When it comes to dieting, many bodybuilders are employing the typical approach of alternating between diets designed for gaining mass and diets designed for shedding the accumulated excess fat as quick as possible. Although this might be suitable in terms of competitive bodybuilding, it can be quite unnecessarily exhausting for the average bodybuilder.
Most people who aren’t interested in appearing on stage in the foreseeable future would be happier with combining the best of both of those worlds, or having a long-term dieting strategy that allows them to consistently grow and stay lean at the same time. And if you’re not sure how that would work, we know just the way to get you there.
#1. Engage in HIIT cardio
HIIT cardio is a lot more effective for melting fat and will induce greater fat burning in the following 24 hours after you finish your workout, compared to its steady-state counterpart. Some people reap even bigger benefits from performing HIIT cardio on an empty stomach in the mornings, while others prefer to eat a high-protein meal beforehand. Either way, this type of workout is guaranteed to significantly elevate your metabolic rate and maintain it that way for longer.
#2. Increase meal frequency
If you decide to follow a rigorous diet and significantly decrease your daily calorie consumption, the rate at which your body is able to burn body fat will slow down. To prevent this from happening, make sure you consume enough calories to fuel your activity by eating many relatively smaller meals, spread as evenly as possible (every 2-3 hours) throughout the day. And as you may know, the optimal number of meals per day for a bodybuilder is 6-8. Eating frequently will enable a steady flow of nutrients that ensure proper functioning of the organism, enhance the metabolism and fuel your trainings.
#3. More protein
Here comes the no-brainer: if you want to add some lean muscle, consume more high-quality protein from foods like lean meats, whole eggs, fish and beans. Protein is a key nutrient for increasing muscle growth that also helps you feel full for a longer period of time, which makes it very helpful if you’re trying to slightly reduce your calorie intake. In addition to your daily high-protein meals, make sure to take in an adequate amount of protein as soon as you wake up in the form of a protein shake to fuel your muscles, prevent catabolism and enable a faster recovery.
#4. Fat is your friend
Eating healthy fats such as the ones found in oily fish, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, avocados and dairy products will bring great metabolic benefits and help you balance your hormonal activity. In addition, dietary fats will increase your satiety and cause less insulin production, resulting with faster fat loss. Of course, don’t overdo it – your fat consumption should fit with your daily calorie intake limitations.
#5. Carefully choose your carbs
Avoid processed, refined carbs as much as you can. For most of your meals, especially the pre-workout one, it’s best to aim for slow-digesting natural carbs such as rice, beans and yams that produce slow increases in blood glucose and insulin production, providing a steady supply of energy during your workout or any other type of activity.
That being said, the only adequate time to consume fast-digesting carbs is right after your workout, in order to replenish your muscle glycogen reserves and ensure fast recovery. Make sure to never skip a post-workout meal – consuming an adequate amount of fast-digesting carbs and proteins after you finish working out will make sure your body has all the required nutrients to repair the damaged muscle tissue, thus enabling optimal growth.
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