When working out to gain muscle, nutrition is an important factor to consider. But deciding what to eat and when can be difficult, especially if your busy schedule provides little time for Preparation. When you have great health goals but have little time to prepare your meals, having a ready-made meal plan is a smart place to start. Or even know where to begin.
Whatever your dietary goal is, meal planning can help you stay on target. Preparing and preparing do not have to be time-consuming or difficult. Meal planning is a useful technique for staying energized, meeting nutritional goals, reducing food waste, and saving money.
Why is Nutrition Important in Bodybuilding Meal Plans?
Bodybuilding is a type of exercise in which weight-resistance activities are used to enhance muscular growth. Bodybuilders must adhere to a strict fitness regimen. However, in order to grow muscle, you must also eat in a precise way.
The first step in developing a bodybuilding food plan is determining your daily calorie requirements. You must consume more calories to gain muscle than your body burns.
A 2019 research published in Sports found that when eating to gain muscle, you should increase your maintenance calorie intake (the number of calories required to maintain your current weight) by 10 to 20%. If you require 2,400 calories to maintain your weight, you will require 2,640 to 2,800 calories to grow muscle.
Consuming enough protein is also essential for bodybuilding. According to Sports, you should consume 1.6 – 2.2 gms of protein per kg of body weight.
A 180 pound (81.8 kg) man on a bodybuilding diet needs 130 to 180 grams of protein per day.
The remaining calories should be derived from fat and carbohydrates. It is suggested that you consume 0.5 – 1.5 gms of fat per kg of body weight, as well as 3 gms or more of carbohydrates per kg of body weight.
To consume daily calorie requirements, a 180-pound person requires 40 – 121 grams of fat and 245 grams or more of carbohydrates.
Though there are no specific rules for meal frequency or time, most bodybuilders have six or more meals per day, with each meal containing at least 20 grams of protein.
7-Day Menu Sample
This 7-day bodybuilding food plan is intended for someone who needs approximately 2,800 to 3,000 calories each day.
Consider working with a qualified dietitian or meeting with your healthcare physician to more accurately analyze and prepare for your dietary needs.
The bodybuilding diet plan consists of 3 meals and 3 snacks with appropriate protein and a healthy mix of carbohydrates and fat. This meal plan is intended to be a suggestion, so feel free to substitute foods that better suit your eating choices, tastes, or budget.
However, while substituting one item for another, try to make the foods as comparable as possible so that your body receives the nutrition it needs. For example, instead of grilled chicken, try grilled sirloin steak. However, substituting grilled chicken for fried chicken may increase the amount of fat, calories, and sodium in your meal.
Day 1
Breakfast : Greek Omelet
- 3 large eggs, 1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of chopped black olives, 1/4 cup of feta cheese, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 toasted 100% whole-wheat English muffin topped with 1/4 avocado and 2 tablespoons whole hemp seeds
- 1 banana, medium
Macronutrients: 697 calories, 35 grams protein, 64 grams carbs, and 37 grams fat.
Snack
- 1 cup cottage cheese (low-fat)
- 1 cup cantaloupe cubes
Macronutrients: 401 calories, 29 grams of protein, 10 gms of fat, and 52 gms of carbohydrates
Lunch : Chicken Wrap
- 3 ounces shredded white meat chicken, 1/4 cup of sliced green and red peppers, 1/4 cup of low-sodium canned black beans, 1/4 cup of shredded Monterey jack cheese, 2 teaspoons of honey dijon, wrapped in a 10-inch 100% whole wheat tortilla
- 1 large apple
Macronutrients: 719 calories, 39 grams of protein, 81 gms of carbs, and 28 gms of fat
Snack
- 1 cup shelled cooked edamame mixed with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Macronutrients: 238 calories, 19 grams of protein, 15 gms of carbs, and 13 gms of fat.
Dinner : Grilled Salmon Steak
- 6-ounce grilled salmon steak with lemon juice, salt, and pepper
- 1 medium sweet potato, baked, with 2 tablespoons of plain low-fat Greek yogurt and 2 chopped walnut halves
- 1 cup grilled broccoli rabe, seasoned to taste with 1 teaspoon of virgin olive oil and some salt & pepper to taste
Macronutrients: 583 calories, 45 grams protein, 26 grams carbs, and 33 grams fat.
Snack
- Roll-ups of turkey (three 1-ounce slices of low-sodium deli turkey, three outer romaine lettuce leaves, three tablespoons spicy mustard)
Macronutrients: 184 calories, 26 grams of protein, 4 gms of carbs, and 7 gms of fat.
