Eating in Phases for Improved Muscle Strength and Endurance
There are other phases besides off season. Each phase requires an athlete to alter his or her nutritional program in terms of the amount of carbohydrates, protein and supplements in support of his or her training regimen for the specific phase. Knowledge of these phases can help you maximize the results you get out of all the effort you put in training.
Off-season Phase - The main objective in this phase is to develop the muscles to the max. High protein foods and healthy carbohydrates are needed by an athlete to achieve this phase’s objective, according to Luis Burke, author of the book “Practical Sports Nutrition”. Bodybuilders maintain a regular eating schedule, which can be planned around workout sessions for improved results.
Hypertrophy stage - The objective for this phase is to increase strength without any increase in weight. A typical practice during this phase is to follow a restricted eating diet every 2 to 3 hours. Great care must be taken in selecting the right muscle-building foods combined with healthy carbohydrates for energy.
Competition Preparation - This phase starts 6 to 16 weeks before a competition. Calorie intake is restricted for a consistent weight loss leading up to the event. This is done to preserve all the muscle built up during off season while reducing body fat. This is easily achieved with a low-fat, high protein diet scheduled around each training session.
Cutting - The cutting phase takes place a couple of weeks or days before a competition. This involves a higher degree of calorie restriction than competition prep to burn fats rapidly. Most bodybuilders depend on supplements for their nutritional needs as they reduce their calorie intake. Circuit training sessions are often done during this phase coupled with an increase in resting time to help the body recover.
After the Competition - It is ideal for an athlete to adjust smoothly to a healthier diet after the competition. This is a crucial phase as many bodybuilders go on an eating spree and gain weight rapidly after following a restricted diet for months. It is important for anyone to ease back to eating normally after a competition for health purposes and to maintain some of the results built up during the other phases.
Each phase requires changing from one diet to another that it is hard for most bodybuilders to keep up with their nutritional plans. Work with a dietitian or a nutritionist to help you in developing a sound nutritional program for a successful career.
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