To gain muscle, you must first increase the intake of vegetables in your diet. Low-calorie vegetables provide many nutrients that are lacking in daily diets, such as fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.
In fact, most bodybuilders know that vegetables play an important role in their diet, but due to various reasons, many of them still do not consume enough vegetables in practical applications. First of all, bodybuilders only pay so much attention to protein that other nutrients are ignored. Once an exerciser consumes the required one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, plus adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, it will be difficult for him to eat anything else. Secondly, vegetables are relatively troublesome to cook, so exercisers often ignore them and comfort themselves that eating them is good enough.
Our latest takeaway: If you want to achieve optimal health and make the most progress in your workouts, eat at least two cups of vegetables a day (about two small bowls). This helps improve immune system function, improve digestion, and stabilize energy levels in the body, all benefits that play an important role in the body's recovery and growth.
Obtain fiber from vegetables
Almost all vegetables are rich in fiber. Cellulose is a carbohydrate that is difficult to digest and is also an essential nutrient for bodybuilding that is often overlooked. It adds no extra calories to the body and has great benefits for muscle growth. Its role is reflected in two aspects. First, it allows carbohydrates to enter the body at a slower rate, keeping blood sugar levels in the body at a certain level. If blood sugar levels are unstable, the body will release large amounts of corticosteroids, a metabolic hormone that not only breaks down muscle but also makes recovery more difficult. Secondly, fiber can help the absorption of amino acids. It keeps the intestinal walls clean and improves work efficiency. This also facilitates protein absorption.
Get vitamins and minerals from vegetables
Every bodybuilder who exercises intensively needs to consume a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, many people believe that multivitamin and multimineral supplements alone are enough to meet their body’s needs. These supplements do have a role, but they cannot replace the fundamental role of whole foods in the overall diet. You need to get enough vegetables, as they contain complex ingredients that aid in the absorption of vitamins and minerals. These complex ingredients also enhance the absorption of vitamins and minerals found in meats, grains, and even sports supplements. Bodybuilding nutrition is not just a few simple numbers, it is not a simple sum of calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat. A good nutrition plan doesn't focus solely on key nutrients. While further improving muscle recovery and growth status,Some minor ingredients can play unexpected roles.
Get other benefits from vegetables
The latest scientific research confirms that vegetables contain lycopene, phytochemicals, antioxidants, carotenoids, and sulfur-containing compounds that play an important role in many metabolic processes, including immune support. Muscle recovery is inseparable from the strong support of the immune system. If the immune function is weakened, not only will recovery be affected, but muscle growth will also be slowed down. No matter how high the calorie and protein intake is, it will not help. So, for both known and unknown reasons, you need to get enough vegetables.
Eat a variety of vegetables
Many bodybuilders only eat one or two vegetables, usually either spinach or broccoli. This is much better than not eating at all or eating only a little, but the effect will be even better if you increase the variety further. Incorporate all your favorite vegetable varieties into your recipes, even some you know little about. Such as: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, mung bean sprouts, mushrooms, onions, peppers (all colors), spinach and pumpkin.
Must meet minimum intake
Eat at least two cups of vegetables every day, which can be divided into three or more meals. It’s a good idea to pair vegetables with meat.
For example, you could eat broccoli one meal, cabbage the next, and finally mung bean sprouts. Keep some veggies in the refrigerator ahead of time for later use, or you can mix a few different veggies together or buy pre-mixed frozen packages. This helps reduce cooking time and increases the variety of vegetables.
Let vegetables help you get into shape
If you are on a restrictive diet, cutting back on calories while still eating enough food, vegetables can help. During this time, increase vegetable consumption to 6 cups per day. When calories are drastically reduced, the intake of important vitamins and minerals is likely to be affected. At this time, low-fat vegetables can solve your urgent needs. They can relieve your hunger pangs and prevent you from eating foods you shouldn't.
Let vegetables promote exercise
Some vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, contain phytochemicals that can exert anti-estrogenic effects. This is great for bodybuilders as low estrogen levels help reduce body fat and water retention and increase testosterone levels. Therefore, you should eat vegetables regularly during daily exercise. When you exercise excessively or feel tired, you should increase your intake accordingly.
Make vegetables more delicious
Many people don’t like to eat vegetables unless there is a way to cook them to make them more palatable. Out of season, you can sauté it in olive oil, add some salsa, a few slices of low-fat cheese, or add salad dressing.During your diet, you can add some low-calorie condiments.
Green diet
If your exercise plan has not achieved the desired results, you should consider adjusting your diet. Eating more vegetables is one of the commonly used adjustment methods. Compared with protein, the effect of vegetables on bodybuilding may not be as significant as protein and carbohydrates, but they can play some roles that protein cannot.
Eat as much lean meat, beef, fish, chicken, and other high-protein foods as possible, and avoid direct intake of fat!
Persistence is victory!
We will definitely win!