Bodybuilding Diet Mistakes That Keep You Skinny

Advanced bodybuilders understand the importance of diet in building muscle. Diet can help you to get big, but at the same time making mistakes with your bodybuilding diet can prevent you from building muscle. In this article we'll look at three deadly bodybuilding diet mistakes many people make. Avoid these and your efforts at the gym actually produce the results you want.

Too much or too little protein

Protein is perhaps the key nutrient in building muscle. It's what those big muscles are made of. The ideal amount of protein varies from person to person, but 1 gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight is a good rule of thumb. If you notice you aren't getting good results with this amount you can adjust it up to 1.1 or 1.2 grams per pound of lean bodyweight.

Eating less than this can actually hinder you from getting big. Simply because the body doesn't have enough of these crucial building blocks to work effectively.

But more is not always better with protein. Because keep in mind that protein is a macronutrient, which means it contains calories. So eating ridiculously high amounts of protein means you also eat ridiculously high amounts of calories. And regardless of the source, excess calories will be stored as fat.

Like with anything else you need enough protein but not more than that. And remember to balance the protein with good carbohydrates.

Wrong carbs

All carbohydrates are not created equal. Roughly speaking we can divide carbohydrates into two groups: complex and simple carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates are things like sugar, refined wheat flour, white rice and so on. The key to simple carbohydrates is that they are absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly, in a matter of 15 to 30 minutes. Because of this quick absorption they tend to spike your blood sugar levels. This is not good because the body has to respond with high levels of insulin, which can lead to accumulation of fat.

Complex carbohydrates on the other hand are digested and absorbed more slowly. They create a steady rise in blood sugar levels over a few hours. This is much easier for your body to manage and it doesn't need to release large quantities of insulin to bring down blood sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates are things like whole grains, brown rice and beans.

Majority of your carbohydrates should come from complex carbohydrates. They give you a steady stream of energy to fuel your efforts at the gym.

Finally, no matter what Atkins said, you should eat some carbohydrates. That's because carbs are "protein sparing". The body prioritizes protein over carbohydrates and when carbohydrates are available it will not burn protein for energy. Lack of carbohydrates means the body has to burn protein (read: muscle tissue) for energy.

Not allowing cheats

When you start on your bodybuilding diet you will get cravings for foods you shouldn't eat. And you will cheat. It's part of being human and happens to everybody.

They key is not to fight cheating and pretend it doesn't happen. To key is to manage it.

So knowing that you will fall off the wagon and cheat build it into your bodybuilding diet. Allow yourself 'cheat days'. These are days when you are allowed to eat some foods you normally wouldn't eat.

These days act like pressure valves. Trying to stick to healthy diet builds pressure inside of you, in a manner of speaking. And if you don't 'release' it chances are that at one day you will fall of the wagon big time. You go on a junk food binge and gobble down a gallon of ice cream, 3 bottles of Coke and a few bags of chips. And your body promptly transports all those excess calories into your waist.

Allowing for cheat days prevents these massive binges from happening. However the key to cheat days is moderation. So as you cheap keep your senses with you and don't go overboard. Allow yourself some sweets and treats and then say stop.

The key to cheating is moderation, like with everything else in life.

So there you go 3 big mistakes that prevent many bodybuilders from getting the body they deserve. So make sure you get the protein you need. Choose the right carbs that help you to build muscle - not fat. And finally allow some cheating in moderation. With all these tips you will skyrocket your bodybuilding success. So now just go out there and put these tips to action.

By the way, if you are interested of a simple and easy to follow bodybuilding guide, then I recommend Vince DelMonte's No Nonsense Muscle Building. Aside from a complete training guide it also has an excellent diet section. With this guide you never have to worry about what to eat, and you'll know you are making steady progress towards the body you want and deserve. Click here to read No Nonsense Muscle Building reviews.