What you eat before or after your weightlifting workouts has a big effect on progress. Eating the right foods before you train helps to give you energy and prepare you for the session ahead, while a good post-workout meal sets you up for optimum recovery.
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As an athlete, the food and drink you consume around workouts are pivotal in your success. Once upon a time, water was considered the only beverage any budding athlete needed to get through a tough game or practice session, but now, sports drinks are all the rage.
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While women have a harder time building muscle than men, women bodybuilders still carry impressive amounts of mass and have low levels of body fat. Should you decide to throw yourself into female bodybuilding, make sure your diet is up to scratch to help you get your best physique ever.
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Before you hit the road for your regular jog, you might be looking for that quick, easy energy boost from a preworkout snack. While many joggers and runners turn to energy gels, bars and sports drinks, another option you have available to you is protein shakes.
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When you're looking for an easy, versatile carb source, pasta may top your list. The main macronutrient contained in pasta is carbohydrate, which is largely responsible for providing your body with energy. However, some types of pasta are better than others for providing you with energy and keeping you healthy.
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Perhaps you've heard that eating late at night and eating carbohydrates at night are detrimental to weight loss. As pears are a carbohydrate-based food, this may lead you to think that you shouldn't eat them before bed, but this isn't the case.
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The teenage years are a time when many take their health into their own hands and decide to start lifting weights in the attempt to gain a muscular physique. As important as training is, diet matters just as much, and even the best training plan in the world won't do much without the correct diet.
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Burger King probably doesn't spring to mind as the best place to eat when trying to stick to a healthy diet. With the french fries, greasy burgers and sugar-filled drinks, you may find it tough to eat well when faced with so much temptation.
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The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet was designed by husband and wife duo Dr. Rachael Heller and Dr. Richard Heller. First published in 1993, the book is based on the premise that many people are addicted to carbs, which leads to unstable blood sugar and energy levels and ultimately results in weight gain.
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The glycemic index is a measure of how different carbohydrate foods affect your blood sugar levels. Food receives a score of zero to 100, depending on how quickly blood sugar rises after you eat it; the faster the rise, the higher the GI score.
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There's no quick fix to get a flat stomach -- it takes hard work and patience and no plan specifically targets stomach fat, notes Gina Neill, a clinical dietitian at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, in an article from "Men's Fitness."
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Following the right type of diet when gaining weight is just as important as it is when trying to lose weight. Mass gaining diets can be potentially disastrous if you don't plan ahead. To build muscle you need to eat enough calories to spark growth, but not so many that you add excess body fat.
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Protein supplements are popular with people looking to build muscle and lose weight, as well as those wanting to lose body fat. Shakes can be useful if you want to get an extra protein hit and top up your intake when food isn't available.
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Protein is often associated more with bodybuilders and athletes than the general public, but it's an important macronutrient, regardless of your goals. Sedentary adults need around 0.4 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day, while those engaging in recreational exercise need around 0.
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When it comes to losing weight, the most important factor is your calorie balance. You need to eat less calories than you burn to drop pounds. Incorporating some sort of fasting protocol into your diet may be beneficial, too, as this helps reduce your calorie intake.
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The early stages of your bodybuilding journey are the best time to make strength and size gains. Being new to training, your body responds and adapts rapidly to lifting weights and builds muscle at a faster rate.
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With a big sporting event or mammoth training session on the horizon, you may be worried about sustaining your energy levels and maintaining performance. Fear not -- with a concept known as carb loading, you can manipulate your nutrition to ensure that you're feeling and performing your best come the big day.
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If you're constantly on the go and find it difficult to get a decent breakfast in the morning, a good alternative to a sit-down meal could be a protein bar.
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When changing your body shape and weight, either by building muscle or losing fat, calories are everything. The number of calories you eat will determine whether you lose or gain weight.
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Your body weight can fluctuate by a great degree on a day to day basis -- in some cases up to a few pounds. This is often caused by a change in your body's level of stored carbohydrate, known as glycogen.
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