Proper nutrition for muscle definition for a man, sample menu, sports supplements

Drying the body is a phase of the training cycle that combines a complex diet with a calorie deficit and exercise that allows the body to get rid of excess subcutaneous fat in the shortest possible time. For men who play sports on a personal or professional level, creating an ideal body becomes the main goal. The main indicator of the effectiveness of the work is the formation of a beautiful relief. A properly selected training and nutrition regimen, while following a diet, makes it possible to effectively achieve muscle relief in a short time.

Features of nutrition during drying

The peculiarity of the drying diet is that it can be different on different days. So, the amount of carbohydrates differs. Of course, it’s impossible to avoid them completely, because they contain fruits, vegetables, and herbs. In addition, you need to choose complex carbohydrates, which are found in cereals and the same plant foods, but simple carbohydrates will seriously slow down the drying process, so sweets, baked goods and other similar products are excluded for the duration of the program.

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During the cutting period, regardless of your body type, you should consume about a third more protein than at other times. So, if just to maintain muscle performance, an athlete needs 1.5-2 g of protein per kilogram of weight, then the program for drying and relief involves increasing this amount to 2.5 g.

Reviews and results

Reviews of diets for training to improve muscle mass among athletes are very popular and, according to their reviews, are quite effective.

• “... I’m not a pro, but I go to the gym regularly. Either the muscles need to be pumped up, or the fat needs to be removed. From autumn to spring I worked on increasing muscle mass, but now I feel looseness has appeared. The trainer suggested a special workout for drying the body and, accordingly, recommended going on a carbohydrate alternating diet for 1-1.5 months. This kind of nutrition was new for me, but judging by the reviews from the guys preparing for competitions, it is extremely effective. Indeed, the first results appeared after a month - the body became slender, the muscles began to appear effectively. I went for another month and the results exceeded all my expectations. Now I will regularly practice muscle drying.”
• “... After giving birth and breastfeeding for almost a year, I felt that I began to look terrible. And not only did she gain weight, but her body proportions changed - the volume of her stomach and hips increased. Since before my marriage I was professionally involved in fitness, I decided to switch to a diet of alternating protein and high-carbohydrate days with an appropriate set of exercises. The diet was relatively easy, and despite exercising four times a week, in 2 months I was able to practically restore my former girlish figure and slightly reduce weight (by 2.8 kg). Very pleased. I think that after six months I will again carry out this cycle of training and nutrition.”

Basic rules for drying

• Be sure to eat breakfast to keep your metabolism at a normal level.
• Fats cannot be completely excluded - it is unsafe for health. The main sources should be vegetable oils, nuts, and sea fish. But saturated fats are excluded during the drying period. They are found in fatty meat, lard, mayonnaise and other various sauces, all kinds of sweets.
• Sweets, flour, all kinds of snacks like chips and crackers, fast food, salty and canned foods will have to be excluded during the drying period.
• Try not to eat before bed. If you feel hungry, limit yourself to kefir or an apple, or better yet, protein in water.
• Eat often and in small portions.
• Give up bad habits.
• Drink enough drinking water.
• Choose healthy carbohydrates that contain fiber - it helps the intestines work better. The same fruits, vegetables, and cereals contain it.
• Try to move as much as possible.
• It is recommended to consume BCAA complexes before and after training.
• Vitamin and mineral complexes are also necessary, since during drying the body may experience a deficiency of necessary elements.
• Control the dose of sugars in your diet. If after some time from the start of drying your body weight does not decrease, reduce the amount of sugar you consume.

When it comes to how to dry properly for relief, try to ensure that the glucose level in the body is stable.

Find out how food makes you feel

Today you can find an article about every food explaining that it is full of poison. Some will say that eating meat will lead to obesity. While others will say that gluten and grains give you cancer and depression.

Much of this hype is overblown propaganda that makes you fear food and think you need to get a medical test to find out what foods to eat. The whole goal of eating well is to feel like an A. And you don't need to go to the doctor to figure it out.

