Nutrition for the beginning bodybuilder. What do jocks eat? Proper nutrition for jocks menu

Jocks are dried mainly before competitions so that the muscle definition looks more impressive.

A gym without proper nutrition will not give the desired effect. A balanced diet is one of the components involved in building a beautiful body, helps build muscle mass and prevents you from putting on extra pounds.

The pitches before and after drying are really very different. After drying, the biceps and triceps are drawn much more clearly, the abs on the stomach are more noticeable, because the drying diet burns fat under the skin. The skin fits tighter to the muscles, revealing the relief of the jock in all its glory. By the way, to find out how much fat you need to “dry” the muscle, you can use an online calculator and calculate what is currently available. Then check the table and find out what percentage of body fat is acceptable for a male or female bodybuilder.

Grocery list

The essence of nutrition for building a beautiful body: more proteins and carbohydrates. Protein is the building material for muscles. Protein supplies the body with nitrogen, it accumulates in the muscles and allows them to fully recover. Carbohydrates provide energy and are involved in protein synthesis.

Semi-finished products, fatty, spicy and salty foods, sugar and flour products are prohibited.

The list of favorite foods for jocks, containing large amounts of protein and carbohydrates and helping to gain weight, includes:

• Porridge – , ;
• – source of carbohydrates and vegetable proteins;
• – the optimal amount is 2–5 pieces per day, yolks can be up to 10 pieces;
• Chicken breast and chicken fillet are a source of proteins; it is better to cook them boiled;
• Oatmeal is a source of slow carbohydrates, will provide the body with energy for 3-4 hours, and also contains vegetable protein;
• Pasta holds the record for 200 calories per serving;
• Seafood, fish (especially fatty varieties);
• low-fat varieties;
• Milk, cottage cheese and low-fat;
• Apricots or dried apricots are a healthy heart for a bodybuilder, they contain potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin C;
• Lean veal or beef, preferably in the form of meatballs and steamed meats. In addition to protein, meat contains vitamins B12 and B6, and other microelements;
• Sweet potato (sweet potato) – contains beta-carotene, potassium and vitamins C and B6;
• Yogurt – contains calcium, improves digestion;
• Tuna is a source of protein;
• – these are light carbohydrates, potassium, vitamin C. They will quickly raise blood sugar levels;
• Kiwi – contains a large amount of vitamin C, potassium;
• Orange juice – carbohydrates, vitamin C, carotenoids, potassium and folic acid. The juice will help increase your blood sugar levels instantly;
• Blueberries are the strongest antioxidant, contain potassium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin C - will help the bodybuilder maintain vision;
• Nuts - no more than 30 grams of any kind, since in addition to a large amount of protein they also contain fats;
• Water – a training bodybuilder needs about 3.5 liters of water per day to absorb proteins and carbohydrates, and replenish fluid losses in the body during physical activity.

Menu for every day

As an example, we give a sample menu for a professional and a beginner for 5 days.

Breakfast:

• Day 1: oatmeal porridge 100 grams, with fruit, 2 boiled eggs;
• Day 2: porridge 3 cereals 100 grams, sandwich with cheese and ham, glass of low-fat milk;
• Day 3: Rice porridge 150 grams, banana, glass of 1% kefir;
• Day 4: Buckwheat porridge 150 grams with chicken fillet, cottage cheese 100 grams, orange juice;
• Day 5: buckwheat porridge 100 grams, 5 egg white omelette, apricot compote.

• Day 1: 300 grams of fish with 200 grams of rice, orange juice;
• Day 2: Chicken breast, 200 grams, salad with peppers and tomatoes, seasoned with mustard and vinegar, dried fruit compote;
• Day 3: Oatmeal, a piece of boiled veal, a glass of low-fat kefir;
• Day 4: boiled potatoes, steamed beef cutlets, 1% kefir;
• Day 5: Pasta with minced meat (“naval style”), grapefruit juice.

• 1 day: chicken fillet, rice;
• Day 2: oatmeal and beef meatballs, low-fat kefir;
• Day 3: pasta, chicken breast, Orange juice;
• Day 4: boiled fish (fatty varieties), rice, 1% kefir;
• Day 5: boiled potatoes, beef cutlets, apricot compote.

