Here’s how to make your own protein bars at home, this is a great recipe for anyone trying to pack on muscle mass, and a great way to save cash too:

4 Tablespoons of Crunchy Peanut Butter
4 Tablespoons of Honey
200g Oats
50g Raisins
1 Tablespoon of Wholemeal Flour
2 Scoops of Protein Powder

Melt Peanut Butter and Honey in a saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients, press onto a non stick baking tray and bake at 190 degrees for 15 minutes. Cut up into bars.

Ingredients:
Two Whole wheat pitas rounds cut in half
2 Tbsp. Reduced fat mayonnaise
2 tsp. Reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
6 oz. Canned chicken drained
1/2 c Chopped pea pods
One Orange peeled and chopped
1/2 Red bell pepper chopped
Ginger to taste
Directions:
Blend mayonnaise with soy sauce, sesame seeds and ground ginger. In separate bowl, mix chicken, pea pods, orange and bell pepper. Combine mixtures and spoon into pita halves.

250g Quark or Low Fat Cottage Cheese
100g Crunchy Peanut Butter
Scoop of Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
Handful of Peanuts (optional for extra texture and protein)
Splash of Milk

You could even add Sultanas

Amounts can be amended for your tastes, and the macronutrient profile.
Throw it all together in a bowl and mix. Use milk to give a nice consistency in the texture. Let it set in the fridge for a little while and there you have a tasty, muscle building ‘snickers’ healthy pudding.
Who said healthy eating was boring!?

One of the most important aspects of a bodybuilding program is the diet. If you want to pack on pounds of rock hard muscle, what you consume is critical. It won’t matter how much you work out, if your diet isn’t right you won’t see the results you are looking for.
The body uses the nutrients from supplements and food that is consumed to create the perfect environment for muscle building. While there are an infinite number of options available, there are several muscle-builders that come up repeatedly on any true bodybuilders shopping list.

Egg Whites
There is a very good reason that egg whites are incorporated into the diets of successful bodybuilders. Egg whites have a protein to fat ratio of 60 to 1. Egg whites provide bodybuilders with one of the purest sources of protein on the planet. Additionally, egg whites are very low in carbohydrates and are an excellent source of various vitamins and minerals.

Turkey and Chicken
Turkey and chicken breast should also become a staple in the diet of any bodybuilder that is interested in gaining lots of muscle mass. Not only does this meat provide an excellent source of protein, but it is very low in both trans and saturated fats. Since chicken and turkey breast meat is so low in fat it should be incorporated into several meals during the day.

Fish
While it has been obvious so far that it is recommended to eat foods that are low fat, eating fish is one exception to the rule. You will want to avoid varieties that are high in trans fat and saturated fats, but the body needs essential fatty acids in order to support the muscle building process. Eating cold water fish such as trout, tuna, salmon and sardines will provide you with an excellent source of protein and healthy fats.

Legumes & Beans
Serious bodybuilders know the power that lies within legumes and beans. When most people think of bodybuilding foods, they will immediately think of different kinds of lean meats. However, they often overlook the delicious and very nutritious source of fiber and protein that is contained in beans and legumes.

Lean Red Meat
Lean red meat, including ground beef, are perfect food sources for mass building since it is rich in iron, B vitamins, protein and zinc. Red meat has a high calorie per serving ratio which makes it a good option for hard gainers that are trying to pack on some serious size.
Since red meats are rather high in saturated fats, they should not be eaten on a daily basis. It is best to incorporate them into a weekly diet that consists of fish, turkey and chicken.

Low Glycemic or Slow Burning Carbs
Serious bodybuilders know that muscle isn’t built with protein alone. In order to fuel and sustain your muscles you will need to supply your body with a source of slow burning carbs. These carbs are found in foods like sweet potatoes and oatmeal and make a great pre-workout snack.

It is good to eat slow burning carbs prior to your workout because when you exercise the muscle glycogen becomes the primary fuel source. As the body’s glycogen levels drop during training, your intensity will begin to decrease and even more importantly, the body will begin to tap into the muscles for another source of energy. This will cause the muscle to deteriorate. Slow burning carbs will provide the body with a steady source of fuel during training and should not be overlooked.

Ideally you want to be eating low GI carbs 1.5-2 hours pre workout, this gives you chance to breakdown and replenish your glycogen stores for an optimal workout. High GI carbs like sugary foods, higher GI cereals, white potatoes and bread can still be useful post work-out and they will digest faster, quickly replacing glycogen lost during an intense workout.

Water
The number one item that should be kept in a body builder’s arsenal is water. The body is made up of 70% water and the tissue cells, ligaments and muscles all contain some water as well. Even our blood is made up of a substantial amount of water. You will want to keep the body hydrated to keep the muscles look full.
Bodybuilders that are working on building a massive physique try to remain in an anabolic state as much as possible. It is recommended that bodybuilders drink a minimum of 10 litres of water each day.

Whey Protein
Now that we’ve discussed the food sources that are available at any supermarket, we will discuss an important supplement that is not commonly found in shops. One item that is a very powerful muscle builder and should not be overlooked is whey protein.
If a bodybuilder is trying to gain a lot of muscle mass it is recommended to consume around 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein for each pound of bodyweight. When you do the maths you will quickly see that you would need to consume a lot protein and it may be difficult using whole food sources. Whey protein provides serious bodybuilders with an easy way to increase their protein intake. Whey protein is very fast acting, best for pre/post workout usage or can be blended with casein(see below) for a more meal replacement type drink.