Approximately 2,823 calories, 193 grams of protein, 242 grams of carbs, and 127 grams of fat each day.
Day 2
Breakfast : Oatmeal
- 3/4 cup of regular whole oats, 1 1/2 cups of low-fat milk, 2 Tbls of hemp hearts, 2 tablespoons of unsalted slivered almonds, 1/4 cup sliced green apple without the skin, a pinch of cinnamon
Macronutrients: 640 calories, 31 grams of protein, 70 gms of carbs, and 29 gms of fat
Snack
- Blend the berries and tofu together.
- 1 medium banana, 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk, 1 cup blueberries, ice
Macronutrients: 443 calories, 28 grams of protein, 59 gms of carbs, and 15 gms of fat
Lunch : Grilled Salmon Salad
- 4 oz of grilled salmon, 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup of grilled green and red peppers, 1/2 cup of shredded red cabbage, 1/4 cup of low-sodium canned black beans, 1/4 cup of cooked corn kernels, 1/4 avocado, 1 tablespoon of unsalted shelled sunflower seeds, and 2 tablespoons of lime vinaigrette in a serving bowl
- two warmed 4-inch corn tortillas
Macronutrients: 697 calories, 40 grams protein, 74 grams carbs, and 28 grams fat.
Snack
- 1 carton (7 oz.) plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries, sliced
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Macronutrients: 226 calories, 22 grams protein, 21 grams carbs, and 7 grams fat
Dinner : Hamburger
- 4-ounce hamburger, 93% lean ground beef, served on a 100% whole-wheat hamburger bun with 1-ounce piece of Swiss cheese, sliced red onion, lettuce leaf, tomato, 1/4 mashed avocado, and 1 teaspoon honey mustard
- 1 cup red potatoes, roasted
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette dressing, 2 cups of mixed greens, 1/2 cup of sliced cucumbers, and 1/4 cup of shredded carrots
Macronutrients: 614 calories, 41 grams of protein, 43 gms of carbs, and 32 gms of fat
Snack
- 2 medium hard-boiled eggs
- 1 large orange
Macronutrients: 218 calories, 14 grams of protein, 20 gms of carbs, and 10 gms of fat
Total daily calories: 2,839, 177 grams of protein, 286 grams of carbs, and 120 grams of fat.
Day 3
Breakfast : Chia Pudding
- Chia pudding (To make ahead, combine 4 tablespoons of chia seeds, 1 cup of low-fat milk, 1 tablespoon of almond or any nut butter, 1/2 medium mashed banana, 1/4 teaspoon of organic vanilla extract, and a dash of cinnamon in a sealable container. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.)
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter on 1 slice 100% whole-wheat bread
Macronutrients: 661 calories, 28 grams of protein, 66 gms of carbs, and 35 gms of fat
Snack
- Two sticks of low-moisture half-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 large pear
- 22 toasted almonds, unsalted
Macronutrients: 441 calories, 19 grams protein, 34 grams carbs, and 28 grams fat.
Lunch : Tuna Wrap
- Tuna in a wrap (Combine a 5-ounce can of water-packed tuna, drained, with 1/2 stalk chopped celery, 2 tablespoons sliced red peppers, 2 teaspoons diced red onion, and 1/3 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt. Top a 10-inch 100% whole-wheat tortilla with tuna and 1/4 cup fresh spinach. Roll and cut the filled tortilla into quarters)
- 1 cup sliced watermelon, 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese, 1/2 cup of chopped cucumbers, 1 teaspoon of virgin olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of lime juice Watermelon salad
Macronutrients: 605 calories, 60 grams of protein, 41 gms of carbs, and 22 gms of fat.
Snack
- Coffee with a high protein content (Blend 1 scoop of unsweetened protein powder, 1 tablespoon of any nut butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ice)
Macronutrients: 314 calories, 37 grams of protein, 18 gms of carbs, and 10 gms of fat
Dinner : Roated Chicken
- 6 oz. white flesh roasted chicken
- 1 roasted potato cup
- 1 cup Brussels sprouts, roasted
Macronutrients: 650 calories, 47 grams of protein, 34 gms of carbs, and 36 grams of fat
Snack
- 1 1/2 cups Ready-to-eat unsweetened whole-grain cereal
- 1 cup skim milk
Macronutrients: 260 calories, 13 grams protein, 43 grams carbs, and 5 grams fat
Total daily calories: 3,033, 202 grams of protein, 249 grams of carbs, and 139 grams of fat