Since most people are interested in saving money, this article will reveal the 10 most inexpensive sources of whole protein to consume while trying to build muscle.

Tuna contains 40 grams of protein per can.  Look for tunafish that has been packed in brine or spring water.  There is no need to worry about mercury; eating one can of tuna daily is safe.  There is more cause for concern with the mercury in vaccines or dental fillings.

Eating whole eggs are an excellent source of protein when strength training. Some people say that you shouldn’t eat yolks because they are high in cholesterol. Personally I think you would be better off lowering your body fat than tossing the yolk if you are worried about high cholesterol. The body’s cholestrol is not bound to it’s blood cholestrol. The yolk contains half the eggs protein along with the vitamins A, D, and E.

A scoop of whey protein contains 24 – 30 grams of protein per serving. You can buy a bag of whey for around $85 (£55) which will last you about ten weeks at two scoops per day.  This is a very economical way to increase your protein consumption while strength training, but you should strive to vary your protein sources.

Ground beef or mince contains approx. 25 grams of protein per 100 gram serving.  Purchase ground beef that is at least 80% lean.  If the lean beef is too expensive you can buy the regular ground beef and rinse the fat from the meat.  It is possible to reduce the content of fat by nearly 50%.

Milk provides 30 grams of protein per liter and can help a skinny guy put on weight quickly.  If you are worried about the fat content, either drink fat free milk or avoid it completely.

Chicken breast will provide you with 25 grams of protein in each 100 gram serving.  Cooking the meat on a George Foreman Grill or something similar will give the best results.  If you have frozen the meat, be sure to eat it within 2 months of placing in the freezer for the best taste.

Cottage cheese provides 12 grams of protein in each 100 gram serving.  Many Europeans will eat Quark cheese since it is cheaper to buy than cottage cheese.

Ground turkey provides the same amount of protein as the chicken breast.  The more expensive versions are made from 100% turkey breast while the cheaper ones will contain some skin and a higher fat content.  If you purchase the cheaper cut, rinse it as recommended for the ground beef.

Canned mackerel is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.  It contains much less mercury than tuna fish.  Many people think it is much tastier than tuna fish.

Calves liver contains 20 grams of protein in each serving.  It is packed with nutrients and is low in fat.  Liver is safe to consume, contrary to what you may have heard.

To further cut the cost of buying protein rich foods while strength training or trying to build muscle, buy generic.  Buying food in bulk will usually reflect a discounted price.  Eating enough protein is important to reaching your fitness goals, so you should do all you can to buy the food you need.

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Besides having a physiological effect on your body, EFAs can also make a difference in how hard you can train, how well you recover, how easily you are injured, and how quickly you build up muscle and lose fat, though the effective doses for these effects are often a lot higher than the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for these nutrients.

You need to have a certain amount of fat in your diet in order to stay healthy. Without fat in your diet you can’t absorb, transport, or store the vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are fat soluble. These vitamins are important because they are necessary in order for the body to be able to make certain parts of cells and certain hormones.

While it is important to get a little bit of each of the different types of fat in your diet, there is one type of fat that is essential to your survival. The body cannot make essential fatty acids (EFAs) on its own. These fatty acids include two different types, linoleic acids (also known as omega 6 fatty acids) such as GLA and alpha-linolenic acids (also known as omega 3 fatty acids) such as EPA and DHA. All other types of fatty acids can be made by the body from carbohydrates, fats, and protein, but the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids have a double bond that the human body cannot create since it is too far from the delta end of the carbon chain.

These essential fatty acids are important because they determine how cell membranes are composed and can affect inflammation in the body. Because Omega 3 fatty acids (which are found in fish oil and flax seed oil) can minimize inflammation, it is thought that they will improve the health of people suffering from inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, autoimmune disorders, cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, and other conditions associated with aging. Other conditions in which these fatty acids are thought to be helpful include heart disease and depression.

Omega 3 fatty acids are also thought to be able to minimise the breakdown of muscle. This is helpful for those who are trying to add more muscle, as well as those who are looking to improve their exercise performance. Fish oils are thought to have some anti-catabolic properties, which is another way that exercise performance can be improved. Lactic acid is one of the end products of catabolic processes that causes pain during and after exercise, and by minimising the production of these end products it is likely people will be able to do better at reaching their exercise goals.

The essential fatty acids found in fish oil are thought to be able to increase fat loss and cause fat to be used more often as the main energy source, as well as making you more sensitive to insulin. This means that there might be benefits from taking fish oil for those who want to lose fat and weight in general.

Some of the essential fatty acids, including DHA, EPA and LNA have been shown to increase the breakdown of fat that is stored in the body as well as making it less likely that the body will store less additional fat. This is where the real weight loss benefits come in.

Another fatty acid that is important to your health is gamma linolenic acid (GLA). This fatty acid can help to suppress inflammation, both the acute and chronic types, and also lessens the body’s response to stress and anxiety. It works together with some of the essential fatty acids in order to do this.