Casein Protein
Sometimes slower can be better, Casein protein is different to Whey, it has a much slower digestion rate giving you a slower drip of amino acids into your broken down muscle tissue. Ideal for use during the day as a meal replacement and before you go to sleep at night.

Conclusion
If you are training hard and your goal is to gain some serious muscle mass, you need to stay away from empty calories. By carefully choosing your supplements and foods you will be on the right path to finally achieving the physique you have always dreamed of.

Here is a nice basic diet based for new bodybuilders looking to build muscle fast. The example diet is based around a 200lb bodybuilder so slight adjustments may need to be made. If you are not gaining any weight then add some more calories and if you are gaining too quickly then take some off.

A good ratio of macronutrients, plenty of protein for muscle breakdown repair, energy for your workouts from the carbohydrates and a good amount of fat to keep out hormonal requirements fuelled with the addition of some essential fatty acids.

A nice range of vitamins and minerals from out vegetables, fruit and salads. You can always add a multivitamin to the equation to make sure this department is up to scratch.

Along with the following diet plan I would consume 4-5 litres of water daily.
Note that this is just an example, adjustments will need to be made based on your own metabolism but this is a good start to work from. Also vary your food choices.

7.00am
100g Oats made with 300ml Skimmed Milk and 50g Sultana’s, 1 Scoop of Whey Powder in Water
10.00am
Tuna Salad Sandwiches made from, 1 Tin of Tuna, 4 Slices Wholemeal, Olive Oil Spread, Salad
1.00pm
Chicken Breast with 100g Cous Cous, Mixed Veg
4.00pm
2 scoops of Whey Powder in Water, Green Banana
5.00pm
(Train for 1 hour)
6.00pm
Post Workout Shake, 2 Scoops of Whey Powder, 60g Dextrose
7.30pm
Salmon Fillet, Jacket Potato(Olive Oil Spread), Salad
10pm
1 Scoop of Whey Powder in a Pint of Skimmed Milk

One big problem I see with a lot of the bodybuilding nutrition articles I read is that many offer a simple “eat these foods” nutrition strategy leading readers to assume that one single meal plan will work for EVERYBODY!

That’s just complete NONSENSE!

You know that even on a very BASIC LEVEL, skinny “hardgainers” CANNOT follow the same calorie targets as someone with a SLOWER metabolism or they’ll just STAY SKINNY and never see the true potential for their muscle gains.

But even beyond this, your personal “BODY TYPE” can play an important role in how you should be eating as well.

Here’s what I mean…

There are basically 3 TYPES of “bodies” based upon overall structure and metabolism.

They are the “Endomorph”, “Mesomorph”, and the “Ectomorph”.

I’ll go further into these 3 general body type configurations in just a bit, but first you must understand that there ARE differences in how each person who falls into these categories should eat to reach the same goal…adding muscle mass while maintaining naturally lean levels of body fat.

Think you already know which category YOU fall into?

Maybe…but there’s a problem here…

Often times, people call themselves “skinny” ectomorphs simply because they have a “hard time” gaining muscle.
Or someone may tag themselves as having a “slow metabolism” because they step on the scale and know they need to lose 30-40 lbs.

The REALITY may be that NEITHER of these people may be correct in their assessment. Instead, they could simply be WAY off in either their TRAINING or their DIET…or BOTH!

Labels such as “hardgainer” or “big boned” can quickly become excuses for lack of knowledge or commitment to a proper exercise and nutritional program.

Below is all the info you’ll need to be able to define your body type, and then tailor your nutrition to your specific needs.

Endomorphs

Endomorphs: You gain muscle easily but have a tendency to gain fat along with it. You really have to watch what you eat in order to avoid gaining too much weight and have a hard time losing body fat.

Endomorph Characteristics:
Soft body
Flabby
Underdeveloped muscle tone
“Rounder” shape
Trouble losing weight
Generally gains muscle easily but can’t see definition due to above average body fat level
Higher than average insulin sensitivity

Endomorph Nutrition Tips:
Endomorphs typically have trouble losing weight, mostly due to a slow metabolism. Eating 4 to 6 small meals a day will help to speed it up, making it easier to lose weight even when consuming the same amount of calories.
Meals high in carbohydrates should not be eaten one right after another, since this will train the body to use carbohydrates as a primary source of fuel rather than fat.

The majority of calories consumed by endomorphs should be eaten early in the day, and late night meals should be completely avoided.

Keep the protein intake high since it’s not easily stored as fat on your body, but focus on fresh fruit and vegetables as you move into the evening and closer to bedtime. This is when your metabolism slows way down and weight is most commonly gained when meals are eaten close to bedtime.

Eating fresh fruit will help you feel “full”, but not load you up with extra calories that will be stored as fat while you sleep.
Limit your “dry carb” intake (like breads, pasta, etc.) at least 3 hours before going to bed and instead, take in some cottage cheese or yogurt with fresh fruit to provide your body with protein it can use during the night to help your muscles recover…and grow!

Also, drinking lots of water is essential for all body types…but especially for endomorphs. It will help to speed up metabolism as well as rid the body of toxins, making weight loss and muscle mass gain much easier in the long run.

Mesomorphs

Mesomorphs: You have a naturally “athletic” build and can gain muscle with little effort and without much additional body fat.

Mesomorph Characteristics:
Athletic build
Hard, muscular body
“Mature” appearance
“V-shape” appearance with wide shoulders and thinner waist
Upright posture
Gains or loses weight easily
Grows muscle quickly and can maintain with minimal effort
Naturally higher levels of testosterone and growth hormone Mesomorph Nutrition

Tips:
Mesomorphs are the ones who have it pretty easy with their diet and can easily follow a more “balanced” approach.
To maximize their gifted genetics, they should consistently eat a healthy diet, spread out between 4 to 6 meals each day, with a more balanced approach to their nutrient intake.

