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Nutrition For The Natural Bodybuilder

By Adam B.

For bodybuilding purposes, I recommend aiming for the following food percentages: Protein - 40%, Carbohydrates - 40%, and Fat - 20%. This is very flexible depending on your goals. I would use this balance for gaining weight. A contest diet would be much higher in protein, for example. It also depends on your body type (i.e. you tend to gain/lose weight easily, or have a fast/slow metabolism). But make no mistake, protein intake is very important to building muscle. It simply can't be done without adequate amounts. The general rule of thumb seems to be: eat 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So, if you're 150 pounds, try to eat between 150 and 225 grams of protein a day.

The body can typically only digest 40 grams of protein at any one sitting. I recommend distributing your protein intake over the entire day in the form of whole foods and protein supplements. For example, if you eat 6 small meals a day (like most bodybuilders) then try to consume 30-40 grams of protein per meal. More if you're a big person, and less if you're small. The goal is to provide your body with a constant stream of protein to rebuild muscle. That way, every time your body goes to repair a damaged muscle fiber there will be raw materials available.

Muscle Building Nutrition

A day's meal plan may look like this:

• Breakfast:
  • Seven scrambled eggs (1 whole + 6 or more whites)
  • 1 cup cooked NON-instant oatmeal.
  • 1 glass apple juice
  • 1 cup coffee
• Snack:
  • 1 protein shake
  • 1 small glass of water
• Lunch:
  • 1 can tuna fish in water
  • 2 slices of wheat bread
  • 1 spoon of sweet relish
  • Dash of Celery-salt
  • 1 large glass of water
• Snack:
  • 1 protein shake
  • 1 small glass of water
• Dinner:
  • 1 baked boneless chicken breast, or salmon steak
  • 1 serving of brown rice
  • 1 serving of green beans
  • 1 large glass of water
• Before Bed:
  • 1 protein shake
  • 1 small glass of water

A sample protein shake recipe:

• 8-12 ounces skim milk
• 1 tsp flax seed oil (to get all three Essential Fatty Acids)
• 25 grams Whey protein powder
• A little bit of frozen fruit - strawberries, raspberries, etc.

Then just blend it up, and you've got a great post-workout drink. I believe the carbs help the protein-sparing effect. They get used for energy, and the protein gets used to build muscle.

For more information checkout out "The Bodybuilder's Cookbook" available for instant download at https://www.trulyhuge.com/cookbook.htm

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