What do bodybuilders eat. Daily diet for a bodybuilder. We select a competent diet

Are you weak?

Dedication and discipline in any sport goes far beyond the gym. Baseball players, basketball players, and even professional computer gamers (there are some) spend endless hours honing their skills on the field, on the court, or at the joystick. For bodybuilders, the gym with its equipment - dumbbells, barbells and machines - is only half the battle. They should spend no less time at the dinner table. Perhaps, in no other sport there is such an attentive attitude to nutrition as in bodybuilding. The effectiveness of work in the gym directly depends on the quantity and quality of food. Jay Cutler is the best example in this sense - the seriousness and thoroughness of his approach to the off-season diet is widely known.

Along with his fanatical workouts, nutrition is Jay's primary means of achieving excellence. His motto: "I don't eat for pleasure, but to get bigger." The only thing you can be absolutely sure of is that Jay will not succumb to the temptation to relax. “I love challenges, I love taking on challenges,” he says. Jay's goal during the off-season is to become as huge as possible, which requires an appropriate amount of food. Unlike most off-season diets, his diet is exceptionally clean and simple. He eats all his dishes without sauces and seasonings.

I don't eat - I eat!

Jay's fridge is full of flounder

Jay doesn't count calories or fat. It is enough for him to know that he receives 20% of the daily amount of calories from fats, and the rest from carbohydrates and proteins. Approximate figures are 1000 g of carbohydrates and 350 g of proteins. Protein sources include red meat, eggs, and specialty foods. nutritional supplements. Jay gets his carbohydrates from rice, oatmeal, asparagus, and broccoli. How does he manage to eat such a huge amount of carbohydrates and protein? He just eats 10-12 times a day! Every hour and a half plus two meals at night! If in the competitive season he gets up in the middle of the night to do cardio, then in the offseason it is replaced by food.
Eating only because you feel like it is one thing - anyone can have a snack when they are hungry. But eating just because you need to eat, because you intend to become the greatest bodybuilder on the planet is another matter. It takes tremendous willpower and discipline to sit at the table and chew not for the sake of satisfying hunger, but because it is necessary to achieve the goal. Imagine that you are sitting at a table with the same dish that you recently ate. It takes real courage, even obsession. And imagine that this should be done 10-12 times a day today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow? Is it hard to digest such a thought? And now let's look at the usual off-season diet menu for gaining muscle mass Jay:

• 1st meal: 12 egg whites (two whole eggs), 1 toasted french loaf, 1 bowl of oatmeal (measured dry), 1 tablespoon honey, 1 banana, 1 cup black coffee, 1 serving whey protein.
• 2nd meal: 280 g beef (tenderloin or edge), 2 bowls of rice, 1 bowl of broccoli or asparagus.
• 3rd meal: post-workout whey protein shake with creatine.
• 4th meal: 280 g beef, 2 bowls of rice, 1 bowl of broccoli or asparagus.
• 5th meal: 15 egg whites, 1 bowl of oatmeal, and 3 rice cakes (15g carbs each).
• 6th meal: protein-carbohydrate shake.
• 7th meal: 280 g beef, 1 plate of broccoli or asparagus.
• 8th meal: 3-4 servings of sushi (dinner).
• 9th meal: 12 egg whites (two whole eggs), 1 bowl of oatmeal.
• 10th meal: whey protein and oatmeal buns (5-6 pieces).
• 11th meal: 280 g beef, 1 bowl of oatmeal and nutritional supplements.
• 12th meal: protein-carbohydrate shake (optional).

One person eats it all in one day! That's more food than some people need for a week. As we can see, the menu mainly consists of meat. This is Jay's main source of protein. In addition, he takes fish oil, digestive enzymes, multivitamins and folic acid. Sushi is the only weakness in the diet, he enjoys this dish at a family dinner.

Cutler diversifies his diet in the traditional bodybuilder way, sprinkling powdered sugar and cinnamon on his favorite rice cakes as a small reward for hard work. In addition, he constantly drinks water.

Get it, Atkins!

Clearly, carbs are at the top of Jay Cutler's off-season diet. He eats about 200g at breakfast and at least 300g post-workout. If there are two workouts per day, then after the second, 200-250 g of carbohydrates are also provided. Bodybuilders have known about the “secret” to weight management with carbs long before the masses started buying low carb foods. An ordinary person would have been treated for obesity long ago if he ate such a huge amount of carbohydrates. But don't forget: Jay trains hard—sometimes twice a day, not including cardio. In addition, you should take into account the huge amount of already built muscles, which turns his body into a perpetual fat-burning engine. Thanks to them, metabolism and fat burning continue even during rest. It seems that Jay even just sitting on the couch processes more calories than average person during your daily run.

The Truth About Huge Muscles

The main advice Jay gives to people who are interested in how to build size without gaining fat is to take his principles and fine-tune them to suit your goals. In the off-season, Jay's weight fluctuates somewhere between 128 and 144 kg. He proposes to distribute all the nutrients in percentage terms and start looking for an individually suitable amount of food. To start, Cutler recommends consuming 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of lean body mass. He himself eats much more protein food, because he is not afraid to gain excess fat (excess protein can be converted into glucose and deposited as fat). Over time, the amount of carbohydrates should rise to a level of 4-5 g per kilogram of dry body weight (Jay consumes 6 g). Fats should make up 20% of your daily diet. It is not worth adding them to the diet on purpose, since we already get enough fat from ordinary food, even if we eat relatively clean.

Can the average person, or even the average bodybuilder, follow such a diet? Not! In reality, most people will not be able to afford it. That amount of food costs Jay $15,000 a year. For a person in his profession, this is an investment that pays off, but for the average person who trains with weights, such a budget can ruin. Even professional bodybuilders, unless they are in the elite and have a tight schedule and good contracts, cannot afford such expenses.

Another issue is time. Jay spends most of the day just sitting and eating, and at home. Of course, no boss in the world would like a subordinate who needs a meal break every hour. However, most bodybuilders still manage to follow the standard recommendation of eating 6 meals a day. It's easy, even if you work full time. You can always find a moment for a quick snack, and an advanced athlete can drink a protein shake or eat a bar. Let's try to bring Jay's diet closer to the capabilities of an ordinary person.

• 1st meal: 6 egg whites (one whole egg), 1 bowl of oatmeal (measured dry), 1 banana, 1 cup of black coffee.
• 2nd meal: 170g chicken breast, 1 bowl of rice, 1 bowl of broccoli.
• 3rd meal: protein shake.
• 4th meal: 170 g beef, one baked potato, 1 plate of asparagus.
• 5th meal: protein bar.
• 6th meal: 170 g flounder, 1 plate of rice, 1 plate of broccoli.

As a result, we get protein, carbohydrates and dietary fats, distributed over six meals. This is a general scheme, and the size of the servings depends on the dry weight of the body.

Champion's Choice

The requirements for a candidate for the title of Mr. Olympia include not only training in the gym and visits to the solarium. The main battle of a bodybuilder, as we have already found out, takes place in the kitchen. Imagine once again the need to eat the same thing every day for long weeks, and you will understand how difficult it is. Most people consider food as one of the pleasant ways to spend their leisure time while satisfying the biological needs of the body. For Jay, food is the essence of all his activities, his life and success depends on nutrition, training and rest. It's a choice. “I love that I do things that others don't, so I'm a winner,” says the new Mr. Olympia, explaining his unusual lifestyle.

