If you’re a beginner bodybuilder and new to strength training and building lean muscle mass, one of the most important tools you’ll need to add muscle without fat is following a proper eating regime.  Strength training is one of the single best things you can do for energy and longevity.  But, if you’re not fueling your body correctly, your progress will be slow at best.  It’s important that you eat approximately every 3 to 4 hours to keep your metabolism evenly fueled throughout the day.  This will help with muscle synthesis and fat burning.  Aim for five to six meals daily to stay energetic and avoid that “hitting the wall” feeling by mid afternoon.

Your macronutrient intake (protein, carbs and fats) should look something like this:

  • 1 – 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.  Shoot for 25-30 grams of protein (6-8 oz) at eat meal.  Quality proteins like grass-fed beef, wild caught salmon, organic turkey and chicken, eggs, whey and casein protein powders, shrimp, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are all great options.
  • Keep your carbohydrate intake around 150 to 250 grams daily. Complex carbs like sweet potatoes/yams, brown rice, sprouted grain breads, oats, beans, quinoa, and whole grain pastas are all excellent choices.  They fuel your body, digest slowly and will be utilized for energy.
  • Simple carbs like fruit, white rice, white potatoes are good for post workout to aid in recovery and fast absorption for muscle growth.
  • Fats should fall somewhere between 65 to 85 grams a day. Avocados, natural nut butters, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and egg yolks are all healthy fats that should be part of your meal plan.  Good fats give you energy and are utilized for fuel not storage.
  • All vegetables aid in digestion and give quality fiber to keep your intestinal tract functioning smoothly.
  • Consume at least half your bodyweight in water. Avoid sugary drinks and diet sodas.

Bottom line: If you want to build a muscular physique, you need to eat the proper diet. You can have a cheat meal once a week, but it shouldn’t be a cheat day or weekend.  This will only derail your progress and leave you feeling sluggish.

Try this 4-week meal plan for beginner bodybuilding with a sampling of meals you can mix and match all week long to get started with your clean eating, muscle-building diet.

Each day you will eat: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner.

Man dieting eating a pre-workout meal or post-workout meal prepped meal from a tupperware in the gym
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The Beginner Bodybuilder Meal Plan

WEEK 1

BREAKFASTS

Cereal with milk and berries:

  • 1 cup of Whole Grain Cereal
  • 1% milk or almond milk
  • 1/2 cup berries

Scrambled egg wrap:

  • one whole egg
  • 3/4 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup lowfat cheese
  • spinach, tomato wrapped in a low carb tortilla
  • 1/4 cup salsa if desired

Veggie omelet

  • Saute bell peppers, tomatoes, onions until soft. Set aside
  • Make omelet with one whole egg and 5 egg whites, then add cooked veggies
  • Pair with ¼ cup lowfat cheese
  • 2 pieces of whole grain sprouted bread

SNACKS

Bread and almond butter

  • 3 slices of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tbsp natural strawberry jam

Cereal, milk and fruit

  • 1 cup whole grain cereal
  • With a cup of 1% milk
  • 1 cup strawberries

Chocolate protein pudding

  • 1 ½ scoops of whey/casein blend
  • Add water and stir until cake batter consistency
  • Microwave for a minute, stir and eat
  • Add in ¼ cup crushed almonds or walnuts

Oatmeal nut butter snack

  • 1 cup of oatmeal
  • 1 scoop of whey protein any flavor
  • 1 Tbsp of natural almond butter
  • Mix all together with water and cook according to package directions

Cottage cheese and muffin

  • 1 sprouted grain English muffin (any flavor), toasted
  • Pair with ¾ cup of cottage cheese no salt added
  • ¾ cup of pineapple

Yogurt parfait

  • 8 oz of nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup of chopped walnuts or almonds
  • ¼ cup of dried cranberries
  • ½ medium apple

LUNCHES

Salmon and greens

  • 4-5 oz of grilled salmon over a large salad with a variety of vegetables
  • Pair with 2-3 organic brown rice cakes

Tuna wrap

  • 1 can of tuna
  • 1 Tbsp of fat free mayo
  • 1 tbsp of dijon mustard
  • 1 cup of chopped celery/onion
  • 1 organic tortilla wrap
  • 1 cup of romaine lettuce

