Diet/nutrition is key to making progress and reaching your training goals. If you do not have an understanding of nutrition and are lacking dietary discipline you most likely will be spinning your tires and not hindering yourself from reaching full potential and optimal results.
I myself have been in this position before in the past due to over consuming calories and carrying too much body fat. I was big and strong but also carrying excess weight that covered the muscle gains I was making in the gym.
Over the course of 25 years of training I have tried different diets for bulking, cutting, and maintaining so at this point in my life I have a pretty good grasp on what works for me.
You do not have to go on a restrictive diet to get great results unless you have specific health needs which would require it. What does matter however is the amount of total calories consumed during the course of the day and getting enough protein to fuel recovery and muscle growth.
Here are some basic tips to follow regarding diet in order to get the best results.
1. Start by finding your maintenance calories by using an online calorie calculator. This will give you a base line idea on how many calories you need to consume on a daily basis to maintain your current weight. Once you find your daily maintenance calories, you can subtract or add to this depending on your specific goal.
If your goal is to lose weight and fat subtract 300 to 500 calories from your daily total. If your goal is to gain weight add those calories. If you are extremely fat you can afford to reduce a lot more calories. The idea for most however is to avoid crash dieting in order to preserve as much muscle mass as possible, and to avoid extreme bulking in order to inhibit excess fat gain.
2. Download a calorie tracking app. We have the technology now so make use of it. Calorie tracking is the best way to make sure you are hitting your daily protein and caloric goals. They are extremely easy to use and after a few days of tracking it should become routine.
3. Buy a digital food scale. A simple food scale can be purchase anywhere between 20 to 30 dollars and you may even be able to get one at a thrift store for even cheaper. The food scale is an essential tool for calorie tracking. This allows you to weigh foods such as meat to get accurate protein and caloric totals.
4. Make your diet protein focused whether you are cutting, bulking, or maintaining. Protein is essential for muscle recovery and growth. If you do not have enough your muscles will not properly recover, rebuild, and grow. The end result will be cheating yourself out of optimal gains.
I suggest getting 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight in order to cover your bases. This should be enough for most people but if you happen to go over this amount that is ok. Your body will simply expell what you do not use. An example would be a man who weighs 200 pounds should strive to be in range of 200 grams of protein daily.
This means focusing on getting enough. Poultry, beef, pork, fish, eggs, dairy, whey protein shakes etc. Also always consider if the food you are eating has a good calorie to protein ratio. An example of a good calorie to protein ration would be 10 grams of protein for every 100 calories (give or take).
I use a flexible high protein diet. Meaning you can fit some "junk foods" into your diet as long as they fit within your daily caloric goals and you are still getting your protein in. This also serves the purpose of avoiding splurges and falling off the wagon.
People who go too restrictive with diet tend to fail, it is much easier to just work in the foods you like. Is it really cheating if at the end of the day you are still keeping calories in check and getting enough protein? The beauty of calorie tracking it it allows the flexibility without having to be super restrictive and bland therefore it is much easier to adhere to and stay consistent.
5. High sugar, high fat foods typically are going to have poor calorie to protein ratios. If your goal is weight loss then low fat, and sugar free options are preferable in order to come in at a daily caloric deficit.
Now I will share some thoughts on supplementation. Bodybuilding supplements will help you reach your goals but they are not a substitute for poor dietary discipline. Diet still out weighs supplementation in terms of importance.
There are a wide array of supplements on the market and an individuals needs will vary depending on specific issues and goals. The number 1 supplement I would suggest is creatine. Over 30 years on the market it is proven safe and effective, and we are still discovering benefits that expand beyond muscle output and growth but also enhances in brain function and has anti-aging benefits.
Whey protein is another good supplement to have on hand just because it makes it much easier to hit your daily protein goals while keeping calories in check. Whey is not necessary as one can get their protein from diet alone but it does indeed make it easier to reach these goals.