Jay's whole life is focused on achieving victory. And you, if you want to win, must also do everything that is required for this. Bon Appetit!

Bodybuilding can be challenging. Indeed, the constant fussing with containers, choosing the most anabolic products, and cooking will tire anyone. Success in building powerful muscles will be achieved by those who follow the KBJU for recruitment and eat relatively healthy foods. At the same time, you don’t need to go crazy and run after organic bulgur grown on the fields of a secret farm. Quite ordinary food can satisfy the body's need for macronutrients and eliminate the need to take additional dietary supplements. It is only important to be able to combine it all, and do not forget to eat on time.

In bodybuilding, judges evaluate not how a person trains in the gym, but his physical condition. In this respect, weightlifting is easier. No one looks at your abs, and does not evaluate the presence or absence of body fat. A bodybuilder is forced to stick to a diet plan that is strict enough for a whole year to stand on the competitive stage for just 5 minutes. But what is even more difficult is the path of an ordinary fitness specialist. "Healthy" people do not use the help of pharmacology, and must monitor nutrition even more strictly in order to look good all year round.

To simplify, nutrition in bodybuilding is a constant alternation of two phases:

• . The athlete eats a lot, consumes "excessive" in terms of the needs of the layman, the number of calories, and in order to provide muscle growth with the necessary "fuel" and energy;
• . The athlete cuts the calorie content of the diet, but tries to maintain the amount of protein at the normal level or even higher. 12 weeks minimum athlete eats with a calorie deficit, eats, and, and. This phase brings the practitioner to the very appearance that everyone envy. After the end of the “drying”, you need to stay on maintenance calories for some time and start a new set.

When switching to "drying", the number of calories decreases first by the same percentages, and then gradually cuts down by another 10-15%. On drying, an athlete can reduce his calorie content by 1000 kcal or more from the numbers of mass gain. But these recommendations are just a blueprint. In fact, the speed of getting rid of is an individual indicator, genetically determined. Therefore, athletes manipulate macronutrients to retain maximum muscle and burn more fat.

The ratio of macronutrients is a key point in bodybuilding. There are different points of view, some people try to keep a relatively large amount of carbohydrates all year round, and on drying they first reduce the amount of fat. Others, on the contrary, adhere to a relatively low-carb and high-fat diet in order to cut carbohydrates and raise fats even more when “drying”.

• Half of the calories should “come” with carbohydrates; at the “mass” stage, this amount can be increased to 60%;
• Approximately 20% with fats, can be reduced by 5% if you are not “drying” and there is nothing else to cut calories from, and 30% with proteins, plus you can increase this amount by 5%

This recommendation works well for relatively healthy person. If we have before us someone who is experiencing problems with insulin, sugar levels and quickly gaining body fat for this reason, it is advised to follow a diet high in protein and fat, and eat 40% of calories.

General recommendations on the organization of the diet for human health sound like this:

1. Avoid "processed" foods low in vitamins and minerals, choose whole grain instead of cereal, natural meat and fish instead of cuts and sausages, whole eggs instead of powder, and whole wheat pasta instead of instant noodles;
2. Give up. Say a firm "no" to margarine, canola and soybean oils and products made from them, as these oils contain too much omega-6;
3. Do not consume more than 10% of daily calories from sugar and fructose. Consider everything, including that contained in the gainers;
4. Eat regularly, let the portion size be reasonable, you don’t need to get up from the table with heaviness. If you can’t “eat all the calories” with this condition, use a reasonable amount of gainer.

Foods to eat

This is what bodybuilder product lists should look like.:

• Meat, fish and poultry - lean beef and pork steaks, lean pork tenderloin, chicken and turkey breasts, salmon, cod, tilapia, chicken thighs from farm chickens;
• Dairy products - low-fat cottage cheese and yogurt with natural lactobacilli, skim milk, cheeses (limited);
• Cereals - buckwheat, oatmeal, bulgur, barley, whole grain bread, as well as pasta from it, soba, quinoa, rice, popcorn without oil, sauces, sugar;
• Fruits - oranges, melons, apples, berries, pears, peaches, grapes;
• Vegetables - all kinds, especially leafy greens and broccoli;
• Starchy vegetables - sweet potato and potatoes, green peas, milky corn;
• Legumes - chickpeas, beans, green and ordinary peas, ordinary and red lentils, white beans;
• Vegetable oils - olive and avocado;
• Saturated fats – natural unsalted butter or ghee

Foods to Avoid

Recently, it has been fashionable to write that everything that can be measured and recorded in a food diary can also be eaten. But it is better to take care of your health and reduce these products in your diet to a minimum.:

1. . The same US FDA guidelines imply that a woman can drink 0.33 beers, or a glass of wine, or 1 shot of strong drink, and a man - twice as much. But we must remember that alcohol can significantly affect recovery, and its use can help slow down protein synthesis, so for the time of serious preparation it should be excluded;
2. Sugar in foods and dishes. Cookies are better to bake at home, pies and casseroles too, whole wheat flour and a calorie-free sweetener based on stevia will be much more useful than a sweet addition from regular sugar. A small amount of simple carbohydrates before and after a workout is helpful, but you should get it from legal grapes and peaches, not sugar. So it will be easier to gain the right amount of calories;
3. Foods fried in fat. When heated, even the most healthy oils turn into a potential source of inflammatory processes in the body. This slows down recovery in bodybuilding, and is quite unhealthy. Therefore, it is better to eat fried fish and meat minimally. It is worth carefully reading the composition of nut pastes. They should not contain saturated hydrogenated fats.

Some types of food can seriously interfere with training. The thing is that they create gas formation, and can cause digestive disorders.

These products include:

• Fatty cream, pork, lard, oily fish;
• Beans, broccoli and cauliflower;
• Diet cola or mineral water with gas

Additives

There are a huge number of supplements on sale, from amino acids to protein complexes, fat burners and "anabolic" complexes. But a fairly limited number of them work.

• . The Easiest Protein Can Help Satisfy daily requirement in protein;
• . Creatine monohydrate is the only supplement with a proven anabolic effect. Its use helps to gain muscle mass, and be more resilient during training;
• . It is included in the lists of substances prohibited by the anti-doping law for athletes. But bodybuilders use it to improve concentration and focus during workouts.

Approximate diet bodybuilder will give an idea of ​​​​how exactly you need to eat.

Monday

• Breakfast: Scrambled, oatmeal, a portion of mushrooms for scrambled eggs.
• Snack: Curd with blueberries.
• Dinner: Beef cutlet with rice and broccoli
• Snack: Whey protein and banana
• Dinner: Grilled asparagus with salmon and quinoa

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Whey Protein Pancakes with Calorie Free Sauce
• Snack: Eggs boiled with apples.
• Dinner: Steak with vegetables and sweet potato.
• Snack: Protein shake, a handful of hazelnuts.
• Dinner: Pasta with marinara sauce and turkey steak.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Minced chicken sausages with egg and potatoes.
• Snack: Greek yogurt and almonds.
• Dinner: Turkey breast with basmati rice and mushrooms.
• Snack: Protein shake and grapes.
• Dinner: Salad of greens and spinach, mackerel and brown rice.

