With all the dietary information and diets tips bombarding the bodybuilding world, it’s no wonder people can become confused as to the right body building diet to follow for the right result. Although any change in diet should be followed with care, it remains that there is no one true bodybuilders diet to follow that will guarantee a perfect outcome. However, with all the different opinions circulated, it is natural a few myths will creep in, so lets look at a few examples.
Fat-free diets
Not only is this extremely difficult, as there simply aren’t enough whole foods that contain virtually no fat, it is also extremely bad for you. Whether you’re looking to increase muscle mass, lose weight or simply maintain what you have, the body needs a combination of vitamins and nutrients to function and more importantly, to grow.
It is however, important to eat the right fats in controlled amounts. Meats, eggs and dairy products are all high in saturated fats and can elevate cholesterol so should be limited, whereas foods such as fish, seeds and nuts contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and can lower cholesterol. Health experts suggest fat makes up 30% of your diet. If you starve your body of fat, your body reacts by storing any fats you do intake and using proteins, vital for building muscle, for energy instead and therefore, you will start to burn muscle for energy!
Digesting Protein
Another common dietary myth is that the human body can only digest a certain amount of protein, often said to be around 30 grams a day. In actuality, the body can digest protein consistently throughout the day, and as protein is without doubt the most important supplement to any bodybuilder, it is imperative you get enough of it. Experts have estimated that a dedicated bodybuilder should consume around 1gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and this is a good guide to go by. The minimum we would recommend is around 40-50grams of protein per day but overshooting this mark to between 150-200grams (dependant on bodyweight) wont cause you any problems.
Protein supplements are a vital part of any bodybuilders’ diet to ensure these needs are met. Remember, for the best part, muscle is made up of protein. It maintains, preserves and rebuilds muscle.
Water weight
Another dietary myth is that too much water will make you gain ‘water’ weight. This is simply not true and unless you are taking creatine, your muscles will not retain too much water. Water is the most important liquid you can drink and only too little water will do your body harm. Drinking too little water can cause no end of health problems, whereas too much will simply mean you visit the toilet more. Experts tell us to drink around 8 glasses of water a day. For those of us participating in cardiovascular activity, it is important to drink more to counteract dehydration. Remember, water has the ability to not only hydrate your body, but it flushes your system of impurities and toxins, cleansing your body in the process.
Supplementing a healthy diet
As important as it is to combine exercise with a healthy, balanced diet, it is also imperative you don’t drift one step further and begin supplementing wholesome foods with….well, supplements. The base of anyone’s best body building diet should be lean meats, fruits, vegetables and nuts and a basic combination of the right fats, carbohydrates and proteins. A poor diet cannot be underestimated and no amount of supplementing can undo the damage a poor diet can bring. Instead, supplements should be used alongside a healthy diet and exercise to aid your physiques progression. Supplements have a range of benefits but are not replacements for meals, they’re additional weapons in the quest for the perfect physique.
Counting Calories
Again, a typical bodybuilder mistake is overcomplicating and overestimating the importance of their calorie intake. As discussed, the most important aspect of your diet is getting the right nutrients from the right foods, separated into protein, fats and carbohydrates. The most important thing to remember is that, at least early on, limiting your calorie intake will do much more damage to your bodybuilding credentials than too many. Calories not only provide our bodies with the energy we need to train, but the foods we are denying ourselves by limiting calorie intake contain the very nutrients we need to grow and develop. If your goal is weight loss, by all mean carefully limit your calorie intake to around 2000 calories a day but if your goal is building muscle, this is no way near enough. The exact amount you need is arguable and dependant on you size and weight but many bodybuilders calorie intake ranges from 4000 to 12,000 per day. Whatever your goals are, it is important to remember that knowing where your calories come from is just as important as knowing how many you are getting.
Large Meals
Not so common a myth these days but an important one to debunk just in case. Stuffing yourself full at your traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner meals is less effective than the now popular idea of having around 5-6 meals day, therefore keeping your body consistently supplied with the right nutrients and energies required to get through your day. Large meals can leave you bloated and less energetic and leave your body with the daunting task of digesting and processing everything you throw at it. With well-portioned, healthy meals your body gets the right nutrients at the right times and your body never feels starved, which speeds up your metabolism thereby also aiding weight loss. As we well know, any time your body feels starved of any kinds of foods, it can have adverse effects.
Don’t eat after 6pm
Whether it’s 6pm, 8pm or whatever exact time people pull out of a hat, there’s very little truth to it and it’s a myth too many people fall for. It doesn’t really matter how late you eat, if you eat more calories than you burn during the day or night, you’re going to put weight on. If eating at night results in you caloric intake going beyond what you burn, then again, you’ll put weight on. What’s more important is that you eat a varied, healthy diet and exercise well.
I’m not suggesting eating as late as possible, if you’re going to eat around 5 or 6 good meals a day, 6-7pm is probably a good time to eat your last meal of the day but eating or snacking later wont do any real harm as long as it’s as part of your nutritional plan. Of course, taking it to the extreme and stuffing your face just before bed won’t do anyone any good, as below….
Midnight Snacks
I’ve heard of several guys getting up at 3am and feasting on whole chickens and the like. There was a time when I might have entertained this theory, several years ago of course, but like all theories before this one, all have been debunked.
Sleep is for sleeping, it’s when our bodies and mind rest and recover and is essential for growth and muscle repair. Waking up alone for more than a few minutes will interrupt this sleep, disturb your body and leave you feeling groggy and restless the next day. Getting up and ramming chickens down your neck will cause your digestive system to reboot and therefore you’ll never get the vital rest your body needs. Remember, our bodies are designed to rest functions such as our digestive system while we sleep and it’s rest the body needs. The nutrients we intake during the day should be ample enough to allow muscles to recover and supply our bodies with what’s required.
If you feel you need extra protein or your body has become used to eating at all hours, try supplementing the chicken with some casein, a slow-release protein that will slowly and quietly add protein to your system without the need to disturb your body and mind.