How you can put together a bodybuilding diet
One question we are often asked is how to put together a bodybuilding diet. This article is designed to show bodybuilders how to create their own bodybuilding nutrition plan.
Okay, so you want to build big muscles?
All you have to do is go to the gym, do your reps until you feel a crazy pump, then go home and get on with the rest of your day, right? If only bodybuilding was that easy...
Nutrition plays a very important role in recovery, growth and overall fitness and without the right nutrition your body will not build lean muscle mass.
So if you want to be a real bodybuilder, you will have to change your lifestyle and put together a bodybuilding nutrition plan.
Don't worry, it's not as hard as it sounds. In this article, we will give you a complete overview of how to determine your nutritional needs for building a muscular body.
Determining the calories for your bodybuilding diet
Your bodybuilding diet will constantly change over time due to the increase in muscle mass and the changing difficulty of your training sessions.
If you increase your muscle mass and/or increase the amount of time you spend training with weights, then you will need to eat more. If you are losing muscle mass and/or reducing the intensity of your workouts, then you should eat less.
But how do you know if you are gaining or losing lean muscle mass?
You measure, of course. There are two primary tools that work very well here. The first is the good old scales that are gathering dust in the corner of your bathroom. You should monitor your weight to see if your goal of building lean muscle mass is causing you to gain weight.
If the scale shows that your weight is staying the same (or dropping), then it's time to take a look at your diet and make healthy changes to create a higher calorie bodybuilding diet.
If your weight is increasing, then the question is whether this weight gain is muscle mass or fat mass. If your abdominal girth is increasing, then it could be that you are eating too much. You can expect to gain some body fat if you are trying to build muscle (especially if you are eating a high calorie diet), but you should monitor this to make sure your body fat percentage is not increasing too much.
Another good tool to monitor your progress is a body fat caliper. Using one every two weeks will give you an idea of exactly what is going on in your body. If your lean body mass is decreasing, then you should increase the amount of calories you are eating. If, on the other hand, your body fat percentage is increasing, then you should perhaps reduce your food intake. Finding the optimum level in the middle where you can build muscle without gaining fat is every bodybuilder's dream.
In many good gyms you will find a caliper and as long as the same person is always taking the measurements, you should get a pretty good idea of exactly what is going on. Once you have the total in millimeters and your body weight, the chart that comes with each caliper will show you what your body fat percentage is.
Now comes the clever part. If you take your body fat in kilograms and multiply this value by your body fat percentage, you will know how much body fat you are carrying around. If you subtract this value from your body weight, you will know how much lean body mass you have. Of course, your lean body mass is not just muscle, as it also includes internal organs, bones, etc.
You should write down the two values you can calculate in this way (total body fat mass and lean body mass). The next time you take the measurements or have them taken, you can compare the new values with the old values to see if your body fat percentage has increased or decreased.
You will find that if your food intake is correct, with the right amount of exercise your lean body mass will increase and your fat mass will decrease. However, if you don't eat enough or eat too much, you will find that your lean body mass (muscle) will decrease and your body fat mass will increase, which is definitely not what you want.
Calculating the amount of body fat
Here is an example calculation of body fat and lean body mass for a 90 kilo person with a body fat percentage of 21%
|
Example for the calculation of body fat |
|
|
Weight: |
90 kilos |
|
Body fat percentage: |
21% |
|
The calculations... |
|
|
Step 1: Body weight x body fat percentage = kg body fat. (90 x 0.21 = 18.9 kilos of body fat) |
|
|
Step 2: Body weight - 18.9 = lean body mass (90 - 18.9 = 71.1) (This is the total amount of lean body mass). |
|
|
We now know the following values |
|
|
Body weight: |
90 kg |
|
Body fat percentage: |
21% |
|
Total amount of fat: |
18.9 kg |
|
Fat-free body mass: |
71.1 kg |
The next time you calculate your body fat percentage, you ideally want to see that the amount of lean body mass has increased and the total amount of fat has remained the same or decreased. This is the ideal situation. But sometimes this doesn't happen and the amount of body fat increases while the amount of lean body mass decreases.
One reason that lean body mass decreases is that you may be losing muscle because you're not eating enough for the amount of work/training you're doing.
Okay, I can already hear the question "What if I work out at home?" Well, in this case we can use the good old favorites: A scale and a mirror. You know, the thing you always admire yourself in.
The bathroom scales should show an increase in body weight - if the weight on the scales doesn't go up, then you're not eating enough. If the mirror shows an increase in body fat around your midsection, then you are eating too much.