Thursday

• Breakfast: Homemade doner - turkey, egg, red sauce and vegetables in a whole grain pita.
• Snack: Yogurt with granola.
• Dinner: Sour cream baked potatoes and broccoli, plus chicken breast.
• Snack: Protein shake and mixed berries.
• Dinner: Wok with brown rice, chicken and vegetables..

Friday

• Breakfast: Berries, high protein Greek yogurt plus oatmeal soaked overnight.
• Snack: A crushed mixture of nuts plus a piece of jerky.
• Dinner: Tilapia fillet baked with lemon plus beans and vegetable salad.
• Snack: Protein shake, berries.
• Dinner: Beef with brown rice, beans and corn.

Saturday

• Breakfast: Turkey, egg, with corn, bell pepper, cheese and salsa
• Snack: canned tuna and bread
• Dinner: Tilapia fillet with potatoes and vegetables
• Snack: Protein shake and pear.
• Dinner: Beef with beans, brown rice and vegetables

Sunday

• Breakfast: Fried eggs with toast on whole grain bread and avocado
• Snack: Protein balls with almond butter
• Dinner: Green pea with pork tenderloin
• Snack: Protein shake and strawberries
• Dinner: Pasta with turkey meatballs

It may seem that bodybuilders are the most healthy group people in the world, but this is not always the case. Many athletes face specific challenges that are not typical of the rest of humanity.

Extremely low body fat all year round can be detrimental to mood and sleep quality. Many note that "drying" is accompanied by dietary depression, and on the "mass" it is very difficult to do anything other than cooking and eating food. Training in general is more satisfying for athletes and is the easiest part of bodybuilding.

It is quite difficult to eat right when you are on vacation with your family or going on holidays. "Comfort food" can be a real problem if the person doesn't have enough willpower.

Constant thoughts about the quality of the body, and the amount of fat on it can become a kind of obsession. Psychologists use the term "orthorexia" - this is an unhealthy craving for proper nutrition, and the inability to eat ordinary food.

In women, fertility can be impaired due to being constantly in a “dry” form, but the exact “contribution” to this problem of a low percentage of body fat is not known. Hypothalamic amenorrhea in female athletes is known even among those who do not keep in an extremely dry form. It is provoked by anabolic steroids and overtraining.

Anabolic steroid

Being engaged in bodybuilding for a while, you can come to the conclusion that everyone takes them and there is nothing wrong with anabolics. And without them, there are no good results. Here you need to understand that the pressure of the “community” can be strong, and the result from the “course” can be minimal, especially if we are a beginner who is not yet used to the diet and training regimen.

Conclusion

A bodybuilder's diet is a combination of predominantly complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and complete protein sources. Each meal should contain about 30 g of protein, or slightly less. It is better to stick to a fractional eating style, if there are no problems with the pancreas, and use the most natural products.

Packing or cutting meals are not a "diet" with a meal schedule, they are given in the article simply as an example of a varied diet. It is important to observe the number of calories, and stick to the right amount of servings, and at the same time try to eat as varied as possible.

Be sure to read about it

Hello to you, my young winners of the Mr. Olympia competition and all those who only dream of becoming them! Want to look like the cool jocks on the posters? And who doesn't want to? Everybody wants!

To achieve this, you need not only swing. You have probably already read a good dozen articles about the training program, but even if you work hard like Papa Carlo in the gym and don’t adjust your diet, the muscles will simply have nowhere to gain the desired volumes.

Therefore, my beloved friends, today we will learn how to eat properly and analyze in detail the topic “Mass Bodybuilder Nutrition”. Get out your notepads and pencils, the lecture begins. We will subject our body to an extreme reboot.

Gain muscle mass, not fat

Whatever you think of yourself, but the average person eats in a completely different way than an advanced bodybuilder. And it's not that the menu of the latter contains various sports nutrition. It is the selection of products in this case that will be very specific.

To begin with, during training, your body experiences extreme stress. Oddly enough, it is the stressful situation that allows us to develop and move forward.

Let me give you an example that anyone can understand. If you starve for a long time, then at the moment when you start to eat normally, the body will try not only to restore what has been lost, but also to make reserves for the future. nuclear times. Therefore, you will begin to gain weight rapidly. This is the main harm of any extreme diets with significant calorie restriction.

Approximately the same processes will occur with your muscles. Imagine that you train regularly and use large working weights, which means that you invariably injure your muscle tissues, they stretch and even tear ( we are talking about microtrauma).

The natural defense mechanism in this case will work according to the previous principle. Muscles will begin not only to strengthen, but also to increase in volume to protect your body from upcoming overloads. All this is expressed as progress and mass growth.

Therefore, in order to maintain this balance, we need nutrients that will support the body's work, time and strength training.

Concerning nutrients, then it should be carbohydrates from which we get energy. And also, which are the main suppliers of amino acids, and from them, in turn, new cells of muscle tissue are built.

Another postulate, without which you will not achieve anything, is the following: you should receive more than you spend.

Naturally, you and I need some kind of reference point, that is, the number of calories from which we will build. How to find out how much energy is needed for the daily needs and needs of our body? There are a lot of ways to calculate these numbers, starting with counting the calories of all the food you ate in a day and analyzing daily gains and weights.

And you can finish with tricky formulas that take into account height, age, current weight, and even gender. They will have to be dreary to multiply, add and square.

The simplest equation is your weight multiplied by 30. The resulting figure will be the average indicator of the calories you need.

So let's say you multiply your weight by 30 to get the number you're looking for. We add 500 kilocalories to it on top. This will be nutrition for a surplus or excess of calories. If that's not enough, then add more. If you continue to gain weight even with such a schedule, then we remove the excess.

You will definitely have to make allowances for genetic data, that is, take into account your metabolism. If you are an endomorph (see article), whose metabolism) is naturally slow, then there will be adjustments for you. And a completely different nutrition plan can be for an ectomorph with a high-speed metabolism, able to cope without loss with large amounts of food.

We select a competent diet

Now it remains to determine what kind of food should be eaten?

Fat should be avoided as much as possible just because it contains twice as many calories as carbohydrates or proteins (at equal volumes).

Often the problem in compiling the menu also rests in the fact that we incorrectly plan the ratio of these indicators, that is, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

And, oddly enough, we usually choose a larger amount of carbohydrates and a very small amount of proteins, which is fundamentally wrong. After all, we have already found out that the basis for building muscle tissue is precisely amino acids or proteins.

As a result, we come to the only correct formula, which implies 50 or 60% carbohydrates, about 30% proteins, and the rest of the numbers will be recommendations for eating fat.

In fact, we are simply changing the modern diet program, which is usually dominated by fats, to an inverse proportion with a predominance of proteins.

The best for mass gain will be animal protein, not vegetable. And it's not that bodybuilders hate vegans. It's just that the amino acid profile of animal protein is much richer and better suited for building new muscle tissue.

For successful progress, you need to get 2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. We take only products of animal origin. Moreover, the amount of protein, friends, in the finished product is not equal to the weight of the original product. That is, in 100 grams of chicken breast, only part of the necessary proteins. All these tables are in the public domain and it is not a problem to find them.

