MAXS SuperWhey Muscle Building Diet

Introduction
This diet program is designed to show you how you can build an impressive muscular body with a well planned diet program and MAXS SuperWhey protein. This diet is suitable for all levels of trainers and different body types. We will explain the types of foods you should eat to help you make solid weight and muscle gains, and recommend the right way to use MAXS SuperWhey to accelerate your results. Well also help you understand some of the science behind nutrition to help you plan your food intake better. Well tell you what foods to avoid, as well as which super foods you should be eating plenty of. Weight training is a big part adding muscular body weight. This program is designed to be used by trainers who are following a serious weight training program. You will find a useful food table that will really help with your meal planning. It lists nutritional information for many common foods. We also give you advice on how to set up a training diary that will help you track your progress to maximise your gains. If you are serious about gaining weight and building muscle, and you follow this diet program properly, we guarantee you will achieve results!

How to use this e-book.

If you are new to weight training and bodybuilding nutrition, we recommend you read through this booklet to help you understand the principals of building muscle. Keep this booklet for reference.

Key Factors for Building Muscle

The key to building muscular body weight quickly relies on 3 key factors:

1. Nutrition
Bodybuilders and sports nutritionists agree that nutrition is the most important aspect of gaining muscular weight. Some even estimate nutrition is 80% of the equation, with training and rest or recovery making up the other 20%! We like to think its a little more balanced than this, maybe 60% nutrition, 20% training and 20% rest and recovery. But even at these more modest figures, you can still see that nutrition is by far the most important factor to building muscular size and strength. Thats why you must get your nutrition right if you want to make decent gains in muscle mass. The key factor in building muscle is to ensure you are providing adequate nutrients to help your body recover and grow. You must provide protein, carbohydrates and essential fats in the correct proportions and at the right times each and every day. If you are playing sport, weight training, or are active in

other ways, this will burn a lot of kilojoules so you must factor this into your nutrition plan. Supplements like MAXS SuperWhey are a convenient and efficient way to ensure you are getting the right nutrients you need to build maximum muscle.

1. Training
If you just eat a lot of food to gain weight without doing the right kind of exercise, you will tend to just put on fat, rather than build a strong muscular body. Training the right way is therefore very important to building the body you want. You may be playing lots of sport, or be very active physically, which is great for keeping you fit and healthy, but generally wont help you gain significant muscular bodyweight. Assuming you get your nutrition right, the very best way to pack on slabs of muscular weight is with a well designed weight training program. Weight training is the best way to stimulate muscle growth which results in healthy weight gain. You will feel better, look better and perform better as you add muscular weight. In this booklet well introduce you to the theory and basics of weight training and put together a program that will help you build muscular weight.

2. Rest and Recuperation

You dont build muscle and gain weight while you are training or playing sport. Your body will only build muscle while you are resting and especially sleeping. In fact, training for too long, too often or too hard will often lead to muscle and weight loss! We call this overtraining and it must be avoided at all costs if you want to maximise muscle and weight gains. Rest and recuperation means getting plenty of sleep at least 8 hours per night is ideal. It is also important to keep your sleep patterns regular, and to try to rest your body during the day when you can. If you play a lot of sport or have a very active job, rest and sleep are even more important.

Nutrition for Muscle Gains

Your body is a very complex machine and depends on a myriad of biochemical processes for healthy functioning. You need fuel everyday to help maintain good health and function, which you get in the form of the food you eat and the liquids you drink. Scientists measure the energy value of foods in calories or kilojoules and most foods have a certain energy value. In Australia all food labelling is expressed in kilojoules (1 calorie = 4.2 kilojoules) so we will talk about energy values of foods in this booklet in terms of kilojoules. Your body uses energy every day to function. Even if you are just sitting around watching TV, your body is burning up kilojoules. The more active you are, the more you burn up. If you consistently eat fewer kilojoules than your body burns up, you will lose weight. If you consistently eat more kilojoules than your body burns, you will gain weight. However, the composition of the food you eat also has a bearing on losing or gaining weight.

Food comprises of what we call Macronutrients (which include protein, carbohydrates and fats) and Micronutrients (which include vitamins, minerals and other trace nutrients). Gaining muscular weight relies on getting adequate amounts of macro and micro nutrients daily. Lets look at some of these nutrients in a little more detail.

Protein
Protein is the most important nutritional element you need to build and maintain maximum muscle mass. Without enough quality protein in your diet every day, your muscles will be unable to recover and grow! Your muscles, skin, hair, organs, blood, enzymes, and even your bones are made up mainly of protein it is the structural base of your entire body. Protein consists of complex chains of compounds called amino acids. There are 19 amino acids that human proteins are made from. The proportion and order of how these amino acids are joined together determines the different characteristics of particular proteins. For example, muscle proteins have higher proportions of the Branched Chain Amino Acids (L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and LValine) than do the proteins found in hair or nails. If you look at the nutritional label of protein supplements like MAXs, you will usually see a list of these amino acids and the quantities of each one in a serving of the product. Of the 19 amino acids required to make human protein, 8 are known as essential amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be made by your body must be obtained from your diet every day. The other 11 are known as non essential amino acids, which means that under the right condition your body can actually make them. Its important to realise that hard training bodybuilders need more protein than your average man in the street, which means both essential and non-essential amino acids. Hard weight training actually damages or breaks down muscle structure. Your bodys response to this muscle overload is to repair and rebuild the muscle but making it bigger and stronger to cope with the added stress. To build this new muscle, your body needs substantially more protein than the average diet can provide. To ensure you have enough protein to build muscle and gain weight, you must consume enough protein than your body needs to for normal metabolism and building new muscle every day. This is called being in positive nitrogen balance. If you dont get enough protein you wont build muscle. To build size , we recommend you aim to consume at least 3 grams of quality protein per kilogram of body weight. For example, if you weigh about 75 kg your need to be getting at least 75 x 3 = 225 grams of protein every day. Getting this amount of protein requires careful nutritional planning. While foods like meats, eggs and chicken are excellent sources of protein, eating the required amount can actually be a bit of a challenge. For example, one chicken breast contains about 40 grams of protein, so you would need to eat at least 5 6 chicken

breasts each day. 1 egg contains about 6 grams of protein so you would need to eat 38 eggs! To get the right amount of protein each day we recommend you consume a variety of quality protein foods and supplements. Many of these protein sources also contain significant amounts of unwanted fats that can slow digestion and affect your health (38 eggs contains about 280 grams of fat, which is way too much). This is where protein supplements like MAXS are of great value. They contain very little fat yet contain high levels of muscle building protein and mass fuelling carbs. Each gram of protein is equivalent to approximately 17 kilojoules of energy.