So how do we put together a bodybuilding nutrition plan with the right food?
First of all, we need to know how many calories we should eat per day. To do this, we need to add to the calories our body needs at rest the amount of calories we consume on a daily basis through our daily activities and training.
You can find numerous online calculators on the internet (e.g. https://www. menshealth.de/artikel/kalorienrechner.503652.html) that can help you calculate your approximate calorie requirements. Please note that all these calculators can only give you a rough estimate, as there are significant individual differences in metabolic rate. Use one (or perhaps even several) of these calculators to get an approximate value for your calorie requirements.
As a starting value for the ratio of protein to carbohydrates to fats, we use 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates and 20% fat. Remember that protein and carbohydrates provide 4 kcal per gram, while fat provides 9 kcal per gram.
Here is an example:
Let's assume that the calculator has given us a value of 2900 kcal per day. We then use the following calculations to obtain the quantities of the individual macronutrients:
- Protein: 30% of 2900 = 870 kcal / 4 kcal = 217.5 g per day.
- Carbohydrates: 50% of 2900 = 1450 kcal / 4 kcal = 362.5 g per day.
- Fat: 20% of 2900 = 580 kcal / 9 kcal = 64.4 g per day.
So now you know how much food you need per day. Next, you need to determine how many meals you want to eat during the day and work out approximately how much food you should eat per meal.
You should eat regular, frequent meals to promote satiety, increase muscle protein synthesis by consuming regular protein-rich meals (1) and provide you with enough energy for the day.
To do this, you should divide the above amounts of each macronutrient in grams by the number of meals per day that you can comfortably consume and digest - usually between 4 and 6 meals per day.
For this we use the following calculations based on 6 meals per day (values have been rounded up)
- Protein: 217.5g / 6 = 36g protein per meal x 6
- Carbohydrates: 362.5g / 6 = 60g carbohydrates per meal x 6
- Fat: 64.4g / 5* = 13g fat per meal x 5*
* Note: The aim of the post-workout meal is to digest the nutrients it contains as quickly as possible and fat can slow down digestion, which is why we avoid fat in this meal.
Below are lists of the best foods for your post-workout nutrition, recovery and growth plan. The amounts are per ounce (28 grams) for each food.
To put together a meal, you can look at the lists below and choose which foods you want to eat during a particular meal to arrive at the nutrient amounts per meal calculated above.
Example: Dinner.
(You need good sources of: protein 36g, carbohydrates 60g, fat 13g)
|
Food items |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
Beef (grilled sirloin) 3oz (90g) |
27,9 |
0.0 |
8,4 |
|
Brown rice (cooked) 6oz (180g) |
4,2 |
38.4 |
1,2 |
|
2 large carrots |
2.0 |
14 |
1,2 |
|
Cabbage 2oz (60g) |
0,8 |
3.2 |
0.0 |
|
Green beans 2oz (60g) |
1,0 |
4.0 |
0.0 |
|
Total: |
35,6 |
60 |
10,8 |
As you can see, the above meal is quite close to the calculated total amounts per meal. You can of course eat more at the main meals such as breakfast, lunch and dinner (for extra energy) and eat smaller meals between the main meals. Choose whatever is most convenient for you and your bodybuilding nutrition plan.
Also note that the example meal includes a balanced selection of healthy food groups including lean meats, three different vegetables and a good source of carbohydrates to energize the body.
Use the tables below to build your meals based on the calculations above. You'll see how easy it is once you've done it a few times and you'll also quickly get an eye for the portion sizes you need from a given food. Once you have planned your diet, give your body two weeks to get used to your new eating plan.
Adjust your diet based on the results you have observed (weight gain too fast or too slow, or significant weight and body fat gain) by increasing or decreasing the amount of calories accordingly.
The best foods for building muscle
Below is a list of the best bodybuilding foods and their macronutrient profiles. With this information, you can create your own healthy bodybuilding diet based on your personal goals of mass gain, fat loss or maintenance.
