Most dietitians agree that calorie control is the key to successful weight loss. For a calorie controlled diet to work, it must be sustainable; one that fits into your present lifestyle, allowing you to live a normal life on normal foods without feeling deprived while you are achieving your health and weight loss goals. Low calorie diets are designed to create an energy deficit which causes your body to burn stored fat resulting in weight loss.

To determine the right caloric intake for yourself, you need to consider your age, height, current weight and activity level. There is no magic diet for everyone; some people require more than 1200 calorie per day. If a 1200 calorie diet gives you a low energy level, raising your calorie intake to 1500 calories is the beast answer. As men are more muscular and need more calories for daily activities, it is usually not recommended they reduce their calories below 1200 calories. If you eat less than 1200 calories per day, you will benefit from a nutritional supplement. Vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and trace elements are necessary especially when dieting.

Many men I know do not cope well with low calorie diets as someone else is cooking their meals or they depend on store bought meals and takeaways. To see good results, you have to watch portion sizes and choose healthier alternatives such as fresh and unprocessed foods, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins.

As a guide, you will need :

8 oz of proetin . Choose fish, chicken and turkey. Remove all skin and trim all visible fats. These may be broiled, baked, braised or pan-fried. A small amount of canola, corn or olive oil is allowed for cooking. The protein meal will provide you approximately 480 calories.

6 cups of greens. These will provide the fibre and bulk to reduce hunger and promote regularity. Salad dressing should consist of 1 1/2 tablespoon of virgin olive oil, unlimited amount of vinegar, and a sprinkling of iodized salt and pepper. When including fruits in your calorie controlled diet, exchange a small fruit for 3 cups of salads or vegetables. Solid fruits like apples, peaches, pears are the good choices. Eat oranges, strawberry and grapes sparingly. Avoid juicy choices like watermelon and pineapple; and dried fruits like raisins which have a high glycemic index.

Always drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day, it keeps you well hydrated and feeling full thus you are less likely to reach for snacks. Avoid sweetened beverages and alcohol.

A sample of 1200 calories diet plan for man:

Breakfast

2 slices wholemeal bread

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 banana

Mid-morning Snack

20 almonds

1 apple

Lunch

3 oz tuna

2 slices of rye bread

2 cups raw vegetable crudits (carrot, red pepper, celery, tomato)

1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise

1 small orange

Mid-afternoon Snack

8 oz low fat yogurt

Dinner

3 oz grilled, baked or broiled skinless chicken breast

1 cup cooked broccoli or any vegetables of your choice

Salad with 1 cup lettuce, cup cherry tomatoes, cup grated carrot

2 teaspoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar

2/3 cup brown rice

Evening Snack

1 cup low fat milk

It is alright if you slip up and fall off the healthy foods wagon, do not punish yourself if you fail. Weight loss need not be a lonely journey; get support and encouragement from those around you, and making small gradual changes in your eating habits will definitely increase your chances of success.

Developing the perfect bodybuilding diet meal plan for you will boost your muscle gains and healthy fat loss by 1000% or more! All the perfect lifting can only get you so far without the right diet plan. Think of it this way: by driving your car properly, you will keep it in good shape. But without putting the right fuel and oil in it, it will never perform as well, and it certainly won’t last as long. As you know, working out is vital, but utilizing a solid bodybuilding meal plan is essential to getting ripped. The key here is to work harder and smarter to maximize your results.

Some key points to consider when creating your bodybuilding diet plan:

1. Eat 5-6 small meals per day, about 2-3 hours apart to keep your metabolism and energy up, cravings down and muscles fed constantly which encourages growth.
2. Determine how many calories you should consume each day, and stick to it. You must consume more than you burn to gain muscle!

3. Shoot for 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20 % fat of all calories consumed.
4. Get 10% of your target calorie intake in grams of protein. (E.g. 3,000 calorie diet: 300 grams of protein per day. 6 meals: 50g or protein each)
5. Drink water in ounces equal to 60% of your body weight in pounds. (E.g. 180 pounds: 108 oz. per day, or 3.2 liters)

These are all widely accepted fundamentals of a proper bodybuilding diet plan, so keep them all in mind when planning your meals. It can get really tough to find the time to meet all of these criterion properly, and follow the plan to perfection, but luckily there are pre-made meal plans you can tailor to your specific needs.

Many professional bodybuilders have come up with bodybuilding diet meal plans, but very few have done so for every level of caloric intake. So, you need to first figure out how many calories you’re going to consume, then work with a diet plan that will work well for your level.

Typical sample bodybuilding diet plans look something like this:

Meal 1: (Pre-workout): 6 egg whites, 1 cup oatmeal
Meal 2: (Breakfast): Meal replacement bar/shake, high in protein and flaxseed oil
Meal 3: (Mid-morning): 8 oz. lean meat, 2 cups green vegetables, 1 cup brown rice
Meal 4: (Lunch): Tuna in water, leafy salad, whole-wheat bagel
Meal 5: (Dinner): 8 oz. lean meat, 2 cups green vegetables, 1 baked potato
Meal 6: (Snack): Meal replacement packet, flaxseed oil

This type of bodybuilding diet meal plan will greatly increase your muscle gains, but it is difficult to tell how much of each item is right for your caloric intake. It is also hard to know what you can substitute when you’re bored of this regimen after a couple weeks of eating the exact same things every day.

Thankfully, there are some programs that provide detailed meal plans that stick to rock-solid diets like the one above, but allow you to mix up the meals as you see fit throughout each phase of your workout plan, all suited to your level.

It is an excellent idea to start by eliminating bad fats and processed sugars from your diet if you have not already. Do not try to jump into your new bodybuilding diet meal plan right away, either. It will take some getting used to, but by steadily building up to your perfect meal plan, and following the system, you’ll get ripped and stay that way!

Like the old saying goes:

“Plan your work, and work your plan!”

But keep in mind that it’s a lot easier when you can take out the guesswork by following a professional natural bodybuilder’s advice when coming up with your bodybuilding diet plan. Either way, once you have your plan, just stick to it, and you’ll love the result!