Here's your three-step plan for figuring out what foods you should and shouldn't eat.

Step 1: Eat some

Step 2: Pay attention to the ingredients in your food

Step 3. Think about how you feel after eating:

• Are you tired or full of energy?
• Was the food digested well or did it cause you to suffer from flatulence?
• Do I feel any unpleasant symptoms: headache, nasal congestion or even a hangover?

Eventually, after a couple of weeks, you will figure out which foods make you feel better. Eat these foods often. Don't eat those that make you feel bad. All.

Main products in the diet when drying

• Chicken and turkey meat without skin. Steam, boil or stew it; frying is prohibited.
• Lean fish and seafood, such as shrimp or squid fillet.
• Chicken egg whites.
• Low-fat kefir and cottage cheese with a fat content of up to 5% are allowed among dairy products. Cottage cheese is consumed only in the first two weeks of drying.
• Oatmeal, buckwheat, durum wheat pasta, various greens, green vegetables, green apples, lemons, grapefruits are also useful.
• You can drink green or herbal teas. Ginger and chamomile are especially useful.

Fully or partially limited products

The diet for muscle relief is a carbohydrate alternation diet, excluding the following foods:

• Fatty dairy/sweet dairy products, fatty meats (pork), fast food products, meat products (smoked meats, sausages, ham, bacon lard).
• Products containing easily digestible carbohydrates (sugar and products containing it - jam, cookies, candies, dried fruits, halva, chocolate), condensed milk, ice cream, honey, sweet desserts.
• Wheat bread, potatoes in any form, crackers, pastries, instant cereals, waffles, cakes, gingerbreads.
• Sweet fruits (grapes, banana, pineapple, persimmon, watermelon, melon) and juices from them.
• Caffeine-containing carbonated drinks and alcohol.

Table of prohibited products

Diet for relief

The drying diet for men is usually designed for 7-8 weeks. After this, you need to gradually return to your usual diet with the correct carbohydrate content.

Let's look at the nutritional features by week:

• Week 1. The amount of carbohydrates per day is 2 g per kg of your weight. Eat up to 5-6 times a day. In addition to proteins, you can eat vegetable oils, vegetables, herbs, and fruits.
• Week 2. The amount of carbohydrates is limited to 1 gram per kg of weight. Of the carbohydrates, those that have a low glycemic index are allowed, and they should be eaten in the first half of the day. Food servings should not exceed 120-130 grams.
• Week 3. Carbohydrates are reduced further to 0.5 g per kg. Cheeses and fruits are excluded from the diet.
• Week 4. From carbohydrates, you are allowed to eat porridge - only in the first half of the day and up to 6 tablespoons per day. Carrots, radishes and other root vegetables are prohibited from vegetables. Be sure to monitor your health. If you feel severe weakness, drowsiness, dry mouth, or a taste of acetone, try to add a small amount of carbohydrates to your diet.
• Week 5. You can consume 50-55 carbohydrates during the day. Porridge is prohibited during this period, but you can eat vegetables, salads and herbs.
• Week 6. This week is very difficult, but it is important not to break down and withstand the drying to the end. Dairy products are also excluded from the diet.
• Week 7. Carbohydrate norm – 0.5 g per kg of weight. Vegetables and seafood are allowed. Starting this week we begin to go off the diet.
• Week 8. This and subsequent weeks repeat weeks 1-4 in reverse order. That is, we gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates, return vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and so on to the diet.

Having finished drying, you don’t need to immediately attack what was prohibited, otherwise you can only harm yourself and your figure. Graduality and moderation are very important.

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2) 10% of your diet can be taken up with the food you want

If you diet properly and track your numbers, you'll have plenty of opportunity to eat delicious meals every day. And sometimes these will be foods that are considered unhealthy.