Sources of Protein
The following table gives some examples of common protein foods and rates them based on protein content and fat content Protein Food Lean beef steak, raw Chicken Breast, raw, skin off Lean Lamb steak, raw Lean Pork, fat removed, raw Lean Veal, fat removed, raw Lean Kangaroo steak Minced beef, premium or heart smart Fish Fillet, all types Lean Smallgoods, ham, turkey Other small goods, salami, Strasbourg, etc. Whole Eggs Low Fat Cottage Cheese Low Fat Milk (1% Fat) Tofu Serving Size
Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g) Medium (150g)

Protein Content
31g 35g 33g 33g 35g 33g 32g 28g 28g 32g

Fat Content
6g 2g 8g 2g 3g 2g 8g 4g 7g 60g

Rating & Comments

Very Good Excellent Very Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Very Good Very Good Good Very high in fat - Avoid

2 large (120g) Medium (150g) 500ml Medium (150g)

15g 21g 20g 12g

11g 3g 5g 6g

Very Good protein, Yolks high in fat, eat in moderation Good Good Healthy, Protein content is relatively low, good for vegetarians Low protein but healthy addition to recipes and salads High in protein but incomplete protein source.

Bean, canned Lentils - dry

Medium (150g) Medium (150g)

8g 36g

1g 3g

Refer to the nutrition Tables at the back of this booklet for the protein content of common foods.

Carbohydrates
Most people recognise carbohydrates as foods like bread, pasta, rice and sugar. Carbohydrates are typically associated with energy and for hard training athletes they are essential. To build any significant muscular weight, you must eat plenty of good quality carbohydrate foods every single day.

Good and Bad Carbs

Carbohydrates come in many forms in food, from what we call simple carbohydrates you get in foods like table sugar, to complex carbohydrates that you get in foods like oats and whole grains. In general, foods that contain lots of highly processed carbohydrates like sugar and white flour are not as good for you as raw carbohydrate foods like vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Lets explain why this is in a little more detail because its an important point to understand. When you eat a carbohydrate food, it passes into your stomach and then into your intestines where it is digested down to simple sugars and then absorbed. Some refined carbohydrate foods like sugars require virtually no digestion and so can be absorbed very quickly. Other highly processed carbohydrates like white flour and white rice are digested very quickly and are also rapidly absorbed. When your body absorbs a lot of sugar quickly, the level of sugars in your blood also rises quickly. Your body can only tolerate blood sugar up to a certain level, so to counter this sudden rise in sugars; it produces a powerful hormone called insulin. Insulin is a regulating and storage hormone. Its main role is to ensure your blood sugars dont get too high by helping to push sugars into muscle cells, where they can be used for energy, and into fat cells, where the sugars are converted and stored as fats. If you eat too many simple sugars, your body gets swamped by sugar and you producing too much insulin which pushes most of these sugars into fat storage. This is not what you want! On the other hand, if you eat less processed or raw carbohydrate foods like wholegrain cereals, brown rice, pasta, fruit and most vegetables, your body reacts quite differently. These foods digest much more slowly and are absorbed over several hours in more manageable levels. Your blood sugars stay at a much more controlled level, which means you dont need to produce much insulin, if at all. This means your body can use these carbs to fuel your body and you dont add fat. To build maximum muscle mass, your body requires a lot of extra energy, and these slow digesting carbohydrates are the very best way to get it.

Glycemic Index
Science measure how fast we digest, absorb and burn carbohydrates with a number called Glycemic Index or GI. Fast digesting and absorbing carbohydrates

are said to have a high GI while slower Digesting and absorbing carbohydrates have a relatively lower GI. GI is normally measured from 0 100, with lower GI foods scoring less than 50, and higher GI foods greater than 50. The pure sugar glucose is set as the benchmark of 100 because it is very fast absorbing. In general, carbohydrate foods with a lower GI are better for you. Why? Because faster GI foods tend to be converted to fat more easily than lower GI foods. So when you are choosing carbohydrate foods for your eating plan, its better to choose lower GI foods if you have a choice. There are a few exceptions to this that we will cover later. Some examples of carbohydrate GIs are: Poor Carbohydrate Choice White Bread Corn Flakes White Jasmine Rice Mashed Potato Banana Cola Soft Drink Table Sugar GI 70 77 98 91 58 63 70 Good Carbohydrate Choice Soy & Linseed Bread Natural Muesli Pasta Sweet Potato Apple Milk Broccoli GI 48 46 38 44 38 38 0

You can see from the table above that by simply making the right choices you can eat more lower GI foods which will provide much more energy for muscle growth while keeping your body fat lower. For example, choosing pasta rather than white rice or choosing wholegrain bread over white bread, can make a big difference to your muscle and weight gain. A quick warning - many food labels now display GI values. Some labels simply say low GI. Be a bit wary of low GI claims as many companies just use GI as a marketing gimmick. For example, chocolate is low GI but contains significant levels of fat and sugar. Many fruit juices are labelled as low GI but contain lots of sugar. These types of foods are still highly refined so consume sparingly. In summary, when choosing carbohydrate foods for your diet, always go for the least processed and unrefined carbs. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and choose wholegrain cereals and breads. Pasta is generally better than rice, and keep sugary foods and drinks to a minimum. Refer to the Nutrition Tables in the back of this booklet and try to choose lower GI carbs (less than 50). If you do eat a high GI food, have a smaller portion size and perhaps combine it with a lower GI food. For example, rather than eat a big plate of white rice, cut back the serving size and combine it with more lean meat and vegetables.

High GI Carbs for Energy and Recovery.

While we recommend that you eat lower GI unrefined carbs most of the time, there are a couple of exceptions to this advice. Both during and after strenuous sport or training, fast digesting and absorbing carbs can be very valuable.

During Training or Sport

Your body stores carbohydrates for energy in a compound called Glycogen. Glycogen is mostly stored in your muscles and liver. You body has enough stored glycogen to provide optimal energy levels for about an hour of hard exercise. If you continue to exercise hard for longer than this, your body starts to run out of energy and your performance will fall away. One way of delaying exercise induced fatigue is to consume high GI carbs while you are exercising. During exercise, high GI carbs arent stored, they are used for energy by working muscles. A good way of getting carbs while you exercise is with sports drinks. There are many sports drinks on the market, both ready-made and in powdered form that you simply mix with water. These drinks contain high GI sugars and will help top up your energy reserves to help maintain your output. Studies show that the optimum sugar levels for these drinks is about 6 8%. If the sugar level is much higher, as is the case with most soft drinks and fruit juices, it will slow down the absorption significantly and much of the benefit is lost. So during exercise, only use water or a good quality sports drink and follow the directions. We will discuss your workouts a bit later but you shouldnt be training for longer than about 1 hour in the gym for each workout if you are training at the right intensity. So if you are training for less than an hour, you only really need drink water. However if you are playing sport for perhaps 1 2 hours or more at a reasonably high intensity, a sports drink is an excellent way of maintaining your energy levels as well as keeping you hydrated.

