Close Ad ×

Muscle & Fitness logo Muscle & Fitness

  • Workouts

    Workouts

    • Workout Routines
    • Workout Tips
    • Fitness
    • Athlete/Celebrity Workouts
    • Exercise Videos
    Find Exercises Targeting…
    • Abs and Core Exercises
    • Arm Exercises
    • Back Exercises
    • Chest Exercises
    • Leg Exercises
    • Shoulder Exercises
  • Nutrition

    Nutrition

    • Healthy Eating
    • Lose Fat
    • Gain Mass
    • Supplements
    • Performance Nutrition
    Female sitting on a kitchen table leaning against a trifecta meal box while looking at her phone

    Performance Nutrition

    Trifecta Nutrition Vegetarian Shiratake Noodles Stir-fry
    Performance Nutrition

    8 Micronutrients Important for Performance and Where to Get Them

    Sarah fitness transformation from the Trifecta challenge
    Performance Nutrition

    Shifting Your Mindset in 90 Days

    5 Must-know Winter Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips
    Gain Mass

    5 Winter Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips

  • Athletes & Celebrities

    Athletes & Celebrities

    • News
    • Interviews
    • Women
    • Pro Tips
    • Behind-the-Scenes
    • Videos
    McGough Memorial
    News

    The Life of Peter McGough (1949-2020)

    McGough
    News

    Peter McGough, Legendary Bodybuilding Writer, Dies

    Olympia-2019-Roelly-Winklaar-Press-Conference
    News

    Roelly Winklaar is Out of the 2020 Mr. Olympia

    Seniors
    News

    It's Never too Late to Lose Weight, New Study Confirms

  • Features

    Features

    • Active Lifestyle
    • Gear
    • News
    • Opinion
    Muscle-And-Fitness-Holiday-Gift-Guide-and-Christmas-Present-Ideas
    Gear

    The M&F 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

    Man applying lotion to his and looking in the mirror
    Features

    The Ultimate Skin Care Guide for Men

    Orthopedic surgeon for the National Basketball Association Benedict Nwachukwu wearing a face mask inside a NBA basketball court and the NBA bubble,Walt Disney World Resort
    News

    What Other Sports Can Learn From The NBA Bubble

    Muscular women and female bodybuilders competing and a bodybuilding competition
    News

    Ms. Olympia Returns: A Tradition Restored

  • Flex

    Flex

    • Olympia
    • Nutrition
    • Training
    • Videos
    Mr. Olympia 2020 Top 5
    IFBB

    2020 Olympia Winners

    Olympia PPV
    News

    3 Ways To Livestream 2020 Olympia Weekend

    Professional bodybuilder George Peterson posing at Olympia 2020
    IFBB

    George Peterson - 212 Bodybuilding - 2020 Olympia

    Professional-Bodybuilder-Derek-Lunsford-posing-at-Olympia-2020
    IFBB

    Derek Lunsford - 212 Bodybuilding - 2020 Olympia

  • Hers

    Hers

    • Workouts
    • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Athletes & Celebrities
    • Features
    Kelsey Heenan Trainer
    Hers Workouts

    Total-Body At-Home Strength Workout

    Peter Lee Thomas Trainer
    Pro Tips

    Breathing Tips From Halle Berry's Trainer

    Man's hand holding a cup of coffee in a to-go cup
    Hers Nutrition

    Coffee Linked to Lower Body Fat in Women

    Blond-Tom-Boy-Female-Short-Hair-Stretching
    Hers Workouts

    7 Stretches for a Better Workout

  • Olympia

    Olympia

    • Olympia
    • Buy Tickets
    Mr. Olympia 2020 Top 5
    IFBB

    2020 Olympia Winners

    2019 Olympia Finals Report
    IFBB

    2019 Olympia Finals Report

    Stars Visit the Muscle & Fitness Booth
    IFBB

    Stars Visit the Muscle & Fitness Booth

    2019 Olympia Open Bodybuilding Callout Report
    IFBB

    2019 Olympia Open Bodybuilding Callout Report

Subscribe to YouTube Subscribe to the Newsletter Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Accessibility Statement Manage Cookies
  • Workouts
    • Workout Routines
    • Workout Tips
    • Fitness
    • Athlete/Celebrity Workouts
    • Exercise Videos
  • Nutrition
    • Healthy Eating
    • Lose Fat
    • Gain Mass
    • Supplements
    • Performance Nutrition
  • Athletes & Celebrities
    • News
    • Interviews
    • Women
    • Pro Tips
    • Behind-the-Scenes
    • Videos
  • Features
    • Active Lifestyle
    • Gear
    • News
    • Opinion
  • Flex
    • Olympia
    • Nutrition
    • Training
    • Videos
  • Hers
    • Workouts
    • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Athletes & Celebrities
    • Features
  • Olympia
    • Olympia
    • Buy Tickets
  • Resources & Highlights
    • Topics
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Manage Cookies

Stay Connected

Success!