Meat, Fish, Poultry (per oz, 28g)
|
Foods |
kcal |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
Atlantic salmon |
56.6 |
7.7 |
n/a |
2.4 |
|
Bacon (grilled) |
27.0 |
3.4 |
n/a |
1.2 |
|
Lean minced beef |
53.0 |
8.0 |
n/a |
2.1 |
|
Beef undershell |
54.4 |
8.7 |
n/a |
1.8 |
|
Grilled beef sirloin |
64.0 |
9.3 |
n/a |
2.8 |
|
Beef topside |
54.7 |
9.9 |
n/a |
1.5 |
|
Sea wolf fillet |
46.6 |
8.0 |
n/a |
1.2 |
|
Chicken breast |
49.7 |
9.6 |
n/a |
1.2 |
|
Chicken thigh |
23.6 |
3.7 |
n/a |
0.9 |
|
Chicken lower leg |
33.6 |
4.3 |
n/a |
4.3 |
|
Cod |
32.6 |
7.1 |
n/a |
0.3 |
|
Crab |
30.1 |
5.9 |
n/a |
0.6 |
|
Roast beef |
15.5 |
2.5 |
0.6 |
0.3 |
|
Halibut |
43.5 |
8.4 |
n/a |
0.9 |
|
Lean ham |
40.7 |
6.2 |
0.3 |
1.5 |
|
Leg of lamb |
63.7 |
8.2 |
n/a |
3.7 |
|
Pork fillet |
51.0 |
8.7 |
n/a |
1.5 |
|
Mussels |
27.3 |
5.2 |
0.9 |
0.3 |
|
Shrimps |
30.8 |
6.5 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Bluefin tuna fresh |
57.2 |
9.3 |
n/a |
1.8 |
|
Canned tuna |
39.8 |
8.0 |
n/a |
0.9 |
|
Turkey breast |
42.9 |
9.3 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Venison fillet |
46.3 |
9.3 |
n/a |
0.6 |
Dairy products & eggs (per oz, 28g)
|
Food |
kcal |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
1 large egg |
74 |
6.0 |
Traces |
5.0 |
|
1 egg white |
18.0 |
4.0 |
Traces |
Traces |
|
Low-fat buttermilk (250ml) |
98.0 |
8.0 |
12 |
2.0 |
|
Ricotta cheese |
38.3 |
3.13 |
1.3 |
2.24 |
|
Fat-free yogurt |
15.8 |
1.6 |
2.1 |
Traces |
|
Cheddar reduced fat |
54.8 |
7.8 |
1.1 |
2.2 |
|
Reduced-fat Swiss cheese |
56.0 |
8.9 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
|
Skimmed milk (250ml) |
86 |
8.0 |
12 |
Traces |
|
Cottage cheese (2% fat) |
25.0 |
4.0 |
1.0 |
1 |
Nuts, seeds and oils (per oz, 28g)
|
Food |
kcal |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
Almonds |
183 |
6.7 |
6.7 |
15.6 |
|
Almond butter (1 tablespoon) |
101 |
2.5 |
3.5 |
9.5 |
|
Rapeseed oil (1 tablespoon) |
124 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
14 |
|
Linseed (1 tablespoon) |
59 |
2.3 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
Olive oil (1 tablespoon) |
119 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
14 |
|
Peanut butter |
96 |
4.0 |
3.0 |
8.5 |
|
Peanuts (roasted) |
186 |
7.8 |
6.7 |
15.6 |
|
Walnuts |
207 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
21.2 |
Cereals, bread and pasta (per oz, 28g)
|
Foodstuffs |
kcal |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
Bagel (small, 8 cm) |
190 |
7 |
37 |
1 |
|
Barley (cooked) |
33.7 |
7 |
7.7 |
0.1 |
|
Clover muffin (1 small) |
178 |
5 |
32 |
5 |
|
Brown rice (cooked) |
31.1 |
0.7 |
6.4 |
0.2 |
|
Corn tortilla (1) |
58 |
2 |
12 |
1 |
|
Couscous (cooked) |
30.8 |
1 |
6.4 |
Traces |
|
Macaroni (wholemeal) |
39.3 |
1.4 |
8 |
0.2 |
|
Oatmeal (cooked) |
17.2 |
0.7 |
3.0 |
0.2 |
|
Rye bread (1 slice) |
83 |
3.0 |
16 |
1.0 |
|
Sourdough bread (1 slice) |
88 |
3.0 |
17 |
1.0 |
|
Spaghetti (wholemeal) (cooked) |
39.3 |
1.4 |
8.0 |
0.2 |
|
Wheat germ (1 tablespoon) |
26 |
2.0 |
4.0 |
0.5 |
|
White rice (cooked) |
31 |
0.6 |
6.8 |
Traces |
|
Wholemeal cereals |
84 |
2.0 |
21.4 |
0.9 |
|
Wholemeal crackers (5) |
90 |
2.0 |
14 |
3.0 |
|
Wholemeal bread (1 slice) |
73 |
3.0 |
13 |
1 |
|
Wholemeal pita (1) |
170 |
6.0 |
35 |
2.0 |
|
Wholemeal pretzels |
115 |
3.3 |
21.4 |
0.9 |
|
Wild rice (cooked) |
28.1 |
1.1 |
5.9 |
0.1 |
Fruit (per oz, 28g)
|
Food |
kcal |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
Apple (1 medium size) |
72 |
Traces |
19 |
Traces |
|
Apricots (3) |
50 |
2.0 |
12 |
Traces |
|
Avocado (1/4) |
80 |
1.0 |
4.0 |
7.0 |
|
Banana (1 medium) |
105 |