After Training or Sport

What you eat and drink immediately after a hard workout or sport can have a huge impact on the ability of your body to recover and grow muscle mass. When you exercise at a high intensity, the physiology of your muscles shifts into high gear. Your muscles burn energy to produce work at a heightened rate, and remain in this stimulated state an hour or so after you finish exercising. While in this state your muscles are hyper-sensitive to nutrient absorption. They can absorb nutrients 4 6 times faster than at all other times during your day. This hyper-sensitive window gives all trainers a fantastic opportunity to really push their system anabolic. How can you make to most of this? The absolute best way is to have a high protein and high GI carb shake as soon as possible after hard training - within 30 minutes is ideal. Shakes are better than solid food because they are absorbed faster and the nutrients get into your muscles quicker. Well cover this in a bit more detail later in this booklet.

How much Carbohydrate do you need?

For building maximum muscle mass we recommend consuming about 6 8 grams of carbohydrates per kg of bodyweight per day. In our previous example of a 75 kg trainer, this would equate to 450 600 grams (6 x 75kg = 450 gram, 8 x 75 = 600 grams) of carbs per day, which again is a lot of food. To put that into perspective, one slice of wholemeal bread contains about 15 grams of carbs, so 600 grams = 40 slices. One cooked cup of pasta contains about 40 grams of carbs, so 600 grams = 15 cooked cups of pasta! Once again, we recommend getting your carbohydrates from a variety of healthy foods and supplements, spread out across your day. Carbohydrate foods to eat MORE of Oats Unprocessed cereals Wholegrain & wholemeal bread, rolls, pitas, etc. Brown rice Pasta Vegetables including Sweet potato Pumpkin Corn Peas Seasonal fruits Egg Noodles (with a stir fry) Natural yogurt Raw Nuts Milk (in moderation with protein shakes) Fresh fruit juice (in moderation) Sports drinks (during training or sport) Diet soft drinks (in moderation) Carbohydrate foods to Eat LESS of Sugar Sweets & lollies Chocolate & snack bars White flour products White bread, bread rolls, white pita bread, etc. Potato chips, crisps, corn chips, etc. Mashed Potato French fries Cakes Biscuits 2 minute noodles Highly processed & sugary breakfast cereals Sugary soft drinks

Carbohydrates have a very similar energy value to protein. Each gram of carbohydrate is equivalent to approximately 17 kilojoules of energy.

Fats
Fats are a very important nutrient and must be included at the right proportion in your diet to achieve maximum weight and muscle gains. However like carbohydrates, there are good fats and bad fats. Fats are far more energy dense than either protein or carbs. Each gram of fat contains about 38 kilojoules, which is more than twice the level of protein or carbs (which each contain about 17 kjs per gram). Because of this, we advise moderation of fat intake, with an emphasis on the healthy or good fats while minimizing the bad fats. In Australia, health guidelines recommend that fat should contribute no more than about 30% of total kilojoule intake. On a mass gain diet we recommend that this figure should be even lower. Because of the effect that saturated fat has on blood cholesterol, the intake of saturated fat should be even more limited. We recommend less than 10% of dietary kilojoules come from saturated fats.

Fats have several roles in the diet. The two main groups of nutrients that fats offer are the fat soluble vitamins and the essential fatty acids. Fats are found in both plant and animal foods and make foods easier to chew and swallow. The fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are found in the fatty parts of food and so diets very low in fats can be low in these vitamins. There are three main classes of fats: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These terms refer to the chemical structure of the fats.

Bad Fats
Whilst it is essential to consume fats, a high saturated fat diet can increase your risk of health disorders such as heart disease, some cancers and other many other chronic problems. Saturated fats are found in animal foods, such as meat, butter and cheese, and plant foods such as coconut and palm oil. Another class of bad fats are known as Trans fatty acids or trans fats. They are unsaturated fats that have undergone a chemical process called hydrogenation to turn them into a type of saturated fat. They are found in packaged foods such as pastries, biscuits, crackers and baked goods. High intakes of saturated fats and trans fatty acids are associated with an increased risk of many diseases including heart disease and cancer. As we mentioned previously, as little dietary fat as possible should come from these types of fats (no more than 20% of your total daily intake of fats).

Good Fats
Another class of fats called Polyunsaturated Fats are found in the oils of plants such as safflower, sesame, sunflower and corn and may help to lower cholesterol and decrease blood clotting, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. However, polyunsaturated oils can change to less desirable forms under certain conditions. For example exposure to air or high temperatures in cooking and food processing can change them to unhealthy trans fatty acids, so more care must be taken with their storage and use. Oils from some plants including canola, olives, macadamias, peanuts and avocados contain high levels of Monounsaturated fats. These fats are generally recognised as the best fats to promote good health and have many beneficial properties. They have been shown to help to lower cholesterol and decrease blood clotting. They are also more stable in cooking compared to polyunsaturated fats, and on exposure to air, and therefore are less likely to form trans fatty acids. Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are known collectively as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) because your body cannot make them and so they must come from your diet. Fish and flax seed are good sources of these EFAs, along with a number of other seeds and nuts. EFAs are very important to your body's metabolism and development. They play a role an important role in reducing inflammation, which can in recovery after hard training and also help protect against cancers, arthritis, heart disease and diseases of the immune system.

Essential fatty acids are involved in energy production, the transfer of oxygen from the air to the bloodstream, and the manufacture of haemoglobin (transports oxygen to our muscles). They are also involved in growth, cell division and nerve function. Essential fatty acids are found in high concentrations in the brain and are essential for normal nerve impulse transmission and brain function. They are essential to help you maximize size and strength gains. We recommend you aim to get around 1 gram of fat per kg of bodyweight per day when you are training to gain weight and build muscle. So in our previous example, a 75kg trainer should be aiming to get around 75 grams of fat per day. We also recommend that no more than 20% of this is saturated fat, which means no more than 15 grams for our 75kg trainer. You can control the fat intake in your diet by: Using reduced fat dairy products Trimming visible fat from meats Removing the skin from chicken Adding less fats and oils to your cooking and using spray on cooking oils Using less processed meats - e.g. sausages, ham and salami Remove some yolks from eggs when making your omelettes Reduce intake of biscuits, cakes and pastry products Reduce intake of fast foods and takeaway foods

Rating Common Fats and Oils

Oil Saturated % 10 7 15 15 10 13 10 15 14 13 20 54 Polyunsatura ted % 20 12 12 20 69 32 75 60 52 64 35 21 Monounsatura ted % 70 81 73 65 21 55 15 25 34 23 45 3 Rating

Almond Hazelnut Olive Canola Linseed Peanut Safflower Soya bean Sunflower Walnut Cod liver oil Butter

Very Good Very Good Very Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Average

Palm Coconut

50 91

10 2

40 7

Poor Poor

Refer to the nutrition Tables for the fat content of common foods. Many foods contain hidden fats. The food may look quite healthy but too much fat is added during processing or cooking which is not apparent from simply looking at or tasting the food. Foods like cakes, biscuits, sauces, pastries, and most take away foods are often loaded with fats, often the types of fats we want to avoid. The only real way to tell is to read the labels on the foods you buy and decide based on the nutritional value of that food (more on food labels shortly).

