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So, you want to know what the best meals for bodybuilders are? Well you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss which meals are the best for bodybuilders.
What is Bodybuilding?
Bodybuilding isn’t just for those looking to compete. If you have goals of improving your health and body, then you can be a bodybuilder too. We’ll walk you through the basics.
What comes to mind when someone says they’re a bodybuilder? You probably imagine someone flexing their big muscles, chiseled abs, and strutting around stage at a bodybuilding competition. It’s a professional sport, yes. But that’s not all bodybuilding is meant to be.
Are you a stay-at-home mom who’s looking to tone up after having kids? You can be a bodybuilder. Do you have goals of building muscle and getting fit outside of your 9 to 5? Also bodybuilding. Maybe you’re a grandparent who just wants to be healthy enough to run around and play with your grandkids. You can be a bodybuilder too.
It doesn’t matter your profession or what stage of life you’re in. In your own respective way, you can be a bodybuilder without being a professional and competing on stage.
Is Bodybuilding A Sport Or A Hobby?
According to good ol’ Merriam-Webster, here’s the definition of bodybuilding:
The development of the body through exercise and diet, specifically: the development of the physique for competitive exhibition.As we discussed, you don’t have to compete to be a bodybuilder (although you can if that’s a goal of yours). Whether you want to compete professionally or have body goals you want to reach, bodybuilding is all about getting fit, transforming your body, and shaping it to look the way you want it. That’s a process we all can engage in. So, to answer the question about if bodybuilding is a sport or a hobby—it really is both.
The Pros & Cons Of Bodybuilding
There are many different benefits and drawbacks to bodybuilding that you should definitely be awar of.
Pros:
Muscle helps manage blood sugar
Muscle builds strength and stamina
Muscle supports your joints
Building muscle builds bone, too
Muscle helps you control body fat
Muscle may change your emotional state
Muscle makes you more self-confident
Cons:
Time commitment
Risk of injury
The Best Meals For Bodybuilders
Now that we have gone over some other important information about bodybuilding, we will now talk about what the best meals are for bodybuilders. We will go over the best meals for bodybuilders who are bulking, and the best meals for bodybuilders who are cutting.
The Best Meals For Bulking
In this section, we will talk about which meals are best for bodybuilders who are trying to bulk and put on muscle mass and size.
The Perfect Breakfast
4-6 egg whites with 2 whole eggs
1 serving Cream of Wheat cereal
1 banana
525 calories, 38 g protein, 59 g carbs, 15 g fat.
Why? Eggs, a universal bodybuilding staple, offer easy-to-digest protein to kick-start muscle growth. Cream of Wheat provides energy-rich complex carbohydrates, and bananas contain both fructose and potassium, which support glycogen formation in the liver and muscles to minimize muscle breakdown in the body.
Hardgainer Tip: Substitute 16 ounces of low-fat milk for water in prepping the Cream of Wheat. This adds another 16 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbohydrate and 4 grams of fat.
The Perfect Lunch
6-9 oz. extra-lean ground beef
2 cups pasta
3⁄4 cup broccoli
700 calories, 60 g protein, 83 g carbs, 13 g fat.
Why? For muscle-building, there’s nothing like beef—it contains creatine, all the necessary aminos and a full spectrum of B vitamins, and it’s dense in iron to assist in energy production. Pasta provides carbs, which are essential for energy, and broccoli yields compounds that help with fat control.
Hardgainer Tip: Choose lean, not extra-lean, beef (around 10% to 15% fat as opposed to under 10%). The extra fat and calories spare the burning of glycogen and protein for greater growth.
The Perfect Dinner
1 chicken breast (7-9 oz.)
1 yam
1 cup peas, corn and carrots
603 calories, 69 g protein, 61 g carbs, 7 g fat.