1.0 |
30 |
Traces |
|
Blueberries |
50.6 |
0.1 |
3.9 |
Traces |
|
Cantaloupe melon |
9.4 |
0.1 |
2.2 |
Traces |
|
Sour cherries |
14 |
0.3 |
3.4 |
Traces |
|
Grapefruit (1/2 medium size) |
41 |
1.0 |
10 |
Traces |
|
Grape juice (100 ml) |
45.2 |
Traces |
19 |
Traces |
|
Grapes (seedless) |
20 |
0.1 |
5.4 |
Traces |
|
Honeydew melon (diced) |
10 |
0.1 |
5.4 |
Traces |
|
Mango (diced) |
18 |
0.1 |
4.7 |
Traces |
|
Nectarine (1 medium) |
60 |
1.0 |
14 |
Traces |
|
Orange (1 navel orange) |
69 |
1.0 |
18 |
Traces |
|
Orange juice (100ml) |
44.8 |
0.8 |
26 |
Traces |
|
Papaya (diced) |
10.9 |
0.1 |
2.8 |
Traces |
|
Peach (1 medium) |
38 |
1.0 |
9.0 |
Traces |
|
Pear (1 medium) |
96 |
1.0 |
26 |
Traces |
|
Pineapple (diced) |
13.3 |
1.0 |
20 |
Traces |
|
Plum (1) |
30 |
Traces |
8.0 |
Traces |
|
Raisins |
86.3 |
0.7 |
23 |
Traces |
|
Raspberries |
14.3 |
0.4 |
3.3 |
0.1 |
|
Strawberries |
9.1 |
0.1 |
2.2 |
Traces |
|
Watermelon (diced) |
8.5 |
0.1 |
2.2 |
Traces |
Legumes (per oz, 28g)
|
Food |
kcal |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
Lima beans |
33.8 |
2.0 |
6.1 |
Traces |
|
Black beans |
36.8 |
2.3 |
6.5 |
Traces |
|
Chickpeas |
46.9 |
2.4 |
8.0 |
0.7 |
|
Kidney beans |
34 |
2.4 |
8.0 |
Traces |
|
Lentils (cooked) |
32 |
2.5 |
5.6 |
Traces |
|
Tofu (raw) |
45 |
4.9 |
1.1 |
2.5 |
|
Soybeans (cooked) |
79 |
6.8 |
6.2 |
3.1 |
|
Shelling peas (cooked) |
32.4 |
2.2 |
5.8 |
Traces |
Vegetables (per oz, 28g)
|
Food |
kcal |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fat (g) |
|
Artichoke (1 medium) |
60 |
4.0 |
13 |
Traces |
|
Asparagus (4 large) |
16 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
Traces |
|
Eggplant (diced) |
7.0 |
Traces |
1.4 |
Traces |
|
Broccoli (raw florets) |
7.7 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
Traces |
|
Brussels sprouts |
10 |
1.2 |
2.0 |
Traces |
|
Butternut squash |
11.5 |
0.3 |
3.0 |
Traces |
|
Cabbage |
6.8 |
0.4 |
1.6 |
Traces |
|
Carrot (1 large) |
30 |
1.0 |
7 |
Traces |
|
Cauliflower |
7.0 |
0.5 |
2.0 |
Traces |
|
Chinese cabbage (cooked) |
3.3 |
0.5 |
.05 |
Traces |
|
Leafy cabbage |
1.6 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
Traces |
|
Vegetable corn |
22 |
1.0. |
5.0 |
0.3 |
|
Zucchini |
5.0 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
Traces |
|
Cucumber |
4.3 |
0.2 |
1.0 |
Traces |
|
Garlic (1 clove) |
5.0 |
Traces |
1.0 |
Traces |
|
Green beans |
3.7 |
0.5 |
2.0 |
Traces |
|
Green pea (raw) |
24 |
1.6 |
4.3 |
Traces |
|
Kale |
6.5 |
0.6 |
1.5 |
0.2 |
|
Mushrooms |
6.0 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
Traces |
|
Onions |
11.5 |
0.3 |
2.8 |
Traces |
|
Green peppers |
5.6 |
0.2 |
1.3 |
Traces |
|
Potato (1 medium) baked |
161 |
4.0 |
37 |
Traces |
|
Potato (boiled) |
24 |
0.0 |
6.0 |
0.0 |
|
Mashed potatoes with milk |
23 |
1.0 |
5.0 |
0.0 |
|
Pumpkin |
5.6 |
0.2 |
1.2 |
Traces |
|
Romaine lettuce |
6.2 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
Traces |
|
Spinach |
7.0 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
Traces |
|
Sweet potato 1 medium, baked) |
103 |
2.0 |
24 |
Traces |
|
Tomato (1 large) |
33 |
2.0 |
7.0 |
Traces |
|
Tomato juice (100ml) |
16 |
0.8 |
4.0 |
Traces |
Supplements for a bodybuilding diet
It's not always easy to get the right nutrients and calories from your normal diet alone. Your time may be too limited to cook big, healthy meals between training sessions, work and other commitments.
So if you find it difficult to get the right amounts of nutrients, there are supplements that can help you stick to your bodybuilding diet more easily.
Whey protein
