Body Building Nutrition
When people talk about what you need to eat for muscle building, they usually overemphasise the importance of protein, and many body building supplements cater exclusively to protein. Carbohydrates and other dietary supplements are equally important.
Carbohydrates
- Eat complex carbohydrates e.g. brown rice, potatoes, whole grain cereal and oatmeal. These should make up most of daily calorie intake because they help form muscle glycogen (long lasting fuel your body needs to train hard). They also keep your blood sugar levels constant and reduce fat storage and fatigue.
- Eat carbohydrates directly after training. Training depletes your blood sugar, so eating carbs gives your body an instant insulin spike (muscle building mode). If you don't do this, your body could enter a catabolic (muscle breakdown) state.
- Eat small amounts of carbohydrates more often. This will keep a steady flow of insulin into the body. Large amounts in one sitting will make your body store carbs as fat. Eating too much in one sitting is unnecessary; your body doesn't need that much nutrition at one time.
- Eat high fibre carbohydrates. Most sources of complex carbs are rich sources of fibre. Fibre helps to build muscle by making muscle tissue absorb amino acids faster and more efficiently.
- Avoid fruit! Fruit contains fructose (very simple sugar); the body converts fructose into glycogen which is used as a building block for fat tissue.
- Have carbohydrates and protein in the same meal. When you mix protein and carbohydrates together in the same meal you minimize the chance of the carbohydrates being stored as fat. Protein is harder for the body to process, so it increases your metabolism. Also, carbohydrates help transport the nutrients from protein
Protein
- Eat a variety of protein. Just eating chicken breasts and whey protein is not good for the body in the long run.
- Timing your protein intake is crucial.
You should eat protein;
- First thing in the morning, because your body hasn't had any amino acids in 5 to 9 hours.
- During and after your workout to boost protein synthesis and halt muscle breakdown.
- Before bed because amino acid levels need to be elevated for several hours while you sleep.
Dietary Supplements
There are hundreds of formulas on the market all claiming to improve body building nutrition, or build muscle. These are some of the common ones that body builders actually need;
- Glutamin. The most abundant amino acid found in human muscle. Training depletes glutamine levels which can weaken the immune system.
- Essential Fatty Acids. Body builders often go on such a low fat diet that they become fat deficient. Food supplements can help, as can low fat fish and polyunsaturated oils.
- Creatine. Supplies energy to muscle cells for short bursts of energy (such as lifting weights) Recent studies have also shown that creatine improves brain function and reduces mental fatigue. It works by drawing water into muscle cells, making them larger.
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