Often on all kinds of sites and I come across recommendations to push on the chicken breast, sometimes it seems that all the jocks are literally crazy on these breasts. No matter what they say, there is no special protein in them, they are just a fairly cheap, affordable and low-fat type of protein that we need.

In fact, you can eat whatever you like: beef, fish, turkey, seafood, eggs, milk, and so on.

Now let's go over carbs. There are two types: fast and slow.

Slow or complex carbohydrates differ from the first only in that the body absorbs them gradually. In addition, they do not give a sharp jump in insulin into the blood and help maintain an even level of energy.

Fast ones do exactly the opposite. They are rapidly absorbed, give a sharp jump in insulin and energy, but all this has a short-term effect.

Among other things, insulin likes to “pull away” the energy received into fat, which is a source of absolute evil for us.

As a result, slow ones help to forget about hunger for a long time and feel great, and fast ones cause a brutal appetite in an hour.

All sweets are simple carbohydrates. Yes, we pass them in the store, or better yet, go around this department in another row.

Complex carbohydrates are cereals. And the less processed they were, the better. That is, in the store we are looking for packages with the inscription whole grains. They, among other things, contain fiber, which, although not absorbed by us, helps to ensure excellent digestion.

By the way, not all fats are suitable for us either. Animals, on the contrary, will work to the detriment, so you should give preference to vegetable and complex ones: Omega-3 and Omega-6 (linseed oil, fish oil, and so on).

By the way, in the morning and afternoon we need more energy, so we give it to the body in its pure form, that is, we saturate it with carbohydrates. Therefore, friends - carbohydrates for breakfast and lunch.

Moreover, after a long forced fasting during sleep, it is better to give the body the opportunity to get a lot of clean and affordable energy. Sometimes it is appropriate to consume carbohydrates immediately after a workout, when our strength is also practically at zero.

In this case, experts sometimes even advise to eat simple carbohydrates (you can also add protein or amino acids here). It can even be products that are harmful at other times, for example, a chocolate bar or bar, or a specialized gainer. But last tip individual.

But by the evening, mobility decreases, especially since our fibers have previously suffered and collapsed and they require additional amino acids. And that means we eat protein foods. We do not give dinner to the enemy, but we choose more meat during this period. Before going to bed, you can drink a long protein, for example, casein, which is processed for a very long time. A cheaper option is fat-free cottage cheese.

The last point will concern fractional nutrition. It activates your metabolism and allows you to maintain the level of energy at the same level.

Reading the recommendations you will come across advice to eat 8 or even 9 times a day. After 3 meals a day, it is difficult to switch to such a system. First, you can add an afternoon snack to this scheme, then a second breakfast, and so gradually reduce the number of meals to about 6 times.

Pre-prepared containers help a lot in this. We put 6 such bowls with lids on ourselves in the evening and the next day you just have to get them out and eat without additional troubles.

Thus, you should consume about half a kilogram of meat, about the same amount of cottage cheese, 5 eggs, 300 grams of vegetables and the same amount of porridge. This daily ration is very approximate, but I give it to you as a starting point so that you can provide a rough list of products. How to divide them into a day, I think you also already understand.

My friends! Now you are almost close to understanding how bodybuilders gain mass. But I want to warn you right away: mass gain is impossible without an increase in body fat. These processes in the body cannot be deceived, no matter how hard we try.

You will have to come to terms with this fact and, as they say, swim a little on the mass. When you start to dry, that is, get rid of excess fat, while maintaining the acquired reliefs, everything will be settled, but we will talk about this some other time.

Now I hope you understand that the main field of action during mass building will be in the kitchen, and not in the gym ?! I repeat once again that special diet is the decisive link in this struggle.

My friends! Never give up trying to get results. Otherwise it will become a habit. I wish you good luck and look forward to seeing you again. Tell about this article, it improves karma.

Importance proper nutrition cannot be overestimated. Arm yourself with the scientific knowledge to help you build muscle!

If your goal is to build large, strong and lean muscles, then no training methods in the world will help you without proper nutrition in the right amounts. The body needs nutrients to recover and grow after exercise. Simply put, if you want to build muscle and strength, then you must eat.

Our nutrition program is effective, progressive and easy to use. It is based on the latest nutritional research and is the perfect complement to our nutrition based training programs. scientific approach. This muscle building meal plan will help you get bigger without gaining too much fat.

The problem for many people who are "on the mass" is the negative impact of body fat on insulin sensitivity, which slows down the process of muscle growth. Our diet will help to avoid this. It allows you to gradually increase your calorie intake so that your body has time to adjust to it. That is, you will not have problems with metabolism and excessive body fat.

Let's start with a basic diet plan. Due to individual differences in each person's metabolism and activity level, I prefer not to use equations to calculate calories. Instead, I think it's more effective to start by determining the number of calories you're consuming now and adjust it over time.

This program requires you to track your exact calories and macronutrients for the next 6 weeks. If this approach is new to you, look it up online and take the time to learn it.

If you don't know how many calories you are consuming, keep a diary or use special programs to write down everything you eat in the first 3 days of your diet. Some smartphone apps will help you calculate your average calorie intake over this period.

To speed up the process of gaining muscle mass, you will need to add 300 kcal to the base level of consumption. Over the next 2 weeks, monitor your body weight by measuring your chest, neck, arms, etc. Also track your fat levels with a caliper and follow these guidelines:

• If you are gaining weight without excess fat, add another 300 kcal to your daily diet.
• If weight gain does not occur, add 500 kcal.

Repeat this process every 2 weeks, adding more and more calories.

Increasing the number of calories

bodybuilder's calorie guide

To accelerate muscle gain, add 300 calories to your base diet. Track your weight for two weeks, measure the amount of fat and muscle. If you gained weight without fat, add an additional 300 calories. If you're not gaining weight, add 500 calories.

As soon as your calorie intake increases, you will start gaining fat. How to proceed in this case? You can choose one of 2 options.

First, stop adding calories. However, I like one method that I learned from Lane Norton. He recommends adding significantly fewer calories. Therefore, we will add only 50 kcal to the daily diet every 2 weeks.

They will be burned in the course of daily activity, but after a couple of months of such practice, your body will receive the number of calories that it needs to build muscle mass.

Spread these calories over 3-4 meals, consuming them approximately every 4 hours. To make things easier, make portions the same size except for the post-workout meal. It should contain about 20% more calories than the rest.

What kind of calories should be consumed? Let's find out!

Squirrels

Consume proteins at the rate of 1.5-2 g per kilogram of body weight for the next 6 weeks. This is significantly less than what some bodybuilders consume. And one more tip - buy high-quality products.

Why so few? Studies show that with the consumption of 1.5 g of protein per kilogram of body mass, muscle growth begins. In our program, we try to optimize protein intake. I believe that if you consume high quality protein, then there is no need for its excess.