Supplying your body with the recommended 1.5 to 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight through protein-rich foods alone can be quite difficult. If you want to add supplements to your diet, then you should start with whey protein. Whey protein has been popular with bodybuilders and athletes (and the fitness world as a whole) for years, and with good reason.
Whey protein is a milk protein that is isolated from whey. It is a fast-digesting protein source that contains all the essential amino acids, making it an ideal choice for the post-workout meal or the first meal of the morning.
There are three different types of whey protein: isolate, concentrate and hydrolysate.
Whey protein isolate is considered the purest form of whey protein. It contains between 90 and 95% protein, making it the most protein-rich form of protein. Whey protein concentrate has a lower protein content (25 to 89%). Whey protein hydrolysate is a form of whey protein that has been enzymatically treated to break down long-chain proteins into shorter protein chains, making it easier for the body to absorb.
If you're looking for a supplement to aid your recovery after training with weights and help you meet your protein needs, then we recommend using a well-rated whey protein from a trusted and established brand (2).
Creatine
Creatine is a natural substance that is converted into creatine phosphate in the body after consumption. Creatine phosphate is then converted into a substance called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which helps to provide energy to the muscles (3).
The body can produce creatine itself, but it is also found in protein-rich foods such as meat and fish. In addition to eating meat and fish, creatine is an excellent supplement for your bodybuilding diet. It also has positive effects on strength, power and lean muscle mass.
This supplement is easy to consume. You can add it to your pre- or post-workout shake, a smoothie or even fruit juice. Whether it is better to add this supplement before or after training is not yet completely clear (4). Our advice is therefore to simply take creatine when it suits you best.
Omega 3 fish oil
Another supplement that is an excellent addition to your diet is omega-3 fish oil. Eating fatty fish has a variety of health benefits for our bodies, but as seafood can be expensive - and some people don't like fish - it can sometimes be more convenient to consume pure and concentrated fish oil in supplement form.
But what does consuming omega-3 fatty acids do for your muscle growth?
Fish oil can reduce joint stiffness, improve blood flow and speed up recovery - which means more productive workouts and a longer training career for you as a bodybuilder (5).
This makes omega-3 fish oil a very useful supplement for your body, your weight training and your bodybuilding diet.
References:
- Per meal dose and frequency of protein consumption is associated with lean mass and muscle performance. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27086196
- Hulmi, J. J., Lockwood, C., & Stout, J. (2010). Effect of protein/essential amino acids and resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A case for whey protein . Nutrition & Metabolism , 7 (51).
- Kreider RB, Leutholtz BC & Greenwood M. Creatine. Nutritional Ergogenic Aids. CRC Press LLC: Boca Raton, FL, 2004, p 81-104
- Antonio J, Ciccone V. The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10:36.
- The effects of fish oil and isoflavones on delayed onset muscle soreness. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12370562
Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-create-a-bodybuilding-diet.html