This could be a few slices of pizza, a burger, or even ice cream at a party. As long as you don't exceed your daily carbohydrate or fat allowance, you'll be fine.

A flexible diet plan like this is the only one that will work in the long term and allow you to stick with it for life. But that's no reason to eat shit. You should still eat very healthy most of the time, and then when the urge or special occasion arises, you can treat yourself.

Menu for men while drying the body

The drying nutrition program requires compliance with certain rules. Drying itself involves switching to a special diet that contains a high content of protein foods. Proteins burn fat and help maintain muscle tone. But you should remember that you should not completely exclude carbohydrates from your diet. This can lead to serious complications.

The oil content in the diet will have to be monitored very carefully, not only because of its calorie content, but also because of its sodium content.

Sodium salts retain excess water in the body.

3) Eat enough to feel energetic

A healthy diet should not only improve your appearance, but also make you feel good. Most diets you see in magazines or on the Internet do just the opposite. They require you to eliminate all carbohydrates and calories, which makes you feel heavy and brain foggy. And you don't have the energy to exercise, and the sex drive of an 89-year-old man.

You cannot live well on a tiny amount of calories. That's bullshit. And you will never stick with it for more than 60 days. Of course, you can lose a ton in the first couple of months. But after that, you will be so tired that you will return to your old habits and gain weight again.

Instead of going to extremes, you need to find a diet that you can stick to. It will give you enough calories to keep you focused and motivated. Day after day.

Sample menu for several days for the terrain

Day 1:

• breakfast: low-fat Greek yogurt, a cup of green tea;
• lunch: steamed turkey, light cucumber and celery salad;
• snack: small portion of green beans;
• dinner: beef stew with broccoli.

Day 2:

• breakfast: eggs with tomatoes and onions, ginger tea;
• lunch: stewed beans with chicken breast, greens;
• snack: cottage cheese with kefir, a handful of almonds;
• dinner: buckwheat with boiled chicken breast, green apple.

Day 3:

• breakfast: 2 poached eggs, a glass of kefir;
• lunch: mushroom soup, boiled chicken, greens;
• snack: broccoli and cauliflower salad;
• dinner: steamed fish, beet salad.

Day 4:

• breakfast: 2 egg white omelet, low-fat cheese, green tea with mint;
• lunch: boiled jacket potatoes and tuna with lemon juice;
• snack: salad of cucumbers and green bell peppers;
• dinner: vegetable salad, light yogurt, green apple.

Day 5:

• breakfast: oatmeal, cottage cheese, tea with lemon;
• lunch: beef stew with lobio;
• snack: a glass of skim milk, a small handful of walnuts;
• dinner: brown rice with chicken breast.

Contraindications

You should avoid training on simulators if you have heart and kidney diseases, high blood pressure and pneumonia.

It is better to avoid the gym if you have severe scoliosis, the presence of a tumor, spinal damage, or mental disorders. If you have received a traumatic brain injury or suffered a heart attack or stroke, you are allowed to practice after 3 years.

If you experience dizziness on a regular basis, this can lead to injury during exercise. It is advisable to stop playing sports until the cause of this condition is identified.

Removing water from the body

A sculpted body will never be perfectly contoured; the muscles will not cut as well if a lot of water has accumulated in the athlete’s body. Many people write that drying does not involve getting rid of water, but this is a mistake. Draining the water is the last stage of drying. And throughout the entire process, it is more convenient to monitor your progress when the body copes well with removing excess water.

How to prevent water retention? When drying, you must drink at least 2 liters of water per day (tea, coffee and juices do not count). The more you drink, the better your body removes excess water. If you don't get enough, the body will try to hold it back and you will begin to swell. Your effectiveness in training will also decrease, since a dehydrated person works less intensely.