Remember that a muscleman’s meals should not be 3 times a day, but 5-6 times a day, but due to our busy lives, it is not always possible to find time to eat. In this case, snacks will help out; for them you also need to choose products that help in gaining muscle mass.

Snacks: apples, yogurt, protein shake, tuna salad, low-fat cottage cheese, 1% kefir, a glass of low-fat milk, yogurt, pizza, nuts, bananas.

Dish recipes

• The Champion cocktail is good instead of food. Mix in a blender: 500 grams of 1% kefir, 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, 1 banana, 100 grams of low-fat cottage cheese
• Salad "Jock". Green salad leaves and canned tuna dressed with vinegar.
• Porridge "Explosion". IN oatmeal add protein powder and 3 pieces egg white.
• Drink “Give me protein and carbohydrates!” Mix protein, milk, fruit in a blender.
• "Bodybuilder's Chicken" Soak the chicken in garlic and spices for several hours. Bake in foil in the oven or air fryer.
• Roast veal. Salt and pepper 500 grams of veal (for 2 servings), fry, add onion and garlic, add 1 glass of water, seasoning, simmer until done.
• Rolls with cottage cheese and ham. Mix cottage cheese with garlic and onions. Grease the ham pieces and roll into rolls.

Fish soup “Bachelor”

For 1 liter of water:

• 2 cans of canned fish in its own juice
• 1 liter of water;
• 1 onion;
• 3 bay leaves;
• A bunch of dill;
• Salt and pepper.

Place mashed canned food, onions, spices, and bay leaves into boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes.

Fish cutlets

For 3 servings:

• 500 grams of cod or other fish
• 100 g crab sticks or meat
• Bulb;
• Egg;
• 100 ml milk;
• Salt pepper.

Grind cod, crab meat and onion in a meat grinder. Add an egg, mix, make cutlets, steam.

For fast metabolism, you need fractional meals: small portions 5-6 times a day or every 2-3 hours. Such nutrition gives fast growth muscles. The principles of separate nutrition should also be observed in the diet of jocks for better metabolism of the food eaten. You cannot eat fats and carbohydrates together, with the exception of dishes such as fried potatoes, pasta, seasoned pasta, buns with cheese, etc. Drinking alcohol is undesirable or its amount should be minimal, as it contains sugar.

To build muscle, diet must be combined with physical activity. you need to eat slow carbohydrates (oatmeal, brown bread, vegetables, cereals), and fast carbohydrates (baked goods, chocolate, white bread, bananas, jam, honey, raisins).

We recommend keeping a count of your calorie intake. To grow muscles, you need to eat 500 calories more calories per day than you burn. The optimal amount of carbohydrates per day is 4.5 grams per kilogram of weight. A safe amount of fat is 15-20% of the total calorie intake per day. The main and most useful types of cooking for jocks are: baking, boiling, stewing.

Nutrition has a direct impact on metabolism in the human body. Metabolism depends on how much food a person consumes and what kind of food. The general physical and psychological state of the person himself, the level of necessary substances in the body, as well as the level of intelligence depend on this. Equally important is the choice of nutrition in bodybuilding, since it is necessary to build muscle mass, and for this you need nutrients, and in sufficient quantities. Therefore, there is no way to make a mistake in nutrition, otherwise you may not see the results of everyday training.

An incorrect approach to nutrition can negatively affect the results of training, and simply put, all the work will be in vain. This issue must be seriously addressed at the initial stage of bodybuilding. For this purpose, detailed nutritional plans have been developed that take into account the specifics of this sport: building muscle volume. This proposed plan is free of the pitfalls that are common for beginning athletes. At the same time, novice bodybuilders often ask questions to which there are already ready-made answers, since bodybuilding has existed for a long time, although it has its own specifics.

The usual eating plan that most people use, which is breakfast, lunch and dinner, is not suitable for bodybuilders. Since the breaks between meals are quite long, athletes have time to get very hungry during this time, since their metabolic processes go through much faster. The feeling of hunger forces the athlete’s body to feed on energy reserves that are always in the athlete’s body.

At these moments, the body begins to secrete the hormone cortisol, which begins to burn muscles, in conditions of decreasing energy potential of the body.