The body uses GLA to make Prostaglandins, which are like hormones that regulate the immune system, the menstrual cycle, and circulation. They help to keep hormones balanced and keep cell growth at an optimum level.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is another fatty acid which is very beneficial. You can find this fatty acid in dairy products that have been through heat treatment and in meat. It is thought that this substance might be an anti carcinogen, as well as having strong antioxidant activity and being able to keep inflammation down.

For those concerned with body composition, CLA seems to be able to help change body composition so that people have more lean muscle mass and less body fat. It does this through making it harder for fat cells to add fat from the bloodstream and keeping new fat cells from forming. It also makes it so that cells can burn fat faster while still keeping muscle intact. The actions of CLA make it so that not only is fat loss increased, the formation of new fat is decreased. This means that it makes it easier to lose weight and keep it off.

In conclusion, essential fatty acids and some of the other types of fatty acids can make a big difference to you health, as well as your body composition and training. Although it is always best to get as much of your essential nutrients through your food as possible, it might be wise to take supplements containing the essential fatty acids in order to increase your levels of these nutrients.

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Do not ever think yourself alone if you are one of those who would love to gain some muscle weight. When you publicly disclose your previously held secret desire to gain weight, you may possibly get dirty and mocking looks from your friends. It is very important to always remember a few things before you start. Building muscle will require a continuous program that comprises both bodybuilding workout program through weight lifting and solid bodybuilding nutrition. Firstly, decide on how much weight you would want to gain. Also set a deadline by which you want to complete your goal of weight gain. Traditionally held usual knowledge suggests a gain of a maximum of one or 2 pounds each week. You will have to be very careful as regards to following a professional regime if you wish to go in excess of this. Also you may need appropriate medical supervision and guidance.

Bodybuilding nutrition does not have to be a chore as many continue to believe about. There is no question of going hungry at all. A diet plan for bodybuilding is very healthy. It is a complete nutrition solution that can be slipped into your lifestyle because it has all the major food groups. All essential foodstuffs are required and include in a practical and sensible nutrition plan for both health and muscle growth.

As a result, a bodybuilding diet plan has to have a higher content of both protein and healthy fats than most other diets. This diet is also higher in energy potent carbohydrates. It also uses a large variety of different types of foods which may not be consumed by most people in their normal daily eating habits. Most junk food and unhealthy treats like fried food, candy filled with simple sugars, alcohol and white flour products  are also not a  part of these diets. You must definitely reduce eating these unhealthy treats if you want to follow a healthy lifestyle.

Always keep in mind that your goal is to build lean muscle and not fat. So, instead try to combine a strength training program with more calories and more protein. This translates into your staying away from a fast food restaurant everyday if you expect to gain healthy weight. If you do this, then you will only end up with pounds of unhealthy fat instead of muscles. This is simply futile.

In order to get ample quantities of protein in your daily diet, protein shakes are great supplements to use. This is mainly because of their convenience.  Nevertheless, you should not totally depend on these products to help you to gain muscle weight. Don’t forget that you need a well rounded balanced diet comprising carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. To ensure that you are getting all the required bodybuilding nutrition, you need to get most of your calories from whole foods. Protein powders should not be your only food source, though they can help fill in the gaps.

Related resources: Organic products & home remedies

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There is obvious awareness of the fact that over training dampens all bodybuilding prospects. Also important is to know that the right kind of bodybuilding diet along with the right amount of sleep is essential to not put on weight simultaneously.

A bodybuilding diet plan is difficult to prescribe. There are several things which need to be specified here. I just don’t have the space to list them all here. But, do not worry. I have tried to draw up here what could be the essential few things you could not do without in charting your bodybuilding diet.

First- Have six small meals along with your breakfast and differentiate them by a time span of 3 hours each. This should not be contradicted with larger meals which are had anytime. In three hours time the catabolism comes into full lay leaving your body to be fed on. Regular and smaller meals can always lead you to faster recovery of muscles along with their facilitated growth.

Second – A right combination of protein, carbohydrate and definitely fat through the whole of your bodybuilding diet practices is essential. Protein is significantly important for bodybuilders with 45%, then you have carbohydrate with 35% and the rest 20% could be fat. Excess carbohydrate can always turn to fat. There might be an equivalent bodybuilding supplement.

Third – Change the calorie cycles. Instead of regular intake of calories take more on one day and less on another. You could well binge on them for a day and then go slow and ease out their consumption over the next few days. In two or three weeks alter this pattern.

Fourth- Sleep is essential here again. This again is a necessary complement to the bodybuilding diet. Different people need different amounts of sleep. 6-8 hours is essential to muscle recovery. But this should be at a stretch.

Fifth – Drink huge amounts of water because your body is in constant need of it. Dehydration should be avoided at all costs. Yet again too much of this can dilute the vitamins. Smaller quantities are to be drunk both during the routine and after the meals.