Thank you for signing up. Your information has been successfully processed!

I want content for...
Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest
Open menu button
Open search bar button
×

Search M&F

Featured Articles
Lean Muscle
Healthy Eating

28-Days-to-Lean Meal Plan

With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.

Read article
Kate Upton Attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Women

The 20 Hottest Female Celebrities

Talented stars, killer physiques.

Read article
Fit Woman in the Gym
Hers Workouts

The Transformation Workout Plan

This workout combines cardio and weight-lifting drills for serious body-sculpting results.

Read article
The 50 Best Female Fitness Influencers on Instagram
Girls

The 50 Best Fitness Influencers on Instagram

Follow these fit women we're crushing on for inspiration, workout ideas, and motivation.

Read article
Nutrition

The 10 Commandments of Bodybuilding Nutrition

If you want to take your body to the next level, you'll need some kitchen discipline.

by Anthony Bevilacqua
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
The 10 Commandments of Gym Etiquette View Gallery

The 10 Commandments of Bodybuilding Nutrition

Close gallery popup button
1 OF 11

1 of 11

The 10 Commandments of Gym Etiquette

Love Thy Diet

Nutrition is the biggest component when it comes to having a lean physique. Eighty percent of your results will come directly from your eating habits. Follow these commandments and get to your goals in half the time.

2 of 11

calories-nutrition-facts

Thou Shall Set Macros

Your main goal should be to set and know your basic macronutrient intakes. If your goal is to be lean, you need to make sure you know how many calories you need to take in to lose weight. Aimless eating will get you nowhere.SEE ALSO: 3 Key Components to a Tailor-Made Diet

3 of 11

protein powder

Thou Shall Balance Protein Intake

Latest research has shown that spreading your total protein intake out every 3-5 hours throughout the day is optimal to stimulate protein synthesis.

4 of 11

Food myths busted

Thou Shall Consume Carbs

Our bodies primary source of fuel is carbohydrates. During our workouts our bodies are more primed for carbohydrate uptake. Try to consume anywhere from 30- to 60 percent of your total carbohydrates for the day before during and after a workout.

5 of 11

belly fat

Thou Shall Keep Fat Below 10g

Fat slows down digestion; around our workouts we want to get carbohydrates to our muscles as fast as possible so keep your fat intake below 10 grams during your pre and post workout meals.

6 of 11

8 Tricks to Speed Up Fat Loss

Thou Shall Drink (a lot of) Water

Water intake is extremely important for overall health. Eighty percent of our bodies are made up of water. Adequate water intake ensures properly functioning kidneys (kidneys help to burn fat). If you are even slightly dehydrated it can lead to a 10 percent decrease in performance as well.

7 of 11

fiber foods

Thou Shall Eat Fiber

Fiber is an essential component to overall health. Fiber helps to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and helps to regulate digestion. Fiber also helps stave off hunger. Fiber helps to add bulk and acts as a brush cleaning out colon, which allows for faster digestion and prevents constipation.

8 of 11

Chicken-and-Green-Beans

Thou Shall Love Leucine

Protein synthesis is stimulated from adequate leucine content of food. The amino acid leucine is one of the important building blocks for muscle. Consuming 5 -10 grams of leucine per meal will maximize protein synthesis. It can be extremely hard for vegetarians to consume this much leucine because direct sources of protein such as chicken, fish, meats contain more leucine then plant sources of protein. If you cannot get 5-6oz of animal protein per meal then I recommend supplementing that with a BCAA product with your meal to ensure proper leucine amounts.

9 of 11

if it fits your macros tips

Free Thy Macros

The downfall to any diet comes from the restriction of one macronutrients. Removing all carbs from the diet (Atkins type diet) is not sustainable for the long run and can cause you to gain more weight post diet. It is better for long-term success to balance out all your macronutrients in your diet then to remove one.

10 of 11

Oatmeal Fruit Bowl

Oatmeal Fruit Bowl

Thou Shall Not Limit Foods

When your parents told you not to do something didn’t it want to make you do it more? Limiting your food sources can lead to binging and other eating disorders. I always recommend a flexible diet allowing the person to fit in any food they like. The more sustainable a diet is the more long-term success you will have. Think about this; if you avoid the ice cream now how likely are you to binge on ice cream at a later time? Where as if you fit a serving or two into your diet daily you have not lost any traction and have developed a healthy relationship with food.

11 of 11

Man Resting In The Gym

Peathegee Inc / Getty

Thou Shall Stay Consistent

You can have the greatest nutritional guru of all time write you a plan but if you do not follow thru on the plan, that plan is just as worthless as the paper it was written on. Compliance to the diet is the most important factor for success.

Back to intro

Love Thy Diet

Nutrition is the biggest component when it comes to having a lean physique. Eighty percent of your results will come directly from your eating habits. Follow these commandments and get to your goals in half the time.

