The Workout Plan and Diet for Beginners

Expert bodybuilders started lifting light weights and just progressed to moderate and heavy weights over time. Before they can lift 200 pounds barbell on bench presses, they started on 30 pounds or 40 pounds or 50 pounds flat bench presses. That is if they started as a thin or skinny guy.  Diet can also help boost strength and body weight.

If you are one of those guys, whether you are into sports or just want to build your muscle, then the example workout plan and diet plan below is for you.
 
Day 1: Legs
•    Squats: 4 sets - 1 warm-up set of 20 reps, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Leg press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Double leg extension: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Romanian deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Seated leg curl: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Seated Calf raise: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
•    Lounge: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Standing Calf raise:3 sets 8-10 reps
 
Day 2: Chest/Back/Abs
•    Flat bench: 4 sets - 1 warm-up set of 10 reps, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Incline bench: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Flyes: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Straight Arm Dumbell Pull over: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Bent Over Barbell Row: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Seated Cable row: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Wide-grip pullup: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Hyperextension: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Decline Crunch: 4 sets -  1 warm-up set of 20 reps, 3 sets of 15 reps
•    Hanging Knee Raise to The Side -  3 sets of 15 reps
•    Cable Seated Crunch: 3 sets of 15 reps
 
Day 3: Shoulders/Traps
•    Standing Barbell press: 4 sets - 1 warm-up set of 10 reps, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Dumbbell lateral raise: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Dumbbell front raise: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Barbell Rear DeltRow: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Upright row: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Barbell Shrug: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Arnold Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
 
Day 4: Biceps/Triceps
•    Preacher curl with dumbbell: 4 sets - 1 warm-up set of 10 reps, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Standing dumbbell hammer curl: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Incline dumbbell curl: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Rope extension: 4 sets - 1 warm-up set of 10 reps, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
•    Dips with weight: 4 sets - 1 warm-up set of 10 reps, 3 sets of 8-10 reps


Day 5: Off

Repeat
 
The best workout plan for beginners is to separate upper and lower body workouts.  That is, you have to have a list of basic bodybuilding exercises for upper and lower body.  Start from the weights that you can lift or perform at 8-10 reps (8-10 RM or Repetition Maximum) for 2 to 3 sets and then add more weights at least after three weeks to begin with and progress from there continuously.  While doing your regular exercise program that is 1-2 hours each day, do not forget your diet.  More protein in your diet is necessary to build your muscle.  However, make sure you have a balance diet.  Balance means all the necessary nutrients and vitamins in food should be consumed in a 24 hour basis.  Plus, drink more fluids.  One liter a day to start with is good for beginner then add more fluid intake as you progress.
 
Nutrition Plan for You
 
Lean proteins and complex carbs are good. More on red meat, brown rice, protein shakes, fruits, and vegetables. Try a simple carb cycling routine so it changes day to day. If you had a tough workout better take in more calories to make sure your body has all the nutrients it needs to recover. Here is a sample diet for a day:
 
Meal 1 pre-workout
•    1 cup rice
•    4 egg whites, 1 yolk
•    1 piece fruit
 
Meal 2 Post-workout
•    1 scoop whey protein
•    1 piece fruit
 
Meal 3
•    1.5 cups brown rice
•    10 oz chicken breast
•    1 cup steamed broccoli
 
Meal 4
•    1 scoop whey protein
•    2 tbsp natural peanut butter
 
Meal 5
•    1/2 cup brown rice
•    10 oz steak
•    1 cup steamed asparagus
 
Meal 6
•    1 scoop casein protein
•    2 tbsp natural peanut butter
 
Way to go! Click Here! and make the most of your specialized workout and diet plan to reap its full benefit.

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The Best Foods For Natural Bodybuilding

Body builders as well as weightlifters have to watch over their diet, particularly when they want to improve their musculature. Protein is the most important thing that the body requires in order to build up muscle. This is due to the fact that protein has the necessary amino acids, which together with the supplementary amino acids are what the body needs for building up the muscles.

Therefore, what is the best food for natural bodybuilding as well as the great sources of the much needed protein? Here are some them:

• shellfish
• eggs
• chicken
• dairy products
• nuts
• fish
• red meats
• beans
• turkey
• grains

These are all the best food for natural building and superb sources of protein too. The only downside with those foods is that a few of them have high content of saturated fats, especially those that comes from red meats. Thus, you should only get the leanest meat possible, for dairy products, be sure to choose only the ones that are low in fat. Go for cottage cheese and skimmed milk rather than the full-fat selection of dairy products.

When cooking meats, be very sure not to overcook them or cook at an extremely high temperature. Too much heat can break the protein and it will not be that beneficial anymore.

Even though protein is the most essential thing for muscle building, a balanced diet should be implemented too. This means that your diet must be composed of:

• protein
• fiber
• carbohydrates
• vitamins
• fat
• mineral salts

You can get a balanced diet once you choose and eat foods from the 4 main food groups. Eating regularly is also a must, but this does not refer to eating three big meals per day. A lot of the calories from foods that we eat are already expended during the digestion process.