Why? The combination of carbohydrates and lean protein in this meal increases the levels of insulin in the blood, fostering a hormonal environment that’s ideal for muscle growth. Yams digest slowly, helping to sustain that environment, and lower-fat protein, like this chicken breast, helps keep body fat in check.
Hardgainer Tip: Add a tall glass of low-fat milk and saute the chicken in extra-virgin olive oil for additional protein and essential fats that help growth.
The Perfect Pre-Training Snack
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
4 slices rye toast with 2 tbsp grape jam
532 calories, 35 g protein, 89 g carbs, 4 g fat.
Why? The protein from cottage cheese hits the blood by workout time, sparing muscle breakdown. Grape jam offers sugar, which kicks up insulin to minimize breakdown as well. Rye bread is a slow-burning carb, preventing blood-sugar drops that can come from eating sugar alone.
Hardgainer Tip: Include extra jam to guard against the depletion of glycogen.
The Perfect Post-Training Snack
Whey-protein shake (two scoops mixed with water)
1 cup rice with 4 tbsp raisins
549 calories, 45 g protein, 91 g carbs, 2 g fat.
Why? Recovery and growth. Fast-digesting protein and carbs jump-start the rebuilding process. Whey is a great source of amino acids, and the rice and raisin mixture offers concentrated carbs that kick up insulin for muscle repair.
Hardgainer Tip: Bump the rice serving to 11⁄2 cups for more simple carbs.
The Perfect Anytime Snack
Turkey sandwich with:
2 slices whole-grain bread
2-3 slices fat-free cheese
3-4 slices deli turkey breast
Mustard and fat-free mayo
316 calories, 36 g protein, 34 g carbs, 4 g fat.
Why? Convenience, as well as that much-needed sixth meal of the day. The balanced combination of protein, carbs and fat in this sandwich are ideal for mass-building.
Hardgainer Tip: Add a glass of low-fat milk and a piece of fruit if you have a speedier-than-average metabolism.
The Best Meals For Cutting
In this section, we will talk aboout which meals are the best for bodybuilders you are trying to cut and lose any fat they have gained from bulking.
Breakfast Options
Some good options for breakfast when trying to cut are:
50g wholegrain porridge, handful of blueberries and a protein shake (approx. 340 cals)
4 scrambled egg whites, 2 slices wholemeal toast (approx. 410 cals) Ham, mushroom and spinach frittata (approx. 230 cals)
Asparagus soldiers with soft boiled egg (approx. 186 cals)
Breakfast smoothie with banana, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, water + honey (approx. 130 cals)
Whey protein pancakes (approx. 111 cals per pancake)
Morning Snack Options
Some good options for morning snacks when cutting are:
Banana (approx. 100 cals)
Any single piece of fruit or handful of berries (cals vary)
1 cup edamame beans (approx. 250 cals)
Handful of nuts (approx. 160 cals)
Promax Lean Bar (approx. 206 cals)
Lunch Options
Some great options for lunch when cutting are:
Chicken, brown rice and broccoli (approx. 300 cals)
Extra lean ground beef, cauliflower and brown rice (approx. 300 cals)
Grilled courgette, kale, pepper and humous wrap (approx. 332 cals)
Chicken wrap with tomatoes, cucumber, olives and hummus (approx. 243 cals)
Chilli with quorn mince (approx. 275 cals)
Post-Workout Snack Options
Some amazing post-workout (after workout) snack options are:
Apple and almond butter (approx. 270 cals)
Almonds (approx. 160 calories per 22 almonds)
Promax Lean shake (approx. 240 calories for a 2 scoop serving)
Greek yoghurt (approx. 59 calories)
Dinner Options
Some great options for dinner when cutting are:
Tuna steak, two sweet potatoes, broccoli and asparagus (approx. 350 calories)
Chicken burger with wholewheat bread + fried egg (approx. 500 cals)
Chicken stew with quinoa and beans (approx. 330 cals)
Beef stir-fry with brown rice (approx. 400 cals)
Low calorie chicken korma, replacing cream with yoghurt (approx. 376 cals)
Singapore noodles (approx. 415 cals)
Cutting Vs Bulking
To gain muscle and strength, athletes and recreational gym-goers go through phases called bulking and cutting. These are strategic periods of weight gain and loss, respectively.
