by Reid Aune

Created on: July 21, 2008

Most still believe that the key for men to increase their body mass is to lift weights. Unfortunately, the other two pillars of successful body building, food and sleep, are conspicuously lacking among amateur bodybuilders. Though lifting weights is an important aspect of any attempt to increase muscle mass, it is only a single part of the body building puzzle.

Perhaps the most important part of an exercise regimen aimed at altering one's physique is food. This is all too often overlooked. We are what we eat, and if we do not eat much then we are not much of anything. It is exceptionally difficult, if not impossible, to gain muscle-mass without consuming a lot of calories. Many sports nutritionists recommend eating 1.7 calories per pound of bodyweight. In fact, very few professional body builders would recommend eating less than 4000 calories a day; many would consider this figure very low. It you want big gains, eat like you mean it.

Food is important in bodybuilding for two reasons. One, food supplies us with the energy to do the exercise itself. Lifting heavy weight consumes a lot of energy, quickly. Therefore, it is important that the muscles are injected with fuel well before a workout so that one can get the best performance possible out of their muscles. Two, the body uses the food we eat to build and repair itself. What is left after supplying the body with its energy needs is used for building. If enough calories are not consumed the body has no materials with which to build and therefore cannot get bigger.

Therefore, to get the most out of your workout you need to eat a lot of food, in particular carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrates provide the body with energy and can be attained from such sources as rice, bread, pasta, and sweet potatoes. Many recent fad diets recommend avoiding carbohydrates, however, this is not a good idea for those working out intensively.

Protein is also important, it is used by the body to build itself. Other forms of energy such as fat or protein can replace carbohydrates, but only protein can be used to build and repair the body. Protein can be found in such sources as meat, fish, nuts, tofu and dairy products. One should aim to consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, many suggest two or more. Many professional body builders suggest consuming as much protein as possible as research shows that muscle gains increase along with increased protein consumption. Furthermore, it seems that there is not healthy

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