The longer I participate in sports, like bodybuilding and biking, the more I realize what a big part nutrition and supplementation play in achieving my best. This is especially true with bodybuilding competitions, where you start analyzing everything you eat and when. You have to fuel the body with the appropriate portions and macro-nutrient ratios (protein-carb-fat) to get it to perform. You can train all you want, but if you don't optimally fuel your body, you're cutting yourself short of your true potential.

If you're like me, eating right consistently is the most difficult part of the fitness equation. Whether it's mental or emotional or chemical, it takes some effort to stay in control. Anything worth having takes effort. It's not uncommon to either unnecessarily deprive yourself of certain foods and nutrients, or to drive yourself nuts being so strict that you dread it and binge. Remember that you don't have to perfect, just consistent. It's a matter of finding the ones you like that give you results. There are no quick fixes. Stick to the basics. It takes some time, lifestyle changes, and finding others with the same passion.

NOTE:  Check out www.fitday.com for a good online tool for keeping track of your daily diet as well as physical activity. It's free and also has the nutritional content for just about every food I know. It can really show you how good your diet really is and help you recognize eating patterns.

General Fitness

• Portion Control. Just exercising portion control and following the Top Ten Tips make a sound nutrition strategy for a healthy life. Follow these for starters! Gauge your portions based on this nutritional reference. Get in the habit of eating 5-6 portion-controlled meals per day, and feel your energy rise while your cravings lessen. Don't starve yourself or skip meals! How long could you live like that and how happy would you be?
• Protein-Carb-Fat Ratios. I'd recommend approximately 40-50% of your calories come from protein, 30-40% from carbs, and 20-25% fat. But don't fret over it--sticking with portion sizes and mainly the foods in the reference above will result in about those percentages.

• Calorie Control. I don't think you HAVE to count calories, if you know the types of foods and portions to eat, but it is helpful to have an idea how many calories are in certain foods. It's difficult to determine portion sizes of some foods that don't lend themselves well to the palm of your hand/size of your fist visual measurement (like a glass of milk). Also, many foods are a combination of protein and carbs. Knowing how many calories you should consume can be very helpful as you're looking at food labels (you are looking at food labels, right?), or when you're thinking of changing some aspect of your diet.

  So, how many calories should you eat? There are a lot of factors to consider when determine number of calories: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Daily Caloric Requirements(DCR), body fat %, current weight, male/female. It's all good stuff, but an easy yet appropriate guideline is the following:

  To maintain, eat about 12-13 calories per lb body weight, per day. If you are extremely active, you may want to even go a little higher. Multiply by 7 to get your weekly total. To lose about a pound of fat per week, you would want to create a 3500 calorie deficit for the week by a combination of reducing your weekly calorie total and burning calories through exercise. And remember, you can't assume reducing your calories even lower will mean more fat loss. Go for the 1-2 lb loss per week to retain muscle and a healthy metabolism while losing fat. To gain, slowly increase your calories above maintenance; building muscle takes time. For a better calculation, check out the 'Game Plan' section in this ISSA article to determine BMR/DCR; it also includes how to manipulate calories for gaining muscle while losing fat.

  
  Your macro-nutrient ratios may need to change too based on your goal, and your calories may need to be adjusted based on amount of activity. So, monitor your progress! For gaining, see the Build Muscle section. For losing, see the Lose Fat, Maintain Muscle section. I would never go below 1200 calories per day; this will just slow down your metabolism (mainly through loss of muscle) and make it even more difficult to lose fat.




• Supplements. Supplements will not be the answer to all your nutrition woes, but they can help. Getting all the vitamins and minerals you need solely from food can be difficult. A good multi-vitamin/mineral pack would be at the top of my list of supplements.

  Protein shakes and bars help you get in those meals, especially when on the go. Really try to get most of your meals from whole foods--the more unprocessed, the better. But having a shake or eating a bar for 1 to 2 of your meals is just fine. If you are looking for suggestions, here are some protein shakes and bars that I like. For general fitness, I would stick with the High Protein, Low Carb variety because it's usually harder to get enough protein in your diet than carbs.

• Protein-Carb-Fat Ratios. How much protein, carbs, and fats? It depends! They all are important. Eating the right types in the right ratio depend on your bodybuilding goals. Protein is stressed the most because they are your muscles' building blocks. In general, protein intake is high--between 1-2 grams per lb body weight. Then, you have to have carbs to help process the protein and give you energy. The amount and type can change depending on whether you are 'off-season', 'pre-contest', or just maintaining. Healthy fats are also an important part of the ratio. I have read SOOO many articles on the breakdown of the 3 macro-nutrients. And I still say--it depends! Some work well on a lower carb with a little higher fat plan. Some need more carbs to build muscle. I don't have a sure-fire method that will work for everyone, but I do have my experience on what has worked well for me and for MANY others I know. For the most part, I have followed the General Fitness Top Ten Tips and eat 5-6 meals per day. I don't want to put on a lot of fat weight in the process, just lean muscle, which takes time. Here's a good Calculating Calories Reference.

