Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Bodybuilding Tips - Indications of Improper Nutrition

The types of foods you eat and when you eat them are essential for bodybuilding success, but very few athletes really understand what it takes to maintain a healthy nutrition program. Bodybuilders involved in competition often resort to extreme weight loss that leaves them stressed, fatigued and incapable of increasing muscle size and strength later in their careers. Nutrition simply is eating the right food, at the right amount, and at the right time. Knowing this is not enough, you also need to practice it. This entails you to strictly monitor and record your food and calorie intake and abide by nutritional principles.

The book "Nutrition for the Recreational Athlete" states that an exclusive high-protein diet negatively affects an athlete's training and career. Catherine Jackson, the book's author, explains that eating purely protein for a prolonged period often causes irritability and lowers stamina. Avoid the pitfalls of a poor diet by eating enough calories and selecting the right foods. I'll list here some basic and valuable guidelines on nutrition to help you with your training.

Get enough protein from a variety of sources - Too little protein often results in decreased strength, which can make it very difficult to maintain a consistent workout program. It would be ideal if you were getting your supply of protein from a variety of sources. Foods rich in protein are meat, chicken, egg, milk and soya - based products.

Consume carbohydrates as well - Irritability is often the result of low blood sugar which means you might not be getting enough carbohydrates in your diet. In addition, a lack of carbohydrates will affect your ability to focus. Maintain healthy blood sugar levels by eating whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the day, combined with protein to slow down blood sugar absorption.

Getting sick more often - Not eating a varied diet can make you prone to developing a cold or infection, which makes it very difficult for you to maintain a consistent workouts schedule. Make sure you're getting enough B-vitamins and minerals from a variety of foods to stay on the right track.

Decrease in pace - If you think your pace is on a decline then you might not be getting enough energy before your workout. You'll need to eat some type of carbohydrate at least 1 hour before your training session, if you want to increase your speed.

Loss of motivation - Losing drive is often a sign of exhaustion. Proper diet and nutrition and enough rest will bring back your initiative in no time. Make it a habit to eat small meals over the course of a day. Professional athletes are commonly known to eat mini-meals every 2 to 3 hours. This helps in maintaining a stable blood sugar level needed for training.

Your training efforts would not mean much if you're not following a sound nutritional plan. Consider taking natural supplements, such as Stemulite, to strengthen your nutritional regimen. You might not be getting all the nutrients you need, so taking in supplements will plug the nutritonal holes in your diet. Take Stemulite together with a proper nutritional regimen to boost your training results and performance.