When
I talk to potential clients or anyone for that matter about “diets” I try to make sure I can get them to learn the basics. As we all know there is no clear cut black and white way to diet, but I think there are some constants in a general healthy diet. Contest prep is a whole different demon in itself, but I feel everybody should know the basics in order to be successful in their diet. Always remember that everybody responds to food differently so this is just my opinion and what has worked for me throughout the years.
Nutrition and off-season diet is a topic that can be discussed and argued about all day long. My take on the situation is simple: I feel the body needs an offseason so it will respond better once you become stricter with your protein, carbs, fats, and calories etc… This is obviously a case by case issue. If someone is a fitness model or in an industry where they need to be in shape year round then that’s a different story compared to somebody who just competes and doesn’t need to be in tip top shape all the time. Regardless if you are an average Joe or a competitor I feel that you should have some baseline knowledge about what you are putting in your mouth. They say abs are made in the kitchen, but if you’re not careful you’ll end up making muffin tops.
The first thing you want to evaluate is: What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to gain mass or cut down? Seems simple right?? The next concern is how many calories you are currently in taking. Keep in mind what you’re trying to accomplish will dictate how many grams of protein, carbs, fats, you will consume in a meal as well as total caloric intake which is why it’s important to know how many calories you’re eating per day to start.
Curious how to pattern your meals?
Breakfast: Protein, Carbs
Mid-Morning: Protein, Carbs, Veggies
Lunch: Protein, Carbs, Veggies
Mid-Afternoon: Protein, Fats, Veggies
Dinner: Protein, Fats, Veggies
Evening: Protein, Fats, Veggies
Above is a simple plan which should help you separate what you should be eating and when. Be sure to evaluate your diet and plan your meals about every 3-4 hours which should have you eating 5-6 meals per day. With that being said, you want to make sure you have a good source of protein in every meal (should be common sense!!). Then add in your carbs early in the day, then cut them out and add healthy fats. I follow this regimen roughly all year round. I am just a little more relaxed on what carbs I eat in the offseason. Be sure to be disciplined enough to cut out your carbs at night even if you are bulking.
There is a clear cut difference between gaining mass for mass sake and gaining quality lean muscle. If you just wanna be a bag of meat and don’t care what you look like then you can disregard this whole article. But if you want to stay lean and gain lean muscle in the process then this is a general guideline to follow.
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