Bodybuilding Nutrition - A sound bodybuilding Diet Plan

Beginning a new nutrition program is never easy, especially for beginners. If you are looking to learn how to structure your diet for building muscle and adding mass then follow the following proven principles of proven success.

Bodybuilding nutrition does not have to be a chore as many people think of it. You certainly do not have to starve! A bodybuilding diet plan is very healthy, and includes all of the major food groups, making it a complete nutrition solution that you can incorporate into your lifestyle. A sound nutrition plan has to include all of the essentials for health but muscle growth as well.

Therefore, a bodybuilding diet plan has to be higher in protein and healthy fats than most other diets. It?s also higher in energy potent carbohydrates and uses much different types of foods than most people consume in their normal daily eating habits. Bodybuilding diets do not include most of junk foods and unhealthy treats such as candy full of simple sugars, fried foods, white flour products and alcohol. If you want to follow a healthy lifestyle then you certainly must minimize your consumption of these unhealthy treats.

Here?s a sample bodybuilding diet plan that will work very well for pretty much anyone who is looking to add muscle mass. Depending on your weight and body fat levels, you may need to increase of decrease the amounts of foods consumed.

Meal 1: 6 egg whites, 1 yolk 2 slices low fat cheese, 3oz oatmeal, 1 apple or banana, 1 cup of low fat milk.

Meal 2: 6oz tuna in water, 1 whole wheat bagel, 1 tablespoon low fat mayo, 1 tomato.

Meal 3: 8oz grilled chicken breast, 2 baked potatoes, 2 cups salad, low fat dressing.

Meal 4: 4oz turkey breast, 2 slices whole wheat toast, 2 slices low fat cheese, 1 cup of low fat milk.

Meal 5: 8oz grilled steak, 1.5 cups brown rice, 2 cups salad or steamed vegetables, 2 tablespoons olive oil for dressing.

Meal 6: 6 egg whites, 1 yolk, Half cup oatmeal, 1 cup low fat milk.

You can also include a daily multivitamin supplement to ensure you are getting all of the essential micronutrients needed for proper muscle growth and recovery.

This diet plan will provide you with all essential proteins for muscle building, carbohydrates for ample energy & glycogen replenishment and healthy fats for additional calories. Try to space meals three hours apart and always remembers to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Kostas Marangopoulos is a natural bodybuilder, nutrition consultant, freelance writer and editor-in-chief of http://www.BodybuildingApplied.com, one of the best natural bodybuilding websites on the net. His educational background includes a Master?s degree and he is also a certified personal trainer (CPT) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Kostas? educational and informative bodybuilding articles have been featured on hundreds of leading websites including http://www.NaturalMuscleBuilding.com

Nutrition - The Six Food Groups for Bodybuilding Success

Everyone knows that nutrition is about the most important element in the scheme of things for a bodybuilder. The quality and quantity of the food that you eat - and the times that you choose to eat it - makes a significant difference in the way that you look, feel and develop. Food is also crucial to energy in the gym, and is often the unnamed culprit in a bad workout session.

But barring sticking with cans of tuna and cooked yams, or chicken breasts and brown rice, nutrition can be a mystery to a lot of newbies and seasoned competitors alike. Most stick with just a few staples in order to simplify, but it may not be serving their every need - either in the gym or up on the stage.

The 6 Food Groups

Usually, nutritional bibles will show a pyramid with grains/cereals, proteins, dairy and fruits and vegetables as the 4 food groups. For bodybuilders, it's a bit different and probably looks more like this: Meats/ ProteinsCereals/ GrainsVegetablesFruitDairy ProductsOils/ NutsA bodybuilder's food intake for peak performance and peak condition should include something from each of these groups, but the ratios are greatly skewed from what is typically espoused by nutrition bibles.

Ratios are approximately:

Off Season: 40% Meats/ Proteins10% Grains/ Cereals20% Vegetables (Starchy and unstarchy) 10% Fruit10% Dairy10% Oils/ NutsPre-Contest: 40% Meats/ Proteins5% Grains/ Cereals30% Vegetables (10% starchy and 20% unstarchy, leafy green vegetables)30% Oils/ NutsFruits typically are cut out in the last 5 or 6 weeks. As long as vitamin supplementation occurs, it's not an appreciable deficit.

Typically, we are told that 60% of our diets should come from carbs, 20% from protein and 20% from fat. But let's face it... eating like this is a sure-fire recipe for bodybuilding failure! Following the above plan is much more likely to create the kind of physique you want, and provide the energy you need to succeed in the gym and up on the stage.

Calories - Do they Count?