There should be an essential motivation to bodybuilding- that of doing good to the body. Obviously this has a strong correlation to strength. But the excess loads that your body takes have to be egged on by regular and continuous nutritious additions. Muscles could be enhanced but they need care even in there enhanced state. A correct bodybuilding diet and necessary complementary activities should help this.

Body appearances too have specific intake requirements. Ectomorphs and Mesomorphs of course require a heightened calorie intake while Endomomorphs a lower calorie intake. So go and find out the right bodybuilding diet that you require.

Identify your body type and find the right nutritional tips to suit: Nutrition tailored to your body type

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Muscles can only be developed if you give them proper nutrients. Protein has amino acids, which develop muscle fiber and lean body mass in the body. The procedure of absorption and allocation of nutrients requires around 2 to 4 hours. It is determined by the metabolic system. This implies that you have to consume protein in an interval of around 2 to 3 hours to ensure that your body gets enough nutrients for building muscle fiber.

A major factor is sleep. A third of our life is devoted to sleep and it is necessary for mending our body. We need to have 8 to 10 hours of sleep to ensure that our body gets time to heal and mend. You may not have the desired outcome if you don’t sleep enough.

If you are considering male bodybuilding seriously, make sure that you spend enough time on bodybuilding diet plans. After you have made plans regarding bodybuilding nutrition note it down so that you don’t get impulsive later. You will not start thinking during lunchtime what you are going to eat. You learn to control your hunger. You eat all that you have planned. You eat nothing more, nothing less. These are some tips you can consider while planning.

Have a small meal every 2 to 3hours: You need to realize that muscle repair is something that takes place throughout the day. It does not happen at a particular time of the day when you sleep or after you have had a workout. So eat after 2 or 3 hours to maintain this.

Have Breakfast: Never ever ignore your breakfast since it is the most crucial meal of the whole day. Since the body remains without food during the long hours of sleep, a good nutritious breakfast is required. This also enhances the metabolic system.

Fat rich Carbohydrates are dangerous in bodybuilding diets: Don’t touch food that has a rich content of fat and carbohydrates. For instance, rich chocolate dishes or French fries are a strict no-no.

Only fat is healthy: We have been conditioned to think that consuming fat is unhealthy. However, it is very important aspect of our diet and we need to have it. It will give you all the important nutrients you need to carry out many bodily tasks. Having flax oil or fish oil on a daily basis is good.

Follow these rules regarding diet once you are into male bodybuilding. Keep these rules in mind before you hanker for unhealthy food.

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A diet is usually an ignored facet in a bodybuilding program. It is commonly overlooked when you are on a bodybuilding program. Certainly, workouts will always be a major aspect for the development of your body.

But the real test lies in the bodybuilding diets that people need to take on so that they can develop taut muscle mass, regulate energy levels and remove extra fat.

A bodybuilding diet agenda is one where you can know about the kind of food and bodybuilding nutrition you require.

You need to figure out how you can introduce them in your diet by selecting from tables of food choices. Do this according to the nutrient need of your body.

You may also need to introduce changes in your diet. An overall change in your diet will ascertain that you develop a healthy body, well toned and disease-free.

Below are some bodybuilding tips regarding diet that can assist you as a bodybuilder.

1. Have food that contains energy giving carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are required to gain muscles with glycogen. It also ensures that your body can regularize its fitness routine.

Carbohydrates should make up 50 to 60 per cent your calorie consumption. Keep in mind the bodybuilding workout you are under. When you eat food items which are rich in carbohydrates make sure that they are not heavily processed like white bread or enriched bread.

Carbohydrate rich foods are baked potato, pumpkin, squash, wild rice, oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potato and whole wheat bread.

2. Protein is the major dietary necessity of an athlete or a bodybuilder. Also, protein is a major factor in all diets.
Protein is the major nutrient present in the body. It is found in our skin, bones, muscles and blood. If someone is on a workout routine then protein should be the most important factor in bodybuilding diets.

Protein rich food are salmon, turkey, low fat cottage cheese, egg whites, lean ground beef, top round sirloin steak and chicken breast. Protein should constitute 15 to 20 percent of your entire calorie consumption.

3. When you are on bodybuilding diets it is imperative to drink a lot of water to maintain your standard of performance during a workout.

If you are following a workout regimen then you should have 8oz of water in every 15 to 25 minutes of rigorous exercises.

4. Have small meals in regular intervals throughout the day.

Through this you can have a proper allocation of nutrients in your metabolic system. It will ensure that you are able to reduce calories in a balanced way.

Visit your physician before you go on your bodybuilding diet program. Ensure that the food in your diet is rich in terms of nutrition and quality.

Correct eating is vital when you are following a strength training routine. Keep these tips at hand to get a beneficial bodybuilding diet program.

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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.

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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.

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3. Bodybuilding Diet Guide for Beginners

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:

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

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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”.

Technorati Tags: body types, bodybuilding tips, diet tips, ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph, nutrition tips

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