have sweets at home, so you cannot be tempted to eat it.
   • Carbohydrates are especially bad if you eat them right before going to bed. Because you do not move for several hours, these carbohydrates are stored as fat.
   • There is an exception to this rule: just after a tough workout, it's okay to eat some simple carbohydrates. If you're craving a sandwich when you get out of the gym, give in to that, as long as you don't forget to eat protein as well.
3. Eat fat in moderation. Part 1 has already discussed the "good" fats, and you should especially eat foods that contain them. But eating pure means avoiding foods with added fat such as butter and fried foods.
   • A little saturated fat is fine (and can actually be good for you), but in general, you should eat as little of it as possible. You can get your calories better from healthier foods that build muscle mass, as described in Part 1.
   • Avoid butter, oil, and fatty sauces if you can. Rather use a light cooking spray instead of butter or oil.
4. Do not eat out too often and pay close attention. When you eat out, you don't know what exactly is in your meal. Usually restaurant food contains more fat and salt than the food you prepare at home. So try not to eat out too often.
   • If you do eat out, stick to pure proteins and simple vegetable dishes. Check the menu to see which dishes best suit your diet as a bodybuilder.
5. Don't overeat. Sometimes when people hear "six meals a day" they think you can eat as much as you want. This is certainly not the case. Bodybuilders, like all other people, should be careful not to overeat.
   • It is a simple calculation. If you take in more calories than you burn through your workouts, your body will store these calories as fat. As a bodybuilder you can of course eat more calories than someone who just sits in front of the TV. But you have to keep it within limits.
   • It can be good to read labels, count calories, and make sure you're getting the right amount of protein. You need a lot, but there is also such a thing as to a lot of.

Tips

• Cook yourself. If you prepare your meals for the whole week on the weekend, it is easier to eat well as a bodybuilder.
• Have a whey protein mix that is low in fat, low in carbohydrates and at least 23 grams of protein per scoop. It should also be low in sugar (eg 3 grams or less). Many stores have test jars, so try them out before you buy; some protein shakes are really, really nasty.
• Eat foods with a low glycemic index.

Warnings

• If you are allergic to milk, a whey protein shake may not be good for you. Look for a non-dairy shake.
• If you eliminate most food groups from your diet and replace them with protein shakes or powders, you run the risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, illness, anemia, digestive problems and other unpleasant side effects.
• Always follow your doctor's advice before starting any diet.
• Consuming an extremely high amount of protein can increase your cholesterol. If you have, or are at risk for, high cholesterol, you shouldn't follow this diet.
• Children, and women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding, must be very careful not to ingest too much mercury. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advises pregnant women and young children to eat little tuna and swordfish. EFSA has set the tolerable daily intake of mercury at 1.3 micrograms of mercury per kilogram of body weight per week. Someone who weighs 70 kg and is allowed to ingest a maximum of 91 micrograms of mercury can eat, for example, 219 grams of tuna, 819 grams of cod or 1083 grams of herring per week.