In addition, he begins to burn carbohydrates stored in the liver and muscles, and this cannot be allowed, since muscle mass is lost, which the athlete is trying to build up in training. Glycogen levels also decrease, which is an indicator of readiness for the next workout. The higher the level of glycogen in the liver and muscles, the greater the athlete's endurance and the greater his performance. In this case, the athlete needs to eat about 6 times a day, but in smaller portions. By reducing the time between meals, the athlete's body is constantly fed with glucose, which comes from the intestines. At the same time, the body does not touch glucose reserves and does not produce cortisol. But this is just one advantage of this approach to nutrition for athletes.

Eating according to this scheme speeds up the metabolic process, which also leads to accelerated muscle growth. There is another very important advantage of frequent meals: amino acids constantly nourish muscles, ensuring their growth. The constant presence of amino acids in the blood makes the athlete’s body more resistant to various negative effects. external factors. Naturally, stable immunity contributes to more effective and high-quality training.

What is proper nutrition for gaining muscle mass?

The concept of “proper nutrition” for an athlete means eating exclusively those foods that contribute to the growth of muscle tissue. But it is better to exclude other foods that have little benefit from the diet. These products include carbonated drinks, sweet foods, baked goods, as well as unhealthy, fatty and fried foods. Proper nutrition usually means nutrition from natural ingredients. Bodybuilders mainly eat food from markets, where they purchase fresh meat, fish, herbs, vegetables and fruits.

Food purchased at markets is truly healthy, since it has not been subjected to special treatments that deprive the food of vitamins and microelements. In addition, they do not fry foods, but steam them, grill them, etc., without adding animal fats.

Of course, you can visit McDonald's, but it is not advisable to eat food prepared there, especially if you are overweight. For lean athletes, you can replace one meal at McDonald's out of six possible. If you eat a couple of hamburgers, you can replenish your body with 25 g of protein and 66 g of carbohydrates. The indicator is not bad, but from use fried potatoes, cocktails, ice cream and pies, it is better to refuse, as apart from harm, it will not bring anything good.

How much protein should you consume per day?

Protein is the building blocks without which it is impossible to build muscle. Many people think that protein accelerates muscle growth. Hormones such as testosterone, growth hormone and insulin are responsible for building muscle mass. But this is provided that there is a sufficient amount of protein in the body. If the body feels a lack of it, then muscle building will stop. Protein is taken at 2 grams per kilogram of the athlete’s weight. Gradually, the norm can be raised to 2.5 grams. If you weigh about 90 kg, you need to consume about 200 grams of protein per day, if not more. It is better to distribute this amount over 6 meals.

Which protein is better?

Many athletes use whey protein because it is absorbed faster by the body. Whey protein also contains leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are considered the main components that ensure the necessary growth of muscle tissue. Take this product half an hour before training, as well as after it.

What are “good” fats?

Fats are considered the main source of energy for the human body, so you should not be afraid of them. One gram of fat contains up to 9 calories, which is twice as much as carbohydrates. It is generally accepted, especially recently, that good fats are vegetable fats, and bad fats are animal fats. In fact, this is not so, since a person also needs animal fats, since they serve as a source for the secretion of testosterone and other equally important hormones.

As a rule, vegetarians have low muscle tone and low sexual activity. This is due to a lack of testosterone in their body, associated with the exclusion of food of animal origin from the diet. Basically, fats do not cause harm to the human body if a person consumes them in moderation. For normal growth of a bodybuilder’s useful mass, he needs to consume food of both plant and animal origin. In addition, he needs to use fish fat, containing Omega 3 fatty acids, but not more than 30% of the total daily diet.

What should you eat before training?

Bodybuilding requires a mandatory meal before training. About 1.5-2 hours before it starts, you just need to eat. You can eat chicken, beef or fish with boiled potatoes, rice or oatmeal. Half an hour before training, drink a cocktail containing whey protein (20 g) and carbohydrates (40 g). This approach to nutrition will allow you to train more effectively and increase muscle size.

What should you eat after training?

It is equally important, after training, to immediately drink a cocktail of 20-40 g of whey protein and 40-100 g of carbohydrates. Such a cocktail is called a gainer. In about half an hour, the body will need carbohydrates, which are absorbed quite quickly. This could be white bread or mashed potatoes. Moreover, you should not delay taking proteins and carbohydrates, since their absence will provoke the secretion of cortisol, which is not at all desirable.

