As with all serious sportspeople, body builders must follow a carefully planned diet to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to develop the superior physique necessary to participate in their chosen discipline. The best foods to eat for body builders are those which will enable them to lose as much body fat as possible, while still bulking up muscle. For some body builders, this may involve a fundamental change to their eating patterns, especially if there is a lot of takeaway and processed food present in their current diet.

A healthy balanced diet consists of fresh fruit and vegetable, whole grains, lean proteins and unsaturated fats. You should have all of these on a daily basis and every time you eat there should be something from each of these food groups on your plate.

A good intake of protein is essential in a training diet as it promotes muscle growth. Furthermore, it is very satisfying and will give you more energy and reduce your desire to snack on high calorie food. You can include more protein by eating more meat, eggs or other meat alternatives at meal times and dairy products or nuts between meals.

Red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and legumes such as kidney beans are all excellent sources of protein. Try to avoid fatty cuts of meat, and get rid of any excess fat you can see. Snack ideas include nuts and dairy products, although these can contain a lot of fat. Most dairy products have low fat varieties, so choose these whenever possible, and only eat small amounts of nuts. You can also up your protein intake by including protein shakes and bars which are commonly available in supermarkets, gyms and health stores. They are quite an expensive option, however, and don’t appeal to everyone.

Carbohydrates have had a bad press of late, but they are an important source of energy and should never be excluded from a training diet. Complex carbohydrates are the best choice as they are low GI and release energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer. Choose wholegrain products such as brown bread, pasta, rice and cereals which are high in fibre and low in fat. Avoid simple carbohydrates, particularly white flour products which are high GI and give you a quick energy rush but eventually leave you tired and hungry.

Fruit and vegetables are the best source of vitamins and minerals and, as they are so low in calories, there is no limit to the amount you can consume, in fact the more you have the better. Try some new and interesting ways to incorporate more vegetables and fruit into you daily eating plan, such as adding them to breakfast cereal and sandwiches. You will also get more variety of nutrients by choosing produce of different colours, like orange or yellow capsicums, dark green spinach and purple cabbage. This will greatly increase the size or your meals, but not the calorie content.

Fat might sound like a strange thing to include in a training diet, but you do need some. Plant based fats, such as olive oil, avocado, and nuts as well as that found in oily fish such as salmon have numerous health benefits and should be consumed on a daily basis, although be careful not to have an excessive amount. Saturated fats such as butter should be avoided as much as possible.

Don’t forget to keep your fluid levels up with a regular intake of water. Aim for at least 6 glasses a day, and even more if you have an intense training session. Herbal tea is another good source of fluid if you find it hard to ingest a lot of water.

What about the food you should exclude? Takeaway junkies will have to give up the habit while training, as most fast food is packed with saturated fat, sodium and sugar, none of which will enhance your physique or performance. Visit the sushi or sandwich bar if you want to have a healthy takeaway meal, but go easy on the mayonnaise. Highly processed snack foods and cereals are also best avoided as are bakery treats, cakes, sweets and biscuits. Alcohol is most definitely off the menu. An occasional treat is will not sabotage you, but this should be a once a week indulgence only. If this sounds like torture, just think of how you can celebrate when you win your next trophy!

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