Micronutrients
Another very important category of nutrients that are essential for muscle growth and weight gain are the micronutrients the myriad of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your body gets form the food you eat. To get a full complement of these nutrients, the first thing you must do is get a wide variety of healthy foods in your diet. Fresh lean meats, dairy, eggs, fish, fruit, vegetables and whole grains as we have already recommended, will go a long way to providing all the micronutrients you will need. They key here is variety. Dont just eat the same foods, day in day out. Choose different protein sources (chicken, meat, dairy), and variety of seasonal fruits, plenty of different seasonal vegetables, and eat a variety of cereal and grain foods. All of these different foods not only contain the vitamins and minerals you need, they also contain a variety of other health giving compounds that you just wont find in a supplement or vitamin pill. Hard training however does place higher nutritional needs on your body than less active people. We do recommend hard trainers consider using a good quality vitamin mineral supplement to ensure their vitamin mineral intake is optimal. Ask your local health food store or pharmacy to recommend a good broad spectrum product. But dont rely on a vitamin pill for getting all your micronutrients. There is no substitute for a good diet containing a variety of healthy food choices.

Food Labels
In Australia all packaged and processed foods are required by law to display a nutritional label that gives a breakdown of the main nutritional components. Pick up any product on a supermarket shelf and you should see a nutritional panel that looks something like the table below. If the packaging doesnt display a nutritional panel be wary. The table usually gives you the nutritional information per serving of the food, and per 100 grams of the food. The first thing to check is the servings per pack. In the table below this is 1. In many cases this can be more than one. For example, if you buy a packet of biscuits, the serving size may be four biscuits and give the nutritional

information per serve (four biscuits). So make sure you understand the serving size listed on the pack. Now look at the Energy levels per serving size and per 100g. The energy per 100g shouldnt be more than about 1600kj. If it is, you will probably find that the product has a fairly high fat level and so should be avoided or consumed in moderation. Next check the carbs and protein levels. These will vary widely, depending on the type of food, but you can use these to the estimate your overall intake of protein and carbs. Finally check the fat content. If the fat level per 100g is greater than 20g, be cautious and consume sparingly. If the saturated fats exceed about 4 5g per 100g, once again, be cautious and consume sparingly. Below is an example of nutritional panel you may find on a protein powder supplement to illustrate the basic layout. Nutritional Information Servings per pack 1 Serving Size 30grams Per Serve 30g Energy Protein Fat - Total Fat - Saturated Carbohydrates - Total Carbohydrates Sugars Sodium 460kJ 26.1g 0.3g 0.2g 0.3g 0.2g 120mg Per 100g 1540kJ 87.1g 1.2g 0.7g 0.9g 0.8 g 400mg

Ingredients List
The next thing to look at is the Ingredients listing. If the ingredients contain lots of chemical names that you dont understand, and lots of food additive numbers, warning bells should start ringing. Its ok to have a few ingredients like this but some products look positively scary. Now the Ingredients are supposed to list the items in order of amount, highest to lowest. That means that the ingredient which is first on the list will be in the highest amount, and the ingredient last on the list should be in the lowest. This is a good way to get an idea of the relative goodness of a product. For example, if you see fats or oils listed in the first few ingredients of a product, then you may want to check the nutritional panel for the fat level per 100g to see if it doesnt contain too much fat. Certain nutrients like vitamins or amino acids are only needed in relatively small amounts so they will almost always be listed towards to end of the ingredients

Make it a habit to check the ingredients listing on the foods you buy and you will soon develop a good appreciation of the relative breakdown of the foods your regularly eat.

Designing a muscle building diet

We have already talked about the protein, carbs, fats and micronutrients you need to build optimum muscle quickly, so lets now pull it all together into a basic mass building meal plan. Below are some important points you must follow when training for maximum muscle and weight gains:

Set a daily kilojoule target

For anyone who is serious about building muscle, having a basic understanding of how to interpret the kilojoule value of foods is worthwhile. So lets just spend a moment to explain. Almost everyone has a different daily kilojoule requirement, which is determined by many factors such as age, sex, body type, health status and level of physical activity. The kilojoules you need every day to function can really be looked at on two levels: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) this is the energy your body needs just to stay alive, the energy you burn up even when you sleep or are at rest. Active Metabolic Rate this is the extra energy your burn up from the activity you do throughout your day such as walking, working, training, sport, etc. Add these two amounts together and youll get the total number of kilojoules your body will burn up in a day. Now the theory goes if you want to build significant muscle and gain weight, you must consistently take in more kilojoules that you burn up. If you dont, youll lose weight. In practice this means that if your daily kilojoule requirement is about 10,000 and you consume about 9,000, you wont build muscle. If you consistently consume say, 12,000kj of the right balance of nutrients each day and train correctly you will build muscle. How do you know what your daily kj requirement is? Quite simply, its the intake of kj you have where you dont lose or gain weight. Now you can work this out for yourself by recording your detailed kj consumption and monitoring your weight but this can be a little complicated. A better way is to give you some rule of thumb numbers to use as a starting point then fine tune from there. In general, if you are reasonably active (you weight train, play sport, have a manual job, etc.) your daily kj requirement to stay at a stable weight will probably be somewhere between about 10,000 and 13,000 kj per day (about 2400 3100 calories). If you are reasonably inactive during the day (you sit at a desk) you may require a little less than this. To gain weight and build muscle rapidly, you should aim to increase your kilojoules by at least 30% above this level. This will ensure you are getting enough muscle building nutrients and fuel to support maximum gains.

What does that mean in real numbers? You need to be aiming to consume between 13,000 17,000 kj per day to gain muscle and build mass (about 3000 4000 calories). The more active you are, the more kilojoules you need. To help you monitor how you are tracking we suggest you keep a food diary which we talk about shortly. You dont need to count kilojoules forever, but keeping track of your kilojoule intake for a few weeks will give you a good understanding if you are actually eating enough food to reach your goals. We have included detailed food tables at the back of this book which gives you some key information about many common foods. Use them to help track the nutritional values of your food.

Eat your daily food requirement in 6 8 meals spread over your day.
Eating 6 8 slightly smaller meals each day is perhaps the biggest change you can make from a normal eating pattern to a bodybuilding eating pattern. We recommend slightly smaller meals as its important not to overload your system at each meal. Each meal should satisfy you without making you feel really full. You will be eating about every 1 - 2 hours so you want to make sure your last meal has had an opportunity to be digested and absorbed properly. We define a meal as normal food, such as meat and vegetables or a sandwich. But a meal can also include a protein shake or protein bar, as you will see in our suggested Meal Plan. Up to 2 3 meals each day could consist of some type of protein supplement such as a shake or bar. The key here is ensuring you are getting a good serve of muscle building nutrients.

What are the benefits of eating 6 8 meals per day?

