Bodybuilding Nutrition During A Workout

Bodybuilding workouts increase your caloric expenditure and require an adequate caloric intake. Nutrition plays a key role in sports performance. Adhering to healthy nutrition principles such as eating balanced meals and eating small meals throughout the day affects how you feel during and after your workouts, according to MayoClinic.com. Try various snacks during your workouts and gauge how you feel, recommends MayoClinic.com.

Facts

Exercise utilizes the body's carbohydrate resources. Strength-training workouts tear small muscle fibers and break down proteins, according to Dr. John M. Berardi. Consuming a small meal of carbohydrates and protein will help maintain or build muscle mass and replenish amino acids used during workouts, according to the Muscle and Fitness website.

Features

Bodybuilding athletes should ensure adequate overall caloric intake to optimize training and performance. Intense training expends additional calories of up to 50 to 80 calories per kg of body weight a day, according to the Journal of the International Society of Sports and Nutrition, or JISSN. Consume four to six meals a day, as well as nutrient-dense snacks during training to ensure your body has adequate fuel for workouts, the JISSN recommends.

Effects

Insufficient caloric intake combined with intense training can lead to muscle loss, overtraining and illness, according to the JISSN. Consuming carbohydrates during workouts provides energy and releases hormones responsible for transporting carbohydrates and amino acids to the muscles, according to Dr. Berardi. Follow a diet of carbohydrates, moderate protein and low fat when resistance training, recommends the American Dietetic Association.

Types

Consuming protein along with carbs during resistance training stimulates muscle protein synthesis, according to the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism. Fat slows digestion and the rate at which the body receives needed carbs and protein, and should be deemphasized in workout nutrition, according to Berardi. A carbohydrate and electrolyte fluid provides a convenient and fast-absorbing fuel choice for workouts, according to the American Dietetic Association.

Considerations

A diet rich in whole food sources with an overall daily caloric balance remains key to building lean muscle. Regardless of meal timing, meals should provide a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to proteins in order to replace muscle glycogen and assist in recovery, according to the JISSN. Avoid overeating, which can lead to sluggishness and intestinal discomfort during workouts, according to MayoClinic.com.