How to plan your meals to progress in bodybuilding?

Between work, family life and possible personal or professional travel, it can be difficult to keep a diet lasting results. And yet, to achieve a successful weight loss or muscle mass gain, you need to set up a calibrated nutrition program. Fortunately, it is possible to achieve your goals with a little organization. That's what I'd like you to discover in this article on weight training meal.

Why is it so hard to keep a diet?

As a bodybuilder, whether you are looking to gain volume or lose weightYour muscles need to be fed according to your goal. Similarly, the nutrients your body needs must be precisely calculated. Without this, it will unfortunately be impossible to achieve good muscle development.

Indeed, your power supply is the basis of your success. Taking the time to organize yourself to maintain a healthy, balanced diet is therefore essential. On a daily basis, you need to keep an eye on your calories and macros. But I'm well aware that this is no easy task!

Imagine the situation. Your schedule or personal constraints require you to have lunch at or near your workplace. But you didn't plan your meal the day before. This could just as easily happen on a business or sporting trip. You have three options.

Option 1: Buy your meal in a supermarket

The first is to stop at a supermarket to buy food. You're likely to choose the foods that appeal to you most at the time, without necessarily bothering to read product labels carefully.

You're probably thinking that an industrial dish, a packet of cakes and a bottle of soda will do the trick this time. But then all the effort you've put in up to now goes out the window. In the vast majority of cases meals and snacks that are offered in these supermarkets will do nothing for your health. muscle fibres.

Option 2: Eating out

The second option is restaurants. In itself, you could eat out without jeopardizing your diet. However, it's more difficult to keep precise track of your caloric intakeThis information is rarely specified by catering professionals (it's much more common in the U.S.).

It's hard to know whether that Caesar salad or spaghetti bolognese dish represents 500 or 1,000 calories. And yet, the difference between these two levels of intake is gigantic.

This makes it easier for you to explode your calorie total, without even realizing it! And I'm not even talking about that luscious chocolate dessert that's winking at you in the shop window to tempt you...

Option 3: Skip the meal (and make up for it on the next one)

The last option, and certainly the worst unless you practice intermittent fastingis to skip the meal altogether.

This is not the right solution either, because missing a meal is bad for your health if it's not under control. Whatever your goal, bear in mind that depriving yourself of a meal or one of your favorite foods won't help you progress.

Plus, you'll tend to eat twice as much at the next meal, which again has no benefit.

Everything you need to know to calculate your caloric intake

To build a good food programIt is strongly recommended that you calculate your calories and macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats). Knowing these elements is essential to reach your goal, whether it is to maintain your current weight, gain muscle mass or dry out (lose fat).

Recommended calorie intake and macronutrient distribution vary from person to person, depending on different criteria:

• sex
• age
• weight
• the size
• level of physical activity (low, moderate, intense or extreme)
• the objective

I invite you to use the calorie calculator and macros available for free on my site to know your own daily caloric needs.

Once you have calculated your calories and macros according to your metabolism and your goals, you will have all the cards in hand to set up your diet and prepare your meals serenely. I'll say it again, but proper nutrition is essential to be able to transform your physique.

80 % of the results are on your plate, and the remaining 20 % in the weight room. Spending hours doing fitness exercises without worrying about your diet will not bring you any results.

You wish to benefit from a customized 100 % bodybuilding and nutrition program ?

To become lean, muscular or voluminous, the key lies in the eating habits that you impose on yourself. Over time, they will become a reflex and part of your lifestyle.

Healthy and balanced meals for the whole week

Meal planning

A nutrition calibrated to follow a dry or a mass gain requires a little organization. And the best way to do this is to prepare your menus and portions in advance.

Plan and prepare your meals in advance is essential in order not to give in to the temptation of snacking. Your progress at the gym and your muscle building depend on it.

For many of us, Sunday is the ideal day to plan meals for the week ahead. It's certainly the quietest time of the day, and it's possible to devote a few dozen minutes to it. Your dishes can then be easily stored in airtight boxes in the fridge or freezer.

When you're shopping at the supermarket, choose foods that are easy to keep fresh. For the sake of your health and well-being, you should also opt for dishes based on unprocessed foods. Of course, make sure you keep yourself well hydrated throughout the day.

Once again, it's all a question of organization. Planning your menus for the next day or the week is also the best way to avoid eating the same thing over and over again. Eating the same meals every day can demotivate you and make you lose sight of your goal. Don't forget that even when you're on a lean period, it's important to know what you're eating. enjoy yourself !

And if you're not inspired to cook balanced mealsDiscover my protein recipe book without further ado. There are more than 50 healthy and tasty preparations adapted to the practice of bodybuilding that await you.

Balanced meals if you are short on time

Of course, there may be times when you don't have the time to cook in advance, even on Sundays.

In this case, rest assured, you will still be able to maintain your diet.

Personally, I consume the Prozis frozen meals when I'm not available to prepare my meals. They are specially designed to help athletes reconcile pleasure and diet. Please note that as these are frozen products, they can only be delivered in France, and are packaged in special containers to avoid breaking the cold chain.

You'll find several ranges of ready-to-eat meals on the Prozis website. The low-calorie Diet range is ideal for losing fat while benefiting from excellent nutrition. protein intake. I recommend in particular the chicken tikka masala and the honey mustard and broccoli chicken.

High Protein dishes are higher in calories and protein. They're ideal if you're looking to build muscle. A typical bodybuilder's meal, the ground beef steak and broccoli rice is a real delight!

My tip for transporting your meals easily

Here we are, you have prepared your meals for the whole week. Now you have to be able to take them with you.

The best way to transport them is to use a refrigerated bag. The Befit Bag 2.0 Black Edition from Prozis is undoubtedly one of the best on the market. As you can see in one of my YouTube videosThis is the best way to preserve your meals when you are on the go (competition, travel, work, etc.). I always carry it with me!

It is very practical and will accompany you everywhere. It is a cool bag which will allow you to keep your meals cool and protected for many hours. You will be able to put up to 4 balanced meals such as brown rice (source of carbohydrates), green vegetables such as broccoli (source of fiber) and a white or lean red meat (source of protein).

In the compartments on the ends, you can also store a small water bottle and a shaker with whey or BCAAs. In the front pockets, you can also include a source of good fats (lipids) such as almonds, cashews or a packet of oat flakes. Ideal for a healthy, controlled snack between 2 meals!

In conclusion

In bodybuilding, the quality of your meals is crucial. Your body has a daily caloric requirement depending on your goal. By following your diet precisely, you'll achieve visible, lasting results. But it's not easy to stick to a diet program without breaking down. To avoid temptation, remember to prepare your meals in advance and carry them with you in an insulated bag.

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Also read articles:

My low calorie donut recipe

5 Protein snacks for weight training

How to read a food label?

How much protein should you eat per day?