Distribute protein evenly between meals. Each of them should have at least 30g of protein. Also use various sources. Here are a few of my favorites:

• chicken thighs
• Chicken breasts
• Turkey breasts
• Salmon
• mussels
• Tuna
• Shrimps
• lean beef
• Pork tenderloin
• chicken sausages
• turkey bacon
• Whey Protein
• Casein protein
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese

Fats

Dietary fat has several important functions. First, it provides a concentrated form of energy. Some fats also affect hormone production. For the next 6 weeks of intense training, you must consume enough fat to maintain the health and growth of the body.

After you compose a basic level of calories, calculate your fat intake so that it takes up about 30% of your diet. Further, this percentage will increase. As you increase your calorie intake, for every 300 calories you add, there should be 150 calories from fat. There are 9 kcal in 1 g of fat, so for every 300 kcal, 15-17 g of fat should be added. When increasing the diet by 50 kcal, add about 5 g of fat.

Unlike protein, which stays more or less constant throughout the day, fat intake should be inversely related to carbohydrates. In other words, if you eat rich in carbohydrates food, you should reduce your fat intake, and vice versa.

There are 3 main types of fats: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats. Do not focus on any one of them, consume different types of fats. Here are some of my favorite sources:

• Olive oil
• canola oil
• Avocado
• Almond
• Walnuts
• pistachios
• macadamia nuts
• Butter
• Coconut oil
• Linseed oil

Carbohydrates

The last of the macronutrients around which, perhaps, the most confusion. To get the most out of various types calories, I divide carbohydrates into 2 groups.

1. starchy carbohydrates

The following foods are fast-digesting and high in calories:

• regular potato
• Sweet potato
• Quinoa
• Rice (white or brown)
• Sprouted grain bread
• tortilla
• Kamut

1. Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber and are digested more slowly. They contain fewer carbohydrates and less calories. I also included legumes in this list. So, the second group includes the following products:

• blueberry
• Raspberries
• strawberries
• Apples
• oranges
• Pears
• Spinach
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• cucumbers
• Pepper
• Brussels sprouts
• Lettuce leaves and greens
• string beans
• Carrot
• green onion
• Mushrooms
• Onion
• Tomatoes
• Lentils
• black beans
• Beans

It is very easy to include these foods in your daily diet. In a few general rules, which I follow in the consumption of carbohydrates:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal.
2. Eat starchy carbs for breakfast and right after your workout.
3. In those meals that do not contain starchy carbohydrates, consume more fat, as well as fruits and vegetables.

The amount of protein will remain unchanged. The remaining calories will be distributed between fats and carbohydrates.

There are approximately 4 calories in 1g of carbohydrates. This means that if you increase your diet by 300 kcal, you add 35-40 g of carbohydrates. With the addition of 50 kcal, 12g will come from carbohydrates.

Meal Plan

Now you know how to prioritize and distribute the calories and nutrients in your diet. Now let's use an example to calculate an approximate meal plan.

For a man weighing 80kg, the program would look like this:

• Basic diet: 2700 kcal
• Baseline protein (2g/kg): 160g (720 kcal)*
• Base Fat (30% of total calories): 90g (810 kcal)*
• Base Carb (Remaining Calories): 229g (1170 kcal)*

* Calculated based on basic diet and body weight.

Bodybuilding refers to a fairly popular sport among men and women and is a process of modifying the body by increasing ( hypertrophy ) muscles in general, and individual muscle groups in particular, as well as the formation of body relief due to the reduction of subcutaneous fat. The formation of an athletic physique is based on specially designed systems of strength training with weights, high-energy special nutrition with an increased / decreased content of certain food ingredients, the use of sports dietary supplements and anabolic / pharmacological agents.

There are amateur bodybuilding, which is done by the majority to improve the structure of their body / figure, and professional, which unites athletes participating in competitions, during which the aesthetics, volume and proportionality of the bodybuilder's physical development are evaluated. We do not consider the issues of the training process, these issues are covered on specialized web resources with videos and in specialized literature.

It is generally accepted that the bodybuilding diet, along with strength training, is the foundation of bodybuilding. Moreover, it is precisely the right diet for training in the gym that allows you to solve specific problems that athletes face - gaining muscle mass, increasing strength, burning subcutaneous fat. Generally speaking, the main tasks of nutrition for bodybuilders are:

• Providing the body with an adequate amount of energy, correlating (exceeding/insufficient) with its consumption during training, depending on the task of the training cycle.
• The balance of the diet in relation to the intensity / tasks of physical activity. The ratio of food energy obtained from various food ingredients (FFU) varies depending on the goals of the bodybuilder.
• Creation of an appropriate metabolic background for synthesis and action, regulating the necessary reactions, both in the body as a whole and in various tissues.
• Using nutritional factors to build muscle/strength/fat reduction.
• Individualization of nutrition, taking into account the physiological, anthropometric and metabolic characteristics of the athlete's body, the state of the gastrointestinal tract, personal tastes and eating habits.

Next, we will consider nutrition issues at various stages / tasks of the transformation of the athlete's body, which will be especially useful for beginner bodybuilders who make many mistakes when shaping their diet. It is proper nutrition that is the most important condition for creating the basic background of the recovery period (super-recovery and fusion of myofibrils). It should be remembered that proper nutrition and gym- this is the basis for achieving concrete results and one without the other does not work.

Weight gain

Most often, increasing body weight is the first task that an athlete faces. The main principle of body weight growth is the consumption of energy with food in excess of its consumption (ensuring a positive energy balance in the body). Most simple method calculating the approximate amount of energy needed to maintain weight in an unchanged state is the formula: weight (in kg) x 30. The data obtained indicate the calorie content of the daily diet required to maintain a static nitrogen balance. But when playing sports, the nitrogen balance always becomes negative. Therefore, when working on body weight, it is necessary to add another 600-1000 calories per day to this indicator, depending on the individual characteristics of the body structure (athlete's somatotype) throughout the entire cycle of strength (anaerobic) training.

For novice athletes, it is recommended to increase the calorie content of the diet gradually to the level of your weight gain in the range of 600-800 g / week. The main objective of this stage is to gain lean muscle mass, and many athletes also increase the fat layer, which is a common mistake. Of course, it is almost impossible to gain body weight without increasing body fat, but it is necessary to strive to minimize fat gain. It should be remembered that weight gain exceeding 900-1000 g / week is already due to an increase in fat. Therefore, weekly weight control and appropriate dietary adjustments are very important.

The next important principle of muscle growth is the formation of a diet with the content of the main food nutrients in it in the following proportion: proteins - 20-30%; fats - 15-20%; carbohydrates - at the level of 50-60%. Further, knowing your caloric intake of the diet, you need to determine how much the main food should be present in your diet. nutrients , that is, to make a specific diet of a bodybuilder for the day.

The required caloric intake and a specific proportion of the BJU content in the diet are taken and the amount of each of the food ingredients is calculated based on the energy value of 1 g of protein and carbohydrates for 4 calories and 1 g of fat - 9 calories. And by determining the amount of food ingredients necessary to provide a given calorie content according to special tables nutritional value products and the content of BJU in them, we determine the number of products needed for an athlete per day.

Now about the quantitative content of BJU in the diet and their quality. The most important condition for muscle growth is the inclusion in the diet of a sufficient amount of protein that performs the main plastic function. The need of bodybuilders for protein during training for mass is increased and averages 1.5-3.0 g/kg of body weight, which is due to physiological losses of nitrogen during intense long-term training.

