Nutrition - Updated on December 08, 2020

Meal Plan for Weightlifter

Can nutrition significantly improve training performance, grow more muscle, and improve strength indicators? And how. In this article, I'll explain what, why, and when to eat for weight lifters, and show you an example of a daily diet.

What and why should you eat?

The task of nutrition is to provide the body with all the necessary nutrients: essential amino acids and omega-3, vitamins, minerals and water. Although carbohydrates are not an essential nutrient, training will be a real pain without them. Therefore, we also need them.

Without the right amount of protein and essential amino acids, we will not be able to reach the genetic limit in muscle growth and strength. The optimal amount of protein for athletes is about 1.6-1.8 g of protein per 1 kg of bodyweight. It can be slightly less or more, depending on the calorie intake, goals and dietary preferences.

The best sources of protein include red meat and poultry, rabbit, fish and seafood, eggs, cottage cheese, cheese and Greek yogurt, and legumes and nuts. Ideally, combine animal and plant protein.

Carbs are what gives us energy for high-intensity workouts. Without filled stores of liver and skeletal muscle glycogen, we will not be able to get out from ourselves the necessary energy, and our state of health will be poor. Carbs requirements for weightlifters are approximately 4-6 g per kg of bodyweight.

The best sources of carbs are wholemeal cereals, white potatoes and sweet potatoes, fruits, berries, and legumes. A small portion of the carbs basket can be filled with sweets, including honey.

Fats are essential for providing the body with energy, including during recovery. Also animal source food has cholesterol, from which our body synthesizes steroid hormones. And fats also make food tastier! The amount of fat in the diet is about 0.8-1.2 grams per 1 kg of bodyweight.

The healthiest sources of fat are oily fish, nuts and seeds, olive, rapeseed and linseed oils, avocados, eggs, and cheeses in moderation.

Distribution of proteins, fats and carbs.

Our goal is to get the right amount of calories, proteins, fats and carbs, while optimizing their distribution in relation to training time.

Ideally, you should go to workout with full glycogen stores, so I recommend getting a good serving of carbs. There should also be protein in your pre-workout meal.

As for fats and a separate type of carbs - fibre - their amount in a pre-workout meal is determined by the time that separates the meal from the workout.

The general rule is that the longer before exercise, the more full and junk food can be, and the more fiber it may contain. Eating junk food and lots of vegetables or legumes just before exercise (about 1.5 hours or less) is a bad idea. Fats and fiber prolong the digestion process, which can lead to discomfort on the part of the digestive system during exercising.

An example of a daily menu from our nutrition program:

This 2800 kcal menu is suitable for a 75 kg man who trains 4 days a week and maintains weight. Distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates:

Protein - 130 g (1.7 g / 1 kg),

Fat - 80 g (slightly more than 1 g / 1 kg),

Carbohydrates - 390 g (just over 5 g / 1 kg).

Breakfast

Couscous, 95 g dry - boil

2 boiled eggs

Whole grain bread, 100 g

Peanut butter without additives - 40 g

Dates - 80 g

Snack

Cottage cheese 5%, 70 g

Natural yoghurt, 100 g

Banana - 200 g

Almonds - 30 g

Raisins - 30 g

Lunch

Wild rice (unpeeled) - 60 g dry - boil

Turkey breast - 100 g, baked in herbs

Green leafy vegetable salad (mix) - 150 g

Olive oil - 1 tablespoon

Dinner

Tuna in its own juice - 100 g

Maize - 70 g dry - boil

Whole grain bread - 100 g

Avocado - 50 g

Green vegetables - 100 g

How to change your menu in relation to training time.

If you train 2.5-3 hours after breakfast or lunch, then you can not change anything, but just follow the menu and train. If you train 1 hour after breakfast / lunch, then remove peanut butter from breakfast and vegetables and olive oil from lunch. These foods can be moved to other meals.

If you are exercising 40 minutes after a snack, it is recommended that you move the almonds to a different meal. The main thing is to understand the principle itself - the less time before training, the less fat and vegetables should be in the pre-workout meal.

If you want to get a monthly meal plan in accordance with your goals (muscle gain, weight loss) and detailed instructions, go to the Nutrition section. You can start eating like Olympic weightlifters right now!