While these strategies are fairly common, you may wonder about the specific upsides and downsides of bulking and cutting, and whether they are even necessary at all.
Bulking
A bulk is a period of eating in a strategic calorie surplus. That is, when you’re bulking, you eat more calories than you burn. The goal is to gain weight, primarily due to increased muscle mass.
People most often combine bulking with high intensity resistance training to help boost their muscle and strength gains.
You can accomplish this in a tightly controlled fashion, which people refer to as a clean bulk, or with a more liberal approach, often called a dirty bulk.
With either approach, the goal is to eat more calories than you burn to promote muscle gains.
Cutting
A cut is a period of eating at a calorie deficit as a means to lose body fat while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible.
While resistance training continues to play a role during a cutting phase, you may not be able to lift weights with the same intensity as you can during a bulk.
This is due to a number of factors, though the main one is that you have less energy available.
Bodybuilders and athletes often implement a cutting phase following a period of bulking, or leading up to a competition or their competitive season.
How To Start A Bulk
When starting a bulk, the first step is to determine your maintenance calories — the number of calories you need to maintain your weight. Various online calculators can help you estimate this number.
You then tack on a 10–20% calorie surplus. For example, a 175-pound (79-kg) man of average size would add around 250–500 calories to their daily intake. Meanwhile, a 135-pound (61-kg) woman of average size might add about 200–400 calories.
From there, aim for a daily protein intake of 0.7–1 gram per pound of body weight (1.6–2.2 grams per kg) to support muscle gain. The rest of your daily calories are made up of carbs and fats, though this depends on your preference.
You may find it helpful to track your daily intake using one of several smartphone apps.
Weigh yourself regularly to track your progress, shooting for a weight gain of 0.25–0.5% of your body weight per week.
If the number on the scale isn’t moving over the course of a couple of weeks, gradually increase your weekly calorie intake by 100–200 calories.
People usually pair a bulk with high intensity resistance training to maximize muscle gains.
A bulking phase can last anywhere from 1 month to over 6 months or longer, depending on your goals.
How To Start A Cut
To start a cut, it’s also helpful to determine your maintenance calories, or how many calories you need to eat per day to maintain your weight.
From there, instead of adding calories, you’ll subtract a given number of calories each day. In other words, you’ll eat fewer calories than you need to maintain your body weight. This will help stimulate fat loss.
An average active man needs about 2,600 calories per day to maintain weight, whereas an average active woman needs around 2,000 calories.
That said, weight maintenance calorie needs can vary substantially due to body size, genetics, and activity level.
To stimulate weight loss, a general rule is to consume 500 calories below maintenance. While it was traditionally thought this would help you lose approximately 1 pound (0.45 kg) per week, actual weight loss differs between people and may change over time.
Research suggests that a gradual weight loss of 0.5–1% per week may be best for maximizing muscle maintenance.
To help maintain muscle mass, it’s best to keep your protein intake fairly high at 0.6–1.4 grams per pound (1.4–3.1 grams per kg) of body weight and continue to practice resistance training. You can experiment with what works best for you within this range.
In addition to a gradual calorie restriction through diet, cutting phases usually include some form of cardio or step counting to provide added calorie burning and fat loss.
In general, a cutting phase is shorter than a bulk, usually lasting 2–4 months. It may be best to adhere to a cutting program for the minimal amount of time you need to meet your goals. This may help you preserve muscle mass throughout the process.
Summary
In this article, we have discussed which meals are the best for bodybuilders. The main points we covered were:
I hope you have found the information in this article useful and I hope any questions you had have been answered. Thank you for reading, please come back soon.
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