However, it would be a big mistake to increase this value above the maximum limit of the norm, since this worsens the digestibility of the protein, resulting in the formation of increased amounts of ammonia And urea , which increase the load on the kidneys and liver. In addition, the increased formation of ammonia has a toxic effect on brain cells, which leads to a slowdown in the transmission of nerve impulses and, accordingly, a pronounced decrease in the reaction, and also has a detrimental effect on microbiocenosis intestines, reducing the content of /.

As you know, when you swing to increase muscle mass, it is necessary to provide conditions conducive to an increase in the content of structural and contractile proteins in muscle tissue. It is possible to influence the process of enhancing protein synthesis in muscles by including a protein component with high biological value and digestibility in the diet. At the same time, the higher the quality of the consumed protein and in sufficient quantity, the faster the muscle mass of the athlete will grow. The biological value of a protein is its amino acid composition, which provides the quantitative and qualitative need of the body for nitrogenous substances.

Inferiority of the amino acid composition of the protein in food products leads to a violation in the body of the processes of synthesis of its own proteins. At the same time, in the process of building a protein, the lack of any essential amino acid limits the use of other amino acids , and a significant excess contributes to the formation of highly toxic metabolic products. Of particular importance among the essential amino acids is leucine, which is a key regulator and activator of the process of muscle protein synthesis. No less important is the level of protein digestibility, which reflects the degree and rate of its breakdown in the gastrointestinal tract and the rate of amino acid adsorption (absorption into the blood and muscle tissue).

For athletes, the best source of high quality protein is whey protein. protein (15%) and casein (85%). At the same time, both fractions are digested and absorbed evenly, but at first - biologically active low molecular weight whey proteins ( lactalbumin , lactoglobulin , immunoglobulin ), and then high molecular weight casein.

The use of milk protein is especially important for muscle recovery after intense physical activity. Also, the most complete protein is chicken egg protein, which contains all essential amino acids in the optimal ratio and almost completely absorbed by the body. At the same time, thermal cooking of chicken protein does not lead to the loss of its qualities.

Thus, the main sources of high-quality protein in the diet of a bodybuilder can be animal products - low-fat varieties of red meat (without connective tissue formations) with a meat protein digestibility of 75-87%, fish with a protein digestibility of 90-95%, cottage cheese, milk, sour-milk products (milk protein digestibility 95%), chicken eggs (protein digestibility 98-99%). Proteins of plant origin are characterized by low digestibility at the level of 55-65%.

Although they should be present in the diet (25-30% of the total protein intake) due to the content of many trace elements and (soybeans, legumes, seeds, nuts, cereals), they are not included in the athlete's diet in the protein component quota. are taken into account. And if amateur athletes can still afford a vegetarian diet and still increase muscle mass in an insignificant amount, then professional bodybuilders, under such nutritional conditions, can achieve the required level. leucine , which allows you to start the processes of protein synthesis in the body, cannot.

Important principles of protein provision of the athlete's body are:

• Competent consumption of the protein component throughout the day with the obligatory inclusion of protein before / after training. Even distribution of protein into servings throughout the day is extremely important for the gradual and timely replenishment of the body's supply of amino acids necessary for protein synthesis. In addition, pre-workout protein intake enhances the genetic mechanisms for muscle growth compared to fasted training. It is also known that anaerobic exercise itself increases the rate of protein synthesis by 90-120% compared to rest, and the use of dietary protein / amino acid mixtures immediately after the end of strength training (after a rocking chair) enhances this effect and allows you to get the maximum benefit for muscle fiber recovery.
• Inclusion in each meal of the maximum dose of protein. It has been proven that athletes who consumed 30 g of protein with each meal have a higher (20%) level of protein synthesis compared to those who consumed protein only for dinner, which increases the body's ability to build muscle mass.
• The predominance in the diet of high quality protein with a maximum absorption rate. It is important to know that a protein intake of 2 g/kg body weight is optimal for stimulating protein synthesis without increasing protein loss. And a further increase in its consumption increases the level of protein breakdown and reduces its synthesis.

As for the extremely healthy egg white, it should only be consumed after heat treatment (boiled / fried), since the protein of a raw chicken egg is poorly absorbed due to its constituent ovomucoid And avidin that negatively affect the enzyme of gastric juice. During heat treatment, they are destroyed and the digestibility of egg protein reaches 98%

An additional source of protein is nutritional supplements (sports nutrition) containing whey protein concentrates, isolates or hydrolysates that are quickly absorbed in the body or long-acting protein ( casein ). Many modern supplements contain protein that has been partially broken down into peptides (long/short chain amino acid compounds). However, they should not completely replace natural protein nutrition and can only be used as a supplement to the diet.

An equally important condition for gaining muscle mass is the sufficient content of carbohydrates in the diet, without adequate content of which synthesis is reduced. adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and through the mechanism gluconeogenesis processes are intensifying catabolism muscle fibres.

Carbohydrates that enter the body with food primarily provide glucose to the skeletal muscles, both during strength physical exercises and during the recovery period. And only then, glucose and fructose are used for the synthesis glycogen in the liver. Accordingly, with a lack of glycogen in the muscles, glycogen stores in the liver are included in the energy production process, and after their depletion, muscle protein is involved in the energy production process. Therefore, with insufficient consumption of carbohydrates, there can be no talk of any muscle growth.

For the fastest possible restoration of muscle glycogen after increased physical activity and optimization of its reserves, the content of carbohydrates in the athlete's diet should be 7-10 g/kg of body weight. Only with a sufficient carbohydrate content can muscle fibers be protected from catabolic destruction, since fat as an energy source is practically not used during intense anaerobic exercise due to insufficient oxygen supply to the body, without which the process of fat oxidation is impossible.

But we need the growth of muscle mass, which is impossible without a sufficient amount of energy entering the body. Since stocks glycogen during training are sharply reduced, and micro muscles are injured, then during the rest period the body needs to restore glycogen stores to their original level, thereby creating more profitable terms for the flow of metabolic processes aimed at the plastic restoration of muscle tissue. Therefore, the carbohydrate component is the basis for the growth of muscle tissue along with proteins.

In this case, the type of carbohydrates consumed is of particular importance. The use of mono / di / oligosaccharides (simple carbohydrates) causes a significant short-term increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood, which quickly breaks down completely, does not lead to saturation. Therefore, their specific gravity in the athlete's diet should not exceed 25-30% of the total carbohydrate quota. Accordingly, the following are limited in the diet: sugar, confectionery, sweets, jam, preserves.

The inclusion of polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates) in the diet provides a smoothed and longer-lasting increase in blood glucose, thereby contributing to muscle satiety glycogen , and on the other hand - the formation of a feeling of satiety. The source of complex carbohydrates are cereals, rye flour pasta, whole grain bread, brown rice, vegetables, legumes, sour fruits.

More competent from the position of changing the concentration of blood glucose is the division of carbohydrate-containing products according to the principle of "glycemic index". After prolonged and intense strength training, the use of foods with high and medium GI is recommended, since their consumption during the "carbohydrate window" allows you to accelerate the increase in muscle glycogen stores to a greater extent than low GI carbohydrate foods. This approach allows you to optimize the process of glycogen recovery, since glycogen resynthesis occurs most rapidly in the first 30 minutes after the end of training, and then continues at a slower pace for 6 hours.