Is it necessary to drink water and how much?

Since the human body mainly consists of water, without it no processes take place in the body, including muscle growth, since building them also requires fluid. Often, dehydration of the body is hidden. To find out, you need to drink 3 cups of water and monitor your condition. If everything is in order, then in half an hour you will have to go to the toilet. Otherwise, you should think about it, since the absence of the urge to go to the toilet indicates the presence of a disease. 3.5 liters of fluid per day for a bodybuilder is the norm.

As a rule, liquid allows you to flush out toxins from the body in a timely manner, as well as nourish muscle tissue. When an athlete feels thirsty, it must be quenched in abundance. If you drink 1 glass and the feeling of thirst disappears, then it is better to drink 2 glasses next time.

Is it possible to break the sports diet?

People who are on a diet always want to try something tasty, such as ice cream, pizza or sweet cake. There will be no problems if the athlete has a thin physique. For such athletes, once a week it is permissible to violate the proper nutrition regimen. If an athlete already struggles with his excess weight every day, then he is allowed to break the regime only once a day. In other words, out of 6 meals, one meal may be unhealthy, but the remaining 5 should consist exclusively of healthy foods. At the same time, you need to try to eat less in order to invest in your daily calorie intake.

Post-workout nutrition for bulking

Bodybuilding is a fairly popular sport among men and women and is the process of modifying the body by increasing ( hypertrophy ) muscles in general, and separate groups muscles 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 developed systems of strength training with weights, high-energy special nutrition with increased/decreased content of certain food ingredients, the use of sports dietary supplements and anabolic/pharmacological agents.

There is a distinction between amateur bodybuilding, which most people do 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 assessed. We do not consider issues of the training process; these issues are covered on specialized web resources with videos and in specialized literature.

It is generally accepted that diet for bodybuilders, along with strength training, is the basis of bodybuilding. Moreover, it is a properly selected diet when 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 nutritional goals 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.
• Diet balance in relation to intensity/tasks physical activity. The ratio of dietary energy obtained from various food ingredients (FEN) varies depending on the bodybuilder's goals.
• Creation of an appropriate metabolic background for the synthesis and action that regulates the necessary reactions, both in the body as a whole and in various tissues.
• Using nutritional factors to build muscle mass/increase strength/reduce body fat.
• 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 transformation of an athlete’s body, which will be especially useful for beginning bodybuilders who make many mistakes when forming their diet. Proper nutrition is the most important condition for creating basic background recovery period (super-recovery and fusion of myofibrils). It should be remembered that proper nutrition and Gym- this is the basis for achieving specific results and one does not work without the other.

Weight gain

Most often, increasing body weight is the first task an athlete faces. The main principle of body weight growth is the consumption of energy from food, which exceeds its consumption (ensuring a positive energy balance in the body). The simplest method for calculating the approximate amount of energy required to maintain a constant weight 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 (the athlete’s somatotype) throughout the entire cycle of strength (anaerobic) training.

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

The next important principle for muscle growth is the formation of a diet containing basic food nutrients in the following proportions: proteins - 20-30%; fats – 15-20%; carbohydrates - at the level of 50-60%. Next, knowing your caloric intake norm, you need to determine in what quantity the main nutrients should be present in your diet. nutrients , that is, create a specific diet for a bodybuilder for the day.

The required calorie content and the specific proportion of BJU content in the diet are taken and the amount of each food ingredient is calculated based on the energy value of 1 g of protein and carbohydrates (4 calories each) and 1 g of fat (9 calories). And having determined the amount of food ingredients needed to provide a given calorie content using special tables nutritional value products and the BJU content in them, we determine the number of products needed for the athlete per day.

Now about the quantitative content of BZHU 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, which performs the main plastic function. The protein requirement of bodybuilders during weight training is increased and averages 1.5-3.0 g/kg 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 deteriorates the digestibility of protein, as a result of which they are formed in increased quantities. ammonia And urea , which increase the load on the kidneys and liver. In addition, increased ammonia production has a toxic effect on brain cells, which leads to slower transmission nerve impulses and, accordingly, a pronounced decrease in reaction, and also has a detrimental effect on microbiocenosis intestines, reducing the content of /.