In this age of low carb diets (and bodybuilders have been cycling carbs for much longer than it's been in fashion) it's easy to think that calories don't count! But, in fact, they do. Don't ignore calories - it's one of the biggest mistakes that a bodybuilder can make! That means, don't ignore the fact that what you take in, carb-free/ carb-light or not, still counts. Sure, it counts much more when you include complex carbs back into the picture during an off season phase, but calories count anytime. Fail to count them and you set yourself up for bad habits that spill over into the off season.

Get in the habit of counting calories during a pre-contest phase, and you'll probably be fine. Once you add starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and additional grains, such as rice, you won't go astray.

For a 200 pound bodybuilder, here's how calories should look:

Off season (growth): 3000 Off season (maint.): 2500 Pre-contest (fat loss): 1800

Eating Quality and Quantity in the Off Season

Off season and mass building aren't synonymous with Burger King or McDonald's. Occasionally, this kind of food is okay, but in general, they are not their own food group and are not the best quality food to feed your body.

It merits mentioning that eating a large quantity of calories during an off season phase is crucial to success. But it should also be mentioned that the quantity must also include quality. Simply shoveling 3000 calories of any kind of food into your mouth isn't the way to address mass building.

Think of feeding your body in the same way you would a new home project. Do you want linoleum in your kitchen, or ceramic tile? Would you build your home with recycled lumber and expect it to last for 30 years, or would you be better off using brand new lumber? Would you want to use sandpaper on your roof, or wood shake or ceramic tile? These are all important decisions in what your final product looks like, and how enduring it will be.

Think of food and feeding your body during a mass phase in the same way. Eat steak, chicken, and other quality protein, good carbs like potatoes, yams, oatmeal, and fats such as olive oil and nuts. Just eat more of it than you would during a pre-contest phase.

Dane Fletcher is the world's foremost training authority. He writes exclusively for GetAnabolics.com, a leading online provider of testosterone and creatine. For more information, please visit http://www.GetAnabolics.com.

The Biggest Muscle Building Fallacy in Bodybuilding

I?ve just read yet another article about bodybuilding which only shows more evidence that writers of this sport or hobby are only too happy to regurgitate the same old tired out information that?s useless at best and a complete crock of doodie at worst. Frankly, I?m getting a little tired of it. And I don?t like seeing other natural bodybuilders spin their wheels by latching onto pseudo-scientific malarkey that only keeps them groping in the dark for something that works.

You?ll probably be surprised to find out which widely-embraced and beloved theory I?m prepared to debunk. No, it?s not the one about muscle being incapable of turning into fat or fat turning into muscle. I think even your average five-year-old knows that by now. Neither is it the one about muscles not growing directly from workouts but rather from recuperating between workouts. I have non weight-training, nerdy friends who already have that figured out.

No, this is about the much coveted, yet completely erroneous ?muscle confusion principle?. For clarity, let?s look at some common assertions that this silly concept hides within:

?You need to ?shock? your body by changing your routine.?
?Once you do a routine for awhile, your muscles get used to it and stop growing.?
?You need to change your bodybuilding exercises to keep your muscles guessing.?
?Muscles won?t continue to grow unless you keep them ?confused?.

Let me straighten this out: Muscles don?t need to be confused, baffled, perplexed, puzzled, bewildered, disconcerted or befuddled.

They also don?t need to be ?shocked?.

What they need in order to continue growing is to be systematically overloaded and recuperated. Let me repeat that: Systematically Overloaded and Recuperated.

Here?s another piece of startling information. In order to systematically overload and recuperate your muscles, you could feasibly use the same exercises in the same sequence for the next twenty years. I?m not saying you need to or should ? only that you could. You could do it and keep gaining muscle mass as long as you know how to accurately and unremittingly overload and recuperate your muscles.

To check the validity of my claim, simply apply your rational faculty. Why would your muscles need to be ?tricked? or ?confused? in order to grow? Although they might be connected to neuro-transmitters present in the nervous system, they?re not equipped with little micro-brains that need to be fooled.

Simply put, they?re made out of actin and myosin; two proteins that need to be broken down in order to start the process of recuperation that possibly leads to compensatory size increases.

Notice I used the word ?possibly?. If we break the tissue down and don?t allow enough recuperation to not only repair the damage done but also build compensatory strength and size, our muscles simply won?t grow. They?ll stay the same size or even worse, become a little smaller. That?s what can happen from extreme over-training.

Where did ?Muscle Confusion? Originate?

The stimulus that started and perpetuates the muscle confusion lie is another common phenomenon and myth in bodybuilding: the ?pump?. This is a phenomenon because it really occurs; people do get a feeling of expansion in their muscles after working them. It?s a myth, however, from the standpoint of believing that this sensation represents evidence of muscle growth. A pumped sensation in a worked muscle is caused by a back pressure of blood flow and lactic acid in the capillaries. It has nothing to do with inter-workout recuperation and compensatory tissue growth. Therefore, regardless of whether a change in our workout routine causes us to imagine or actually feel a better pump, it?s not an indication of real progress.

