Feed Your Muscles: A Sample Bodybuilding Diet

A bodybuilding diet and good nutrition are key components that will determine how successful you are in your bodybuilding program. Training without proper nutrition is like rowing against the current. At best, you would remain in the same place or even move forward a little bit, but in the end, you get nowhere.

A Definition of Diet: Food Choices, Not Starvation

Usually, people associate the word diet with days of starvation and pain. However, that is not the correct definition of a diet. The word diet refers to the food choices that we make on a daily basis. Even if you don’t think you that you are on a diet, guess what?! You already are following a diet. Whether you eat candy all day every day or oatmeal, that is your diet.

3 Rules for a Good Bodybuilding Diet

1. It should favor smaller and frequent feedings throughout the day instead of smaller ones.
2. Every meal should have carbohydrates, protein, and fat in the correct ratios: 40% carbs, 40% protein, 20 % good fats.
3. The calories should be cycled to prevent the metabolism from getting used to a certain caloric level.

While my article on Bodybuilding Nutrition Basics further elaborates on the reasons why the rules above need to be followed, in addition to a discussion on carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, I'll move now to present you with two examples of good bodybuilding diets.

Sample Bodybuilding Diet For Men

Meal 1 (7 AM)

• 1 cup of dry oats mixed with water
• 1 cup of egg beaters

Meal 2 (9 AM)

• Meal replacement packet mixed with water or a protein powder (with around 40 grams of protein) mixed with 40 grams of carbs from cream of rice, grits, or oatmeal.
• 1 Tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil (Spectrum brand is best)

Meal 3 (12 Noon)

• 1 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
• 2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
• 6-8 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 4 (3 PM)

• Same as Meal 2

Meal 5 (6 PM)

• 1 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
• 2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
• 6-8 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 6 (8 PM)

• Same as Meal 2

Sample Bodybuilding Diet For Women

Meal 1 (7 AM)

• 1/2 cup of dry oats mixed with water
• 1/2 cup of egg beaters

Meal 2 (9 AM)

• 1/2 meal replacement packet mixed with water or a protein powder (with around 20 grams of protein) mixed with 20 grams of carbs from cream of rice, grits, or oatmeal.
• 1/2 Tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil (Spectrum Brand is Best)

Meal 3 (12 Noon) 

• 1/2 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
• 2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
• 6 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 4 (3 PM) 

• Same as Meal 2

Meal 5 (6 PM)

• 1/2 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
• 2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
• 6 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 6 (8 PM) 

• Same as Meal 2

Basic Bodybuilding Supplements For Men and Women

Cover your basics with a multiple vitamin and mineral formula and essential fatty acids coming from fish oils, flaxseed oil or extra virgin olive oil. Women may wish to add a calcium supplement. For convenience purposes, a meal replacement packet or protein powder is a great way to add valuable calories and nutrients to your diet. For recipes on protein shakes and protein bars, please visit the Healthy Bodybuilding Recipes page.

Final Notes on the Bodybuilding Diet

You can experiment with various foods and also even substitute the protein shakes for real meals as well. After five weeks of following this diet program, start adjusting your calories and cycling them as described in my Bodybuilding Nutrition Basics article.

Now, I understand that going from two to three meals a day to six can be quite a shock. However, I do not expect you to change everything all at once. As a matter of fact, this is the reason why 99% of dieters out there fail. My goal is to have you succeed just as I did when I had weight problems. Therefore, if you rather ease into this program slowly by making small changes to your current diet on a bi-weekly basis, then please visit my article on Easing Into A Bodybuilding Diet