Bodybuilders constantly monitor their diets to ensure that they are not only eating the right foods, but the correct amounts as well. Eating too much or too little can be equally counterproductive. And many foods with some desirable qualities, such as high protein or low fat, come with undesirable add-ons like fat and sugar. Identify some of the worst foods you can eat for a better chance of achieving your fitness goals.
Potato Chips
Potato chips are high in fat and salt, the perfect combination for putting on weight. They are also empty calories to be avoided. Bodybuilders must keep their body-fat percentage low or their toned muscles won't be visible under the fat. Potato chips and other salty foods also increase your blood pressure, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
French Fries
French fries are available almost everywhere, but eating the fast-food version is not a healthy choice for a bodybuilder. French fries raise your bad cholesterol level and lower your good cholesterol, according to "The 5-Factor Diet" by celebrity trainer, Harley Pasternick and Myatt Murphy. They are also high in trans fat, which is a synthetic fat used to preserve food. Margarine, microwave popcorn, stick butter and vegetable shortening are also high in trans fat, according to NIH.
Simple Carbs
Simple carbs include sweets like cookies, cakes and doughnuts, as well as white bread, according to “5-Factor Fitness ” by Harley Pasternak, and Ethan Boldt. These foods are a poor choice for a bodybuilder. The majority of the calories in doughnuts and cookies are from sugar, along with unhealthy trans fats. Bodybuilders should consume foods that provide healthy nutrients and energy. A cookie might give you a short burst of energy, but you will be hungry again soon after eating one because they are made of simple carbohydrates, which make them empty calories.
Soda
A single can of soda typically contains 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories, says fitness expert, Jennifer Nicole Lee on ReBodybuilding.com. Drinking soda contributes to obesity, osteoporosis, tooth decay and heart disease. Osteoporosis is a condition of weak bones that lack density. Bodybuiders need strong bones to support large muscles.
Fast-Food Burgers and Sandwiches
Fast-food meals are quick, cheap and available everywhere. They're also full of calories that can take you an hour to an hour and a half on a treadmill to burn off. Bodybuilders do not have the time or energy to waste burning off the approximately 800 to 1,000 calories in a typical fast-food burger or sandwich. There are, however, some items that are low in calories that although might not be ideal at least are not as bad. Look for items such as grilled chicken breast and a side salads, suggests Bodybuilding.com in an article entitled "The Truth About Fast Foods."
Eating for Convenience
It's easy to grab the closest thing you can find when you're frequently hungry and need to eat a large number of calories to support your muscle mass. But keeping a general idea in your head of what the worst foods are helps you at least avoid the biggest mistakes.
Sources
- Gastelu, Daniel. "Good Fats Vs. Bad Fats" published on BodyBuilding.com, accessed May 10, 2011.
- Pasternak, Harley and Boldt, Ethan. " 5-Factor Fitness," G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005
- Pasternak, Harley and Murphy, Myatt. "The 5-Factor Diet," Ballantine Books, 2009
- Zirunas. "The Five Worst Foods to Ever Eat,"published on Rebodybuilding.com, accessed May 10, 2011.
- "The Truth About Fast Foods" published on BodyBuilding.com, accessed May 10, 2011.
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