Bodybuilding focuses on physique and physical composition. While resistance training challenges a bodybuilder's muscular strength, helping to promote mass, a proper diet can provide the nutrients necessary for peak performance. Dieting can also help to reduce the layer of fat over your muscles, promoting a ripped look by exposing the definition of your underlying muscles.
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a sport that judges competitors on appearance, rather than performance. Participants prepare for competitions by working to increase the size and definition of their muscles. In order to create large muscles while limiting excess fat, you must balance your caloric intake against your energy requirements.
Nutrition
Strenuous sports such as bodybuilding require diets that provide balanced nutrition. Carbohydrates provide bodybuilders with the energy needed to perform arduous lifting routines. The American Dietetic Association recommends eating between 2.3 g to 3.6 g of carbohydrates and between .63 g and .77 g of protein per pound of body weight each day.
Training
The sport of bodybuilding encompasses two separate phases, the off-season phase and the pre-contest phase. Bodybuilders work on increasing muscle mass during the off-season while focusing on reducing body fat about six to 12 weeks prior to a competition. Removing body fat helps to enhance the muscular definition, giving bodybuilders the coveted ripped look. The amount of calories you require depends on your size, desired results and intensity of your workout. Keeping track of your caloric intake during both phases of training can help you meet your body's energy requirements.
Method
A healthy diet for bodybuilders includes calorie-dense foods, foods that supply maximum nutrients without adding excess calories, sodium, sugar or fat. Select lean sources of protein such as poultry, eggs, fish and beans. Soy products can also help you meet your protein requirements. Healthy sources of carbohydrates include whole grain products, fruits and dairy. Prior to a competition, restrict your fat intake by selecting fat-free dairy products. Obtain dietary fat from nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. Avoid eating more than 30 percent of your daily calories in the form of fat, especially in the weeks leading up to a competition. Avoid salty foods that can lead to water weight gain, especially when preparing for a competition.
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