Substances that affect fluid retention:

• Salt
• Alcohol
• Creatine
• Caffeine
• Sahara
• B vitamins
• Sweets

How to build a lesson

• Start your workout with a light warm-up.
• Choose one exercise for each muscle group and do 3-4 repetitions.
• Choose the number of repetitions at your discretion. “It depends on the severity of the exercise. The more complex the exercise, the fewer repetitions there can be. The easier the exercise, the more repetitions there should be. Relatively speaking, for the same dumbbell press, 6 to 12 repetitions will be acceptable. And if we take abduction to the shoulders - since the delta is quite small, you can work up to 12 to 20 repetitions,” says Denis Petrov.
• Do this program 3-4 times a week.
• Finish your workout with stretching.

To perform the complex you will need a bench, dumbbells, and a barbell with a Σ-griform.

Dumbbell Bench Press

For chest muscles

Lie down on a bench and pick up dumbbells with an overhand grip. Press your pelvis and shoulder blades against the bench, and pull your chest up. Bend your elbows, holding the dumbbells at chest level. Straightening your arms, push the dumbbells up from your chest, then return to the starting position. This will amount to one repetition, complete the required number of repetitions.

Lying dumbbell flyes

For chest muscles

Lie down on a bench and pick up dumbbells with an overhand grip. Turn your palms with dumbbells along your body and lift them up (connect them so that your fingers face each other). Bend your elbows slightly and move the dumbbells out to the sides. Then return to the starting position for one repetition.

Pull-over

For chest muscles

Lie down on a bench and grab a dumbbell with both hands. Press your shoulder blades and sacrum against the support, maintaining a natural arch in your lower back. Raise your arms with the dumbbell up (it should be above your chest), then smoothly move them back, behind your head. Return to the starting position and repeat.

French bench press

For arm muscles

Lie down on a bench and pick up a barbell with a Σ-griform with an overhand grip. Place your palms slightly narrower than your shoulders. Stretch your arms up. Bend your elbows and move the barbell back and down, lowering it behind your head almost to forehead level. Lock your elbows in one position. Then smoothly raise your arms up, returning to the starting position. Repeat.

Dumbbell rows

For back muscles

Stand in front of a bench, lean your body forward, lower your left knee and left palm onto it. Take a dumbbell in your right hand and lower it forward and down. Stretch forward with the top of your head, work the muscles of your abs, back and arms. Bend your right elbow and pull the dumbbell toward your waist. Then lower your hand down, returning to the starting position. This is one repetition.

French overhead press

For triceps

Sit on a bench, pick up a dumbbell. Maintain a natural arch in your lower back. Stretch your arms up from the dumbbells. Using your arm muscles and bending your elbows, lower the dumbbell behind your head. Then smoothly return to the starting position (arms extended upward). This will amount to one repetition, complete the required number of repetitions.

Overhead triceps extension

For triceps

Sit on a bench, take the left dumbbell. Maintain a natural arch in your lower back. Raise your left hand up, place your right palm on your left shoulder. Bend your left elbow and lower the dumbbell down to the level of your right shoulder. Then straighten your arm up, this is one repetition, perform the required amount in each direction.

Barbell curl

For biceps

Stand up straight, grab a barbell with a Σ-bar with a reverse grip. Do not bend in the lower back, work the muscles of the abs, back and arms. By bending your elbows, lift the barbell to the level of your collarbones, then lower it down, returning to the starting position. This will amount to one repetition, complete the required number of repetitions.

Hammer Curl

For biceps

Stand up straight, hold dumbbells in your hands, palms facing you. Bend your right elbow and lift the dumbbell to shoulder level. Make sure that the hand moves parallel to the body. Then smoothly lower your arm to the starting position (dumbbell at hip level). Work the muscles of your arms, abs, and back. This will amount to one repetition, perform the required number in each direction.

Barbell row to the chin

For shoulder muscles

Stand straight, feet hip-width apart. Take the barbell with an overhand grip (place your palms slightly narrower than shoulder width). Bend your elbows and lift the barbell to the level of your collarbones. Work the muscles of your back, abs, arms and shoulders. Then lower your arms down, returning to the starting position. Repeat.