Grilled chicken salad

  • 5-6 oz chicken breast
  • Salad with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp avocado
  • 2 slices of Ezekiel toast

DINNERS

Pork and applesauce

  • 5-6 oz lean pork
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 10-12 asparagus spears
  • 5 oz of sweet potato or yams

Salmon and String Beans

  • 5-6 oz grilled salmon
  • 2 cups green string beans
  • 5-6 oz of red potatoes

Steak and spinach

  • 6 oz of grass-fed flank steak
  • 2-3 cups baby spinach sautéed with
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil, sea salt, garlic & pepper to taste
  • 5 oz of sweet potato

WEEK 2

BREAKFASTS

Ham, egg and cheese

  • 1 whole grain English muffin
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 2 pieces of organic nitrate-free ham
  • 1/4 low fat cheese
  • 1/2 cup fruit

Blueberry oatmeal

  • 1/2 – 1 cup oatmeal with water
  • 8 oz nonfat Greek yogurt stirred in
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, cinnamon to taste

Protein fruit smoothie

  • Vanilla whey powder
  • 1 small banana
  • ½ cup strawberries
  • Toss in blender with almond milk and ice

SNACKS

Rice cakes and guac

  • 3-4 organic brown rice cakes
  • 1/4 cup of guacamole
  • ½ cup of nonfat 1% cottage cheese

Eggs on toast

  • 2 whole hardboiled eggs / 4 hardboiled whites
  • 2 slices of sprouted grain toast
  • 1-2 tbsp of organic strawberry jam

Apple and nut butter

  • 1 medium apple
  • 1 tbsp natural nut butter

Chocolate protein drink

  • 1 scoop of chocolate Whey protein powder
  • Combine in a blender with almond milk and ice
  • Add 1/2 Tbsp of coconut oil

Yogurt parfait

  • 8oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup fruit
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Fruit and nuts

  • 1 medium orange
  • 12 toasted almonds
  • 3/4 cup 1% cottage cheese no sodium

LUNCHES

Ground turkey salad

  • 5 oz of lean ground turkey over
  • Salad with 1/2 small avocado chopped
  • 2 slices of organic lean turkey bacon
  • Pair with low sodium salsa
  • 15 baked tortilla chips

Bison burger

  • 5 oz bison burger organic
  • 1 whole grain sprouted bun
  • Add slices of lettuce and tomato
  • 1 slice lowfat cheese
  • 1 Tbsp mustard

Salmon and brown rice

  • 5 oz grilled salmon
  • 1 cup of brown rice
  • 2 cups of steamed broccoli

DINNERS 

Shrimp stir-fry

  • 6-8 oz shrimp
  • 2 cups mixed vegetables for stir-fry
  • Cook all in 1 Tbsp of olive oil
  • Served over 1 cup of brown rice

Fish and veggies

  • 6-8 oz of white fish (cod, halibut)
  • 2 cups of kale cooked in 1 tbsp of coconut oil
  • 1 cup of long grain wild rice

Steak and potatoes

  • 6-8 oz grilled flank steak
  • 2-3 cups of spinach sautéed in
  • 1 Tbsp of olive oil w sea salt and garlic
  • 1 medium baked potato

WEEK 3

BREAKFASTS

Waffles and eggs

  • 3 whole grain waffles
  • 5-6 egg whites 1 whole egg
  • 2 Tbsp of real maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup fruit

Avocado Toast

  • 2-3 pieces of whole grain sprouted bread
  • Top with  1/2 small avocado
  • Serve with 1/2 cup of 1% no-salt added cottage cheese
  • ½ cup of cantaloupe or honeydew melon

Oatmeal and Berries

  • 1 cup of Oats
  • 3/4 cup of berries
  • 1 cup liquid egg whites
  • 2 whole eggs

SNACKS

PB & J

  • 3 slices of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tbsp natural strawberry jam

Strawberries and cereal

  • 1 cup whole grain cereal 
  • With a cup of 1% milk
  • 1 cup strawberries 

Chocolate protein pudding

  • 1 ½ scoops of whey/casein blend
  • Add water and stir until cake batter consistency
  • Microwave for a minute, stir and eat
  • Add in ¼ cup crushed almonds or walnuts

Rice cakes and guac

  • 3-4 organic brown rice cakes
  • 1/4 cup of guacamole
  • ½ cup of non fat 1% cottage cheese no salt