But the facts haven?t stopped it from feeding the muscle confusion myth. People will swear up and down that their change of routine has given them a better pump and a subsequent resumption of progress. My objections are only proven correct when these individuals possess muscles that haven?t grown at all six months or a year later.

Why ?Muscle Confusion? can hold you back

Frankly, too much adherence to the muscle confusion principle can cause feedback confusion. If we change our exercises and routine too often, we won?t accumulate enough feedback to tweak our volume strategy and put it in to the momentous gaining zone. I?ve seen people change their exercises every week. I?ve even been one of those people (years ago). Would you like to know where all that ?muscle confusion? got me? Absolutely nowhere ? nadda - Zilch! I had good workout pumps. But I experienced no gains at all from massive confusing and befuddling of my muscles and entire body.

Some people claim they need to change their bodybuilding exercises once in a while to alleviate boredom. That?s fine, as long as it?s not so often as to hamper the ability to read feedback and make adjustments that lead to actual gains.

Personally, I never get bored in the gym. There?s something so exciting about seeing continuous muscle growth happening naturally and directly on my formerly hard-gainer body. It blows away any fleeting sensation I might have once gotten from merely changing an exercise in the name of? ?confusion?.

Scott Abbett is the author of HardBody Success: 28 Principles to Create Your Ultimate Body and Shape Your Mind for Incredible Success.

Scott is a certified fitness trainer and a certified Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP. You can view his own phyical transformation by visiting http://www.hardbodysuccess.com

The Biggest Muscle Building Fallacy in Bodybuilding

I?ve just read yet another article about bodybuilding which only shows more evidence that writers of this sport or hobby are only too happy to regurgitate the same old tired out information that?s useless at best and a complete crock of doodie at worst. Frankly, I?m getting a little tired of it. And I don?t like seeing other natural bodybuilders spin their wheels by latching onto pseudo-scientific malarkey that only keeps them groping in the dark for something that works.

You?ll probably be surprised to find out which widely-embraced and beloved theory I?m prepared to debunk. No, it?s not the one about muscle being incapable of turning into fat or fat turning into muscle. I think even your average five-year-old knows that by now. Neither is it the one about muscles not growing directly from workouts but rather from recuperating between workouts. I have non weight-training, nerdy friends who already have that figured out.

No, this is about the much coveted, yet completely erroneous ?muscle confusion principle?. For clarity, let?s look at some common assertions that this silly concept hides within:

?You need to ?shock? your body by changing your routine.?
?Once you do a routine for awhile, your muscles get used to it and stop growing.?
?You need to change your bodybuilding exercises to keep your muscles guessing.?
?Muscles won?t continue to grow unless you keep them ?confused?.

Let me straighten this out: Muscles don?t need to be confused, baffled, perplexed, puzzled, bewildered, disconcerted or befuddled.

They also don?t need to be ?shocked?.

What they need in order to continue growing is to be systematically overloaded and recuperated. Let me repeat that: Systematically Overloaded and Recuperated.

Here?s another piece of startling information. In order to systematically overload and recuperate your muscles, you could feasibly use the same exercises in the same sequence for the next twenty years. I?m not saying you need to or should ? only that you could. You could do it and keep gaining muscle mass as long as you know how to accurately and unremittingly overload and recuperate your muscles.

To check the validity of my claim, simply apply your rational faculty. Why would your muscles need to be ?tricked? or ?confused? in order to grow? Although they might be connected to neuro-transmitters present in the nervous system, they?re not equipped with little micro-brains that need to be fooled.

Simply put, they?re made out of actin and myosin; two proteins that need to be broken down in order to start the process of recuperation that possibly leads to compensatory size increases.

Notice I used the word ?possibly?. If we break the tissue down and don?t allow enough recuperation to not only repair the damage done but also build compensatory strength and size, our muscles simply won?t grow. They?ll stay the same size or even worse, become a little smaller. That?s what can happen from extreme over-training.

Where did ?Muscle Confusion? Originate?

The stimulus that started and perpetuates the muscle confusion lie is another common phenomenon and myth in bodybuilding: the ?pump?. This is a phenomenon because it really occurs; people do get a feeling of expansion in their muscles after working them. It?s a myth, however, from the standpoint of believing that this sensation represents evidence of muscle growth. A pumped sensation in a worked muscle is caused by a back pressure of blood flow and lactic acid in the capillaries. It has nothing to do with inter-workout recuperation and compensatory tissue growth. Therefore, regardless of whether a change in our workout routine causes us to imagine or actually feel a better pump, it?s not an indication of real progress.