Although mesomorphs have it much “easier” and have a wider buffer zone for foods they can safely eat and still see results, this can often lead to OVERCONFIDENCE and result in an inefficient diet.

Many mesomorphs tend to overconsume in alcohol and fast foods while straying away from their exercise schedule because they feel they don’t need to be that diligent.

The mesomorph should instead focus on using his awesome genetics to their full potential and make the rest of us as envious as possible.

Ectomorphs

Ectomorphs: You’re the “skinny” type and have a difficult time gaining any weight at all, seemingly regardless of how much you train or eat.

Ectomorph Characteristics:
Thin
Flat chest
Delicate build
Body has “young” appearance
Has trouble gaining weight
Muscle growth takes longer
Easily loses muscle gains even when progress is shown
Dominant thyroid gland with need for high activity
Possible problems sleeping

Ectomorph Nutrition Tips:
Gaining weight is usually an issue for men with this body type because of a hypersensitive hormonal system that demands lots of energy to maintain. This need for energy taps into the body’s fat stores as well as muscle tissue for its needs so you’ll need to add a lot more calories than other body types to feed your energy requirements AND “feed the muscle”!

Because ectomorphs have such a high metabolism and less muscle, eating more protein (which is the most thermogenic of all the nutrients) can make it even harder to gain weight so a shift to a more CARBOHYDRATE-HEAVY diet will allow the body to avoid tapping into muscle and protein intake for their energy needs and jumpstart the growth of lean muscle tissue.

Gaining weight becomes much easier when you change your focus from just eating “more food” throughout the day, and instead focus on eating smaller meals that are packed full of dense calories such as nuts, natural dried fruit, low fat cottage cheese, and whey protein shakes.

Since ectomorphs have sensitive energy needs and often feel crashes throughout the day and can crave sweets for a quick pick-me-up. These smaller meals will create a constant “feed” of muscle building protein, carbs, and healthy fats to give your body the nutrition it needs to build muscle and avoid energy crashes.

A lot of “skinny guys” feel that they can eat food all day long and still not gain any weight. This can lead to an improper diet because they feel they can easily eat “junk food” without the fear of gaining fat.
But eating high calorie foods with no nutritional value will only make it harder to achieve an ideal body, so aim for foods that are rich in calories, vitamins, and nutritional value and don’t resort to fast food as the path to a “bigger body”.

Did you know that our muscles are actually made up of about 75% Water?

That’s right. Our muscles are MOSTLY comprised of just plain old H-2-0! Yet most guys limit their water intake to a few trips to the water fountain in between sets at the gym.

Did you think that all those cans of fizzy crap during the day would be all you’d need to stay hydrated? Or maybe you’re taking the “athlete’s path” and sucking down sugary sports drinks because these are “made” for you and you need the “electrolytes”?

Sorry but the absolute best nutrient you can put in your body is just plain old water…and the better the quality…the better your performance. So called “sports drinks” are LOADED with sugar because they’re actually meant to only be consumed during strenuous, duration sports when your blood sugar and glycogen levels drop.

During these times, the quick replenishing of sugar in your body provides the immediate fuel you need to power through your event…but if you’re NOT in the middle of a high-intensity activity, these types of beverages only lead to insulin spikes and fat gains. Same thing goes for fruit juices, supermarket fruit smoothies, and even a lot of the new “fitness waters”.

Drink about eight 16 oz glasses of water throughout the day (about a gallon) and you’ll increase nutrient absorption, workout performance, AND “cell volumisation” to increase the actual SIZE of your muscles.

When you decide you want to undertake a body building program, the foods you eat can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your program. Many people don’t pay enough attention to the types of food they eat. But food is very important in a body building program.

Food supplies us with calories. Calories are tiny bits of energy that your body uses to perform work. Counting calories isn’t as important as knowing what calories will be the best ones to consume for the maximum effect on your workout.

To have enough energy to perform your workout, you’ll need a lot of different nutrients. One of the most important would be carbohydrates.

Carbs

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of glucose. Glucose is a simple carb that is stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. Glycogen is the principal form of energy that is stored in muscles. When your muscles are filled with glycogen, they both look and feel full.

Glucose also provides energy for your brain and making blood in your body. Glucose can be made from protein, but that requires the breakdown of body protein from muscle. If you’re not eating enough carbohydrates, your body will start breaking down muscle tissue for glucose.

Carbohydrates should be the bulk of your daily caloric intake when you are starting a body building program. Focus on unprocessed complex carbs like sweet potatoes, potatoes, whole grain breads, oatmeal, and brown rice.

These natural complex carbs are made of long “chains” of sugar and are digested very slowly. Slow burning carbs promote consistent blood sugar levels which help to offset fatigue while promoting the release of insulin which is the body’s principal anabolic hormone.

For men, the amount of carbs that should be taken in by multiplying their body weight by three. That number will be the amount of grams that should be consumed daily. Women multiply their body weight by two to get their carb gram intake. For example, a 200 pound man should consume 600 grams of carbs per day and a 125 pound woman would eat 250 carb grams daily.

Along with carbs, you must consume enough fiber in your diet. Eating fiber makes muscle tissue more responsive to anabolism by improving sugar and amino acid uptake, and aiding in muscle glycogen formation and growth. Beans and oatmeal are two excellent sources of fiber.

Divide your carb meals into six servings throughout the day. This divide and conquer approach stimulates a steady release of insulin to create an anabolic, or muscle building, state. If you eat too many carbs in one sitting, the net effect is that fat-storing enzymes kick into high hear and you lose than lean and hard look.

