There are many factors which go into developing a good physique and a good exercise regimen is only one of them. In this article, we understand the importance of dietary plans, supplements and rest.
Post Workout Nutrients
Your body is at its hungriest after a grueling workout. This is a great opportunity for you to increase your muscle mass. This is known as Advanced Anabolic Recovery (AAC). Exhausted muscles respond well to nutrients. You could have a protein shake or a beverage consisting of carbs. However, if you wait for 30 minutes or longer after a workout, you have just lost yourself an opportunity.
Supplements
While there are many different supplements available in the market, each of which will have a different effect on your body, they do have a common set of objectives:
-Increase the muscles
-Increase the level of testosterone
-Supply calories
-Suppress the appetite
In addition to the above, every supplement will produce more effects on your body. Creatine supplements assist the muscles in retaining water, while protein supplements speed up the recovery process after a grueling workout. To burn excess calories, weight loss supplements will either suppress your appetite or speed up the heart rate.
While supplements are undoubtedly effective, they should be complemented with a good exercise routine and a nutritious diet. All your investments in bodybuilding supplements will come to naught if your training program and diet are ineffective. So, get your workout and diet in place before opting for supplements.
Characteristics Of A Good Body Building Diet
Small and frequent meals over large and infrequent ones
Three hours or more of no food makes your body move into a catabolic state. In this state, your body thinks that it is starving and starts feeding on your lean muscles. It then converts the calories into fat. Frequent meals will increase your body's metabolism. As a result, you end up burning more fat. Therefore, it is advisable to consume several small meals throughout the day instead of infrequent, large meals. When you eat anything, at anytime and in significant amounts, you consume more than what your body really needs. This undermines your progress and, in the long run, is detrimental to your objectives and goals.
Carbs, protein and fats should be in the right ratio
A well balanced meal should contain all the three ingredients in the right ratio. An unbalance meal will not yield the desired results. For example, your energy levels will plummet in only 30 minutes if you have a meal with only carbs. Any excess carbs will then be stored into fat. Similarly, if you are on a protein-only diet, your body will find it difficult to convert protein into muscle in the absence of carbs. Ideally, your meals should contain 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein and 20% beneficial fats
Cycle the calories
Having a constant calorie intake will only bring stagnant results as your body metabolism will get used to the calorie intake level. Therefore, it is advisable to have a dynamic diet. For example, for only building muscle mass, you could adopt the following strategy:
-5 days of high calorie intake followed by two days of low calorie intake
If you want to lose fat and build muscle at the same time, then the following strategy is effective:
-5 days of low calorie in take along with 2 days of high calorie intake
Drink a lot of water
Our body is 70% water. As you exercise, you sweat a lot and your body loses water. So, if you want bigger and better muscle, drink a lot of water.
Rest
Although it is considered as one of the most important aspects of bodybuilding, rest is often overlooked or ignored. What people don't realize is that the muscle growth they are looking for takes place during the recovery process. Inadequate rest or sleep can put to rest your dreams of having an effective workout. If you want a good night's sleep, avoid exercising before bed. Body temperature plays an important role in sleep. As the temperature falls, you feel sleepy. However, exercise will raise the body's temperature. Eight hours of sleep each night is what health experts prescribe.
Author Resource:-
The author, Chris Kennelly, has written a number of articles on body building basics for the sports and fitness section of Sports and Supplements. The author will be happy to assist you if you have any questions.
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