Bodybuilding, the art and science of building major muscles, is not just about lifting heavy things. What you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat (or don’t eat) are important. Fortunately, a few simple guidelines can give you a solid foundation to bulk up while feeling as strong as you’re trying to look.
Read on for some expert advice on the best diet for bodybuilding, foods to eat and avoid, and the optimal frequency and timing of meals and supplements.
How to plan a diet for bodybuilding
Crafting your perfect bodybuilding meal plan will require you to know how many calories you should consume, which depends on your goals: If you want to gain weight, you’ll want to eat more calories than you expend every day. If you want to lose weight, you will need to consume fewer calories than you expend.
There are two ways to approximate your daily caloric expenditure. One way is to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) – the number of calories your body needs to perform essential functions at rest.
Each person’s BMR is different and is based on factors such as sex, age and weight. You can find a TMB calculator here.
The other way is to multiply your current weight by a number depending on your activity level.
- Sedentary lifestyle (desk job): current weight in pounds x 11
- Moderately active lifestyle (occasional exercise): current weight in pounds x 12
- Very active lifestyle (construction worker or elite athlete): current weight in pounds x 13
Once you calculate your maintenance calories, you can start planning your meals and snacks.
Bodybuilding Nutrition Basics
Here are some general guidelines to follow when preparing your diet for bodybuilding.
1. Eat enough calories
If you’re looking to gain muscle, make sure you give your body enough fuel to begin the process.
«To build muscle, the most important thing is to get enough calories in your diet,» he says Dana Ellis HunnesPhD, MPH, RD, senior clinical dietitian at UCLA Medical Center and author of Recipe to survive. «Without enough calories, it doesn’t really matter how much of anything else you’re consuming, or in what proportion: you won’t gain muscle and will probably lose it.»
2. Eat enough protein
Protein is the building block of muscle and is the key nutrient for muscle growth. How much do you need?
For the average person looking to maintain their overall health, at a minimum, it is recommended to consume at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 180-pound person, that’s just 65 grams of protein.
If you do bodybuilding, you need more, but not an unlimited amount. To stimulate muscle growth, experts recommend getting 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight of protein per day. For a 180-pound man, that equates to between 131 and 180 grams.
You may have heard of bodybuilders consuming much more than that. But anything above the maximum of 2.2 grams per kilogram is thought to be oxidized for energy or transaminated to form alternative body compounds.
«More protein doesn’t mean more muscle, especially if you’re not consuming enough calories overall,» says Hunnes. And if you consume adequate calories, your body can convert the excess protein you consume into fat.
However, like that study notes: «While research shows that consuming higher doses of protein (>20 g) results in greater amounts of AA [amino acid] oxidation, evidence indicates that this is not the fate of all ingested additional AA, as some are used for tissue-building purposes.”
3. Press the appropriate macros
To build muscle, maintain a 40-30-30 balance. Aim to get about 30% of your calories as protein, 30% of your calories as healthy fats (like olive oil, nuts, and avocados), and 40% of your calories as carbohydrates.
4. Calculate Cut vs. Volume
For bodybuilding, your daily calorie goals will vary depending on whether you are in a bulking phase or following a bodybuilding cutting diet. The exact amount an athlete needs will vary greatly depending on the individual.
The goal of the bulking phase is simply to gain muscle mass. During this phase, such as during the “off season,” try to consume 10% to 20% more calories.
By contrast, «when cutting, you’re trying to lose fat and just maintain muscle, so the goal is to eat as many calories as you need to lose fat mass, but not muscle mass, and that can be difficult to achieve.» ” says Hunnes. aim to lose no more than 1% of body weight per weekmaintaining protein intake to preserve muscle.
The best foods to eat in bodybuilding
The best foods to eat during bodybuilding include:
- Enough protein to reach at least 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.
- Vegetables and fruits
- Whole grains, in moderation
- Nuts, seeds, and legumes (such as beans, peas, and lentils)
Hunnes advocates a whole-food, plant-based diet and says it’s possible to get enough protein to build muscle while following a vegetarian diet. «If you really think you’re not getting enough, you can add plant-based protein powder, whey protein powder, or eat eggs,» she says.
If you eat meat, good sources of lean protein include chicken, fish such as salmon or tuna, and lean meats such as grass-fed beef.
The best foods to limit
You might think that “bulking season” is a free pass to eat whatever you want, but there are still some foods you’ll want to avoid.
Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the first things you’ll want to limit or eliminate. Not only is alcohol a source of empty calories (meaning they provide no nutritional value), but science has discovered that alcohol actively works against muscle development.
Research indicates that excess alcohol can affect muscle protein synthesis and can inhibit muscle recovery after exercise. However, if consumed after sports or exercise, a serving of approximately 0.5 grams per kilogram of body weight is unlikely to affect most aspects of recovery.
Ultra-processed foods
These manufactured foods include packaged snacks, sugary cereals, soups, ready-to-eat meals, hot dogs, chips, and store-bought candy. They are another major obstacle in finding the right type of volume.
«Ultra-processed foods cause inflammation in the body, which works against muscle development,» says Hunnes.
Sugars
It is advisable not to consume too much simple sugars when practicing bodybuilding. While consuming sugar can cause an insulin surge immediately after a workout, which can benefit muscle growth, eating too many simple sugars for too long can lead to insulin resistance, which can inhibit insulin.
Foods high in simple sugars tend to have low nutritional value; These empty calories can accumulate fat, making it harder to see muscle growth.
Foods rich in fat
Healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocados, and nuts, are a key part of any healthy diet, especially for bodybuilding. What doesn’t count: Fried foods or foods high in saturated fat. That means fried chicken, fries, tempura, calamari, pizza, donuts, you know the drill.
Meal schedule and supplements
As for how often to eat and when, there is no magic number or equation. «The optimal meal frequency and timing is right for each individual,» says Hunnes. “If you like to eat three meals a day, it works, as long as you eat enough calories and protein. If you prefer to snack, that works too! Remember, the goal is to make sure you get enough calories and protein in your diet.”
Try to consume protein throughout the day (at every meal and snack) to optimize muscle protein synthesis. The anabolic window theory has been largely debunked, so we now know that the post-workout anabolic window lasts four to six hours, not 30 minutes.
So how do you translate these guidelines into a routine? Hunnes suggests this example of a one-day meal plan:
Breakfast
- Oatmeal with blueberries, peanuts or almonds
- Scrambled eggs or tofu with avocado
Mid-morning snack
- 1 ounce dried fruit or nut mix with dates or raisins
Lunch
- Lean ground beef or black bean burger on whole wheat bread with avocado, lettuce, tomato and onion
- Garnish of protein-rich Greek or vegetable yogurt with chia seeds
snack
Dinner
- Chicken or Tofu Enchiladas with Pinto Beans
- Salad or roasted vegetables
Remember: Daily calorie needs vary depending on factors such as gender, weight, and activity level. So vary your portion sizes accordingly. For example, «a woman may need only between 1,500 and 2,000 calories daily, while a man may need between 2,500 and 3,000 calories, depending on his activity level and goals,» says Hunnes.
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