| Hey Friend,
Bodybuilding nutrition generally consists of the 3 big macro nutrients - protein, carbs, and fat.
Just look at any bodybuilding diet plan and you'll see
recommendations for the total daily caloric intake along with how much
protein you should eat, how many carbs, and how much fat.
On the surface this all seems really good, and it's light years ahead
of the average Joe who has no idea of what he puts in his mouth over
the course of the day.
Unfortunately, a lot of
people base their dietary decisions on eating foods that are cheap and
taste good. Nutritional value is often the least of importance. And if
you don't believe me, just look at what gets put in the average shopping
cart the next time you are at the grocery store.
Now I'm going to assume that since you are taking the time to read
this that you probably focus on your macro nutrient needs
for building muscle and/or burning fat. And for that you deserve a pat
on the back because you are on the right track.
However, there is still a
"Missing Link" in your bodybuilding nutrition program...
You have heard about this "missing link" in nutrition since you
were 5 years old, before you even knew what protein was. But if you
were anything like me you just screwed up your face in disgust when your
mother said "Eat Your Vegetables"...
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| | If we were to do a survey of the Number #1 most disliked food - Vegetables would be at or near the top of the list.
The weird thing
about vegetables is the less you eat them, the less you like them.
However, the opposite is also true in that the more you eat them, the
more you like them. It just takes some will power in order to get over
that initial hump.
For many people their taste buds have been desensitized from years of
eating processed foods and artificial sweeteners. So it's often hard
to appreciate taste, flavor, and natural
sweetness of fresh vegetables. But if you stick with it your palette
will change for the better and you'll actually acquire a taste for
natural healthy foods that nourish your body.
The nutritional benefits of vegetables is one area of bodybuilding
nutrition that often gets swept under the rug. Making sure that you eat
at least 10 servings of vegetables and fruit daily is critical for not
only your overall health, but for building a lean muscular physique as
well. In fact, veggies should be placed on the same pedestal as protein in terms of importance.
Vegetables infuse your body with easily absorbable vitamins,
minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids. They are rich in chlorophyll
and phytonutrients that help support the body's self defense mechanisms,
while detoxifying and nourishing the body at the cellular level.
From a bodybuilding point of view this can help with reducing muscle
soreness, speed up growth and recovery, ease joint pain and
inflammation, alkalize the body, reduce toxicity, and create a natural
anabolic environment within your muscle cells.
I personally strive to several helpings of vegetables with every meal. I'll usually start with a fresh garden salad and then include steamed or stir-fried veggies with my meal.
And for those times when I can't eat vegetables, I'll have a Greens Drink instead.
Green drinks contain the extracts of several "Super Foods"
that are very nutrient dense such as: wheat grass, sprouted grains,
berries, and colorful vegetables. A single serving of a high quality Greens
Drink has the same nutritional value as eating 10 servings of
vegetables and fruit!
Studies show that phytonutrients, chlorophyll, polyphenols,
carotenoids and other antioxidants found in greens help to protect the
body from free radical damage. Regularly consuming green drinks will
help to alkalize your body by neutralizing the excess acids from eating a modern diet.
Conclusion…
There is a lot more to bodybuilding nutrition than just making sure
you hit your macro-nutrients of protein, carbs, and fat.
Your mother's
words of wisdom to "Eat Your Vegetables" is so true. The phytonutrients,
chlorophyll, polyphenols, carotenoids, easily absorbable vitamins,
minerals, and antioxidants that are found in vegetables are just as (if
not more) important to building a lean muscular physique as eating high
quality protein.
So I encourage you to make an effort to consume more fresh vegetables
in your daily diet. The more you eat them, the more you'll grow to like
them. But it will take some will power on your part initially to get the ball
rolling.
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If you'd like some help with creating the ideal
nutrition program for building muscle, burning fat, and improving your
overall health & fitness. Then just visit my website and check out
my Customized Diet & Workout Programs. |
| | | all the best, Lee Hayward
(Your Muscle Building Coach)
http://www.TotalFitnessBodybuilding.com
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