This involves specific changes in diet and exercise over 12—26 weeks. The easiest way to determine how many calories you need is to weigh yourself at least 3 times a week and record what you eat using a calorie tracking app.

For example, if you eat 3, calories daily to maintain weight, you should eat around 3, calories daily 3, x 0. In this example, you would consume 2, calories per day instead of 3, Plan to revisit your calorie goals every month to account for changes in your weight.

Increase your calories as you gain weight in the bulking phase and decrease your calories as you lose weight in the cutting phase for continued progression.

This is the ratio between your protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake. Protein and carbs contain 4 calories per gram g , and fat contains 9. A typical diet includes:.

Using the calorie example outlined in the previous section, your macronutrient ratio might look like the following:. Do what you can to prioritize the following foods:. Before going to the gym, you may want to avoid foods that can slow digestion or cause stomach upset during your workout.

This includes:. Many bodybuilders take dietary supplements to help support their overall fitness. Traditional bodybuilding diets typically contain limited food selections and little variety among and within food groups, leading to an inadequate intake of essential minerals and vitamins.

Bodybuilders frequently exercise to maintain and build muscles, performing resistance and aerobic training. Resistance training increases muscle strength and size. Muscle strength is linked with a lower risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, and kidney disease, as well as several other critical illnesses.

Aerobic exercise, which bodybuilders regularly implement to reduce body fat, improves heart health and significantly lowers your risk of developing or dying from heart disease — the leading cause of death in America. Following a healthy eating pattern, including nutrient-dense foods from all food groups in appropriate amounts, can significantly lower your risk of chronic diseases.

For the most part, bodybuilding is a lifestyle associated with several health benefits, but there are some things to know before embarking on this journey. A low level of body fat, combined with low calorie intake, has been shown to decrease sleep quality , negatively affect mood, and weaken the immune system in the weeks leading up to a competition.

These effects may also last for several weeks afterward. Many, but not all, adverts for muscle-building supplements involve bodybuilders who use performance-enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids.

This misleads many people into believing they can achieve the same muscular look by taking the advertised supplement. In turn, many bodybuilders, especially those beginning their journey, develop unrealistic expectations of what they can accomplish naturally. This may lead to body dissatisfaction and, eventually, the urge to try anabolic steroids.

However, anabolic steroids are very unhealthy and linked to several risks and side effects. In addition to being illegal to possess in the US without a prescription, using anabolic steroids can increase your risk of heart disease, decrease fertility, and result in mental health conditions like depression.

Bodybuilding focuses on muscularity and leanness rather than athletic performance. Achieving the desired look requires regular exercise and special attention to your diet. Dieting typically involves bulking and cutting phases, during which your calorie intake will fluctuate while your macronutrient ratio remains stable.

Your diet should include nutrient-dense foods and plenty of protein. You should also limit alcohol, added sugars, and deep-fried foods. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

VIEW ALL HISTORY. The top bodybuilding meal prep delivery services support your goals in the gym and save you time in the kitchen. Here are the best of the bunch. There are several dietary supplements that can help increase muscle mass and strength.

Here are the 6 best supplements to gain more muscle. Muscle soreness can be uncomfortable, and it's all too common. Here are 10 muscle recovery foods and drinks, as well as some nondietary tips for…. Starting with the times bodyweight in pounds can help give a starting point; thereafter, monitor progress," notes Bustillo, who also emphasizes the following, "do not be afraid to eat a lot it is needed for growth and stay consistent with training and working out.

Whenever possible, consult with a qualified training coach and registered dietitian who can help you map out a workout plan and calorie needs to meet your goals, and work with you through the process.

In addition, Bustillo recommends that you "have your body composition measured at the start and several months down the line, this will help give measurable data to help see progress.

Nutrition and fitness goals aren't met overnight. Patience and consistency are the most important tools for sustainability. Follow these tips for better consistency:. Restrictive dietary fads go in and out of style and are often not the best choice for building muscle.

Nourishing your body with a variety of nutrient-dense foods, especially protein and carbohydrates, is important for meeting your muscle building goals. If you need help in putting together an appropriate diet plan for muscle growth, speak to a registered dietitian or qualified sports nutritionist.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends consuming 1. An emphasis on leucine-rich protein sources is ideal and can consist of whole foods and supplements. The best plant-based protein sources include soybeans, tempeh, green peas, quinoa, beans, lentils, chickpeas, broccoli, tempeh, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Keep in mind, you generally have to eat a larger portion of plant-based proteins to reap the same amount of protein as one serving of animal proteins. Aragon, A. et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14, 16 Jäger, R.

International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14, 20 doi Van Vliet S, Shy EL, Abou Sawan S, et al. Consumption of whole eggs promotes greater stimulation of postexercise muscle protein synthesis than consumption of isonitrogenous amounts of egg whites in young men.

Am J Clin Nutr. Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein: Which is best? J Sports Sci Med. Paul G, Mendelson GJ. Evidence supports the use of soy protein to promote cardiometabolic health and muscle development. J Am Coll Nutr. USDA nutrients: Leucine.

Kerksick C, Harvey T, Stout J, Campbell B, Wilborn C, Kreider R, Kalman D, Ziegenfuss T, Lopez H, Landis J, Ivy JL, Antonio J. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing.

J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Volek JS, Forsythe CE, Kraemer WJ. Nutritional aspects of women strength athletes. Br J Sports Med.

Liu AG, Ford NA, Hu FB, Zelman KM, Mozaffarian D, Kris-Etherton PM. A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking action to reduce consumer confusion.

Nutr J. Published Aug Lambert CP, Frank LL, Evans WJ. Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding. Sports Med. Hertzler SR, Lieblein-Boff JC, Weiler M, Allgeier C. Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function.

Helms, E. and Fitschen, P. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: Nutrition and supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutrition, By Shoshana Pritzker RD, CDN, CSSD, CISSN Shoshana Pritzker RD, CDN is a sports and pediatric dietitian, the owner of Nutrition by Shoshana, and is the author of "Carb Cycling for Weight Loss.

S in dietetics and nutrition from Florida International University. She's been writing and creating content in the health, nutrition, and fitness space for over 15 years and is regularly featured in Oxygen Magazine, JennyCraig. com, and more. Use limited data to select advertising.

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