5 Big Nutritional
Pitfalls to
Avoid
Nutrition
and supplementation
are main ingredients
in the recipe
for building
muscle. For
bodybuilders
and athletes
the saying “you
are what you
eat” is
a reality. Nutrition
is everything
if you hope
to realize gains
from your time
in the gym.
Avoid the following
pitfalls to
ensure you are
getting the
most results
in the least
amount of time.
1:
Not Drinking
Enough Water
The body is
at minimum,
67% water; therefore
we need quite
a bit of this
valuable resource
throughout the
day. Water flows
throughout your
body, piping
through to keep
everything functioning
100%. It helps
to regenerate
muscle cells,
and removes
all the toxins
coming in and
out of your
body on a daily
basis.
2:
Eating Too Much
or Too Little
Too much of
anything is
not healthy.
Many bodybuilders
in their quest
for a muscular
physique tend
to overeat thinking
these calories
will all end
up as newfound
muscle tissue.
Think again.
To lose fat
and build (or
maintain)muscle
you need to
do cardio, and
take in the
exact ratio
of protein,
carbs and fat,
this is right
for your body.
To keep all
your hard earned
muscle, you
need high quality
protein, on
a regular basis.
To have high
energy levels
to train hard
you need quality
carbs. You need
healthy fats
for general
health, and
to burn body-fat.
Under eating
will make it
next to impossible
to build muscle,
and may also
make it harder
to lose body-fat.
The key is balance.
You need enough
quality nutrients
for muscularity,
but they need
not be in excess.
3: Insuficient
Amounts of Protein
Protein is the
king for building
muscle and recovery.
If it is to
come from food
sources, it
should be kept
lean and low
in cholesterol.
Egg whites,
skim milk, fish,
chicken (white
meat), lean
steak, sirloin,
lean cuts of
pork, and of
course whey
protein (preferably
an isolate or
blended whey
with isolate
as its main
ingredient)
are good choices.
These foods
are “clean”
protein sources
that are healthy
and can be consumed
on a daily basis.
By ingesting
1 – 1.5
grams of protein
per pound of
bodyweight,
divided over
5 – 6 meals,
the uptake of
amino acids
will be an easy
task for your
muscles.
4: Not Taking
Supplements
With all the
potential shortcomings
in our diet
and training,
supplements
help to round
them out. Many
“old-school”
bodybuilders
follow the misconception
that supplements
are a hassle,
expensive and
overwhelmingly
confusing. Supplements
can save you
money and time
substituting
for the large
variety of food
that you would
need to ingest
to attain the
same array of
nutrients. Weight
training and
other physical
activity drain
your body of
vital nutrients.
Providing your
body with protein,
vitamins and
other supplements
spurs muscle
growth and fat
loss. A multivitamin,
quality protein
powder, micronized
glutamine, creatine
and nitric oxide
stimulator could
exponentially
aid in recuperation,
training and
intensity.
5: Not Taking
Extra Vitamins
and Minerals
Bodybuilders
and other athletes
are notorious
for overlooking
vitamins and
minerals simply
because these
nutrients don’t
create a noticeable
difference in
their physique
or training,
like something
such as creatine
would. This
doesn’t
mean these nutrients
aren’t
integral to
building muscle.
Without enough
of these key
nutrients, muscle
mass would decay,
bones would
become brittle,
and all the
basic functions
of the body
would begin
to deteriorate.
Proper vitamin
supplementation
is often what
the “average”
weight trainer
is missing that
is preventing
them from realizing
better results.
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Always consult
a medical doctor,
or get a medical
opinion first,
if you are unsure
about any new
sports nutrition,
exercising,
or any kind
of dietary supplement
use, even though
supplements
are natural
and safe to
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been few cases
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