Whether you are into bodybuilding or any other kind of training, if you do not adopt a healthy diet, you wouldn’t be able to achieve the optimal results you want. And when it comes to losing body fats, there are actually numerous ways and methods to do it, but they all share similarities and that is to cut down your carbohydrate intake. Cutting diet in bodybuilding is an effective way to maximize your training. But how do you do diet for cutting? Let me share with you some tips and guidelines to achieve the results you desire.
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Body’s Fuel Source
We derive our fuel source from the foods that we eat and for bodybuilders, it is important to have fruits, vegetables and other foods that contain valuable nutrients. And yet, there are instances when we tend to eat too much carbs and we do not get to burn them, the result is they turn into body fats.
So, the one of the primary elements in cutting up diet is for you to know the right timing as to when and what types of food you should have.The key is to consume food in smaller portions like for instance you can eat about 5 to 6 a days. Doing this makes your metabolism function efficiently which is a good way to burn calories. Eat a meal after 3 to 4 hours.
Diet for Cutting: Reduce Carbohydrate Intake
Even when you are cutting diet, you still need to consume carbohydrates especially if you are doing bodybuilding. But in this case, you need to consume foods that have the highest nutritional value. Some of the best foods to eat for cutting diet in bodybuilding include brown rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, yams and pastas.
Some people would add fruits in their diet while there are others who would completely cut out eating fruits. You should also not forget to eat vegetables as this will give you the fiber you need in order to have enough nutrients and lower calories.
Timing is also very essential in cutting diet. You should know when to consume carbs. Since the body needs carbs to serve as fuel especially when you need to be active and you need to use energy, you should know the right timing as to when you should have carbohydrate rich foods. Eat carbohydrate rich foods before and after your workout.
In the evening when you are not so active, start lowering down your carbohydrate intake and just focus on eating vegetables.
Protein Intake
The opposite holds true for protein intake compared to carb intake. In bodybuilding in order for you to have leaner muscle mass, you need protein. Low protein sources can result to muscle tissue loss so make sure that you have lean sources of protein for every meal that you eat. Right before you head on to bed, you can have a casein protein as it can slowdown the blood stream and can give the body enough amino acid supply.
Go for Healthy Fats
You want to get rid of body fats but you also need healthy fats for better immune function, have good cholesterol level and have healthy skin and hair. Healthy fats are also known to regulate insulin level in the body. Some of the best source of healthy fats includes peanut butter, chia seeds, cashew, flax seeds, almond among many others.
Since you will cut down on carbs, you need to work your way around foods rich in protein and healthy fats. For instance, have your meals come from protein sources especially in the morning and later afternoon, you can focus on fat and protein rich foods.
Doing this helps your body achieve an optimal fat burning level for the whole day and night. On top of that, it can also effectively regulate insulin and can help in maintaining lean muscle.
Create Your Own Bodybuilding Diet Action Plan
When it comes to creating your cutting diet action plan, it varies depending on your body type, health, and other considerations. But just to give you a preview, here is a quick tip or guide to follow:
- Step 1: Set your short term goals.
- Step 2: Estimate daily calories and your lean body mass.
- Step 3: Set your protein, fats and carb intake.
- Step 4: Eat Pre- and Post- Workout
- Step 5: Food and Meals
- Step 6: Drink Water
- Step 7: Test and Tweak
Important Tips to Remember
- Make sure that your fat intake is low when you have high intake of carbohydrates.
- The key to burn fat is attributed to low insulin levels. For the rest of the day, it is strongly recommended that you consume lean proteins and healthy fats.
- Drinking post workout shake is a good way to hasten muscle building.
Conclusion
When cutting diet, it is very important to keep in mind that every person has unique health needs and features. What may work for one may not be as effective for the other. Take the time to learn the best ways as you see how the body reacts. From there, you can simply adjust and follow which diet regiment suits you best.
How is your diet for cutting experience? Do you have other tips to share? We would definitely be glad to hear from you!
Reference
Hi there,
I’m Gregory Brown, chief editor at ConstructMuscles.com
I spend half of my time in this blog while the other half on being physical fitness trainer. Believing in the great benefits of bodybuilding and fitness to the body, I’ve been motivated to become a fitness enthusiast. It also was what gave me the self-confidence and assurance within myself both physically and psychologically.
