Muscle Building Nutrition Tips
You’ve been committed to building your body, now it’s time to get serious about understanding the role nutrition plays in increasing overall strength. Your diet is a large part of becoming healthy and strong.
Some things you should know about nutrition for muscle building:
Your body must receive food in the right combination of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals in order for it to consume calories and burn fat and rebuild itself after exercise.
Most experts believe that you must eat 6 meals a day. From The Abs Diet, by David Zinczenko, “The more frequently the body is exposed to times of deprivation, the more it will store fat and jettison lean muscle tissue.” Never go too long between eating and never overload your system with too many calories at each sitting.
Nutrition tips:
Keep fat low and protein consistent all day.
Consume most calories at breakfast and lunch before 2 PM. Breakfast should be your biggest meal high in complex carbs such as oatmeal, egg whites, fruit or a whey protein shake. Each of these meals should be approximately 30 percent of your total calories for the day. Do not skip breakfast! It will cause your body to react, slowing your metabolism.
Drink water all day and with every meal including snacks and dinner. Dehydration will slow down your metabolism.
Buy meat such as beef, chicken, pork with the words “extra lean” of “loin” on the package.
Eat fish for healthy fat or take fish oil supplements.
Eat whole grains. Studies have found that men who eat the most whole grains had the least weight gain over and 8 year period. It is important to include high fiber foods including whole grains in at least two meals a day to help control weight.
Eliminate soda and diet sodas.
No more than three beers a week. (It’s tough, I know. I have eliminated alcohol during the week, but still go overboard on weekends.)
Do not skip meals. You should be eating at least 6 meals throughout the day.
Avoid sugar, candy and juice.
Add olive oil to your diet daily. Use in shakes, salads or on vegetables.
Calculate your basal metabolic rate.
