Bodybuilder's Weight Loss Meal Plan

With 68 percent of the U.S. population over 20 years of age being overweight or obese, weight loss has become a common goal. Losing weight is difficult for anyone, but it poses an interesting challenge for bodybuilders. Bodybuilders are typically striving to lose weight without losing muscle mass or compromising the intensity of their workouts. This requires understanding and balancing several factors, including what to eat and when to eat it.

The Basics

Weight loss is a simple concept. You take in fewer calories than you expend during workouts and daily activities. While it is difficult to determine the exact amount of calories burned, it can be estimated using this simple calculator available from a number of online resources. To really know how many calories you are eating, you must portion your meals and count your calories. Bodybuilders, depending on their weight, often need more than the typical 2,000-calorie diet to maintain muscle mass. If you weigh 225 lbs. or more, begin your diet with 2,500 calories. The concept of weight loss is a simple math problem. You gained the knowledge necessary to lose weight when you were in the first grade. The problem is developing the discipline to do so.

Protein, Fats, or Carbohydrates?

Your body must have protein, fat, and carbohydrates on a regular basis. Protein is the building blocks of our bodies and the primary macromolecule that makes muscles. Fats are an essential part of our diets, and we store energy in the form of body fat or adipose tissue. This body fat also stores vitamins A, D, E, and K. To remove fats completely from our dinner plate is unhealthy. Carbohydrates are the most readily available energy source. Simple carbohydrates, such as fruit and candy, taste sweet. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread, pasta, and beans, are often a healthier choice because they digest much slower, allowing them to be burned as energy throughout the day. The typical obese American consumes 70 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent fats and 5 percent protein in their diet. For a bodybuilder losing weight, a better ratio is 50 percent carbohydrates, 40 percent protein and 10 percent fats.

The Power of Protein

Bodybuilders have a greater dietary protein need because their bodies are constantly repairing torn muscle fibers. This is a widely debated topic, but it seems a good recommendation is to eat 0.8 to 1.0 g of protein per lb. of body weight. So if you weigh 200 lbs., you should set a goal to eat 160 to 200 g of protein per day. Remember, if you eat too much protein, your body will convert it into sugar, which will be stored as body fat. Don't forget that simple math equation.

Timing

You must replenish your glycogen stores after you awake in the morning. Your body is essentially in a state of starvation, and breakfast should include both simple and complex carbohydrates as well as plenty of protein to satisfy your hunger. You should have a snack between each meal in order to control your hunger and keep your energy level up. You should also schedule a protein shake or other source of protein following workouts. Eating small meals often is a formula that works for most bodybuilders. This has been theorized to increase your basal metabolic rate, therefore allowing you to burn more calories, but this has been refuted by recent research. Last, don't forget to eat a small amount of protein before going to sleep, because it digests slowly, preventing your body from metabolizing muscle mass.

The Plan

The following plan may vary based on personal preference, food allergies or energy needs: Five-egg-white omelet (110 calories), two cups mixed fruit (120), two pieces of whole grain toast (100). Snack: Protein shake (140). Lunch: Turkey sandwich (230), 9 ozs. baby carrots (100), yogurt and cottage cheese (120). Pre-workout snack: Apple and peanut butter (120). Post-workout snack: Protein shake (140). Dinner: 8 ozs. grilled chicken breast (260), two cups mixed vegetables (130), two wheat rolls (200). Before-bed snack: Protein shake (140), one cup wheat crackers (150). Total calories: 2,060.