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

Inferiority of the amino acid composition of protein in food products leads to a disruption in the body’s processes of synthesis of its own proteins. At the same time, in the process of building 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 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 speed of its breakdown in the gastrointestinal tract and the rate of amino acid adsorption (absorption into the blood and muscle tissue).

For athletes, the optimal source of high-quality protein is milk proteins, consisting of whey protein (15%) and casein (85%). In this case, both fractions are digested and absorbed evenly, but 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 considered the most complete protein is chicken egg white, which contains all the essential amino acids in optimal proportions and is almost completely absorbed by the body. At the same time, thermal cooking of chicken protein does not lead to loss of its qualities.

Thus, the main sources of high-quality protein in a bodybuilder’s diet can be products of animal origin - lean varieties of red meat (without connective tissue formations) with meat protein digestibility of 75-87%, fish with protein digestibility of 90-95%, cottage cheese, milk, fermented 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 consumed) due to the content of many microelements and (soybeans, legumes, seeds, nuts, cereals), they are not included in the quota of the protein component in the athlete’s diet 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, will achieve the required level leucine , which allows you to start the processes of protein synthesis in the body, cannot.

Important principles of protein supply to the athlete’s body are:

• Proper consumption of the protein component throughout the day with the obligatory inclusion of protein before/after training. Even distribution of protein throughout the day is extremely important for the gradual and timely replenishment of amino acids in the body necessary for protein synthesis. In addition, consuming protein before exercise enhances the genetic mechanisms that support muscle growth compared to training in a fasted state. It is also known that anaerobic exercise itself increases the rate of protein synthesis by 90-120% compared to rest, and the use of food proteins/amino acid mixtures immediately after the end of strength training (after exercise) enhances this effect and allows you to obtain maximum benefit to restore muscle fibers.
• Including a maximum dose of protein in each meal. It has been proven that athletes who consumed 30 g of protein with each meal had a higher (20%) level of protein synthesis compared to those who consumed protein only at dinner, which increases the body's ability to build muscle mass.
• The predominance of high quality protein in the diet with 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. 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 be consumed only after heat treatment (boiled/fried), since the white of a raw chicken egg is poorly absorbed due to its constituents. ovomucoid And avidina , negatively affecting the enzyme of gastric juice. When cooked, they are destroyed and the digestibility of egg white reaches 98%

An additional source of protein are food supplements (sports nutrition) containing - concentrates, isolates or hydrolysates of whey protein, quickly absorbed in the body or long-acting protein ( casein ). Many modern supplements contain protein 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 a sufficient content of carbohydrates in the diet, without adequate content of which synthesis is reduced. adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP) and through the mechanism gluconeogenesis processes are intensifying catabolism muscle fibers.

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

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

But we need an increase in muscle mass, which is impossible without a sufficient amount of energy entering the body. Since stocks glycogen decrease sharply during training, and the muscles are micro-injured, then during the rest period the body needs to restore glycogen reserves to the original level, thereby creating more favorable conditions for the occurrence 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.

At the same time, the type of carbohydrates consumed is of particular importance. The consumption of mono/di/oligosaccharides (simple carbohydrates) causes a significant short-term increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood, which is quickly broken down completely and does not lead to saturation. Therefore, their share in an athlete’s diet should not exceed 25-30% of the total carbohydrate quota. Accordingly, the diet is limited to: sugar, confectionery, sweets, jam, preserves.

The inclusion of polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates) in the diet provides a smoother and longer-lasting increase in blood glucose, thereby promoting muscle saturation glycogen , and on the other hand, the formation of a feeling of satiety. Sources of complex carbohydrates include cereals, rye pasta, whole grain bread, brown rice, vegetables, legumes, and sour fruits.

More competent from the point of view of changes in blood glucose concentration is the separation of carbohydrate-containing products according to the “glycemic index” principle. After prolonged and intense strength training, the consumption of foods with a high and medium GI is recommended, since their consumption during the “carbohydrate window” allows accelerating the increase in muscle glycogen stores to a greater extent than carbohydrate foods with a low GI. This approach allows you to optimize the process of glycogen restoration, 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 main sources of energy for a bodybuilder during the training process, are a mandatory component of the diet for “jocks”. Their lack in food (less than 20% of the daily energy intake from fats), which is common in the diets of novice athletes, negatively affects the athlete’s hormonal background and his performance. The biological value is primarily of vegetable fats containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are not synthesized by the body, but come exclusively from food. This is first of all vegetable oils cold pressed, nuts, seeds.

