3 Sample Meal Plans for the Perfect Bodybuilding Diet
The perfect bodybuilding diet consists of 5 or 6 meals every day. That means you should eat every 2-3 hours. At the end of the day you should have consumed nutrients from each of the food groups and choose foods that build muscle. To help you out, here are some sample meal plans you can start with. Remember that you should consume 3 grams of carbohydrates and 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily.
Sample Meal Plan #1
Meal 1:
Vegetable Omelet (3 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 1 cup vegetables) You can also add a little chicken or lean meat if you like.
Meal 2:
A cup of yogurt or a protein shake.
Meal 3:
6 ounces of chicken,
Small salad of raw vegetables,
1 bun
Meal 4:
1 piece of fruit,
3-4 ounces of chicken
Meal 5:
6 ounces of fish,
1 – Cup of grilled vegetables,
1 – Cup of brown rice
Sample Meal Plan #2
Meal 1:
3 packages of instant oatmeal,
1 banana,
1 cup of yogurt,
1 cup cottage cheese
Meal 2:
Protein shake,
1 large baked potato
Meal 3:
8 ounces of chicken breast,
2 cups of pasta,
1 apple,
1 cup of yogurt
Meal 4:
1 can of tuna,
1 – 2 cups of broccoli
Meal 5:
Protein shake,
1 cup of brown rice
Meal 6:
8 ounces of grilled fish,
1 cup of vegetables,
2 cups of rice
Meal Plan Example #4
Meal 1:
Breakfast Burrito (3 egg whites, 1 whole scrambled egg, 1 cup onion-green pepper mix, salsa),
1 cup of cottage cheese,
1 cup of berries,
Meal 2:
Protein shake,
1 cup of raw vegetables
Meal 3:
Salmon Burger on Whole Wheat Bun (canned salmon, 1 egg white, onions cooked in a nonstick skillet),
1 large potato cut into strips, brushed with olive oil and baked until crisp,
1 garden salad drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar,
Meal 4:
Protein shake,
1 cup of yogurt
Meal 5:
8 ounces chicken breast, cut into chunks, fried in olive oil and seasoned with oregano, garlic salt and basil,
1 cup of cooked tomatoes,
2 cups of pasta,
1 cup broccoli/cauliflower mix
Meal 6:
Protein shake,
1 cup of melon,
1 cup of yogurt
There really is no need to carefully measure out the suggested servings. This is not an exact science! Look at your portions and consider the following table:
Portion size:
1 ounce. meat = matchbox,
3 oz. meat = deck of cards,
8 oz. meat = slim pocket book,
3 oz. fish = checkbook,
1 ounce. cheese = four dice,
1 potato medicine = computer mouse,
2 tbsp. peanut butter = ping pong ball,
1 cup of pasta = tennis ball,
1 bagel = hockey puck
Of course, these are just suggested eating plans. You can mix it however you want. It’s a good idea to plan ahead and pre-cook your meals. Keep cut vegetables in the refrigerator so you don’t have to work too hard at mealtimes.