Fats, although not the bodybuilder's main sources of energy during the training process, are an indispensable component of the diet for "jocks". Their lack in food (less than 20% of the daily energy ration from fats), which is a sin in the diets of novice athletes, negatively affects the hormonal background of the athlete and his performance. Of biological value are primarily vegetable fats containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are not synthesized by the body, but come exclusively with food. This is first of all vegetable oils cold pressed, nuts, seeds.

Proper nutrition for "muscles" involves the consumption of 25-30 g / day of vegetable fats. Of animal fats, the most valuable are: saturated fat of animal origin: milk fats contained in dairy products, butter and fish oil, the source of which are fatty species of sea and river fish (tuna, salmon, catfish, mackerel, herring).

The optimal ratio of fat intake is 1/3 saturated, 1/3 monounsaturated and 1/3 polyunsaturated fats. ω-3 . At the same time, trans fats must be completely eliminated from the diet.

Of particular importance is the sufficient content of fats in the diet during the training process, aimed at increasing strength indicators, which is achieved by working with weights of the maximum weight, in which the muscles develop the maximum possible effort for short period time. The fat content in the diet during this training microcycle should be increased to 30-35%. At the same time, saturated fats must also be present in the diet, which contribute to the acceleration of production (male hormone), at a low concentration of which an increase in strength is impossible. In addition, when working with a lot of weight, the ligamentous-articular apparatus suffers, for the strengthening of which it is extremely necessary to have a sufficient intake of various types of fats into the body.

When shaping the diet, one should not forget about the sufficient intake of micronutrients (vitamins/minerals), which play an important role in the processes of energy production, synthesis and production. antioxidants . The nutrition of novice bodybuilders often contains insufficiently, group B, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, antioxidants ( vitamin C And E , selenium, beta-carotene). Therefore, during the period of intensive training, it is mandatory to take complex vitamin-mineral complexes. However, the intake of vitamins/microelements by amateur athletes should not exceed the norm by more than 2 times.

The bodybuilder's diet during strength training turns off and takes into account many aspects, one of which is the creation and maintenance of hormonal levels, which allows you to more fully use the body's capabilities to increase muscle tissue. As you know, the concentration testosterone in the body of a man decreases rapidly after 35-40 years, so the nutrition of a bodybuilder after 40 years should help maintain his concentration, since it contributes to the growth of strength and muscle mass by accelerating protein synthesis in muscle tissue and affecting the nuclei of muscle cells (increases the number of nuclei in muscle fibers). The lack of testosterone after 40 years enhances the processes of muscle catabolism.

Properly organized nutrition contributes to the hanging of testosterone concentration. To this end, the diet should include foods containing zinc, which promotes the production of the hormone, as well as preventing its transformation into the female hormone. estrogen . The main sources of zinc are oysters, 100 g of which contains the daily norm for an adult male (15-20 mg) and various seafood (shrimps, mussels, squid, crabs), which must be included in the diet after gentle heat treatment, together with vegetables of at least 3 times a week. The daily intake of zinc for a bodybuilder can vary between 20-40 mg, depending on the intensity of the load.

To increase testosterone, it is important to increase the fat content in the diet to 30-35%, since fat is the main material for the production testosterone . In this case, it is necessary to increase the consumption of directly saturated fats of animal origin (cream, oily fish, sour cream). All of these foods, except zinc, contain unsaturated fatty acids. omega 3 /omega 6 , selenium , fat-soluble vitamins A , E involved in the synthesis of testosterone. As an alternative, it is allowed to take nutritional supplements containing zinc in a complex with magnesium and vitamin C And D . The daily dose of magnesium for an athlete should be 500-800 mg, and vitamin D - 25 mcg.

To prevent a burst of synthesis insulin , which starts the process of converting testosterone into a bound form and aromatization, the proportion of high-carbohydrate products should be reduced. glycemic index . To stop the production and get rid of excess estrogen in the diet, it is necessary to include cruciferous vegetables (turnips, cabbage, radishes), which contain diindolylmethane (DIM) to help reduce excess estrogen. Fiber is no less useful, cleansing the large intestine from toxic elements, the accumulation of which leads to an excess of estrogen.

One of the most important conditions for weight gain is the right diet. One of the common mistakes beginner bodybuilders make is 2-3 meals a day, while the diet should be 5-7 meals a day. remember one of essential rules- with an anabolic type of load, you can not be hungry. It is strictly forbidden to skip meals, the period between meals should not exceed 3 hours, which allows maintaining a sufficient level of glucose in the athlete's blood. The last meal should be no later than 2 hours before bedtime. This mode contributes to a more complete absorption of nutrients and reduce the load on the digestive tract from breakfast to dinner.

The distribution of food nutrients during the day should be based on the principle of predominant consumption of the carbohydrate component in the first half of the day, which is due to the body's need for energy during the day, and protein - in the second, which is extremely necessary for the body as a plastic material during the recovery period (at night). That is, the proportion of carbohydrate intake should change throughout the day: in the morning in a larger volume, in the evening - in a smaller one and their complete absence in the last 2 meals. Before going to bed, it is recommended to take a "night" long-acting type of protein (casein), and in the morning, to neutralize the processes of catabolism and start anabolic processes, take a protein-carbohydrate cocktail immediately after sleep.

To maintain adequate hydration and thermoregulation, it is important to pay attention to sufficient water intake, which should replenish the loss of fluid and salts lost in urine and sweat. Even with moderate dehydration, the level of testosterone production decreases and strength indicators suffer. Dehydration speeds up catabolic processes (reduces protein synthesis and accelerates its breakdown). This can be avoided by consuming an adequate amount of water (at least 2.5 l/day). It is necessary to consume water often and in small portions (200-300 ml each).

Also, during intensive loads, it is important to monitor the salt balance, since water without a sufficient content of electrolytes (sodium, chlorine) does not linger in the body, since the processes of intercellular hydration are triggered by these electrolytes. Without a sufficient concentration of them in the water, additional liquid will only lead to a decrease in the level of hydration, which will negatively affect overall health and athletic performance. Therefore, during intense training, especially in hot weather, it is recommended to add sea salt (0.3-0.7 g / liter) to the water or use sports rehydration solutions.

Diet nutrition at the stage of fat burning (body drying)

The next stage after gaining body weight for athletes involved in bodybuilding is the formation of body relief due to the reduction of subcutaneous fat. For beginner athletes, this stage is often associated with weight loss, which does not correspond to the correct approach to the process of “drying” the body. Despite some weight loss in general, the training process and nutrition are aimed at burning subcutaneous fat while maintaining the volume of lean muscle mass and muscle strength characteristics.

Drying of the body should be carried out only with increased muscle mass, because with its lack, drying of the body leads to exhaustion / exhaustion of the body with flabby muscles and sagging skin. An indicator of the effectiveness of burning body fat is the percentage of fat in the body. As a rule, the benchmark for male amateurs is 13-15% and 15-18% for women. Professional athletes reduce fat to lower levels, but this is done only before the competition and for a short period of time.