Eat some simple carbs after your workout and eat more of them. Honey, sugar and refined foods such as white bread and white rice – typical simple carbs – are digested quickly and easily. The resulting insulin spike is a double edged sword, however. After training, it can prevent muscle catabolism while promoting anabolism. If you have not been working out, the intake of simple carbs can stimulate fat storage.

A high carb intake at your post training meal will have less chance of being stored as fat, as carbs must replenish depleted glycogen levels before they gain the ability to stimulate fat storage. Eat about 25% of your daily carbs at this meal.

Breakfast is definitely the most important meal of the day, and besides your post-workout meal, it is also the best time to load up on carbs. Blood sugar and muscle glycogen levels are low from your overnight fast. Your body must replenish these levels before stimulating the fat storing machinery in the body.

As your day wears on, your carb intake should decrease. Your energy requirements will also decrease at this time, so your body won’t need as much. If you eat carbs late in the day, your body will store them as fat and increase weight gain instead of muscle mass.

If you are needing to lose some fat along with building your muscles, you will want to rotate your carb intake. Bodybuilders who rotate their carb intake tend to lose more fat than bodybuilders who maintain a steady flow of carbs while dieting.

For example, instead of eating 600g of carbs every day (the typical daily total for a 200 pound bodybuilder), try varying the volume of intake. Eat 50% fewer carbs (300g) for two days, then the standard 600g for the next two days, then 50% more (900g) for the next two days.

The total carb intake is the same, but this schedule works because it lowers muscle glycogen in the first stage (promoting fat loss), and then increases insulin levels (ensuring no loss of muscle) on the final two days. Carb rotation gives you the best of both worlds: decreased fat with no loss of muscle.

Protein

Another important nutrient every body builder needs is plenty of protein. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Glucose molecules make up carbohydrates just like amino acids make up proteins.

Protein is involved in growing, repairing, and replacing tissues. That is made possible because proteins are the basis for body structures.

For body builders, nitrogen balance is an important concept to keep in mind when talking about proteins. Nitrogen balance is the difference between the amount of nitrogen taken in and the amount excreted or lost. If you lose more nitrogen than you consume, your body will break down muscle tissue to get it. On the other hand, if you consume more than you lose, you will be in an anabolic, or muscle building, state.

Protein intake exceeds output, and protein is retained in tissue as new muscle is added. Obviously, this is something that you want. Watch out, if your protein output exceeds intake you would have a negative nitrogen balance. This is not good because the opposite is now happening.

Your body is degrading muscle and other body proteins. You usually see this in people who are starving, burned, injured, or have a fever. This puts your body in what is called a catabolic state.

An anabolic state is when your body has a positive nitrogen balance. The term catabolic refers to the state of the body in which body compounds are broken down for energy purposes. In body building contexts, catabolic means muscle loss. Ultimately, your body won’t grow when it is in a catabolic state.

The general rule is to consume daily the same amount of grams in protein as your body weight. A 200 pound body builder, therefore, would need to eat 200 grams of protein every day to put the body in an anabolic state. When calculating the amount of protein you are eating, concentrate on the complete sources of protein like meat, fish, and eggs. While there are proteins in other foods, you need to focus on the complete sources rather than those that are incomplete.

If you are dieting while body building, your protein intake should increase to 1 ½ times your bodyweight. Many diets have you cutting back on fat and carbohydrate intake. This forces the body to burn more protein for fuel which can put your muscle tissue at risk. To compensate, you’ll need to eat more protein to counteract this effect.

Here’s a quick guide to the protein content of some foods:
Protein-containing foods
5 oz. steak, cooked
5 oz. roasted chicken
5 oz. tuna
1 egg
1 c. milk
2 T. peanut butter
2 slices of cheese
2 slices of whole wheat bread
1 c. cooked broccoli
1 c. beans (legumes) Protein (in grams)
35
43
43
6
8
9
14
5
5

Some people don’t feel that loading up on protein is a good idea for anyone, but if you want to get ripped with your body building program, you’ll need the amino acids in protein to work in your body. Be aware of the amount of protein you are eating and make them work for you instead of against you.

Fats

Yes, even when you are building the perfect body, you’ll still need some fats in your diet. Fats are the main source of energy in the body. Fat combines with glucose for energy in order to spare the breakdown of protein. That way, protein can do what it is supposed to do – build muscle.

The key to fat intake is to stay away from bad fats and only eat the good fat. Saturated fat is bad. These are the fats that contribute to heart disease and high cholesterol. Because of the chemical composition of saturated fat, your body cannot break it down very well.

Saturated fats are commonly found in animal products such as meat, seafood, whole milk dairy products like milk and cheese, as well as egg yolks. Saturated fats elevate blood cholesterol by increasing both the good HDL and the bad LDL. Elevated levels of LDL can clog arteries and cause heart disease. They are also more readily stored as body fat, so they should be limited.

Trans fats should also be avoided. This type of fat is often used in commercially processed food because they are preserved longer. Trans fats cause an over activity in the immune system and are linked to stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. You should truly strive to eliminate all trans fats from your diet.

Unsaturated fats are easier for your body to break down. Some of them can act as antioxidants that can actually help in losing stored fatty tissue in the body. These fats are found naturally in foods like nuts and avocados. These fats have a great effect on the cardio system as they work to lower the bad LDL cholesterol in the body.

The easiest way to tell the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats is to look at them. At room temperature, saturated fats are hard and solid. Unsaturated fats are in liquid form as in oils.

