In parallel with effective bodybuilding sessions at the gym, it is essential to adopt a balanced and adapted nutrition in order to achieve your objectives: muscle mass gain, weight loss, weight loss or weight maintenance.
This requires building a food plan and preparing meals in a rigorous manner, as well as adapting one's consumption of food supplements.
There are several steps to making a nutritional programme.
1st step: Calculate your total energy expenditure
It corresponds to your daily caloric needs, and is based on your basic metabolism and your physical activity.
Basic metabolism: This is the energy your body needs to carry out its vital functions. It depends on your age, sex, weight and height, but can also vary according to your muscle mass.
Physical activity: the energy expenditure related to activity changes according to the type of training, the number of sessions per week, the duration of these sessions but also the expenditure related to the occupation.
For example, a person with a desk job will not have the same expenditure as a person with a more physical job.
- Total energy expenditure = basal metabolic rate x physical activity level
2 Step 2: Define your goals and the amount of calories you need to achieve them
The goal plays a key role in the construction of a dietary program. Simply put:
- For muscle development and mass gain: Caloric surplus
- For maintenance: Caloric equivalence
- For muscle leaning and weight loss: Caloric deficit
But calorie intake is not the only parameter to be taken into account. The distribution of macronutrients should also be considered.
3 Step 2: Distribute macronutrients
The amount of macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) should be adjusted according to the target. Although there are different combinations that can work in each case, here are some examples of breakdowns.
- For muscle building: protein intake is essential, as both are involved in the muscle protein synthesis process. Fat intake is then secondary, to the benefit of carbohydrates and proteins. In a simplified way, the distribution of energy should be as follows:20 to 25% protein, 55 to 60% carbohydrates, 15 to 20% fat
- For weight loss/dryness: It is the carbohydrate intake that should be decreased, while protein and good fat are increased in order to maintain muscle mass despite the energy deficit. However, a carbohydrate intake must still be maintained in order to have sufficient energy for training, thus helping to preserve muscle mass. In a simplified way, the distribution of energy should be as follows:25 to 30% protein, 30 to 35% carbohydrates, 35 to 40% fat
- For maintenance: simply follow the current recommendations which are 50% carbohydrate, 20% protein and 30% fat 3
However, these are only guidelines as each individual has their own unique metabolism.
Finding the exact distribution of macronutrients that you need requires a personalised and precise food plan depending on the number of sessions per week in the gym, the type of activity and your profession.
So don't hesitate to ask for advice from professionals.
Step 2: Choose the right foods
Once the goals have been set and the nutritional breakdown has been calculated, it is important to select the right foods to include in your nutritional programme.
Protein sources
The current recommendations are 0. 8g/kilos of body weight for a sedentary person, but these needs are increased in sportsmen and women, particularly for muscle building and recovery. 4 It is therefore important to consume sufficient protein.
In addition, it is essential to choose good quality sources:
- Dietary
proteins
- Free range eggs
- Mostly lean meat or fish
- Organic dairy products (cottage cheese, unsweetened plain yoghurt)
- Pulses: lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans. . .
- Protein powders: It is sometimes difficult to get enough protein from conventional food. This is why it is interesting to consume protein shakers. However, you should pay attention to the quality of the whey you buy, preferring isolates or native whey whose extraction processes ensure a higher quality protein.
- Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the most important source of protein in the body.
Carbohydrate sources
Choose low GI (glycemic index) carbohydrate sources such as whole grain cereals, oatmeal and sweet potato to limit body fat gain.
Fat source
The current recommendation is 1g/kilogram of body weight. Favour sources of good fats:
- Oily fish: sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon
- Oilseeds: walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashew nuts. . .
- Oils: olive oil, walnut oil, coconut oil
Some examples of menus
Weight loss/muscle dryness menu
Breakfast :
- 2 fried eggs
- 40g oatmeal
- 15cL of skimmed or plant milk with no added sugar
- 1 banana
- 5 almonds
Lunch :
- 120g chicken breast
- 200g vegetables cooked with 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200g sweet potato
- 1 apple
Cooling: 1h before training
- 1 banana
- 10 almonds
After training: 1 whey shaker (protein powder)
Dinner: 1 hour maximum after training
- 150g of tuna
- 50g brown rice
- 200g vegetables cooked with 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150g cottage cheese
Menu maintenance
Breakfast:
- 2 fried eggs
- 50g oatmeal
- 15cL of skimmed or plant milk with no added sugar
- 1 banana
- 10 almonds
Lunch:
- 150g chicken breast
- 200g vegetables cooked with 1 tbsp olive oil
- 250g sweet potato
- 1 apple
Cooling: 1h before training
- 1 banana
- 10 almonds
After training: 1 whey shaker
Dinner: 1h maximum after training
- 150g of tuna
- 70g brown rice
- 200g vegetables cooked with 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150g cottage cheese
- 1 square of dark chocolate 90%
Menu for weight gain/muscle development
Breakfast:
- 3 eggs
- 70g oatmeal
- 20cL of skimmed or plant milk with no added sugar
- 1 banana
Morning snack:
- 10 almonds
- 1 shaker
Morning snack:
- 200g chicken breast
- 150g vegetables cooked with 1 tbsp olive oil
- 300g sweet potato
- 1 apple
Cooling: 1h before training
- 1 banana
- 10 almonds
After training: 1 whey shaker
Dinner: 1h maximum after training
- 150g tuna + 1 fried egg
- 80g basmati rice
- 150g vegetables cooked with 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200g cottage cheese
- 2 squares of dark chocolate 90%
Of course, these sample menus are only indications and do not take into account your personal needs.
Meals, protein and low or high GI carbohydrates can also be provided depending on the time of day and the training sessions!
In order to have a personalised diet, it is advisable to get sufficient information and advice from professionals.