  When I'm try to lean out a little more (like pre-contest), I drop my carbs some and up my protein. I also just recently started putting more healthy fats in my diet and I like the results--muscles fuller, but I'm not gaining fat. My brother introduced me to Beverly International and they have great support on diets and supplementation. Here's their Low-Carb, Build Muscle Diet Strategy that I've been using. I don't work for Beverly International or get any kickback. I just like their free support and targeting of the natural bodybuilder, as well as their products. If you're looking for a change, give them a try.

• Zig-Zag Approach. Cycling of carbs and even protein intake works well. Your body will adjust to what you eat just like it adjusts to how you train. I find it effective to cycle calories, usually carbs, using the zig-zag approach. I think it can work based on whatever your goal is-- to increase, decrease, or stay the same body weight while gaining muscle and losing fat. Include 4 days of high-calorie intake to increase, 3 to maintain, and 2 to decrease. A high-calorie day would be adding about 1-2 calories per lb body weight to current maintenance calories, mostly in the form of complex carbohydrates.
• Carb Deplete/Load. I did not carb deplete/load for my first 3 contests. I DID carb/deplete load for my last 3 contests. It did make a difference in the 'hardness' and 'dryness' I could attain. It's important to understand how to do it without killing yourself. It does take some trial-and-error to see how well your body responds. Assuming your contest is on Saturday, here's what I do for the prior week:
  • Deplete Sunday thru Tuesday. For each meal, eat only fibrous carbs along with your normal high protein intake. I've found 1/2 grapefruit is an acceptable substitution for fibrous carbs for 1 or 2 your meals. Exercise total body each day with higher than normal reps (to aid in the depletion), and pose, pose, pose. Drink at least 1.5 times normal water intake.
  • Load Wednesday and Thursday. Now the fun begins--lots of complex carbs (with very little fibrous)! You can decrease your protein some, but eat about 2-3 times your normal maintenance carb intake. Back to normal water intake on Wednesday and reduce it by about 1/2 on Thursday. Light exercise on both days, plus more posing.
  • Load more or normal carb intake on Friday? Monitor how you are looking to determine if you should keep shoveling in carbs or back off some. If you feel you are still getting harder, keep going. If you feel like you're retaining water, cut back. Drink about 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of water throughout the day, and finish that before 6pm. Only exercise is posing!
  • Eat normal the day of the show. Eat a normal protein/carb meal when you wake up, and continue to eat protein/carb meals (no fibrous veggies) every 3 hours throughout the day. Many, including myself, like to eat something sugary (like peanut butter, honey, with a little chocolate protein powder!) within an hour before hitting the stage-- seems to help getting a 'pump' and my energy certainly jumps! After the show, you must eat pizza. OK, you don't have to, but it is my tradition.

• Supplements. Effective supplementation can make a difference, although it is not an absolutely must. Whole, unprocessed foods still come first. Besides a good multi-vitamin/mineral pack, supplements can be helpful for purposes such as getting in all your meals, helping you retain muscle mass while on a low-calorie diet, losing fat, or recovering quicker from your workouts. There are so many supplements out there that there's no way you can use them all effectively. It's a matter of choosing those that will help you reach specific goals, and then using them at the right time, frequency, and combination with other supplements. It's a science in itself!

  
  
  First some basic tips to weed out the ones that will just be a waste of money:

  • Steer clear of ones with outrageous claims. I'm sorry but building 10lbs of muscle in 7 days just won't happen.
  • Check the research. See if there is scientific research done that show it's a good product or contains what they say it does.
  • If it's really cheap and comes in huge bulk, quality may suffer. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but from experience, it does cost a little more to get a quality protein.

  Although I've been happy with EAS and Labrada products in the past, I've been using mainly Beverly International products for about 6 months now. I think it's more a matter of wanting a little variety than anything else, and I know it's quality. I believe the top supplements to incorporate into your nutrition plan are (in this order): a good multi-vitamin/mineral pack, protein powders, glutamine, creatine, flaxseed oil capsules, and a good thermogenic (when trying to lean out). Yes, there are others, but I think these have given me the most bang for my buck.

• Sample Meal Plans. For my daily meals, I stick with 3-4 whole food meals and 1-2 protein shakes. Here's a couple of articles that lay out some good nutrition/supplementation plans: Grow Muscle, Lose Fat Diet Cycle (targeted for male bodybuilders) and Lose Fat or Keep Fat Levels Low (targeted for the female bodybuilder).

