If you are into bodybuilding and are super serious about your fitness, then the one thing that you need to understand is that for best results you need to maintain a fine balance between your diet and workouts. One of the most commonly asked questions is what is body building food. There are various bodybuilding foods that you can include in your daily diet to get great results.
Whether you do bodybuilding professionally, or just for your own interest, it requires a lot of dedication and a huge shift in your lifestyle choices. The primary fitness requirement for bodybuilder is to maintain a lean and muscular physique. In order to get massive gains and the best out of your intense workouts, it is crucial that you pay a lot of attention on your diet. The right nutrition will not just provide your body energy to power through your workouts, but it will also help in post workout recovery as well.
Bodybuilding training
The second question after – what is body building food, that’s most common is what kind of training to bodybuilders have to go through?
Let’s understand the kind of training bodybuilders have to go through. If you do bodybuilding for
recreational purpose, then there needs to a balance between resistance training and aerobic training. Resistance training helps
increase muscle size, improves performance, and builds stamina. Aerobic exercise on the other hand, helps
regulate fat levels in the body, improves cardiovascular health, and lowers the risk of heart diseases.
If you are into professional bodybuilding, then there are two phases – bulking phase (which requires you to build muscle mass), and cutting phase (in which you need to reduce body fat levels).
Calorie and macronutrient needs for bodybuilders
The calorie requirements vary depending upon what stage of bodybuilding you are in. Generally, one needs more calories in bulking
phase than in cutting phase. It is recommended that you increase your calorie intake by 15% during bulking
phase. When you are transitioning from bulking to cutting phase, decrease your calorie maintenance by 15% for best results.
Bulking phase is characterized by weight gain, and cutting phase is characterized by weight loss. So you need to adjust your food intake accordingly to get best results. During each phase, try not to gain or lose 0.5 – 1% of your body weight in a week. This ensures that your body doesn’t lose muscle mass when you are in cutting phase or you gain too much fat in bulking phase.
You can get in touch with a professional dietician and he/she will make a customized diet with nutrient dense foods in appropriate amounts and will also answer all your queries about what is body building food and how much quantity will be best suitable for you.
What is body building food?
Include these bodybuilding foods in your every day diet to get massive gains.
1. Egg whites
If there is a fitness enthusiast who doesn’t swear by the goodness of egg whites, then there is something wrong. Whether it is
bodybuilding or intense gymming, egg whites are a holy grail addition in every fitness enthusiast’s diet.
Make an egg white omelet with lots of veggies to get the dose of protein right in the morning. It will be a power packed breakfast.
You can also have boiled egg whites post workout for optimal and sustained recovery.
2. Chicken breast
Lean meats including chicken is one of the most nutritious food you can include in your bodybuilding diet. When you ask a trainer or a
dietician – what is body building food? There are high chances that they will include chicken in
their top 3 choices.
Chicken is high in protein and low in fat. A chicken breast piece weighing around 6 ounce provides 205 calories and 38 g protein.
You can cook it in different ways – boil and shred it to add to salads, grill it in a pan and have with
vegetables, or marinate with lemon and seasoning and roast to perfection.
3. Whole grains
The goodness of whole grains is unmatched. If you are a vegetarian and want to know what is the body building food that I can have,
then definitely consider whole grains. If you are just starting your bodybuilding journey, then don’t
forget to include whole grains like – millet, brown rice, oats, quinoa, and granola to your daily diet. They are a rich source of
carbohydrates and have high fiber content which means you feel satiated for longer and the carbs provide
you energy throughout the day to push you through your workouts. Whole grains also provide key micronutrients that play an important role in muscle building and maintenance.
4. Dairy products and whey protein
Milk and other dairy products are a fitness enthusiast’s best friend. Dairy products are loaded with protein which is essential for
muscle building. Include foods like milk, Greek yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese in your diet. You can
mix your bodybuilding supplements with milk to make a smooth shake, or mix it with berries, frozen fruit, and Greek yogurt to make a
delicious and healthy smoothie. If you are lactose intolerant then avoid having dairy products. Instead
you can ask your doctor the benefits of other nut milks like – oats milk, soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk etc.