So basically, you should stay away from fats like animal lard and use oils such as olive oil or canola oil. Pay close attention to the fat content of any processed foods you are eating and keep it to a minimum or else your body will store that fat as, well, fat.

Probably the best type of fat to have in your diet would be Omega 3 Fatty Acids. These fats are most often found in fish and can have some significant health advantages. They can reduce inflammation, help prevent cancer growth, and improve brain function.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids can actually help combat conditions such as depression, fatigue, joint pain, and even Type 2 diabetes. Because they reduce inflammation in the body, they are good for the body builder because they help promote muscle recovery which can be important in the body building process.

Fats are actually an important part of any diet. They play an important role in protecting the body’s vital organs. Fats keep the body insulated, maintain healthy hair and skin as well as providing a sense of fullness after meals.

Obtaining sufficient fat in its healthy form is one of the keys to good health and well being and a great body! However, you must be careful not to overdo on the fats, so consider the following suggestions for keeping your fat intake at a healthy level:

Snack on peanuts instead of chips or candy. About a ½ cup is a good amount.
Use olive oil in salad dressings and when cooking
When baking, instead of topping with chocolate or candies, consider using nuts and seeds instead
Try making sandwiches with avocado and tuna instead of higher fat lunchmeats
Eat fish at least three times a week to increase your Omega 3 intake
Limit or even eliminate fast food as well as sources of trans fats like commercially processed cookies and cakes

When you start on a body building program, you will want to pay close attention to the foods you are feeding your body. That includes alcohol as well. Many people like a drink or two or even three to help them unwind and relax. But when you are a body builder, alcohol can have a detrimental effect on your progress.

Alcohol contains nothing but empty calories. It has no nutritional value but it does contain high caloric content. In fact, just one shot of vodka contains 100 calories! Not only will drinking increase your caloric intake, it slows down your metabolism hindering your body’s ability to process foods.

Alcohol consumption also hurts muscle growth. Not only will having a hangover lower your workout intensity, but drinking actually lowers protein synthesis by twenty percent. There are several reasons why it does this.

For one, it dehydrates your muscle cells. As many know, hydrated and even over hydrated muscles allows for a much higher anabolic environment. Because your cells aren’t holding as much water, it becomes much harder to build muscle.

The second reason why alcohol can severely hurt muscle growth is because it blocks the absorption of many important nutrients that are key to muscle contraction, relaxation and growth including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and potassium.

Not only that, but alcohol lowers the amount of testosterone in your body and actually increases estrogen. Having higher levels of testosterone can help with your workouts by making you more aggressive, so when those levels are down, you will not be as intense in your lifting and weight training.

Probably one of the best things you can do to help your body building workout progress the way you want it to is to drink plenty of water. Water is good for you anyway, but for body builders, it can be especially important. Water is part of every single metabolic process that the body undertakes.

Most experts recommend everyone drink six to eight glasses of water daily to stay healthy. For body builders, you’ll need much more. Soda, coffee, and tea don’t count either. The caffeine can increase fluid loss, so you’re not getting the hydration you need. Body builders need at least a half gallon to a gallon per day depending on the intensity of your workouts.

Water flushes out toxins and other metabolic waste products from the body. Water is especially important when following a “high protein” diet, as it helps remove excess nitrogen, urea (a toxic substance), and ketones. If you’re eating big to gain weight, then you need even more water to help your kidneys do their work.

Without enough water, the kidneys can’t function properly. When this happens, some of the load is transferred to the liver. The liver metabolizes stored fat for energy. If the liver is doing some of the kidneys’ work, it burns less fat. In addition, water can actually reduce feelings of hunger.

Contrary to popular belief, drinking water can actually help you shed excess water weight. When water is in short supply, the body, thinking there’s a shortage, begins hoarding it. This water is stored in extra cellular spaces. In other words, your skin starts looking soft and puffy.

If you’re going to be using supplements in your body building program, and you should, water can help them work. Supplements like creatine work in part because it pulls water in muscle cells, creating an anabolic environment needed for muscle growth.

For this to work properly, you need plenty of water. Plus, if you’re training hard, then you need a basic mega-vitamin. Many vitamins are water soluble, and water unlocks the power of those vitamins.

A good diet is essential to an effective body building program. You can workout with the intensity of a professional, but if your diet stinks, you won’t be doing yourself any good. Consider the following general tips for your nutritional needs.

Drink skim milk or soy milk
Cut sugar from your diet. Use artificial sweeteners instead.
No regular soda! Diet is better for you anyway and doesn’t contain sugar
Pizza and hamburgers are a big no-no. Not only are they high in bad fat content, they are highly caloric and can cause you to overeat
Eat lots of fish to increase your levels of Omega 3 fatty acids
Chicken breasts are good for you as well
Allow yourself one cheat day a week where you can indulge in something you’ve been craving. Just don’t overdo it on your cheat days or you can undo all you’ve accomplished.
Limit the amount of fruit you eat. While fruit is healthy, it can have a detrimental effect on your workout.
Protein and complex carbohydrates are very important
Instead of eating three large meals a day, eat six smaller ones
Don’t skip meals
Vegetables are always a good choice at mealtime
When eating out, choose foods wisely.
Avoid most fast food restaurants or opt for healthy choices – remember no burgers!

The body is very adaptable to change. At first, you may have problems getting used to your new diet. But once you get used to eating right, you’ll find yourself not even craving the foods you used to eat.

In case you’re a little confused over what and how to eat, consider the following sample meal plans.