To gain muscle quickly you usually need to increase your food intake quite a bit. Eating 6 8 times a day simply means you can eat more. Eating smaller meals more often allows your body to more easily digest, absorb and utilise the nutrients in each meal. Eating a large meal overloads your system, putting strain on you digestive system, your insulin metabolism, and many other metabolic process. You may eat a lot of food but you often waste a lot of the value because you cant digest and absorb it all. Eating more often pushes your metabolism into high gear. You will have more energy for training, recover faster and feel better all day long. Your system will tend to build more muscle and stay leaner. On the other hand, eating 2 or 3 large meals each day tends to slow your metabolism, push up your insulin levels and promote more fat storage and less muscle growth.

Keep a food diary.

By writing down everything you plan to eat and drink each day, its a lot easier to see if you are eating enough to gain weight and build muscle. To use a food diary properly, write down what you plan to eat in advance, prepare each meal in advance, then check off each item to ensure you are following your plan. Also record any extra food or drinks you consume and also highlight food you havent eaten. Review your diary every day to make sure you are sticking to your plan. Alternatively you can just get a normal ruled exercise book. Devote 1 page to each day. Simply record everything you eat and drink each day. Use the Nutrition Tables of this book to record the kilojoules for each meal to help you ensure you reach your daily kilojoule, protein, carbs and fat targets. Recording this information can be really useful as it will give you a great understanding of your nutritional intake and help you stay on track. It will also give you a good idea if you actually eating enough food to build muscle. We do recommend that you record your complete food and drink intake and dont leave anything out. Remember, this is your own personal record so be accurate. Try to keep your diary with you and fill it in as you go rather than recording your food intake later. In the comments area you may also record other information such as your weight, how your body is feeling, and a brief description of the training or sport you completed during the day. To evaluate your progress, check your nutrient intakes (protein, carbs & fat) if you have recorded them or simply compare the quantities and general food composition in your diary to the suggested diets in this book. If your program looks similar and you are gaining weight, you are on track. If you are not gaining muscle, increase your food intake gradually until you start to see the scales moving up. When you get to this point you will have a good record of the types and quantities of food you need to gain weight and build muscle. In our experience, writing down your food intake is a great way to keep you focussed on sticking to your nutrition plan. Many top trainers keep a detailed food and training diary to record and monitor their progress.

Eat protein at each meal.

In each one of your 6 8 meals you must ensure you are eating enough protein to support constant muscle growth. In our example of a 75kg trainer, you will be aiming for 225grams of protein each day, spread over 6 - 8 meals. That means you need to be averaging more than 28 grams of protein per meal in 8 meals, or more than 38 grams of protein per meal over 6 meals. There is some room for variation here. For example, if one planned meal only contains about 20 grams of protein, make sure you get a bit of extra protein in your next meal. However, if you have a larger protein serve in one or two meals per day, dont worry too much on reducing your protein levels in subsequent meals. When you are aiming to build muscle, its better to be on the safe of having a bit more than not enough.

Eat 6 8 grams of good quality carbs per kg of bodyweight each day.

Like your protein intake, aim to get a serving of carbs at each meal to support maximum muscle growth. Plan you carbohydrates to compliment your protein intake. For example, pasta (carbs) with a meat Bolognese sauce (protein), tuna (protein) and brown rice (carbs), or a chicken (protein) and salad sandwich on wholegrain bread (carbs). When having you Maxs protein shake, always mix it with milk for the extra protein and carbs that milk provides. A couple of pieces of fruit with your protein shake is a good idea for the extra carbs and nutrients that fruit offers.

Always ensure you have a protein/carb shake immediately after training.

During strenuous training or exercise, the physiology of your working muscles shifts into a heightened state to cope with the stresses and outputs required. Athletes refer to this as warming up the muscle. In this heightened state, blood flow and cell transport mechanisms dramatically increase the move fuels and nutrients into your muscle cells, and metabolites and waste chemical out. After exercise ceases, your muscles stay in the heightened state for about 1 2 hours before they cool down, and then nutrient transport returns to normal levels. All trainers can take advantage of this window of opportunity by ingesting a fast acting protein and carbohydrate meal as soon as possible after exercise. Your muscles will absorb nutrients up to 6 times normal levels in this period immediately after exercise, which will dramatically improve muscle recovery and muscle growth. So make sure you have your MAXS protein shake as soon as possible after you finish training. This is one time where you really need a decent serve. Mix a couple of heaped scoops of protein in about 500ml of milk for maximum recovery and muscle growth.

Always ensure you have a good protein meal before going to bed.
Did you know that your muscles dont build up while you train; they only build up while you rest. And in fact, one of your prime growth periods is while you sleep. So while you sleep, make sure you are providing plenty of muscle building nutrients by having a substantial protein and carb meal before you go to bed. A simple MAXS protein shake will work a treat but you can mix it up with foods like an omelette and wholemeal toast, tuna and rice or yogurt and fruit.

Never let yourself get hungry

Hunger is your body telling you it is going catabolic! In other words, if you start feeling hungry, your body is running out of muscle building nutrients and your muscle are shrinking not growing! If you want to pack on muscle dont let this happen. The best way to do this is to stick to your eating plan. If you are still getting hungry, you havent planned to eat enough, so increase your serving sizes. There will be some times when you may get caught out, when you come to

a scheduled meal time and you dont have your meal prepared. This is where you need a backup plan. MAXS Protein Bars, Protein Cookies, a Shake & Take, tins of tuna, a container of mixed nuts, these are all lifesavers if you are a hard training bodybuilder. Keep a stash of these foods handy at home, work, in the car or in your bag so you never get caught out.

Drink at least 2 3 litres of water per day

As you increase your food intake, your body will naturally need a greater fluid intake to help digest and process the extra nutrients. Water is used by your body to flush away toxins and by-products that build up during exercise. Hard training also increases respiration rates (you breathe more) and sweating which means you lose more fluid. All of these factors contribute to an increased need for water. Like eating, schedule in your water intake, dont wait until you feel thirsty.

I cant eat that much food!

Another common issue many trainers face, particularly , is that they find it difficult to eat as much food as they need . If this is your problem, you need to be patient. Begin by eating 6 8 meals per day, no matter how small each meal is. This is your key to gaining weight. You must discipline yourself to eating every few hours. Gradually increase your serving sizes. You will soon get used to the extra food as your metabolism speeds up and becomes more efficient.

Prepare your days meals in advance

If you work or are a student, you will need to do a bit of planning and preparation to ensure you can fit your meal plan into your daily schedule. Most well organised bodybuilders will plan out their weekly meals in advance and buy their food in bulk accordingly. Many trainers get up an hour earlier each day or prepare their food in the evening for the next day. Doing this not only ensures you get your nutrition down pat, but it is usually much more cost effective than buying lunches and snacks from shops or canteens. For example, marinated chicken breast for 2 or 3 meals can be cooked in a sandwich press, brown rice in the rice cooker and vegetables in the microwave. Each meal can then be stored in a compact plastic container and refrigerated. A small soft insulated bag or plastic esky and a few freezer bricks are all you need to keep you meals fresh and ready to go. You can either eat them cold of microwave them if you have the opportunity. Other foods you can pack include fruit, nuts, low fat yogurts, tins of tuna and protein bars. Of course having a few serves of protein powder and shaker, plus a bottle of water or some milk is also essential. As we mentioned before, you need to be eating a nutritious meal every few hours so make sure you plan your food intake every day.