Dumbbell abduction

For shoulder muscles

Stand straight, feet hip-width apart. Take dumbbells, lower your arms along your body. With your elbows slightly bent, bring the dumbbells together at your navel. Without straightening your elbows, spread your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. Then lower them to the starting position and repeat.

Sports nutrition for relief

Sports nutrition to improve muscle definition is a whole complex of supplements. You need to train hard and volume, which means you need a pre-workout complex. Recovery must be complete, which is difficult to achieve without amino acids, protein and vitamins. Supplements for relief are suitable for those who are starting to cut, and will simply help you look better if you start exercising with a small percentage of subcutaneous fat.

We have put together a whole range of supplements for you that will help you train hard and effectively and will promote rapid recovery after active exercise.

Pre-workout complex

Some pre-workouts are high in sugar or other simple carbohydrates. They are suitable for powerlifting or mass bodybuilders. “For relief” you need to use nitrogen donors with creatine. One of the best is No-Explode from BSN. It actively stimulates pumping, promotes better blood circulation and helps you be productive in training. This complex contains creatine for better fixation of glycogen in the muscles and their filling. After class, the body looks sculpted and full, not flat.

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The composition of this complex helps not only to work more efficiently, but also to recover better, since it delivers all the necessary vitamins and minerals directly to the muscles.

Protein

Everyone needs a protein supplement, especially those who eat regular food, do not get enough protein, and do not have time for 5-6 classic “bodybuilding” meals. 100% Whey Gold Standard is a quality protein supplement, pure whey protein. It provides the body with all the necessary proteins that are needed in order to effectively cope with physical activity. Protein allows you to satisfy all the body's protein needs. Namely, this brand leaves the user confident that he is using only a high-quality product.

Synta-6 from the BSN brand is another quality protein. This product is suitable for those who are tired of following a diet for relief and want to get rid of the obsessive desire to eat sweets. Yes, this is a very tasty protein with an adequate amount of lactose. It contains no sugar and allows you to get all the necessary nutrients quickly. Of the flavors, most protein reviewers recommend chocolate. The product takes a long time to digest and can provide nutrition to the body while you sleep.

BCAA intra Fuel SAN has a pleasant taste and is not bitter, like many “representatives” of branched chain amino acids. These BCAs will fully meet the body's need for amino acids, help you perform your workout efficiently, and support your muscles if you are training in a fat-burning mode. In addition, they suppress appetite.

Fat burner

L-carnitine from Power System is the safest fat burner. It does not stimulate the central nervous system, but only promotes the conversion of fats into energy. This product helps get rid of “dips” when transitioning from strength training to cardio, gives energy and allows you to quickly get rid of subcutaneous fat.

10) Avoid the fat craze

Don't overdo it with "healthy fats." This is another mistake that many people make due to the popularity of low-carb paleo diets. We all know by now that healthy saturated fats need to be included in our diet. But just because they are healthy doesn't mean they need to be consumed in huge quantities.

Don't overload your coffee with butter and recklessly eat bacon every day. Almost every athlete in history has eaten a moderate-fat diet. They all know that they will not achieve the desired results if they eat sausage and mayonnaise.

Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets are designed for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. NOT for hard training guys who want to build muscle and get stronger.

Remember: you should always eat based on your activity level. There are 3 main macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fat. Each of them plays a specific role in providing energy and fuel for activity.

Protein supports muscle growth and recovery. Carbohydrates help fuel high-intensity activity. Things like sprinting, lifting weights, or anything other than moving at a very slow pace. Fat supports hormone levels and overall health. It also promotes low-intensity activities such as walking. You can apply this knowledge to your diet.

For example, if you don't do anything at a fast pace—no retreat workouts, no hill sprints, no high-intensity workouts—a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet will be the healthiest diet for you. And if this is not about you, then your main energy fuel should be carbohydrates.