A well-planned nutrition program is essential for all serious bodybuilders. Eating too much of the wrong kinds of foods can be disastrous. The right food combination is needed for ensuring efficient metabolism and proper muscle growth. So what kinds of foods should you include?

The following are just generalized guidelines. Consult your doctor for a diet that fits you personally.

As a bodybuilder, one of the most important components of your diet is protein. Foods that supply protein include fish and chicken — both are good sources of protein while being low on unhealthy fat. Excess fat consumption can cause health issues even for bodybuilders, though some amount of fat is needed in one’s diet. This is touched upon in this ebook on building ripped abdominal muscles systematically.

The body needs many vitamins and minerals for its efficient functioning. Fresh fruits and vegetables including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, etc provide the body with these essentials. Care should be taken to avoid excess consumption of fruit, as that may hinder bodybuilding efforts.

Your diet needs to include healthy fats as well. The body breaks down fat to produce energy. In addition, fat is an excellent insulator — it insulates vital organs like the lungs and the heart. Overall, fats are important for good health. See this ebook on natural bodybuilding for additional information.

They key thing to remember is that there are good fats and there are bad fats. The latter can lead to unnecessary weight gain and cause other health problems.

Saturated fats such as those found in butter are bad fats. Typically, these fats will remain solid at normal room temperature. On the other hand, unsaturated fats (which are the good fats) like those found in olive oil tend to be liquids at normal temperatures.

Of course, even unsaturated fats should be consumed only in moderation.

Fish contains a type of fat called Omega 3 fatty acids. They are healthy fats and contribute to both physical and mental health. Check out Venuto’s program on fat loss for many useful details. These fatty acids can help combat fatigue as well as conditions like depression. They also function as an energy source, like the other fats.

Bodybuilders also need carbohydrates in their diet. In fact, carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy obtained from food. Those engaging in high intensity workouts need adequate supplies of carbs in their diet.

The types of carbs that are needed most are what are called complex carbohydrates. Foods like rice, whole grain breads, pasta, etc contain complex carbohydrates.

As you can see, the serious bodybuilder should be considerable attention to his diet if he is to get the maximum benefits from his efforts.