Proper nutrition for “jocks” it provides for the consumption of 25-30 g/day of vegetable fats. Of the 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 is fatty types of sea and river fish (tuna, salmon, catfish, mackerel, herring).

The optimal ratio of fat intake is to consume 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 fat content in the diet during the training process, aimed at increasing strength indicators, which is achieved by working with maximum weights, during which the muscles develop the maximum possible force in a short period of time. The fat content of the diet during this training microcycle should be increased to 30-35%. At the same time, the diet must also contain saturated fats, which help accelerate the production ( male hormone), at a low concentration of which an increase in strength is impossible. In addition, when working with heavy weights, the ligamentous-articular apparatus suffers, to strengthen which it is extremely necessary to have a sufficient supply of various types of fats in the body.

When forming a diet, one should not forget about sufficient consumption 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 does not contain enough group B, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, antioxidants ( vitamins C And E , selenium, beta-carotene). Therefore, during the period of intense training, it is mandatory to take complex vitamin and mineral complexes. However, the consumption of vitamins/microelements by amateur athletes should not exceed the norm by more than 2 times.

The diet during strength training of a bodybuilder 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 is known, the concentration testosterone in a man’s body decreases at a rapid rate after 35-40 years, so a bodybuilder’s nutrition after 40 years should help maintain his concentration, since it promotes 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.

A properly organized diet helps increase testosterone levels. To this end, the diet should include foods containing zinc, which promotes the production of the hormone and also prevents its conversion into female hormone estrogen . The main sources of zinc are oysters, 100 g of which contains the daily requirement for an adult man (15-20 mg) and various seafood (shrimp, 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 requirement 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 . At the same time, it is necessary to increase the consumption of directly saturated fats of animal origin (cream, fatty 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 dietary supplements containing zinc in combination with magnesium and vitamins C And D . The daily dose of magnesium for an athlete should be 500-800 mg, and vitamin D - 25 mcg.

To prevent a surge in synthesis insulin , which triggers the process of converting testosterone into a bound form and aromatization, the proportion of carbohydrate products with high 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), which helps reduce excess estrogen. No less useful is fiber, which cleanses the large intestine of toxic elements, the accumulation of which leads to excess estrogen.

Another important condition for gaining body weight is proper diet. One of the common mistakes of beginning bodybuilders is eating 2-3 times a day, while the diet should be 5-7 times a day. Remember one of the most important rules - during an anabolic type of load you cannot 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 regimen promotes more complete absorption of nutrients and reduces the load on the gastrointestinal tract from breakfast to dinner.

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

To maintain adequate hydration and thermoregulation, it is important to pay attention to sufficient water intake, which should replenish the loss of fluids and salts lost in urine and sweat. Even with moderate dehydration, the level of testosterone production decreases and strength indicators suffer. Dehydration accelerates 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).

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

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

The next stage after gaining body weight for athletes involved in bodybuilding is the formation of body contour due to the reduction of subcutaneous fat. For beginning 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 overall weight loss, training process and nutrition are aimed at burning subcutaneous fat while maintaining the volume of lean muscle mass and muscle strength characteristics.

Drying the body should be carried out only with increased muscle mass, since if there is a lack of it, drying the body leads to exhaustion/exhaustion of the body with flabby muscles and sagging skin. An indicator of the effectiveness of burning fat is the percentage of fat in the body. As a rule, the benchmark for amateur men is 13-15% and 15-18% for women. Professional athletes reduce fat content to lower levels, but this is done only before competitions 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).

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

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

The level of reduction of the carbohydrate component is determined by the given rate of burning subcutaneous fat. 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 novice bodybuilders is to sharply limit the caloric content of their diet. This process should be carried out smoothly and gradually, since it is the gradual reduction of calorie intake that promotes predominant fat loss, and muscle mass decreases in a much smaller proportion.