Train Hard and Never Give up

If you find that you are at a sticking point with your training, try something different often personal trainers will give you a first session free and if you cant afford one get a buddy who has the same goals as yourself and is the same

bodyweight and strength and discipline levels and try working out together so you can reap the rewards.

Sample 5 Day Eating Plan

Mea

DAY 1
(Traini ng Day)

DAY 2
(Trai ning Day) MAXS Protein Shake 4 pieces wholemeal toast with natural peanut butter 2 tubs yogurt Coffee or tea MAXS Protein Shake 2 pieces fruit 12 Grilled chicken breasts Steamed vegetables Sweet potato Cake MAXS Protein Bar 2 Pieces of Seasonal Fruit MAXS Protein Shake Spaghetti 20bologne se20 (meat sauce) Salad Bread Roll

DAY 3
(Res t Day) MAXS Protein Shake Bowl natural muesli 2 pieces Fruit Coffee or tea

DAY 4
(Trai ning Day) Bowl of porridge with milk or water 6 egg white & 2 yolk & cheese omelette 2 pieces wholemeal toast Coffee or tea MAXS Protein Shake 2 pieces fruit 23 chicken & salad Sandwiches 2 pieces fruit 1 tub yogurt

DAY 5
(Trai ning Day) MAXS Protein Shake 2 pieces wholemeal toast with natural peanut butter 2 tubs yogurt Coffee or tea MAXS Protein Shake 2 pieces fruit Tuna, rice & salad 80g Almonds 2 pieces fruit 1 tub yogurt MAXS Protein Bar 2 Pieces of Seasonal Fruit MAXS Protein Shake Grilled chicken breast Large salad or steamed vegetables 2 baked sweet potatoes MAXS Protein Shake 1 piece fruit

2 Mid 3 Lunch

Bowl of porridge with milk or water 6 egg white & 2 yolk & cheese omelette 2 pieces wholemeal toast Coffee or tea

MAXS Protein Shake 2 pieces fruit Tuna, rice & salad 80g Almonds 2 piece fruit 1 tub yogurt

MAXS Protein Shake 2 pieces fruit Meat & vegetable casserole 2 pieces fruit 1 tub yogurt

4 Mid 5 Pre

MAXS Protein Bar 2 Pieces of Seasonal Fruit

MAXS Protein Bar

MAXS Protein Bar 2 Pieces of Seasonal Fruit MAXS Protein Shake Meat & vegetable casserole Pasta or Rice Fruit salad and ice cream MAXS Protein Shake 50g mixed nuts

6 After

MAXS Protein Shake 300 400 g lean steak Large salad or steamed vegetables 2 baked sweet potatoes MAXS Protein Shake 1 piece fruit

Non Training Day 2 Pieces of Seasonal Fruit Non Training Day MAXS Protein Shake 300g grilled fish Large salad 2 Baked potatoes Strawberrie s MAXS Protein Shake 1 piece fruit

MAXS Protein Shake 50g mixed nuts

The above plan is designed as a guide to give you an understanding of how much food you should be eating each day. You may substitute any of the meals listed with another meal with comparable protein, carbs, fats and kilojoules. Below are some recipe suggestions you can try as part of your diet. Your MAXS Protein Shakes should be mixed in milk as this will add extra protein, carbs and kilojoules to your diet. Remember to drink at least 2 3 litres of water per day, and even more if you are training hard or the weather is hot.

Top 10 Bodybuilding Foods

Include these foods regularly in your diet if you really want to pack on Mass. Theyre in no particular order, and they are all good: 1. Chicken Breast Most self respecting bodybuilders will have eaten plenty in their time. Theyre high in protein and ultra-low in fat as long as you remove the skin, and have a pretty mild taste that goes easily with many other foods. Buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Either a good butcher or your local supermarket often has these on special. Buy in bulk and divide up into individual portions then store in your freezer. Be sure raw chicken is pinkish in colour (not white-toned, which would indicate freezer burn or improper refrigeration). Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. The defrosted chicken shouldnt feel or smell slimy. One of the best ways to cook chicken breast is in a sandwich type grill press. Preheat the grill to the highest heat setting if your grill has adjustable heat settings. Trim all visible fat from the breast, and season or marinate it with your favourite spices or sauce. Place chicken in the hot grill (it should sizzle), then turn the heat to the lowest setting if you can adjust the setting. Cook for 46 minutes until no longer pink inside (cut with a sharp knife). A medium chicken breast (weighed raw) is about 170 grams. 840kj (200 calories) 38 g protein 0 g carbohydrate 4 g fat 0 g fibre 2. Eggs Until whey proteins came along, egg proteins were the standard by which all other proteins were measured. Egg whites have got a very balanced profile of amino acids and make an ideal muscle building food. The egg yolk is reasonably high in fat and cholesterol so we recommend removing some of the yolks when preparing your eggs. Yolks do however have other valuable nutrients so keeping a few is a good idea. A 6 egg-white and 2 yolk omelette can turn your breakfast into a power meal to fuel the rest of your day. When buying your eggs always check the use by date and open the carton to check for cracks or damage. Also, be sure to store the eggs in the refrigerator. Although eggs stored out of the refrigerator wont necessarily cause illness, they retain their nutritional goodness much longer when kept refrigerated.

For this six-egg-white & 2 yolk omelette recipe, crack six eggs into a mediumsized bowl. Next, using clean fingers, lightly grasp the yolks; lift them out one by one, and discard, leaving 2 for flavour and nutrients. Another way to separate the yolks is to crack the egg in half and tip the yolk from one half to the other over a bowl. With a fork or whisk, whisk the eggs with salt, pepper and any of your favourite herbs until well combined and a few bubbles have formed on top. You can also add a bit of tasty cheese for flavour. Spray a medium non-stick frying pan with cooking spray. Place it over medium-high heat and add mixture. After about 15 seconds, reduce heat to medium. Check the underside by lifting the corner with a spatula. When brown, fold the omelette onto itself and let cook for another minute or so. Using the spatula, carefully slide it from the pan to a plate and eat it immediately. Serve with wholemeal toast. A 6 eggwhite & 2 yolk omelette contains about: 912 kj (218 calories) 27 g protein 3 g carbohydrate 10 g fat 0 g fibre 3. Oats This slow-burning carbohydrate makes the ideal breakfast or pre-training carb snack. Why? Two words: sustained energy. When you train hard, stored carbs within muscles, or muscle glycogen, become the chief fuel source. As glycogen levels fall, so does training intensity. By contributing to stable energy levels in the bloodstream, oats prevents a rapid drop of glycogen levels. Oats are also high in very healthy fibre and other nutrients that help with circulation and heart health. Oats are very inexpensive. There are many brands available in your local supermarket or health food store. Rolled oats are simply oats that have been partially crushed to break open the grain and allow quicker cooking. Once opened store in a sealed air tight container to keep fresh. To cook, add 2 cups to a saucepan and just cover with water. Cook on high until the mixture begins to bubble. Add more water if too dry. Cooks in 3 4 minutes. Alternatively use a microwave add 2 cups to a bowl and cover with water. Cook on high for 90seconds. Remove and stir. Add more water if required then cook on high for another 60 90 seconds. Drizzle with honey and add milk to taste. For an extra protein hit, mix your favorite MAXS protein shake and pour over the top. 2 cups of oats contain: 1230 kj (294 calories) 12 g protein 50 g carbohydrate 4 g fat 8 g fiber 4. Lean Red Meat Lean cuts of red meat are loaded with complete protein and can really help pack more beef on your frame. Red meat is also a rich source of Iron and other