But the facts haven?t stopped it from feeding the muscle confusion myth. People will swear up and down that their change of routine has given them a better pump and a subsequent resumption of progress. My objections are only proven correct when these individuals possess muscles that haven?t grown at all six months or a year later.

Why ?Muscle Confusion? can hold you back

Frankly, too much adherence to the muscle confusion principle can cause feedback confusion. If we change our exercises and routine too often, we won?t accumulate enough feedback to tweak our volume strategy and put it in to the momentous gaining zone. I?ve seen people change their exercises every week. I?ve even been one of those people (years ago). Would you like to know where all that ?muscle confusion? got me? Absolutely nowhere ? nadda - Zilch! I had good workout pumps. But I experienced no gains at all from massive confusing and befuddling of my muscles and entire body.

Some people claim they need to change their bodybuilding exercises once in a while to alleviate boredom. That?s fine, as long as it?s not so often as to hamper the ability to read feedback and make adjustments that lead to actual gains.

Personally, I never get bored in the gym. There?s something so exciting about seeing continuous muscle growth happening naturally and directly on my formerly hard-gainer body. It blows away any fleeting sensation I might have once gotten from merely changing an exercise in the name of? ?confusion?.

Scott Abbett is the author of HardBody Success: 28 Principles to Create Your Ultimate Body and Shape Your Mind for Incredible Success.

Scott is a certified fitness trainer and a certified Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP. You can view his own phyical transformation by visiting http://www.hardbodysuccess.com

How to Buy Discount Home Gyms

Everybody loves discounts. And with the growing hardships of the world's economies, it seems that everybody is starting to need discounts as well. The need to economize, however, affects our plans on creating our very own fitness center at home. Could there be a way out of this?

Yes, of course, and we can easily sum it up in three words: discount home gyms!

Discount home gyms are the ideal solution for people who have a great need to exercise their bodies without overtaxing their pockets at the same time. Discount home gyms are a breeze to create if you follow the tips that follow.

Tip #1 Discover Your Greatest Physical Needs

It's important to keep your home gym compact if you wish to keep the costs to a minimum. For that to happen, you need to know what your greatest physical needs are. Do your abs need the most workouts or is it your flabby arms that concern you most. These needs shall be what your home gym should concentrate on addressing.

Tip #2 Choosing the Best Room at Home

Locating your home gym in your backyard is a very bad choice even if it comes with a great view, as nature is never kind to machines and the winter would naturally make exercising outdoors a very bad idea. Placing it in the basement would certainly give you much space, but not enough ventilation. You need to choose a room that contains enough space for you to move around with adequate ventilation to negate the need for an air-conditioner.

Tip #3 Making Smart Purchases

Always buy the equipment that you need the most first. Usually, this would be a couple of free weights and a treadmill. Look for products on sale or purchase secondhand equipment.

Tip #4 Always Ask for Advice

Never forget to ask for a second opinion because there's always a chance that you?ll learn something which could help you save hundreds of dollars.

Home Gyms provides detailed information on Home Gyms, Cheap Home Gyms, Best Home Gyms, Home Gyms Review and more. Home Gyms is affiliated with Fitness Equipment Financing.

Home Gym Workout Routines

Home gym workout routines can take the hassle out of staying healthy. How often have you claimed your busy schedule as the reason you could not get to the gym? How many times have you skipped a workout you knew would make you feel better because the fatigue of traffic and the pace of a gym with trainers were too much for your work weary mind?

Well, say good bye to the excuses standing in your way because home gym workout routines are the answer for your busy schedule. The key to a successful home gym workout routine is scheduling yourself time.

Even though you are working out at home, you still need to hold yourself accountable to your own body. Setting aside a little time will make your workouts less stressful because you will already have that time framed for the activity.

Home gym workout routines can be tailored to meet your specific needs and available equipment. Try a treadmill workout routine to get yourself started and you can do that today. With a treadmill walking program you can work legs and even tone abs and arms.

You should always consult your physician before beginning any workout regimen, because they can help you tailor your routine to your health needs and abilities. Begin with moderate walking twenty minutes a day and this can go a long way to decrease your stress load, increase your energy level and tone your muscles.

The great thing about a treadmill workout routine is you can do it year round in any weather condition. A treadmill walking program can be done as you read the newspaper or make evening calls or it can be a time of complete peace and isolation. Adding small hand weights can afford upper body toning even as you walk.

Your body deserves your attention, and your schedule need not stand in the way. Try a home gym workout routine today to shake away the cob webs from your body and you'll start seeing amazing results.

This article is supplied by http://www.treadmill-info.com/ where you will find valuable information, ratings, reviews, articles and buying tips before you make the investment in quality fitness equipment. For more fitness related articles go to: http://www.treadmill-info.com/articles_1.html