The general ratio of BJU in the diet when drying the body changes and amounts to various systems nutrition 50-60% protein, 10-20% fat and 30-40% carbohydrates. When working on relief, it is especially important to gradually reduce carbohydrate consumption, bringing their content to 1.5 g per 1 kg of body weight. If during drying your body weight stops decreasing for some period, you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates in the diet should be represented by complex carbohydrates (grain bread, cereal products, rye pasta, brown rice, sour fruits, vegetables), and it is recommended to consume them in the first half of the day.

As for proteins, their quantity 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 quantities, but not less than 40 g per day (0.5 g x body weight). These are predominantly vegetable fats; solid animal fats are practically excluded.

When drying and working on relief, low-fat foods and natural products should prevail in the diet. A common mistake made by amateur athletes is to eat a diet with a complete exclusion of fats or a minimum content of carbohydrates, which is unacceptable and, moreover, dangerous to health due to the risk of developing ketoacidosis and increased stress on the kidneys due to consuming large amounts of protein. Acceleration of metabolism is carried out through fractional meals (5-7 times a day) and drinking fluid in an amount of at least 3 l/day. Helps increase metabolism hot peppers and green tea.

During drying, it is prohibited to consume harmful high-calorie foods - fast food products, canned food, mayonnaise, smoked meats, ketchup, fatty meat and fish, carbonated drinks, pickles, marinades, candies, sugar, preserves, jams, ice cream, dried fruits, honey, sweet fruits (pears). , peaches, apricots, bananas, grapes, persimmons), pastries, cakes, dough products, starchy vegetables (eggplant, potatoes, corn), alcohol-containing drinks, as they inhibit the process of burning fat.

Culinary processing of products consists of boiling, stewing, steaming, baking; frying is excluded because it increases the calorie content of the diet. It is recommended to consume greens and vegetables raw. There are other dietary 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 mistakes, the main of which are:

• Sharp restriction of calorie intake.
• Undereating/overeating.
• Elimination of fats or carbohydrates from the diet.
• Refusal 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 intake of free fluid.
• Lack of control over the rate (speed) of weight loss.
• Unregulated/unreasoned use sports nutrition.

Considering the high cost of the diet, many novice athletes try to create their budget diet for a bodybuilder to the minimum. To achieve this, some bodybuilders often try to gain weight using baby food. Many athletes on the forums are also interested in whether baby food is good for adults and whether it can 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 food nutrients and is not suitable for building muscle mass.

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

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

Authorized Products

A bodybuilder's diet includes:

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

Table of permitted products

Fully or partially limited products

The bodybuilder's 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), candies, sweet desserts, jams, condensed milk.
• Wheat bread, cakes, pancakes, puff pastry products, semolina, pastries, cookies, dumplings, waffles, pastries, 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 the week in accordance with the training stage (weight gain, drying out the body) according to the list of allowed/prohibited foods, taking into account the calorie content of the diet and the ratio of dietary fat.

The importance of proper nutrition cannot be overstated. Arm yourself scientific knowledge that will help you build muscle mass!

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

Our nutrition program is effective, progressive and easy to follow. She relies on latest research in Nutrition and is the perfect complement to our science-based training programs. This muscle building meal plan will help you get bigger without gaining too much fat.

The problem for many people who are “on weight” is the negative impact of fat deposits in the body on insulin sensitivity, which slows down the process of muscle growth. Our diet will help avoid this. It allows you to gradually increase the number of calories you consume so that your body has time to adjust to them. That is, you will not have problems with metabolism and excess fat deposits.

Let's start by creating a basic diet. 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 currently consume and gradually adjust it.

This program requires you to track your exact calories and macronutrients for the next 6 weeks. If this approach is new to you, look for information about it on the Internet and spend time learning about it.

If you don't know how many calories you consume, keep a diary or use special programs to record 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 your baseline intake. Over the next 2 weeks, monitor your body weight by measuring your chest, neck, arms, etc. Also monitor your fat levels using 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 basic diet. Monitor your weight for two weeks, measuring the amount of fat and muscle. If you've gained weight other than fat, add an extra 300 calories. If you are not gaining weight, add 500 calories.

Once your calorie intake increases, you will begin to gain fat. What to do in this case? You can choose one of 2 options.

