How to become a bodybuilding champion: the art of eating!
Improving your performance, conditioning or developing a physical champion in my opinion has as much or more to do with diet than with physical training. You can’t get good gas mileage with mediocre fuel. Sooner or later your car will pay the price at the body shop.
I became a champion bodybuilder primarily because of one mindset when it came to food, and that was balance. No matter what my calorie count had to be, at the end of the day I needed to have all the food groups in my body working together. I also needed vitamins and supplements to protect me from injuries and colds.
Bodybuilding is a strange sport in its own right, and certain rules for competitive bodybuilding may seem extreme to the average fitness buff. However, the underlying principles apply no matter where your goals fall. For the avid fitness champion, eating is not just a science but an art form. You can work out more than anyone, you can have the best genetics, but if you don’t eat properly and smartly, sooner rather than later your body will pay a price.
When it comes to food, you want your foods to work synergistically. In other words, you allow them to work together and build momentum for each other. Here are some food do’s and don’ts on the road to becoming a champion.
not to do
Calorie bank:
If you’re following a calorie-restricted eating plan, saving calories will end up storing fat and slowing your metabolism. People who accumulate calories suffer more from a mental game than from a physical need.
Restriction of good fats:
Be careful thinking that the less fat you eat, the better. Good fats are good sources of fuel. Insufficient amounts of fat in your diet can cause cannibalism of hard-earned muscle.
About eating:
Control your food portions. It is better to eat often than too much in one sitting.
Eating late at night:
Keep late-night meals to a minimum. Its one exception is foods in the protein category.
Back
Food Synergy:
The balance of food is very important. Make sure you have a good amount of all types of foods in your diet. They work better together than alone.
Eat Frequently: Bodybuilding requires a lot of fuel for your muscles. When blood sugar drops, calories aren’t burned and muscle cells are hampered in their growth process. Supplying the body with constant flows of nutrients is imperative.
Food windows:
Within two hours of a workout, there is a golden opportunity to replenish your body with food. Your body has been drained like a sponge and needs nutrients. During this time period, your body will continue to burn fat at the level of your workouts if you feed it good food in moderate portions.
Small pre-workout meals:
Use some type of fast energy drink or food for pre-workouts.
vitamins:
Minerals and vitamins must be replenished as well as energy. Stick with the basic list of vitamins and add a supplement here and there.
Calorie Cycle:
Continue to keep your body off guard by eating different amounts of calories each day. This keeps your body pushing your envelope.
These are just a few useful tips to help you become a champion bodybuilder. Each of you is different and requires different eating plans. However, don’t get too hung up on the details.