The main principle of the fat reduction diet is to reduce the level of glycogen in the muscles and transfer the body's metabolism to lipolysis, which is achieved by switching the athlete to a special diet and training (aerobic exercises to create a negative energy balance in combination with weight training to prevent muscle loss). masses).

The diet for drying the body is based on creating a negative energy balance in the body, which will be achieved by a calorie deficit in the diet in relation to the level of the athlete's energy expenditure (basic energy expenditure and energy expenditure for physical activity) and an increase in speed metabolism . At the same time, to maintain muscle mass, the nitrogen balance must remain constant.

For amateur athletes, the best option for drying is the method of gradual (stepwise) reduction in the calorie content of the diet with a calorie deficit of 10-20% of the daily intake. This is achieved by eliminating from the diet mainly foods with a high glycemic index and fats (to a lesser extent). Accordingly, the body, with a constant shortage of carbohydrates, begins to gradually switch to another type of energy production - lipolysis , which leads to the burning of subcutaneous fat.

The level of carbohydrate component reduction is determined by the given rate of subcutaneous fat burning. Normally, the total loss of body weight should not exceed 1 kg / week, since, as a rule, when this indicator is exceeded, the body's self-defense mechanism is activated and the body fat does not decrease or even begins to increase. Therefore, weekly monitoring of body weight and fat levels is extremely important. The main mistake of beginner bodybuilders is a sharp restriction of the caloric content of the diet. This process should be carried out smoothly and gradually, since it is a smooth reduction in the caloric content of the diet that contributes to the predominant loss of fat, and muscle mass decreases in a much smaller proportion.

The general ratio of BJU in the diet during drying of the body changes and amounts to 50-60% protein, 10-20% fat and 30-40% carbohydrates in various food systems. When working on relief, it is especially important to gradually reduce carbohydrate intake, bringing their content to 1.5 g per 1 kg of body weight. If, during drying, body weight has ceased to decrease for some period, it is necessary to reduce the intake of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in the diet should be represented by complex carbohydrates (grain bread, cereals, rye flour pasta, brown rice, sour fruits, vegetables), while it is recommended to consume them in the morning.

As for proteins, their amount should be at the level of 1.5-2.0 g / kg of weight and they should be represented by high-quality animal proteins with high digestibility - lean red meat (beef), rabbit meat, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, seafood, low-fat milk products (yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, kefir). Fats in the diet should be present in minimal amounts, but not less than 40 g per day (0.5 g x body weight). These are mainly vegetable fats, solid animal fats are practically excluded.

When drying and working on relief, low-fat food and natural products should prevail in the diet. Common mistake amateur athletes is a diet with a complete exclusion of fats or a minimum content of carbohydrates, which is unacceptable and, moreover, hazardous to health due to the risk of developing ketoacidosis and increased burden on the kidneys due to the consumption of large amounts of proteins. Acceleration of metabolism is carried out by fractional nutrition (5-7 times a day) and fluid intake in an amount of at least 3 l / day. Increase metabolism promotes hot peppers and green tea.

During drying, it is forbidden to use harmful high-calorie foods - fast food products, canned food, mayonnaise, smoked meats, ketchups, fatty meat and fish, carbonated drinks, pickles, marinades, sweets, sugar, jam, jams, ice cream, dried fruits, honey, sweet fruits (pears , peaches, apricots, bananas, grapes, persimmons), pastries, cakes, dough products, starchy vegetables (eggplants, potatoes, corn), alcoholic drinks, as they inhibit the process of burning fat.

Culinary food processing consists of boiling, stewing, steaming, baking, frying is excluded, as it increases the calorie content of the diet. Greens and vegetables are recommended to be consumed raw. There are other diet programs for drying the body - the carbohydrate alternation method, the keto diet, but they are used mainly by professional athletes.

Drying the body by amateur athletes is often accompanied by errors, the main of which are:

• Severe calorie restriction.
• Undernourishment/overeating.
• Exclusion from the diet of fats or carbohydrates.
• Rejection of salt.
• Rare meals during the day and uneven distribution of food throughout the day (refusal of breakfast, consumption of carbohydrates in the afternoon).
• Insufficient free fluid intake.
• Lack of control over the pace (speed) of weight loss.
• Non-standardized/non-argumented usage sports nutrition.

Given the high cost of the diet, many novice athletes are trying to form their budget diet for a bodybuilder to a minimum. To do this, some bodybuilders often try to gain weight with baby food. Many athletes on the forums are also interested in whether children's food is good for adults and can it be used instead of protein? Of course, baby food can reduce the burden on the budget, but baby food in bodybuilding cannot replace sports nutrition in general or protein in particular, since it is intended for other purposes and has a completely different balance of nutritional nutrients and is not suitable for building muscle mass.

Moreover, replacing sports nutrition with children's nutrition in conditions of intense physical exertion can harm the body and level sports results. Also, novice athletes should understand that the process of gaining weight and drying muscles should take at least 3-5 months.

Attempts to speed up the process and non-compliance with weight gain / loss in an effort to achieve an unrealistic body composition for one's somatotype can adversely affect the athlete's health, in particular cardiovascular system or musculoskeletal system. Especially dangerous is the excessive rate of weight loss, which may be accompanied by a decrease in working capacity, weakening immunity , cognitive dysfunctions, deterioration in general well-being.

Approved Products

The bodybuilder's diet includes:

• Soups on meat / fish broth with a minimum fat content.
• Chicken eggs in any form (completely or proteins separately).
• Meat of beef / veal, chicken, rabbit, turkey in boiled, steamed, baked form.
• Fatty types of river / sea fish (cod, hake, sardines, herring tuna, salmon, trout), oysters, seafood (crabs, shrimp, squid, mussels).
• Whole grain cereals, grain bread, brown rice, cereal bread, wholemeal pasta, bran.
• Sour-milk drinks and products of low / medium fat content (hard cheeses, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, yogurt, kefir).
• Unrefined cold-pressed vegetable oils, butter, fish oil.
• Soy, legumes (peas, lentils, beans, chickpeas).
• Nuts, seaweed, seeds, sesame and flax seeds.
• Vegetables (bell peppers, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, onions, cucumbers, zucchini), garden greens.
• Unsweetened fruits/berries.
• Freshly prepared juices, rosehip broth, herbal tea, green tea with lemon, still table water.

Table of allowed products

Wholly or partially restricted products

The bodybuilder diet excludes from the diet:

• Fatty broths and soups based on them.
• Canned food, sausages, smoked meats, fatty meats, fast food products, goose/duck meat, semi-finished products, animal fats.
• Sugar, chocolate, ice cream, honey jam, dried fruits (figs, raisins, prunes, dates, dried apricots), sweets, sweet desserts, jams, condensed milk.
• Wheat bread, cakes, pancakes, puff pastry, semolina, pastries, cookies, dumplings, waffles, cakes, dumplings.
• Carbonated and alcoholic drinks.

Table of prohibited products

Menu (Power Mode)

The bodybuilder’s menu is compiled individually, according to the bodybuilder’s diet for a week in accordance with the training stage (weight gain, body drying) according to the list of allowed / prohibited foods, taking into account the caloric content of the diet and the BJU ratio.