Ask a bodybuilder – what’s a match made in heaven for milk? The answer will be whey protein. Whey protein is the most popular supplement among fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders. It is ideal to be used post workout to build lean muscle mass, helps with recovery, and build immunity as well. There are different kinds of whey protein supplements – whey protein concentrate, whey protein hydrolyzed, whey protein concentrate, or protein blends. Some of the top selling GNC proteins are –
- GNC Pro Performance 100% whey protein
- GNC AMP Pure Isolate
- GNC AMP Gold Series 100% whey protein advanced
- GNC Amplify XL
- GNC AMP wheybolic
Make sure you get in touch with your trainer to know which whey protein supplement will be suitable for you depending upon your fitness level, health status, and the kind of workouts you do.
5. Sweet potato
A bulked up body doesn’t only need protein. You need to include the right quantity of carbohydrates in your diet to get that burst
of energy. What is body building food that provides not just protein, but carbohydrates as well? The
answer is sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a good choice as they don’t overload your system with simple and fast-acting carbs.
You can have it in multiple ways – roast it, make healthy air-fried chips, grill it with other veggies and
have for dinner or lunch. It is packed with vitamins and minerals, will fill you up, and keep you energized for a long time.
6. Nuts and legumes
Nuts and legumes are a great addition to your diet. They are packed with omega 3 fatty acids, micronutrients, and proteins – all of
which have various benefits for the body. It is recommended that you include a variety of nuts and
legumes in your bodybuilding diet to ensure muscle growth and development. Also they are a healthy snack alternative. So the next
time you crave to munch something, try and have a handful of nuts and you’ll feel energized and satiated.
Foods to avoid
Now that you know what are the best body building foods, let’s move on. Here are some foods you should avoid, especially if you want
to take your bodybuilding and fitness to the next level.
• Deep fried foods
Deep fried foods soak up lot of oil and can cause inflammation in the body. Consumptions of deep fried products like onion rings,
pakodas, French fries, donuts etc. should be minimized if you want to get results in bodybuilding. If you
ask what is body building food? Be ready to listen – anything that’s not processed or deep fried.
• Alcohol
Needless to say that when you are focusing on your health and fitness, alcohol doesn’t fit the scheme. It inhibits muscle growth and
recovery time. So when you are in the intense training phase to amp up your physique for bodybuilding,
try and cut alcohol from your diet.
• Processed foods
Most processed foods are high on calories and low on nutrition. Try and cut these from your diet if you want to build lean muscle mass.
They also have high amount of added sugar and maida that can have negative effect on your health.
Eliminate processed foods like pasta, candies, pizza, cookies, soda, chips and munchies from your diet.
Important supplements for bodybuilding
If you do a search on what is body building food, you’re most likely to get a list of supplements as well. It is a good idea that
you consider including bodybuilding supplements in your routine.
There are different kinds of supplements available like – whey protein, muscle builders, performance supplements etc. The kind of supplement you choose should align with your ultimate fitness goals and the kind of workout routine you have. Apart from these performance supplements, people often forget the importance of multivitamins and fish oil supplements in bodybuilding.
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Multivitamins
Multivitamins encapsulate the goodness of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and trace elements in a single tablet. There are different
kinds of multivitamins available for overall wellbeing, to boost immunity, and for specific health
issues. You might not be getting all the essential nutrients through your daily diet. If you are into bodybuilding then it is recommended
that you must include multivitamins in your routine to bridge the nutritional gap. Browse through
the complete range of GNC multivitamins and get in touch with your trainer and doctor to know which of these multivitamins will be
best for you.
• Fish oil tablets
Fish oil tablets are one of the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are needed by the body for various functions.
If you are a regular gym enthusiast or a bodybuilder, then it would be beneficial for you to include
omega 3 supplements in the form of fish oil tablets. Some of the main benefits of these supplements are – supports brain health,
boosts immunity, keeps your heart healthy, lowers cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation in the body,
support joint and bone health, and is needed for healthy skin, nails, and hair.
It is highly recommended that you consult your doctor before including any new bodybuilding supplement in your fitness routine to avoid any side effects or allergic reactions.