So, if you will have six small meals per day, instead, this will aid in maintaining the right protein level for the muscle to be built. This will also help in controlling insulin levels.
Carbohydrates are the ones responsible for providing the body with energy. Much of the carbohydrates are taken from starch, and this is present on breads, cereals, potato, pasta, rice, and yams.

Vegetables and fruits are good source of vitamins; make sure to include them in your everyday meals too. And just like with meats, never overcook the vegetables as they will lose the necessary nutrients. Steam them rather than roasting or boiling them. Preferably, eat them raw.

Certainly, avoid sugar. This could be in the form of soda, pie, candy, cakes, donuts, cookies, and other very refined carbohydrates. In addition, fruits contain natural sugars that can increase your sugar levels. Sugar particles cart off fluids from the tissues and this can result to dehydration. Though it is not always possible to identify which foods have sugar, the above surely do, so you must avoid them.

To conclude, even though the best food for natural bodybuilding is protein in all its forms, it is advisable that you make protein as just part of your balanced diet.

Thomas enjoys writing about health and fitness topics, especially natural bodybuilding topics. You can learn more about natural bodybuilding diets that can benefit your health.

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Skinny Guys Diet to Gain Muscle

If you're naturally thin and want to gain muscle mass, not only do you want to work out with weights, but you also have to eat right to support your workouts. You want to stick to a disciplined diet to gain muscle for the long term.

First of all, if you have skinny genetics and want to gain more muscle, you are required to eat more calories.There are certain nutritional strategies that will make your weight training program more effective. Let me explain.

There are three macronutrients you need to consider in your muscle gaining diet: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. These are your sources of energy (measured in calories) which is required for basic survival and to fuel your workouts. There is one other consideration - alcohol. If you drink, you will want to think twice about doing so because alcohol can affect your ability to gain muscle. Not only can alcohol affect your workout intensity from the hangover, but it also lowers your testosterone and increases estrogen!

Although alcoholic drinks contain a lot of calories, it's empty calories as it doesn't contain nutrients. Swap the beer for drinking plenty of water, and remember that most other beverages like fruit juices are good sources of calories.

Protein

Let's start with protein. You need protein for muscle building, but it doesn't do it alone. If you eat a lot of protein and don't work out, you won't build muscle, although you may build fat. If you eat a lot of meat, you probably already get plenty of protein. Other good sources of protein include fish like tuna and salmon, chicken, turkey, egg whites, soy products, and whey protein powder.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein intake is 0.8g per kg or 0.36g per lb of body weight. To give an example, a 140lb person would need to consume about 51g to meet their RDA. Don't forget though that you are consuming more calories compared to the general population, and those calories have to come from somewhere. So, it would be wise to increase your protein intake to something like 1.5g per kg or 0.7g per lb of body weight

Fat

You will also want to consume a certain amount of fat in your muscle gaining diet. One gram of fat contains twice the number of calories then one gram of protein or one gram of carbohydrates, so it makes sense to incorporate healthy fats in your diet as they are a good source of extra calories when you want to gain weight.

The fats you want to consume are monounsaturated fats like olive oil and avocados, as well as polyunsaturated fats such as oily fish, flax, and some raw nuts. If you don't eat much fish like tuna and salmon, it would be a good idea to supplement your diet with a product like flax seed oil and cod liver oil to help build muscle.

Minimize the amount of animal fat and trans fat, as these clog up your arteries. How much fat you should consume for gaining muscle is controversial. Some individuals thrive on less than 10% fat in the diet, and this can be quite healthful, but not too many people can be this restrictive in their eating. The most generally accepted maximum is 30% of your diet (calories) as fat. I favor something like 20-25%.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source. Carbs have gotten a bad name recently, but consider that fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, are mostly carbohydrate. These foods are packed with nutrients. Don't avoid carbs, but watch out for too many processed grains and high sugar foods and supplements. If you are getting a high calorie weight gainer to help meet your calorie intake requirements, make sure it's not full of sugar. Eat good carbs and minimize bad carbs. Anybody who works out needs a lot carbs, at least half of your calories. Without sufficient carbohydrate in your diet to gain muscle, you won't have the energy which is required for an intense workout session.

Meal Frequency

So when do you eat all this? You will do best if you eat several times a day, preferably five or six proper meals a day. Don't go more than four hours without eating. For example, you could have five equal meals, or three main meals and two high calorie snacks. Whatever works for you. Never skip breakfast or other meals. Being disciplined with your diet is the key to success.

Have a meal with protein, fat, and carbohydrate at least three times a day. If you want to gain muscle, consume high calorie foods and larger portions, and the frequent eating keeps your body in anabolic state.

How Many Calories Should I Eat to Gain Muscle?

