The seven basic benefits of the Mediterranean diet in bodybuilding
Introduction
As we move into the 21st century, more and more men and women are getting involved in bodybuilding. To be successful in bodybuilding, a person needs to coordinate an ambitious exercise routine with a proper diet regimen. Ultimately, bodybuilding success depends as much on what you do to your body in a gym as it does on what you put into your body at home.
Certain routines and diet plans have been shown to directly benefit bodybuilders’ goals. A regimen that contains the elements of healthy eating that are essential for a dedicated bodybuilder is found in the Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet is a perfect choice for a passionate bodybuilder for seven basic reasons.
1. Bodybuilding and fruits and vegetables
Nutrition experts believe that a typical diet should include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables over the course of any given day. A bodybuilder needs more than twice this amount of fruits and vegetables. In this sense, the Mediterranean diet is ideal. In the Mediterranean diet, a person usually consumes more than ten generous servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day.
In bodybuilding, it is recommended that the fruits and vegetables included in the diet are taken raw. (Steamed vegetables are acceptable. However, steaming too much can lead to the loss of some of the nutrients that fruits and vegetables naturally contain.)
2. Bodybuilding and raw foods
Various raw foods, including fruits and vegetables, are also high in antioxidants. Antioxidants “clean” the oxidants that can form in the body. Oxidants are the negative byproduct of oxygen burned within the body for energy. Antioxidants help a bodybuilder on many fronts, including decreasing muscle atrophy, which can be a major problem for a bodybuilder as he ages.
3. Benefits of protein for the bodybuilder
Protein is the essential ingredient needed to build body mass, which is the ultimate goal of bodybuilding in training. Through the Mediterranean diet, a person interested in following a healthy bodybuilding course can ingest protein through lean meats and whole grains.
4. Adopt a diet low in saturated fat
Saturated fats are destructive to any reasonable bodybuilding routine. Obviously, one of the ultimate goals of bodybuilding is to remove unnecessary and unwanted fat from the body.
While exercising is a surefire way to shed fat, it is also important for a bodybuilder to choose a diet low in saturated fat. The Mediterranean diet fits this bill perfectly. Although a person who uses the Mediterranean diet ingests calories from fat, mainly from olive oil that is used extensively in the diet, the one they ingest is not saturated.
5. Meet the energy demands of the active bodybuilder
A person following the Mediterranean diet gets calories and “energy foods” from three main sources:
– carbohydrates
– protein
– unsaturated fat
The key benefit of the Mediterranean diet is based on the fact that it is balanced and draws energy in adequate proportions from these three dietary sources. Because the diet is balanced by definition, your body does not end up running “out of control.” Through the Mediterranean diet, you can get the additional energy boosts needed for body building without your overall calorie and energy levels getting out of balance.
6. Bodybuilding and moderate portion sizes
The key to establishing a beneficial diet to advance your body development goals is to eat in moderation at every meal. Also, a bodybuilder should choose to eat smaller meals throughout the day. Instead of the standard three square meals a day, a bodybuilder is best served by eating six smaller meals, evenly spaced throughout the day.
7. Diet balance is always the key
In the end, the reason the Mediterranean diet is so beneficial for bodybuilders is precisely the same reason it is a perfect healthy eating plan for “average people.” The Mediterranean diet is a solid plan because it consists of healthy foods eaten in balanced and appropriate proportions throughout the day.