Strawberry jam toast

  • 2 whole hard boiled eggs/4 hardboiled whites
  • 2 slices of sprouted grain toast
  • 1-2 tbsp of organic strawberry jam

Apple and nut butter

  • 1 medium apple
  • 1 tbsp natural nut butter

LUNCHES

Turkey wrap

  • 1 Low carb wrap
  • 4-5 slices of sliced smoked, organic turkey breast
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • Slices of lettuce, tomato
  • 2-3 Tbsp avocado

Grilled salmon salad

  • 5 oz of grilled salmon over a large salad with a variety of vegetables
  • 5 oz baked potato (white or sweet)
  • 1 Tbsp of grated cheese, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar to taste

Chicken and brown rice

  • 6 oz of chicken breast grilled
  • 1 cup of brown rice
  • 3/4 cup of broccoli
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or  coconut oil

DINNERS

Turkey and Brussels sprouts

  • 6-8 oz of turkey breast
  • 2 cups of Brussels sprouts
  • 1 tbsp of coconut oil
  • 6 oz of yams

Steak and sweet potato

  • 6 oz grass-fed sirloin or flank
  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 10 Asparagus spears

Chicken and zucchini noodles

  • 6-8 chicken breast
  • 2 cups of zucchini noodles
  • sautéed in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 cups of brown rice pasta

WEEK 4

BREAKFASTS

Veggie omelet

  • Saute Spinach/tomato/onion in pan, set aside
  • Combine 1 cup liquid egg whites and two 2 whole eggs, whisked and poured into pan
  • Add veggies and fold omelet
  • Pair with 2-3 slices of sprouted grain bread

 

High-protein waffle breakfast

  • 3 Organic Waffles
  • 3/4 cup of berries
  • 2 Tbsp of real maple syrup
  • Paired with cooked 1 cup liquid egg whites and 2 whole eggs

Protein Smoothie

  • In a blender, combine 1 1/2 scoop whey protein
  • 1/2 cup of berries
  • Small banana
  • 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 cup of water or almond milk
  • Add ice and blend

SNACKS

Oatmeal and protein powder

  • 1 cup of oatmeal
  • 1 scoop of whey protein any flavor
  • 1tbsp of natural almond butter
  • Mix all together with water and cook according to oatmeal package directions

Cottage cheese and muffin

  • 1 sprouted grain English muffin (any flavor)
  • ¾ cup of cottage cheese no salt added
  • ¾ cup of pineapple

Greek yogurt parfait

  • 8 oz of nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup of chopped walnuts or almonds
  • ¼ cup of dried cranberries
  • ½ medium apple

Coconut oil protein smoothie

  • 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein powder
  • Add  almond milk
  • Blend with 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil and ice

Fruit and Greek yogurt

  • 8 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup fruit
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cottage cheese with nuts and fruit

  • 1 medium orange
  • 12 toasted almonds
  • 3/4 cup 1% cottage cheese no sodium

LUNCHES

Chicken over greens with toast<

  • 6 oz chicken breast
  • Big salad with mixed vegetables
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Paired with 2 pieces sprouted grain bread

Burger and sweet potato

  • 5-6 oz of grass fed beef burger
  • Topped with 1 tbsp of mustard
  • 1 tbsp of organic ketchup
  • On top of 2 cups of romaine lettuce
  • Paired with 1 medium sweet potato

Deli turkey and cheese

  • 2 pieces sprouted grain bread
  • Topped with 2-3 slices of reduced fat cheese
  • Add slices of lettuce/tomato
  • 1 tbsp mustard or fat free mayo
  • 4 slices of turkey

DINNERS

Salmon, pasta and broccoli

  • 5-6 oz salmon grilled or poached
  • 3/4 cup of broccoli
  • 1-2 cups of pasta

Bison burger and chips

  • 6 oz bison grass-fed patty
  • 1 Sprouted grain Roll
  • Top with lettuce, tomato, and mustard
  • Pair with 12 baked potato or tortilla chips

Turkey and veggies

  • 6-8 oz ground turkey
  • Pair with 1 cup of brown rice
  • Serve with a salad with lots of vegetables
  • Add 1/4 cup crushed walnuts
  • Top with 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
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