First, stop adding calories. However, I like one method that I learned about 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 during daily activity, but after a couple of months of this practice, your body will receive the amount of calories it needs to build muscle mass.

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

Exactly what calories should you consume? Let's find out!

Squirrels

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

Why so few? Research shows that consuming 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight will result in muscle growth. In our program, we try to optimize protein intake. I believe that if you consume high quality protein, there is no need for excess protein.

Distribute protein evenly between meals. Each of them should contain at least 30g of protein. Also use various sources of it. 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 serves several important functions. First, it provides a concentrated form of energy. Some fats also affect hormone production. To maintain your body's health and growth over the next 6 weeks of intense training, you must consume adequate amounts of fat.

Once you've established your caloric baseline, calculate your fat intake so that it makes up about 30% of your diet. Further this percentage will increase. When you increase your calorie intake, for every 300 kcal you add, you should get 150 kcal from fat. There are 9 kcal in 1 g of fat, so with every 300 kcal, 15-17 g of fat should be added. When increasing the diet by 50 kcal, add approximately 5 g of fat.

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

There are 3 main types of fats: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats. Don't focus on just one, eat 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 that probably has the most confusion around it. To get the most out of the different types of calories, I divide carbohydrates into 2 groups.

1. Starchy carbohydrates

The following foods are quickly digested and high in calories:

• Regular potatoes
• 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 are lower in calories. I've 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
• Green beans
• Carrot
• Green onions
• Mushrooms
• Bulb onions
• Tomatoes
• Lentils
• Black beans
• Beans

It is very easy to correctly include these foods in your daily diet. In several general rules What I stick to when it comes to carbohydrate intake:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal.
2. Eat starchy carbohydrates for breakfast and immediately after training.
3. At meals that do not contain starchy carbohydrates, consume more fat, as well as fruits and vegetables.

The amount of protein will remain the same. 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. If you add 50 kcal, 12 g will come from carbohydrates.

Meal Plan

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

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

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

*calculated based on basic diet and body weight.

Calmly! There is no need to run to the store to buy shopping bags with groceries. If you have just decided to take care of your “body,” then you certainly shouldn’t get excited, but you should understand that the effectiveness of bodybuilding will be reflected not only in the amount of food eaten. Well, what then?

This is worth talking about in more detail. You must understand that it is important not only to talk, but also to plan. Therefore, let's talk about planned and conscious nutrition for a novice bodybuilder.

Nutrition for a bodybuilder

The first 5-6 weeks of training are especially important. During this period, you should give up confectionery and smoked products - especially sausages. Loaves and rolls washed down with Coca-Cola or individually are strictly prohibited. And even more so, you should avoid semi-finished products: pancakes, soups, cutlets in bags - this, of course, is fast, but ineffective.

For a bodybuilder, balance at this stage is as follows. Fish and seafood are number 1 in the diet and number 1 of the foods on the path to success for a “green” bodybuilder. Lean meat (sorry, but it’s better to avoid seasonings), eggs, dairy products, poultry, legumes - this is an approximate list of foods for a beginner in the first period of classes. But this is far from a definitive list. Gradually.

It is important to understand that the pursuit of the following simple formula should lead to the intended “pumped up” goal! And the formula is simple: get 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of weight every day, preferably in the first three months.

Food for a novice bodybuilder also includes cereals (except semolina), muesli - porridge with cereals, raisins, nuts and other tasty goodness. Vegetables and fruits - of course. Potatoes should not be eaten as many people like – fried. Best baked.

It is worth abstaining or minimizing the consumption of juices. Even if it says on the packaging at least ten times that it is 100% natural, it still contains a lot of sugar.

And remember - no food additives during the first three months. You can’t call it nutrition, but you really need to understand that by adhering to a clear nutritional structure, you can achieve success in the shortest possible time and without harming the body. The only possible supplements are vitamin-mineral complexes, but it is difficult to call them supplements as such; they contribute more to maintaining and strengthening the immune system.

Oh yes, I completely forgot! ! Mixed, for example, with cottage cheese, they will provide many benefits both to the body as a whole and to muscle mass. But don’t get carried away with nuts, don’t make them a key part of your diet - it can cause stomach upsets, and walnuts cause a rash or inflammation of the tonsils.