For bodybuilders, working out is only one part of the equation to sculpting an awe-inspiring physique. Just as important as your lifting routine is your calorie consumption routine, otherwise known as your diet.
Diets aren’t fun to talk about (unless you’re that lady on Facebook telling everyone how much you LOVE the new “cleanse” you’re on right now). For normal people, especially guys, you want to eat what you want as long as you don’t get fat. Unfortunately, you can’t properly shred your body without a healthy diet.
But diets aren’t all about cutting. You need the right diet to GAIN muscle and strength as well. Here are four tips to maximize your diet for optimal strength gains.
Pack in the Protein
There is a reason protein is talked about so often in bodybuilding circles – it’s absolutely essential to muscle growth. Even if you’re eating enough calories every day, if you don’t get enough protein, your muscles will never grow, and you won’t gain strength.
Fortunately, foods high in protein are often delicious. Who doesn’t love a big, juicy steak? Eggs are similarly fantastic. Chicken gets a bad rap for being boring, but there are tons of ways to season it and make it delicious.
When I’m rebounding from a show and really going for size and strength gains, I’m eating anywhere from 25-35 ounces of meat a day.
Do You Even Hydrate, Bro?
A common mistake of bodybuilders and non-bodybuilders alike is a lack of hydration. Our bodies are made up of mostly water, and need a ton of it to function at our peak. One of the best ways water boosts your body is in the prevention of fatigue.
When you’re dehydrated, you’re naturally going to feel more fatigue than usual. Does that sound like a recipe for hitting new PRs in the gym? I didn’t think so. If you want to feel fresh in the weight room, you’ve got to keep the water flowing.
Use Supplements to…you know…Supplement
Maintaining a diet of healthy foods is so important to your training, but supplements can’t be overlooked if you really want a competition-ready body. While supplements aren’t the basis of your diet, they certainly enhance (or supplement) what you’re already consuming.
When I’m training, I make sure I get creatine, BCAA, Leucine, Carnitine, Whey Isolate, & Glutamine to help by body perform at its best. But a word of warning – there are a ton of useless products out there claiming to be legit supplements. You need to make sure you’re getting high quality products so you actually experience benefits.
I only use Evogen supplements because they’re honestly the best I’ve ever tried. If you want to get 15% off, go to www.evogennutrition.com and use my coupon code: 15offJB
Cook, Eat, Repeat
A big misconception about people who practice a healthy diet is that we are all great chefs who can make a ton of different meals. Based on my experience with other bodybuilders, that’s not the case.
The most effective way to stick to a set meal plan is not to have great variety and try something new every meal. It’s actually the opposite. You should eat the same meals over and over again.
When you limit your variety, you get really good at making the right foods, and it just becomes your routine. You begin to enjoy the predictability of your diet, and it sets you up to dominate your training.
Eating for maximum strength gains is simple, but it takes discipline. But if you build the right habits, your routine will be second nature in no time.