by Francesco A. Castano

Diet is one of the most confusing aspects of muscle building, and many bodybuilders achieve disappointing results specifically due to serious diet errors. Those who aim to gain muscle mass are often curious as to exactly when they should consume meals, especially in relation to the weight training workout itself, with some aiming to ingest a complete meal prior to performing a workout, and others avoiding food before a grueling bodybuilding session, with a feeling that more fat burning will occur when food is restricted prior to an exercise period.


Obviously, these wide range of opinions create much frustration for the bodybuilder who is pursuing maximum muscle gain, but there is a clear answer pertaining to eating before weight lifting, in that doing so is extremely beneficial for muscle gain. In fact, intensity must remain at peak levels for a workout to consistently boost muscle mass, and this becomes difficult if not impossible for most when attempting to perform a bodybuilding session with an empty stomach. For those who decide to engage in an early morning workout, this becomes especially problematic, as energy levels are low due to the overnight fast, and even though performing a weight training workout in such a scenario is clearly possible, intensity will greatly decline, which leads to lackluster muscle gain.

The best diet technique is to fuel the body with a properly balanced protein and carbohydrate meal prior to a bodybuilding session, as protein is always used by the body for recuperation and to build new muscle mass, while carbohydrates are the primary fuel for intense workout periods, and structuring a meal with ample carbohydrates preceding a bodybuilding workout will allow energy levels to greatly improve intensity, propelling muscle growth to new heights. Some tend to experience feelings of stomach illness when consuming a meal in proximity to weight lifting, but this does not signal that a workout must be performed on an empty stomach, as the time between the workout meal and training can extend to the minimum necessary for a bodybuilder to train without experiencing feelings of nausea, which will greatly improve results.

There are bodybuilders who have no choice but to perform their weight training sessions prior to work, otherwise they will either not have sufficient time for a workout, or are likely to become distracted as the day progresses and neglect their weight lifting obligations, therefore, in such scenarios, it's far better to perform a workout in the morning without the benefit of a meal preceding such a session than to potentially skip workouts, but if there is any possible way to consume a meal at minimum 30 minutes prior to a weight lifting workout (60-90 minutes is preferred), then doing so will greatly enhance long term muscle growth.

Weight lifting is not the most enjoyable activity, but the progress achieved when using a potent diet and training routine are motivational, and worth the effort, but many experience a sense of negativity towards their workouts that encourages inconsistency specifically due to poor nutrition, as the absence of a properly structured meal prior to a bodybuilding session can drain all desire to train. Even those who aim to burn fat benefit from eating before their workout, as a correctly structured meal will not interfere with fat loss, and in fact, withholding food can weaken metabolism and increase the risk of muscle loss, which harms physical appearance, and will adversely impact the overall speed of fat loss. Since many are following incorrect muscle building or fat reduction diet advice found in magazines or on popular Internet fitness sites, they become convinced that certain methods, such as skipping food before a bodybuilding workout, is helpful to long term results, when in fact, such tactics are the very reason why numerous bodybuilders build muscle mass at a slower than expected pace, and those seeking fat loss lose muscle at an alarming rate, or find that fat reduction is far less impressive and captivating than the initial expectations.

Do not allow hunger to become the determining factor for whether you eat prior to a bodybuilding session, as even those with small appetites must consume sufficient nutrition before a workout, and there are numerous convenient, easy to consume and quick to prepare protein and carbohydrate sources that will make a feeding prior to weight lifting enjoyable to consume, and very easy to digest.

Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a diet and weight lifting program teaching the exact techniques for muscle growth without supplements or drugs. He also owns IncrediBody.com, an online fitness superstore selling protein powder at guaranteed lowest prices.

Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Last Updated on Friday, 14 October 2011 01:05