essential minerals. Always purchase meat thats bright-red in colour. If it has even the lightest tint of brown to it, it has started to spoil. Try to find meat with as little visible fat as possible. Lean minced red meat is a good alternative. Look for heart smart or low fat accredited cuts. Try and get to know a good local butcher. They will tend to look after you with the best and freshest cuts when they get to know you. There are many good ways of cooking your meat. Perhaps the simplest and healthiest is grilling, once again with your sandwich press type griller. Preheat a grill to the highest heat setting. Season both sides of meat with salt, pepper and/or a spice rub or marinade. Place on grill and cook 36 minutes until cooked to your liking. Other good methods include BBQ and stir fry. A lean 200g rump steak (raw weight) contains: 1025kj (245 calories) 40g protein 0g carbohydrate 5g fat 0g fibre 5. Tinned Tuna You just about cant beat tinned tuna for convenience these days. Most smaller and medium sized tins have a ring pull top, so all you really need is your tin and a fork. Coupled with this convenience, manufacturers are now producing an amazing array of flavored tunas that mean tuna doesnt have to be boring. Tuna is an excellent source of protein and is also a great way to get your daily dose of Omega 3s, DHA and EPA. Most supermarkets have a big range. Tin sizes are small around 85 grams, medium around 185 grams, and large around 500 grams. For your average bodybuilder, the 185 gram tin is an ideal size, or perhaps a couple of the smaller flavored tins. Keep an eye on the fat content and avoid tuna in oil, choose tuna in spring water as an alternative. You can eat tuna straight out of the tin or combine it with salads, pastas or in sandwiches. A 185g tin of tuna in spring water contains: 654kj (156 calories) 36g protein 0g carbohydrate 1.2g fat 0g fibre 6. Sweet Potato As weve already explained, muscle cant be built by protein alone. Carbohydrates provide energy you need to train hard and play hard. Sweet potatoes provide that those excellent slow burning carbs without overdosing your system with simple, fast-acting carbs. You see sweet potato is a low Glycemic carb, meaning it releases energy over a sustained period to keep you going harder for longer. Theyre often used pre contest by bodybuilders looking to fill out depleted muscles, but even if youre not getting ready for the stage, theyre an excellent part of any dieting or mass-gaining strategy. Sweet potatoes are different to normal potatoes. They have a dark skin and

orange flesh and are packed with nutrients. When choosing a sweet potato, make sure it has a smooth, firm skin with no bruises or blemishes. Stick with smaller or medium-sized sweet potatoes, which tend to taste better than jumbo ones. To cook, preheat oven to 180C. Scrub the potato under cold water using a veggie brush, making sure to remove all dirt. Pat it dry, then prick it 5 6 times all over with a fork. Bake for approximately one hour. Pierce with a fork to check if cooked. It should be soft. Alternatively you can microwave on high, 6 8 minutes for one medium sweet potato. A 280 gram sweet potato contains: 1090 kj (260 calories) 5 g protein 60 g carbohydrate 1 g fat 7 g fibre

7. Broccoli Chicken breast and broccoli is the staple diet of many bodybuilders dieting to get into contest shape. Why broccoli? While broccoli is high in fibre and minerals, its a special class of naturally occurring nutrients called Indoles that really helps any aspiring strength athlete. Indoles work to suppress estrogen, the female hormone that can make the body more efficient at storing body fat. What male bodybuilders dont know is that they do produce small amounts of this hormone. By keeping a lid on excess estrogen, fat loss becomes easier. Broccoli is available year-round, and is also packed with cancer-fighting phytochemicals and fiber. Available widely in supermarkets and fruit & veggie stores, make sure you choose broccoli that is firm and uniformly green. Dont choose broccoli that has started flowering or turning yellow. Cut your broccoli up into smaller stalks and head. Broccoli is great raw in a salad or cooked in with a stir fry. When cooking, the best way to preserve its nutrients is to steam or microwave until just softening. 1 cup of steamed broccoli contains: 235kj (56 calories) 6 g protein 10 g carbohydrate 0 g fat 3 g fiber

8. Brown Rice Brown rice is an awesome mass builder. The outer most layer of whole grain of rice, the hull, is removed to produce what we call brown rice. This retains the nutritional value of the rice and avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing. When brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result is a whiter rice, but also a rice that has lost many more nutrients. At this point, however, the rice is still unpolished, and it takes polishing to produce the white rice we are used to seeing. Polishing removes the aleurone layer of the grain a layer filled with health-supportive,

essential fats and much of the protein of the rice. The resulting white rice is simply a refined starch that is largely bereft of its original nutrients. Brown rice as an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of the minerals selenium and magnesium. It is also a good source of vitamin B1, B3, and B6, phosphorus, iron, dietary fibre and essential fatty acids. You can buy brown rice from your local supermarket. Buy a good quality brand and if you buy in larger quantities, its very economical. Store you uncooked rice in a sealed container. You can also buy single serves of pre-cooked brown rice that simply require microwave reheating. They are quite expensive compared to buying bulk rice but are very convenient. If you are going to cook rice often, a good rice cooker is a great investment. They cost about $40 - $50 and make cooking rice simple. Just add rice and water, turn on and 20 minutes later you have perfectly cooked rice. Alternatively, you can cook rice on the stovetop or in your microwave. Check the direction on the pack. One cup of uncooked rice swells to over 2 cups after cooking. 1 cup of uncooked brown rice contains: 988kj (236 calories) 5 g protein 43 g carbohydrate 4 g fat 3 g fiber 9. Nuts Nuts are a very rich source of nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetable proteins, fibre, vitamin E, potassium, folate, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, phosphorous, phytosterols, antioxidants, and 25Arginine. Although nuts can be considered to be high in fat, the fat is usually beneficial. Great choices for athletes and trainers include almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, and pistachios. Remember, eating too much of a good thing can really increase your caloric intake, which could lead to an increase in body fat. A good guideline is to eat one or two handfuls of your favourite nuts each day. Most supermarkets and health food stores have a wide variety of nuts. Steer away from coated or heavily salted nuts. Raw nuts in their natural form are best. Lightly roasted are also ok. You can roast your own nuts by buying raw nuts, laying them out on an oven tray, and heating in your oven at about 200C for about 10 15 minutes. After they cool, store in a sealed container. You can also make your own nut mix by buying your favourite varieties and mixing them together. Nuts can also be added to cooking. Many Asian stir frys benefit with the addition of nuts like peanuts or cashews. Cup (30 grams) of mixed nuts contains: 792kj (190 calories) 6.3 g protein 5.4 g carbohydrate 2 g fat 0 g fiber 10. Avocados