EXAMPLE MEALS

Choosing the right way to eat to build muscle can be a little overwhelming. But once you start eating the way you need to, it will become second nature to you. Following is a list of good foods for you to eat in each of the categories you need to concentrate on:

Proteins

White meat chicken or turkey
Canned tuna
Canned salmon
Fresh Fish
Shellfish
Eggs
Tofu
Soy
Red meat like steak or roast

Complex Carbohydrates

Oatmeal
Potatoes
Yams, Sweet potatoes, Acorn squash
Rice
Legumes
Corn

Vegetables

All water based types.
Lettuce, Cabbage, Spinach
Asparagus
Bok Choy, Leeks
Tomatoes
Celery
Onions
Green Beans
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Radish
Zucchini Squash
Mushrooms
Carrots
Peas

Fruit

1 Apple
1 Orange
1/2 Grapefruit
3 Small Apricots
1 Banana
1/4 Melon
1-Cup Berries, Grapes
1 mango, small papaya

Dairy

1 yogurt
1-Cup low fat cottage cheese
1-Cup non-fat milk (I use vanilla soy milk instead!)
1/2 Cup non or low fat cheese

Wheat Products

2 slices whole wheat bread
1 bagel
2-Cups pasta
Whole wheat tortillas

Snack Foods

Rice cakes
Non-wheat cereals
Plain popcorn
Raw Vegetables
Nuts
Dried Fruit

A good diet is well-rounded and contains some of each of the food groups. You should also include a supplement in your diet which we will get to in a later section. As we’ve said, you should be eating 5 or 6 smaller meals every day instead of three large ones. Space your meals about 2 to 2 ½ hours apart. Try out a few of these meal plans to start out with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meal 1

Vegetable omelet (3 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 1 cup veggies) You can also add some chicken or lean beef if you want.

Meal 2

One cup yogurt or a protein shake

Meal 3

6 oz Chicken
Small raw vegetable salad
1 bagel

Meal 4

1 piece fruit
3-4 oz Chicken

Meal 5

6 oz fish
1 – Cup grilled veggies
1 – Cup brown rice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meal 1

3 packs instant oatmeal
1 banana
1 cup of yogurt
1 cup of cottage cheese

Meal 2

Protein shake
1 large baked potato

Meal 3

8 ounces chicken breast
2 cups pasta
1 apple
1 cup yogurt

Meal 4

1 can of tuna
1 – 2 cups broccoli

Meal 5

Protein shake
1 cup brown rice

Meal 6

8 ounces broiled fish
1 cup veggies
2 cups rice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meal 1

Breakfast baguette (3 egg whites, 1 whole egg scrambled, 1 cup onion/green pepper mix, salsa)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup berries

Meal 2

Protein shake
1 cup raw veggies

Meal 3

Salmon burger on whole wheat bun (canned salmon, 1 egg white, onions cooked in a non-stick fry pan)
1 large potato cut into strips, brushed with olive oil, and baked in oven until crispy
1 garden salad drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar

Meal 4

Protein shake
1 cup yogurt

Meal 5

8 ounces chicken breast, cut into chunks, fried in olive oil and seasoned with oregano, garlic salt, and basil
1 cup cooked tomatoes
2 cups pasta
1 cup broccoli/cauliflower mix

Meal 6

Protein shake
1 cup melon
1 cup yogurt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Of course, these are only suggested meal plans. There’s many different lean recipes to choose from so you can mix it up as you want to. It’s a good idea to plan ahead and pre-cook your meals. Keep vegetables cut up in the refrigerator so you don’t have to work too hard at meal time.

There’s really no need to measure carefully for the portions suggested. This isn’t an exact science! Eyeball your portions and consider the following chart:

Portion Size

1 oz. meat Matchbox
3 oz. meat Deck of cards
8 oz. meat Thin paperback book
3 oz. fish Checkbook
1 oz. cheese Four dice
1 med. potato Computer mouse
2 tbsp. peanut butter Ping pong ball
1 cup pasta Tennis ball
1 bagel Hockey puck

You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to cook nutritional meals that can complement your strength training/body building program. Cooking can be a great way to gain control of your eating and pick what you put into your foods like salt and fat. Meals can be as simple or as complicated as you like. Here are a few recipes to get you started.

Cereal Casserole

Your favorite cereal
Skim milk
Honey
1 cup yogurt

Fill half the bowl with cereal. Add milk until it reaches the top of the cereal. Add yogurt. Top with more cereal. Add more milk. Drizzle with honey.

Protein Pancakes

1 cup of Oatmeal
11 egg whites
1 whole egg
1 packet of sugar free Jello any flavor

Stir all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Drizzle onto hot non-stick fry pan.

Tuna or Salmon Patties

1 can tuna or salmon
1 onion
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of parsley
1 whole egg
3 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed

Mix potatoes, tuna, onions, salt, pepper and parsley. Shape into patties. Fry in olive oil until brown and heated on both sides.

Spicy Chicken Ole

8 ounces chicken breast cut into chunks
1 can diced tomatoes or 2 medium fresh tomatoes diced
1 can spicy chili hot beans
1 medium onion chopped

Sauté chicken breast and onions in some olive oil in a frying pan. Stir in tomatoes and chili beans. Cook uncovered for ten minutes. Sprinkle with low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese.

Lightning Fast Fajitas

1 lb. flank steak cut in strips or small pieces
1 large green pepper, cut in strips
1 red pepper, cut in strips
1 medium yellow onion, cut in strips
3 cloves pressed garlic
1 tsp chili powder
Lemon juice
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Sauté garlic in a bit of lemon juice for 1 minute in large wok or skillet. Add beef and chili powder and cook until beef is cooked near to the temperature you desire. Add peppers and onions and cook until vegetables are mostly soft, raising the heat for a short time if you like the vegetables slightly charred. Spoon into whole wheat tortillas. Top with salsa or fat-free sour cream if desired.

