Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson isn’t only known for his blockbuster hits. He’s also known for the blockbuster cheat meals he posts on Instagram. Even his non-cheat days consist of a lot of food. The Rock consumes 6,000 to 8,000 calories per day, and anywhere from five to seven meals of balanced meals consisting of the right amount of protein and carbohydrates. Even so, ever wonder how he or others with his bodybuilding physique are able to eat so much and not look fat? How do we only see muscles? Meal Matchmaker explores how bodybuilders consume so much food without getting fat. Here are all your frequently asked questions about this topic answered!
Why do Bodybuilders Eat a Lot?
Bodybuilders eat a lot because they have to. To put it simply, more muscle means you burn more calories, even without doing anything. Since muscle is a difficult nutrient to fuel, it requires a lot of energy –– in the form of calories –– for your body to keep up. In fact, a pound of muscle will burn 10 calories per day.
With that said, if you have 50 – 70 pounds of muscle, you’ll be burning 500 – 700 calories! With this in mind, for bodybuilders to maintain their muscle mass, they need to consume a lot of food; they just have to make sure that they’re consuming the right type of food.
Do Bodybuilders Eat Too Much?
In bodybuilding, quality is more important than quantity. For instance, coffee and scone from Starbucks will fetch around 800 calories, the majority of which comes from fat and sugar. This “meal” or “snack” will quickly fill up your calorie count for the day, but it does it without doing anything good for your body. Also, make sure to limit your alcohol consumption. Alcoholic drinks are high in calories, yet they offer low nutritional value.
Speaking of low nutritional value and high calories, make sure to avoid any processed food or fast food; as an alternative, try to eat more vegetables, fruits, and white meats, like turkey, fish, and chicken. If you’re not sure what to eat, you can always resort to a healthy meal plan service.
Why do Bodybuilders Eat Every Three Hours?
Bodybuilders eat every two to three hours to boost their metabolism is a common notion in bodybuilding. However, eating too often doesn’t improve your metabolism; in fact, eating protein too often will make your body become tolerant to the nutrient, rendering it useless. Instead, try waiting at least two hours to eat after consuming any type of protein.
Why do Bodybuilders Eat 6 Times a Day?
Eating six or more meals a day isn’t only needed to maximize your gains, but it’ll also train your body to properly digest food to ensure you have the right nutrients. Eating six times a day will also make your stomach smaller, encourage you to drink more water, and allow you to consume more vegetables, fruits, and fiber.
Again, this isn’t an opportunity for you to eat junk food; make sure to eat the right type of food, especially the ones that are offered by meal plan services.
How do Bodybuilders Eat so Much and Not Get Fat?
The secret to why bodybuilders can eat six or more times a day is because they track their food intake. However, this doesn’t mean that you should obsess about the type of food to eat; just make sure that it’s healthy and in the appropriate portion size.
Try having vegetables and lean meat be the focus of your meal. Both types of food are great for fat loss. Make sure to grill or broil them; not only does this taste great, but it eliminates the need for oil, which is added calories. If you’re not confident in your cooking skills, there are bound to be meal plan service providers in your area that can simplify this part of your routine.
Is 200g of Protein Too Much?
For a normal adult, consuming 200g of protein is unsafe. However, for athletes and bodybuilders who engage in high-level workouts and want to build muscle mass, 200g of protein can be beneficial. The safe protein intake is 2.5 grams of protein per one kilogram of body weight each day.
How do Bodybuilders Get so Lean?
Competitive bodybuilders follow two to four-month diets; these diets involve decreasing calorie intake as more energy is used when training, allowing them to become lean. Additionally, this diet will focus on maintaining their muscles. To pull this off, bodybuilders must carefully track their eating to ensure that they have the right macronutrient combinations in their diet.
How do Bodybuilders Bulk Without Getting Fat?
Two words: clean bulk. Clean bulking involves the following practices:
- Increasing calorie intake
- Getting the right fuel
- Hitting the weights hard
- Keeping the reps high
- Having sufficient cardio exercises
- Tracking progress every month
- Sleeping seven to eight hours per night
Do Bodybuilders Wake up to Eat?
During heavy bulk-up training, old-school bodybuilders will wake up in the middle of the night just to have a high-protein meal. They believe that this prevents muscle breakdown. However, this is only ideal when bodybuilders need to heavily bulk up.
Are 4 Meals Per Day Enough to Build Muscle?
As mentioned above, for those who are planning to build muscle, it’s important to have around four to six meals a day. Four meals can be sufficient if you balance your nutrients carefully. Of course, this must be paired with the right amount of exercise to burn off calories.
When Should I Eat my Last Meal When Bodybuilding?
Calories will get burned regardless of when you eat, so there’s no strict time that you need to eat. Just make sure to avoid eating too close to your bedtime, as this will make it difficult for you to sleep.
A Word of Caution
If you’re still concerned about your diet, it’s best to consult a doctor. Keep in mind that a bodybuilding diet is only for bodybuilders; if you follow their diet without having the right amount of exercise, your body will not be able to process the nutrients properly.
If you want to leave the meal planning to someone else, look into meal service plans in your area; they can seriously simplify this aspect of the bodybuilding lifestyle. Click here to read Meal Matchmaker's best meal delivery services for bodybuilders.
References:
https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a19537649/bodybuilder-diet-weight-gain/
https://vekhayn.com/how-do-bodybuilders-eat-so-much-and-stay-lean/
https://www.liveeatlearn.com/words-from-a-bodybuilder/
https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/flex-nutrition/six-meals-day/
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/taking-200-grams-protein-safe-5906.html
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-up-without-gaining-fat/1-increase-your-calories/
www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/45724/bodybuilding/the_bodybuilding_trick_to_gain_one_pound_of_muscle_per_week.html
https://fastfuelmeals.com.au/how-many-meals-a-day-do-you-need-to-build-muscles/
https://time.com/4408772/best-times-breakfast-lunch-dinner/