One of the most FAQ by beginners is “What should I eat?”. This of course comes only after they realize Nutrition is a MAJOR part of their weight lifting goals.
Well I’ll try to keep this blog post short. I realize people don’t like reading books, but once I get started, it’s hard to stop…
A lot of people ask me what to eat, but then turn around and say “But I don’t want to do XYZ, or eat XYZ” and I tell them, they aren’t really serious about building muscle then.
It will require a diet change because what you’ve been eating has only gotten you to where you are…think about it. So if you aren’t willing to make a sacrifice, you aren’t really committed to your goal.
Ok, so you have your macro-nutrition which consists of Protiens, Carbs, and Fats. Each is essential to the body and play a different role in weight training.
Proteins, as you know, are the building blocks of muscles. But this doesn’t mean you should overload your building site with blocks!
1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight is a good start if you want to build muscle. Protein makes you feel full faster for longer, so if you’re trying to lose weight, get more protein, and less carbs.
Speaking of carbs, they are your body’s go-to source for quick energy. They store as fat when loaded in excess and are best used before or right after a workout. Eating lots of carbs really late can lead to unwanted fat gain.
Fats preserve nitrogen and increase testosterone levels. Fat also acts as a passageway to bring other muscle building hormones to the muscles. Protein is 16% Nitrogen so an increase in nitrogen = build muscle and decrease in nitrogen = breaking down.
Now for more on what to eat…my top 5 in each category:
Proteins:
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lean Serloin
- Skinless chicken and turkey breast
- 90% ground beef
Avoid: Heavy meats such as lots of steak (I love a rib eye from time to time), pork (I love ribs too), lots of packaged meat.
Carbs:
- Wheat bread
- Sweet potatoes – I LOVE Sweet Potato Pie…just can’t eat it that often
- Old-Fashioned Oatmeal – I eat every morning
- Whole grain pasta
- Whole grain rice
Avoid: White rice, pasta, potatoes, white bread – digest quickly and converts too easily to fat
Fats: Avoid Saturated and get more Unsaturated
- Canola Oil
- Olive Oil – what I cook with every night
- Peanut Oil
- Most nuts – never was much of a nut for Nuts, but they are a part of my daily diet
- Avocados
Avoid: Butter, Margarine, French Fries – high in trans fat (unnatural)
I hope this offers some guidance on what to eat. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, but I promised to keep this short. If you haven’t incorporated these into your daily diet, do so as much as possible.
So be on the look out the next time you’re grocery shopping. Until next time, Happy Lifting!
Mitchell
Filed under Muscle Building Programs by on Mar 6th, 2009. Comment. 
