| The 6 Food Groups | | | | count anytime. Fail to count them and you set yourself |
| Usually, nutritional bibles will show a pyramid with grains | | | | up for bad habits that spill over into the off season. |
| cereals, proteins, dairy and fruits and vegetables as the | | | | Get in the habit of counting calories during a |
| 4 food groups. For bodybuilders, it's a bit different and | | | | pre-contest phase, and you'll probably be fine. Once |
| probably looks more like this: | | | | you add starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and |
| Meats/ ProteinsCereals/ GrainsVegetablesFruitDairy | | | | additional grains, such as rice, you won't go astray. |
| ProductsOils/ NutsA bodybuilder's food intake for peak | | | | For a 200 pound bodybuilder, here's how calories |
| performance and peak condition should include | | | | should look: |
| something from each of these groups, but the ratios | | | | Off season (growth): 3000 |
| are greatly skewed from what is typically espoused | | | | Off season (maint.): 2500 |
| by nutrition bibles. | | | | Pre-contest (fat loss): 1800 |
| Ratios are approximately: | | | | Eating Quality and Quantity in the Off Season |
| Off Season: | | | | Off season and mass building aren't synonymous with |
| 40% Meats/ Proteins10% Grains/ Cereals20% | | | | Burger King or McDonald's. Occasionally, this kind of |
| Vegetables (Starchy and unstarchy) 10% Fruit10% | | | | food is okay, but in general, they are not their own |
| Dairy10% Oils/ NutsPre-Contest: | | | | food group and are not the best quality food to feed |
| 40% Meats/ Proteins5% Grains/ Cereals30% | | | | your body. |
| Vegetables (10% starchy and 20% unstarchy, leafy | | | | It merits mentioning that eating a large quantity of |
| green vegetables)30% Oils/ NutsFruits typically are cut | | | | calories during an off season phase is crucial to |
| out in the last 5 or 6 weeks. As long as vitamin | | | | success. But it should also be mentioned that the |
| supplementation occurs, it's not an appreciable deficit. | | | | quantity must also include quality. Simply shoveling 3000 |
| Typically, we are told that 60% of our diets should | | | | calories of any kind of food into your mouth isn't the |
| come from carbs, 20% from protein and 20% from | | | | way to address mass building. |
| fat. But let's face it... eating like this is a sure-fire recipe | | | | Think of feeding your body in the same way you |
| for bodybuilding failure! Following the above plan is | | | | would a new home project. Do you want linoleum in |
| much more likely to create the kind of physique you | | | | your kitchen, or ceramic tile? Would you build your |
| want, and provide the energy you need to succeed in | | | | home with recycled lumber and expect it to last for 30 |
| the gym and up on the stage. | | | | years, or would you be better off using brand new |
| Calories - Do they Count? | | | | lumber? Would you want to use sandpaper on your |
| In this age of low carb diets (and bodybuilders have | | | | roof, or wood shake or ceramic tile? These are all |
| been cycling carbs for much longer than it's been in | | | | important decisions in what your final product looks like, |
| fashion) it's easy to think that calories don't count! But, | | | | and how enduring it will be. |
| in fact, they do. Don't ignore calories - it's one of the | | | | Think of food and feeding your body during a mass |
| biggest mistakes that a bodybuilder can make! That | | | | phase in the same way. Eat steak, chicken, and other |
| means, don't ignore the fact that what you take in, | | | | quality protein, good carbs like potatoes, yams, |
| carb-free/ carb-light or not, still counts. Sure, it counts | | | | oatmeal, and fats such as olive oil and nuts. Just eat |
| much more when you include complex carbs back into | | | | more of it than you would during a pre-contest phase. |
| the picture during an off season phase, but calories | | | | |