The best thing to do is get some idea of how many calories you typically eat and factor in your activity level in the calculation. Then, consume 300-500 calories more per day and you will gain muscle weight if incorporated with a weight training program. You're not going to have much success working out if you don't eat enough. Yes, this requires keeping a food diary for a few days, and making some calculations with a calorie counter, but it takes out the guesswork. Once you get an idea of where you are, it makes planning a muscle gaining diet easier to see how many calories you need to eat to gain weight. Try to also get your body fat percentage tested, too. Now monitor your weight closely to see what effect your weight training program has. It's a bit of trouble, but it's worth it.

The source for information on how to gain weight and build muscle naturally. Also, checkout the recommended muscle gain program if you want to accomplish your goals fast!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Di_Cristo

Food For Bodybuilders And Athletes

In this article we will be looking at the best bodybuilding foods you can eat. Very few normal people have the willpower, dedication or money to eat like this, and consequently they will suffer from poor results in the gym and poor health. It takes real dedication and passion to be able to eat a clean diet all year round, especially with so many temptations being forced your way everywhere you go. Most of the people around you will see a bodybuilding diet as strange but the reality is that eating a bodybuilding diet will give you a longer, healthier and happier life.

Eating a clean diet is perhaps the most important aspect in gaining muscle, keeping fit and helping prevent all kinds of diseases in later life. I will not go in to too much detail on what to eat and when, but in order to gain muscle or lose fat, you should be eating six or seven small, protein and nutrient rich, meals every two to three hours every day. Along with the six or seven nutrient rich meals, you should also consume between two and three litres of pure water every day.

With so much talk about supplements in the media, it’s easy to understand why many inexperienced bodybuilders, powerlifters and fitness enthusiasts think that supplements are the key to gaining muscle mass, but this could not be further from the truth. The reality is that supplements will do almost nothing at all to add muscle mass to your frame if your diet and training is not good, with the only exception being a good whey protein supplement and anabolic steroids. This is something most of us find out after wasting hundreds of pounds on the latest fad supplement promising rapid muscle gains and getting no real results. Some FDA reports, estimate the health supplement industry alone to be worth 20 billion dollars and growing and so it’s easy to see why there is so much misinformation flying around when it comes to bodybuilding supplements. Not surprisingly many so called experts will be happy to lie to you about the latest supplements when money is involved. Food is far, far more important than any supplement money can buy. If you think top bodybuilders got big by taking the latest creatine supplement then you are very, very mistaken. Professional bodybuilders are paid to endorse supplements that most of them will never use. The freaky physiques you see in muscle magazines were built with a great diet, steroids, almost perfect genetics and years of hard training and discipline.

Diet is probably the most crucial aspect of gaining muscle mass or losing body fat, besides training, and a good knowledge of these essential bodybuilding foods will help you gain the physique you desire. If everyone ate these wonderful foods everyday and nothing else, obesity would be almost non existent and we would see a massive decline in all kinds of diseases around the developed world. A good bodybuilding diet is also one that is extremely good for your overall health and well-being. There is nothing complicated about muscle building nutrition and for the most part it relies on a common sense healthy diet with plenty of protein from lean meat and lots of vegetables and complex carbohydrates.

The Best Foods For Bodybuilders And Powerlifters

The following foods should form the main part of every bodybuilder and powerlifters diet. If you base your diet around these foods you will gain more muscle, stay stronger and feel much healthier.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal is without doubt the carbohydrate of choice for bodybuilders and should be one of your main sources of carbohydrate.

Brown rice: Another really useful complex carbohydrate that should be a stable in your bodybuilding diet.

Egg whites: Egg whites are a fantastic source of protein rich in all the amino acids needed for muscle growth.

Steak: Steak is one of the best sources of protein for anyone looking to build muscle. It is rich in iron, creatine and protein.

Chicken breast: A fantastic source of protein that contains little to no carbohydrate or fat

Salmon and tuna: Both salmon and tuna are full of protein, have very little carbohydrate and are full of heart healthy omega oils.

Turkey breast: Turkey is a great alternative to chicken and it is often significantly cheaper.

Fat free cottage cheese: Fat free cottage cheese is the perfect food to have before going to sleep. It is full of casein protein which is released slowly throughout the night, and contains almost no fat or carbohydrate.

Whey protein: Whey protein is one of the only supplements that you really do need as a bodybuilder. It is the number one choice for post exercise protein and you can consume two or three whey protein shakes throughout the day to easily increase your daily protein intake.

Broccoli: You should try and have at least two servings of these vegetables every day. You can eat broccoli cooked but I prefer to eat it raw.

Spinach: Spinach is a great tasting addition to a healthy diet.

Asparagus: Asparagus is one of the best green vegetables to eat if you are a powerlifter or bodybuilder.

Water: An often neglected aspect of a healthy diet. You should aim to consume around two to three litres of pure water every day

Low fat milk: Milk is full of calcium and contains a mixture of whey and casein protein.

Flaxseed oil: Flaxseed oil is a great addition to a healthy bodybuilding diet.

If you focus your diet around a good selection of the foods above you will find your progress in the gym improves dramatically. A healthy nutrient rich diet is perhaps the most important aspect of gaining serious muscle or losing fat and is what really separates the men from the boys when it comes to serious strength and muscle gains.

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Owain Lewis
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