Chicken Cacciatore

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 28 oz can crushed tomato
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
3 pressed garlic cloves
¼ tsp. thyme
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. oregano
1 tbsp. parsley
Dash of pepper
Cooking spray

Spray pan with cooking spray and heat. Brown chicken and set aside. Add chopped onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook until the onion is tender; about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook over low for 15 minutes; stirring occasionally. Add browned chicken, cover and cook on low for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes. Serve. Top on whole wheat pasta or brown rice if desired.

Pan Broiled Fish

1 lb. Fish filets
One 14 oz. Can diced tomatoes w/ basil, garlic & oregano

Arrange fish filets in a single layer in skillet. Cover with tomatoes and liquid. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-20 minutes, or until the fish easily flakes with a fork. Serve plain or over brown rice.

Broiled Fish Dijon

6 fish filets
1 ½ lbs small zucchini, cut lengthwise into halves
½ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp. low-calorie Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp. drained capers
Paprika to taste

Rinse fish and pat dry. In a separate bowl, stir together mustard and garlic. Arrange fish and zucchini in a single layer in a large pan. Drizzle with lemon juice. Broil on top rack for 5 minutes. Turn fish over, spread with mustard/garlic mixture. Continue to broil for 5 minutes or until zucchini is lightly browned and fish is cooked. Sprinkle with paprika and capers. Serve. 6 servings

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1 chopped onion
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and dried
1 egg lightly beaten
8 oz. low fat ricotta cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, slice in half and flattened

Combine the onion, spinach, egg, and cheese mixture in a bowl. Put a dollop of the mixture into each chicken breast. Tie the chicken breasts together with butchers twine, or put toothpicks through them. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Optional: Garnish with lemon slices.

Ground Turkey Breast Sauce

1 lb. ground turkey or beef
1 chopped onion
1 cup chopped portabella mushrooms
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Brown the meat with the red pepper flakes. Add the chopped onion and mushrooms. Put the all spice, salt and pepper in. Pour the spaghetti sauce in. Serve over your favorite type of noodle.

Lemon Pepper Tuna

1 can tuna
Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Spray a fry pan with no calorie non-stick cooking spray. Add tuna and sprinkle with seasoning. Cook tuna to desired doneness. Eat plain or on a bed of pasta. This is also good cold.

Worcestershire Tuna

1 can tuna
Worcestershire Sauce
No-Fat or Low-Fat Cheese (optional)

Spray a fry pan with no calorie non-stick cooking spray. Add tuna with an amount of Worcestershire Sauce that you like. Cook to desired texture. Add cheese if you like and let it melt after turning the burner off. You can eat this on some whole-wheat bread, plain, or over some brown rice.

Chicken, Rice & Beans

Cooked Shredded Chicken Breast
½ – 1 cup cooked brown rice
¼ can red beans
2 tbsp. barbeque sauce

In large bowl or Tupperware, combine rice, beans, and chicken. Add barbeque sauce and stir together until well-coated.

Egg Salad Sandwich

3-4 boiled egg whites (may keep 1-2 yolks)
2 tbsp. low fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
Ground black pepper
2 slices 100% whole wheat bread
Shredded lettuce or spinach leaves
½ can tuna (optional for more protein, or just use more egg whites.

Chop egg whites and add to medium bowl. Add mayo, mustard, black pepper, and tuna. Mix well and spread over bread. Top with lettuce or spinach leaves and second slice of bread.

Tuna Casserole

3-4 cups cooked pasta
1-2 cans tuna (drained)
½ cup low fat cottage cheese (drained)
¼ cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. low fat mayo
Ground black pepper
½ cup canned peas (rinsed & drained)

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until well-mixed. Microwave for approximately 1 minute when ready to serve.

Fiery Chicken Deluxe

8 oz chicken breast
Tabasco sauce (or other favorite hot sauce)
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp crushed, dried jalapeno peppers
2 pinch of salt
1 tbsp Cajun rub/spices
1 ½ cups of frozen green beans
5 oz red potatoes

Combine the hot sauce, cayenne pepper, salt with chicken in a container and really roll the chicken breast around in the mix, then let it sit in the refrigerator for 3 – 10 hours (the longer, the juicier it will be)

This works best with a Foreman-style grill. Pre-heat, then slap the chicken on and cook for 7 ½ minutes

While the chicken is cooking, stab the red potatoes and cook in the microwave for 4 ½ minutes or until soft in the middle

Take the potatoes out, and put the green beans in for 2 – 3 minutes

Smash the potatoes and sprinkle on a pinch of salt and the crushed jalapeno peppers

Sprinkle the other pinch of salt on the green beans

Grilled Chicken Asparagus Rolls

1 chicken breast
2 asparagus sticks
2 slices of low fat turkey bacon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Once the chicken breast is washed trim the fat from it. Cut chicken into two to four thin slices, depending on how thick you would like your roll to be. Put chicken slices in the container; add the salt and pepper, mustard and honey. Let it marinate for 25 minutes.

Give the asparagus a quick wash. Snap off tough ends of asparagus and remove scales with vegetable peeler. Place one slice of turkey bacon on each slice of chicken breast. Place one asparagus stick on the top and start rolling it.

Once the roll is ready, use a couple of wooden picks to secure the turkey bacon – ensure the picks are placed in such a way the chicken meat maintains its shape around the roll. You can grill rolls than for seven minutes on the electric grill at 375 degrees, or bake them for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Three Minute Scallops

¼ cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. Dried parsley
Juice of ½ lemon
1 lb. Fresh bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry.

