Eat Healthy

• Unsurprisingly, the first step beginning bodybuilders need to take is to start eating healthier overall. The standard American diet is filled with hidden and not-so-hidden sources of sugar, salt and fats. You will need to maximize your nutrition and minimize fat, so cut out the sodas, sugary desserts and fast foods. Replace sodas with healthier beverages such as water or sugar-free tea. If your sweet tooth bothers you, eat fruit. Try to not depend too much on coffee and other caffeine drinks. Many bodybuilders try to drink at least a gallon of water a day, but you can adjust this to your own weight and personal needs. Phase out foods made with white flour. Eat whole grain breads and pastas. You want to fuel your body with essential nutrients, not empty calories.
  
  

Eat Protein

• If there is one thing bodybuilders need to concentrate on getting enough of in their diets, it's protein. Protein, of course, is necessary for everyone, but it is essential for building muscle mass. Just how much protein you need daily depends on individual weight, exercise and digestive systems, but in general, professional bodybuilders recommend consuming 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight in order to build muscle. This may seem like a lot until you realize that a cup of yogurt contains 10 or 11 grams of protein, and a 3-ounce serving of beef contains about 30 grams.
  
  

Eat More Often

• You will also need to eat more often. In order to build mass and muscle, you are going to need more healthy calories and nutrients, and this will be difficult to do if you only eat three times a day. It also much better for fat-burning and your metabolism overall if you eat five or six small meals per day as opposed to big meals three times per day. Include some source of protein in every meal, from lean meats, low-fat dairy, eggs or legumes. Leave a window of two to three hours in-between meals.
  
  

Recommended Foods

• As a general rule, eat lean meats rather than fatty meats: fish, chicken and turkey with the skin removed, beef with the fat trimmed off, nothing fried. Eggs are also good sources of protein. You will need sources of whole grains like oatmeal. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Dark green vegetables are your best sources of a number of crucial vitamins, so eat lots of broccoli, spinach, greens and asparagus. When you eat dairy, go low-fat. Eat low-fat cottage cheese and drink low-fat milk or soy milk.