Thou Shall Set Macros

Your main goal should be to set and know your basic macronutrient intakes. If your goal is to be lean, you need to make sure you know how many calories you need to take in to lose weight. Aimless eating will get you nowhere.

SEE ALSO: 3 Key Components to a Tailor-Made Diet

Thou Shall Balance Protein Intake

Latest research has shown that spreading your total protein intake out every 3-5 hours throughout the day is optimal to stimulate protein synthesis.

Thou Shall Consume Carbs

Our bodies primary source of fuel is carbohydrates. During our workouts our bodies are more primed for carbohydrate uptake. Try to consume anywhere from 30- to 60 percent of your total carbohydrates for the day before during and after a workout.

Thou Shall Keep Fat Below 10g

Fat slows down digestion; around our workouts we want to get carbohydrates to our muscles as fast as possible so keep your fat intake below 10 grams during your pre and post workout meals.

Thou Shall Drink (a lot of) Water

Water intake is extremely important for overall health. Eighty percent of our bodies are made up of water. Adequate water intake ensures properly functioning kidneys (kidneys help to burn fat). If you are even slightly dehydrated it can lead to a 10 percent decrease in performance as well.

Thou Shall Eat Fiber

Fiber is an essential component to overall health. Fiber helps to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and helps to regulate digestion. Fiber also helps stave off hunger. Fiber helps to add bulk and acts as a brush cleaning out colon, which allows for faster digestion and prevents constipation.

Thou Shall Love Leucine

Protein synthesis is stimulated from adequate leucine content of food. The amino acid leucine is one of the important building blocks for muscle. Consuming 5 -10 grams of leucine per meal will maximize protein synthesis. It can be extremely hard for vegetarians to consume this much leucine because direct sources of protein such as chicken, fish, meats contain more leucine then plant sources of protein. If you cannot get 5-6oz of animal protein per meal then I recommend supplementing that with a BCAA product with your meal to ensure proper leucine amounts.

Free Thy Macros

The downfall to any diet comes from the restriction of one macronutrients. Removing all carbs from the diet (Atkins type diet) is not sustainable for the long run and can cause you to gain more weight post diet. It is better for long-term success to balance out all your macronutrients in your diet then to remove one.

Thou Shall Not Limit Foods

When your parents told you not to do something didn’t it want to make you do it more? Limiting your food sources can lead to binging and other eating disorders. I always recommend a flexible diet allowing the person to fit in any food they like. The more sustainable a diet is the more long-term success you will have. Think about this; if you avoid the ice cream now how likely are you to binge on ice cream at a later time? Where as if you fit a serving or two into your diet daily you have not lost any traction and have developed a healthy relationship with food.

Thou Shall Stay Consistent

You can have the greatest nutritional guru of all time write you a plan but if you do not follow thru on the plan, that plan is just as worthless as the paper it was written on. Compliance to the diet is the most important factor for success.

Topics:
  • Diet
  • Fat Loss
  • Hypertrophy
Author picture
Written by Anthony Bevilacqua
Also by Anthony Bevilacqua
Man intermittent fasting and timing his meals and feeding windows
Healthy Eating

The Guide to Intermittent Fasting

Sweaty Black Man resting on a bench after a hard workout
Workout Tips

12 Ways To Gain Muscle Fast

Stay up to date

Sign up below to receive our newest workout routines, recipes, news stories, and offers from our partners

Success!

Thank you for signing up. Your information has been successfully processed!

I want content for...

Follow us

Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest

More news

Trifecta Nutrition Vegetarian Shiratake Noodles Stir-fry
Performance Nutrition

8 Micronutrients Important for Performance and Where to Get Them

Pay attention to these top micronutrients when it comes to your fitness and diet.

Read article
Sarah fitness transformation from the Trifecta challenge
Performance Nutrition

Shifting Your Mindset in 90 Days

Get motivated to get back into shape with Sara and the Trifecta 90 Day Challenge

Read article
5 Must-know Winter Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips
Gain Mass

5 Winter Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips

You don't need to look like Santa during bulking season.

Read article
All Nutrition
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Nutrition
  4. /
  5. The 10 Commandments of Bodybuilding Nutrition
Muscle & Fitness logo
  • Workouts
  • Nutrition
  • Athletes & Celebrities
  • Features
  • Recipes
  • Topics
  • Videos
  • Exercise Videos
  • Podcasts
  • RSS Feed
  • 2020 Olympia
  • Buy Olympia Tickets
  • Archives
  • Sitemap
Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest

Newsletter Signup

Success!

Thank you for signing up. Your information has been successfully processed!

I want content for...

Muscleandfitness.com is part of A360 Media LLC Fitness & Health Network

Contact Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Manage Cookies Accessibility Statement

JW Media, LLC

Copyright 2021 JW Media, LLC, parent company of Muscle & Fitness. All rights reserved.