Heat wine in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add parsley and lemon juice. Cover and cook 1 minute. Add scallops and cook 1 minute or until scallops turn from translucent to opaque.

Makes 2-3 servings

Garlic Roasted Vegetables

6 carrots, peeled and quartered
6 parsnips, peeled and quartered
6 shallots, peeled and halved
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into 6-8 wedges
1 large garlic bulb, broken into cloves and peeled
1 tbsp. dried rosemary, or 3 tbsp. fresh, chopped
1 tbsp. dried thyme, or 3 tbsp. fresh
4 tbsp. olive oil

In the Oven: Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine all the vegetables in roasting pan, drizzle with oil and stir to coat. Roast for about 1 hour 20 minutes or until tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

On the Grill: Turn barbeque to medium. Combine all the vegetables into a tinfoil bag, drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat. Roast for about 30 minutes or until tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Great with meat, chicken and fish.

Chicken Salad Roll-ups

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cooked
2 tbsp. sunflower seeds
2 tbsp. dried fruit bits
1/8 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup nonfat yogurt
Fresh Leaf Lettuce

Dice chicken, and place in mixing bowl. Combine with sunflower seeds, fruit bits, celery, and yogurt. Spread a little chicken mixture on lettuce leaf and roll up tightly. Repeat until mixture is used up.

Serve immediately, or wrap roll-ups in plastic wrap for later use.

Makes two servings

Fish in Foil

½ lb. halibut, cut in two pieces
1 tomato, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
4 small zucchini, julienne
1 carrot, julienne
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. each fresh dill and parsley
Dash of freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut two 12 in. square pieces of foil. Place a piece of fish on each square of foil. Top each piece of fish with tomato, green onion, zucchini, and carrot.

Sprinkle each with wine, herbs, and pepper. Fold foil edges together, sealing with a pleat.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Makes two servings

Muscle Building Shake

1 cup ice cubes
¾ cup egg whites
¾ cup vanilla soy milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
½ banana
½ cup cranberry juice

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Drink.

Workout Energy Salad

1 cup lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/3 tomato, sliced
¾ cup sprouts
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
1/3 avocado, cubed
1 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
Dash each of thyme, parsley, basil

In a medium-sized salad bowl, combine lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, avocado, and sunflower seeds.

In a screw-top jar, mix olive oil with lemon juice and herbs. Shake vigorously, and pour over salad.

Muscle Density Broccoli Salad

½ pound cooked steak, cut in strips
1 cup broccoli, cooked and chopped
1 cup green beans, cooked and cut
1 stalk celery, sliced
½ cup mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
½ tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup nonfat yogurt
½ tsp mustard
¼ tsp ground pepper
½ head of lettuce
½ tomato, sliced
Fresh parsley

In large salad bowl, combine steak, broccoli, green beans, celery, mushrooms, and onion.

In a screw-top jar, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt, mustard, and pepper, and shake until thoroughly mixed for the salad dressing.

Arrange salad on a bed of lettuce leaves. Garnish with tomato slices and parsley

Protein Smoothie

1 cup fat free milk
1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
¼ cup frozen cherries
½ cup Egg Beaters
1 Banana

Toss all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrition is very important when you are trying to build up muscle mass. You don’t necessarily have to be dieting, but you do have to be conscious about what you are putting into your body so that you can maximize your workouts.

For more great recipe ideas, check out this great site I found – Potato Patch Recipes.

There are a few bodybuilders who can accommodate extreme changes in a short amount of time and start on their bodybuilding diet immediately. Most people, however, will take some time to incorporate the recommended bodybuilding diet into their lives and introduce it in small steps over a period of time. It is recommended that changes in the diet of bodybuilders should be done in several small steps so that the results are better and they can reach the bigger goal in a healthy way.

New aims every two weeks:

Bodybuilders should make the changes in their accustomed diet slowly, in small steps, to ensure their success. Every step will be building on how successful the previous step was, so it is important that the steps are not taken in a rush. In order to get the perfect body they are aiming for, the bodybuilders will have to have a lot of commitment and perseverance with regard to the task at hand.

The bodybuilding diet is supposed to trigger a consistent loss of fat with simultaneous muscle gain if it has varying aims every two weeks, and the initial two weeks should be used for cutting down the fat intake. This may include boiling and steaming food which would’ve been fried, replacing high-fat food with low-fat alternatives.

Sugar and Water Consumption:

The next two weeks of the bodybuilding diet plan changes, you will have to reduce the intake of refined sugars. Thus, you will have to drink diet sodas instead of the regular sodas, cut out other sweet food and also table sugar.

Weeks five and six of the bodybuilding nutrition will involve the bodybuilder increasing the amount of water he drinks and making water the main drink of his diet over fruit juices, sodas, etc.

The bodybuilder should try to drink about eight ounces of water with every meal and have at least sixteen ounces of water during his bodybuilding workouts.

Caloric Intake:

During the weeks seven and eight, the bodybuilder has to keep an eye on and limit the amount of calories he consumes. Due to the alteration in the diet plan he is used to and the usual human cravings, this time will be the most difficult part of the bodybuilding diet plan.

This is the time when the most amazing results appear and an individual’s lean body mass has to be multiplied by a factor of twelve to get the base caloric intake on a daily basis. This quantity has to be divided by five or six for male bodybuilders, and by four or five for females to get the amount of calories that has to be consumed with every meal.
The bodybuilder will come closer to the perfect diet in the weeks nine and ten.