• Protein-Carb-Fat Ratios. In general, runners should stick with a higher carb % because of the need to constantly supply energy to the body for an extended period of time. It should not be overdone though--protein and healthy fats are important too. I'd recommend shifting the General Fitness ratio to contain a higher % of carbs:   20-30% protein, 50-60% carbs, 20-30% fat. If you're more of a sprinter, you want to stick to the higher end of the protein % because sprinting requires more starting strength (i.e., more muscle). Make sure to eat enough based on the amount of running you are doing (by calculating your Daily Caloric Requirements). The General Fitness Tips still apply, but here are some good articles on what, how, and when to fuel your body for running:
  • Performance Nutrition Articles from Runner's World
  • Nutrition timing for racing
  • Food Pyramid, Fat, Herbs, and Glycemic Index Tips

• Carb Deplete / Load. So, you should be eating lots of carbs, but do you need to deplete/load to top off your glycogen stores before running a long-distance event? Probably not. Basically sticking with a healthy, balanced diet and making sure you're fueled sufficiently with carbs before the event should work just fine. Here's some marathon eating strategies .
• Hydration. We know you need to drink a lot of water, but how much? A good guideline is about a gallon a day plus additional drinks during and after long runs. Check this nice summary of key points: Hydration and Nutrition.
• Supplements. Besides the good multi-vitamin/mineral pack, a decent sports drink can be helpful in replenishing your glycogen stores. Rely on water along with your food intake mostly, but drinks such as Gatorade are easily digestible and get to your muscles quick. Check out Netrition.com for more carb drinks. Nutrition bars and shakes can help you get in all your meals too. 'Cause you gotta eat!

Biking

• Protein-Carb-Fat Ratios. Bikers and runners have a lot of the same nutritional needs as they are both mainly aerobic, endurance events. So, eating enough carbs still applies along with a balance of protein and healthy fats. This is a very detailed article on Energy Requirements for Cyclists. I'd still recommend approximately 20-30% of your calories come from protein, 50-60% from carbs, and 20%-30% fat. I'd stick with the higher % for protein if you do more bike racing that requires more starting strength. So again, the General Fitness Tips still apply, but here are some good articles on what, how, when to fuel your body for biking:
  • Cycling Performance Nutrition Tips
  • Competitive Nutrition
  • Watching Your Simple Sugars

• Carb Deplete / Load. From my experience, I don't think there is a big benefit to depleting/loading before a bike endurance event. Adhering to a healthy diet, rich in complex carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats will keep you energized. Make sure you are eating enough for the amount of biking that you do. And make sure you are sufficiently fueled before and during the event so you don't 'hit the wall'.

• Hydration. Do I even need to mention that you should actually drink the water in the bottles you put on your bike? Take a drink every 15 mintues or so while riding. In addition, get in about a gallon of water per day. Enough said.
• Supplements. Same supplement philosophy for running holds true for biking. Rely mainly on water along with your food intake, and then add the following: a good multi-vitamin/mineral pack; a decent sports drink (if needed) to help in replenishing your glycogen stores; nutrition bars and shakes to help get in all your meals when needed.

• Protein-Carb-Fat Ratios. What can I say? I am not a swimmer, even though I attempted a couple of sprint triathlons. Swimming is very similar to running and biking in terms of nutrition. So, the same ratios apply: 20-30% protein, 50-60% carbs, 20-30% fat. Stick to complex carbohydrates, vegetables/fruits, lean protein, and healthy fats. Here's some good articles targeting the swimmer:
  • What to Eat as a Swimmer
  • Fueling for Swimming
  • What Swimmers Know About Nutrition

• Hydration. Even though you probably don't feel thirsty when swimming (because you don't sweat), make sure to drink enough throughout the day and before/after a swim. About a gallon per day still applies.
• Supplements. Rely mainly on water along with your food intake, and then add the following: a good multi-vitamin/mineral pack; nutrition shakes or bars to help get in all your meals when needed.

• Protein-Carb-Fat Ratios. The macro-nutrient ratios may vary some depending on the sport. Football tends to take more explosive strength than the other sports. All require a great deal of starting strength and endurance. Basically, you want to consume enough calories based on your daily caloric requirements to maintain (or build) your muscle and speed. In general, about 50-60% of calories should come from carbs, with 20-30% protein and the rest fat. I didn't find great nutrition links for all of the specific sports, but I think there was some good stuff in the below links for any athlete.

  General Nutrition for the Athlete List of Nutrition Articles for the Athlete Better Nutrition = Better Hoops Nutrition for Soccer Performance Body Composition as an Athlete




• Hydration. You already know it's important. Dehydration adversely affects performance. Try to stick with water as your main fluid intake, although sports drinks can be beneficial during the game.
• Supplements. Nutrition bars and shakes can help you get in some your daily meals and a good multi-vitamin/mineral pack helps you meet your greater requirements as a athlete. Supplementing with creatine has also become more popular to aid in improving explosive and starting strength.