If you really want to lose body fat and build lean muscle you have to have a plan. And the food you eat should be such a major part of that plan, that neglecting this area will result in failure.
The problem is far too many of us who are looking for that perfect physique overlook this fact. This means most of us are simply not getting maximum benefits from our workouts. And if you’ve ever reached a point where you seem to be putting a lot of effort in but not getting the gains you expected – then you know exactly what I mean.
Let’s take a quick look at 5 things to consider when it comes to your diet, and then touch on what supplements can do for you in terms of helping you achieve your goals faster. Then look at some other muscle building techniques for getting ripped.
Pre-workout Meal
It is important that you eat a good meal before you start your workout. This diet should consist of such things as pasta and rice. The reason for this is that they are slow burning carbohydrates. It’s energy to fuel your engine.
And slow burning carbohydrates take longer to convert to glucose. This means that your blood sugar levels should remain fairly consistent. When your sugar levels are consistent you will be able to train for longer and push yourself harder.
Complement this with a heavy serving of protein too, as this will increase your muscle gains.
Post-workout Meal
Do not waste any time in taking your work out meal once you have completed your workout. Make sure it is high in fast burning carbohydrates and protein.
We will look at three more things that you should take into account when looking for an effective muscle building diet plan that will give you a perfect physique.
Multiple Meals
It is vital that you try to eat smaller portions but eat them more often. It may be very hard for you to discipline yourself to do this at first but if you do you will really reap the rewards. This doen’t have to be painfully time consuming though – simply prepare food in larger batches, split it up and eat throughout the day.
Food is so important that it’s often the real reason that thin guys seem unable to put on muscle mass. In many cases they simply aren’t eating enough, or enough of the foods they need to be eating (read more in how to gain muscle for skinny guys).
Good Fats
A lot of people wanting to build muscle and trim fat start out by avoiding eating fats. But that’s not the best way to go. Obviously junk food and highly processed hydrogenated and saturated fats should be avoided. But if you eat good fats they will do you the power of good. This is because such fats have a direct link with your testosterone levels. I mean, if you cut out foods like nuts and avocados, you’re only going to make bulking up your muscles more difficult!
Water
Not drinking enough water is one of the major ‘crimes’ for those who are looking to build lean muscle. Your body comprises of around 70% water so if you are dehydrated then you can’t expect that body to function at anywhere near it’s peak potential. That means poor quality workouts, with no real gains.
There is one other thing that should not be ignored if you want to achieve a “ripped” body quickly and that is:
Supplementation
Choosing the correct supplements can be vital if you want to achieve your goals faster. The problem is far too many of us are not choosing the right supplements – which is not that surprising when there is so much junk on sale and bad advice out there. Take time out to investigate supplements because when you do you will reap the rewards.
My favorite ‘outer’ of bad supplements put a program together (see does Adonis Golden Ratio really work?) that covers this important area in detail – he worked in the industry for a long time so he knows the kind of tricks that go on, and will tell you exactly what works and what is rubbish to be avoided. His industry insider tips will save you a ton of money!
The other thing to remember about supplements is that they will work, but only if you do! Obviously there’s no such thing as a muscle builder supplement that works while you sit on the couch. You put the effort in during your workout, take the correct supplements and the rate at which you gain lean muscle mass can be greatly increased.
It Can Be Done!
So yes, nutrition is absolutely a vital part of any kind of muscle building.
But with a little self-discipline, lots of hard work, a good muscle building diet plan and the use of correct supplements you will most definitely reach your goals and achieve a physique that others can only dream of.