Most people arent sure whether Avocados are a fruit or a vegetable. They are such a treasure trove of nutrients that the Guinness Book of Records lists them as the most nutritious fruit in the world! Avocados contain more than 25 essential vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A, B (including B6, niacin and riboflavin), C and E. They also are a good source of copper, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Gram for gram, Avocados contains more fibre, folate, niacin, thiamine and riboflavin than any other commonly eaten fruit and they are also cholesterol free and sodium free. Avocados are one of the few fruits that have monounsaturated (good) fats, making them an excellent part of a mass gain diet. They make a delicious and nutritious alternative to saturated fat-laden spreads, toppings and dips. (For example, Avocados can be spread on toast instead of butter or margarine, and spread on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise.) Recent research shows that avocado helps the body absorb more nutrients from other foods - the tomato in the same salad, for instance. Try to get 2 3 serves of this wonderful serve each week. large Avocado (100g) contains: 670 kj 2 g protein 0 g carbohydrates 14 g fat 6.7g fibre There are many other nutrient dense foods you should aim to include into your diet. The key is to choose a variety of more unprocessed fresh foods like meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables grains and nuts, and eat less refined and processed foods. By doing this, you will not only build mass, but you will also maximize your health.

Eating Out & Takeaway Food

When you prepare and eat your meals at home its relatively easy to keep to your eating plan. However dining away from home, whether its a quick takeaway, or dining at the finest 5 star restaurant, you simply need to apply the same principals we have been emphasising throughout this book.

Take Away food

Almost all fast food is high in fats and refined carbohydrates so you must be wary: Pizza the base is made from a white flour and the toppings, especially cheese, can be very fatty Fish and chips are deep fried in oil, often of questionable quality hamburgers the buns are highly refined carbohydrates and often the fillings are high in saturated fats Pies, pasties, sausage rolls the pastry and much of the filling (not much meat protein Im afraid) is often high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates Cakes, ice creams and donuts sugars, refined carbohydrates and fats with very little nutritional value

However there are some takeaway foods you can enjoy that are actually quite good and worth considering: Many Asian dishes that contain a lean meat, chicken or fish with vegetables are good but be careful of the fat content. We usually suggest choosing noodles rather than white rice. Better still, cook your own brown rice to have with your takeaways. Try to choose MSG free (Mono Sodium Glutamate) foods as there is some evidence that suggests MSG can interfere with your muscle building metabolism. Also beware of sickly sweet sauces as they will be high in sugar, for example: lemon chicken, sweet and sour, etc. Roast chicken with salad (coleslaw, Greek or garden salad and not potato or pasta salad) is a good choice. Remove the skin as it is one of the fattiest parts of the meal. Also avoid eating the stuffing as it is high in refined carbohydrates and usually absorbs a lot of fat during cooking. Chicken and beef satay sticks with satay sauce in moderation are delicious. They can be eaten with stir fried vegetables and noodles or brown rice. Meat and salad sandwiches on wholemeal and wholegrain bread are good choices. Avoid white bread and choose healthy fillings. A variation of sandwiches is the low fat versions from sandwich chains like Subway. Make sure you choose their low fat options with the wholegrain/whole wheat rolls or bread. Vegetable/salad and meat wraps can be good, but try to choose healthy fillings and a wholegrain / wholemeal wrap if possible. Takeaway chicken, beef or tuna salads can be good choices if they do not have fatty dressings For drinks, choose bottled water, sparkling mineral water, diet drinks, or tea and coffee. Stay away from soft drinks and sports drinks unless you are training. The idea here is to be sensible about the food you are choosing. If you are looking for a quick snack, look at the menu choices and choose the lower fat and less processed options. Stay away from takeaway food outlets that dont give you healthy choices as its hard to say no to the temptation of a burger and fries if they are right in front of you.

Eating Out
If you are dining out at a restaurant, its important to stick to your weight gain eating principals. If you are unsure about any dish on the menu ask your waiter to explain. Many menus describe the protein portion but not the vegetables. Explain to your waiter that you are on a special diet and ask them to replace refined carbohydrate foods such as white bread, mashed potatoes or white rice with better carbohydrate choices like wholegrain breads, pasta, sweet potato, vegetables or salad. From and energy perspective, you are probably better off choosing a pasta dish like spaghetti rather than a rice dish like risotto. Make sure you are getting a good protein serve with your meal so opt for steak, veal, fish or chicken. Its always better to choose an entre/appetiser and main course rather than a main course and dessert. Desserts are almost always loaded with sugars, fast carbohydrates and fat (thats why they taste good!). If you have fresh fruit

dessert choices, that is usually ok. An alternative is cheese and greens, but go easy on the serving sizes as cheese is high in fat.

Alcohol
A few beers, mixed drinks or glasses of wine are generally regarded as fine when you are out, but if you are serious about building muscular size, moderate your alcohol intake. Your body actually recognises alcohol as a poison and as soon as it is ingested, your body works quickly to break it down and rid it from your system. Alcohol limits the efficiency of many normal bodily functions, including muscle growth. By drinking regularly, or even binge drinking occasionally, you seriously disrupt the normal muscle recovery and growth cycles of your body which will hamper your gains. Quite simply, the more you drink, the less you gain.

Living and eating with others

If you are living on your own, its relatively easy to adjust your lifestyle to 6 8 meals per day. However many of us live with others, either in a family, a relationship, or just sharing accommodation. In these situations its often more difficult to fit your diet in around the eating habits of the rest of your cohabitants. Here are some practical tips you can adopt to make your mass building diet fit more easily with the household: Explain your diet and your training goals to your family, partner or housemates. Once people know what you are trying to achieve and what sort of food you can and cant eat, you will usually find everyone is quite supportive and understanding. Try to fit your diet to what the rest of the household is eating with appropriate modifications. For example, if your family is having steak and salad for dinner, thats great. To maximise the value of this meal you may want to add some quality carbs like sweet potato or pasta. If the food being prepared for the rest of the household will not fit into your diet plans, have some easy to prepare fall-back menu choices. For example eggs are great standby and you can do a lot with an oven, a can of tuna, some brown rice, vegetable and cheese. Put your food aside from other foods in the house and explain to the household that it is for your special eating plan. Because most of the food you will be eating is fresh, healthy and tasty, others may be tempted to sample your pantry. Keep plenty of nutritious snacks around and always have some MAXS Protein Powder in the cupboard. After you have been on your mass gain diet for several weeks or even months you will start to get a good understanding of foods that help you pack on size and build muscle and the foods that are of little nutritional value that should be avoided.