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At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- ExRx.net: Dietary Guidelines
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Strength Building and Muscle Mass
- American Heart Association: American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults
- Harvard School of Public Health: Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar
- Clinical Endocrinology: Abrupt Decrease in Serum Testosterone Levels After an Oral Glucose Load in Men: Implications for Screening for Hypogonadism
- Clinical Endocrinology: Abrupt Decrease in Serum Testosterone Levels After an Oral Glucose Load in Men: Implications for Screening for Hypogonadism
- National Institute of Health: Understanding How Testosterone Affects Men
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List of the Worst Foods for a Bodybuilder
When you're working hard to build muscle and improve your physique, the last thing you want to do is sabotage your efforts by filling your diet with foods that make it harder. Refined carbs, foods with added sugar, unhealthy fats and processed meats may impact strength, muscle growth and physique. Consult a dietitian to help you design a diet to meet your specific needs to improve your gains and performance.
Refined Grains
Refined grains are a type of processed food that takes the whole grain and strips it of its fiber, vitamins and minerals. While you may be trying to gain pounds when you're lifting heavy weights, you want to gain muscle, not fat.
Foods With Added Sugar
What Should Sprinters Eat?
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But that's not the only reason you want to avoid foods with added sugar. This is especially true if you're a male bodybuilder. A heavy sugar load may decrease testosterone levels, according to a 2013 study published in Clinical Endocrinology, and low testosterone levels may impair muscle growth 7. Plus, these types of foods provide calories without any nutritional value.
- But that's not the only reason you want to avoid foods with added sugar.
Processed Meats
You need to eat good food sources of protein when lifting weights to build muscle. Although they can help you meet your daily protein quota, processed meats such as deli meat, hot dogs and sausage are high in sodium. If you're trying to shred up before a competition, consuming high-sodium meats may lead to fluid retention, which may impact muscle definition.
- You need to eat good food sources of protein when lifting weights to build muscle.
- Although they can help you meet your daily protein quota, processed meats such as deli meat, hot dogs and sausage are high in sodium.
Foods High in Trans and Saturated Fats
Daily Carb Intake for Weight Loss
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In addition to working out your biceps and quads, regular exercise, specifically aerobic exercise, also gives your heart a good workout. A high intake of saturated and trans fats increases risk of heart disease.
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References
- ExRx.net: Dietary Guidelines
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Strength Building and Muscle Mass
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
- American Heart Association: American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults
- Human Kinetics: Manipulate Sodium for Safest Rapid Weight Loss
- Harvard School of Public Health: Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar
- Clinical Endocrinology: Abrupt Decrease in Serum Testosterone Levels After an Oral Glucose Load in Men: Implications for Screening for Hypogonadism
- National Institute of Health: Understanding How Testosterone Affects Men
Writer Bio
Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Diabetes Self-Management and in the book "Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation," edited by John R. Bach, M.D. Corleone holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition.