6) Not having variety in your diet.

I asked a bodybuilder friend of mine recently how his diet was. His reply was typical: "You know, Kostas, chicken breasts, brown rice, steak, tuna, more rice, baked potatoes..the usual". Don't get me wrong, all of these foods are top of the line for your bodybuilding diets but you can add MORE! Eating the same thing day in day out is really boring. I have eaten so much canned tuna that i cannot even stand to look at it anymore! A bodybuilding diet is a HEALTHY diet first and foremost. Variety is very important - not only for health's sake but also for your mind's sake. Having variety will help you enjoy your nutritional program for years to come and you will also cheat less. There are so many bodybuilding recipe cookbooks out there that give you an immense amount of choices, ideas & healthy alternatives to the staples of chicken & rice. For an absolutely 100% free bodybuilding recipe e-book visit http://www.bodybuildingapplied.com/bodybuilding_recipes.asp

7) Failing to track calories on a daily basis.

Experts say to measure portions, measure plate fulls or just eat as much as you can (when bulking). I find all this completely wrong. In order to make real progress and see how your body is reacting to your specific diet, you need to accurately track calories. If you do not, you are setting yourself up for frustration. Knowing how many calories you are consuming on any given day can help you make necessary changes if you are not seeing the results you want. You can either keep a diary of your daily calories or you can add them up in excel. Counting calories can be a tedious process at first but you get used to it really fast. Eventually you'll be able to add everything up in your head automatically!

8) Overeating.

If you are trying to gain weight be careful not to fall pray to the "experts" who say that you have to eat everything in sight. Yes, you most definately have to eat a large number of calories & meals every day but that does not mean that you have to stuff yourself like there's no tomorrow! Overeating calories & especially sugars will only make you gain body fat. You can gain a tremendous amount of weight & mass even if you eat clean foods! The only thing you have to do is eat more of them!!

9) Making big changes all at once.

Changing your diet all of a sudden and following a Mr. Olympia's diet will not do you any good. You will end up gaining body fat or starving your muscles. If you want to change your diet, make sure you do so by either increasing or decreasing your calories over a period of time. Start by adding 100 calories every 3-5 days until you have reached the desired caloric intake. Once you reach the desired caloric level keep close track of your body weight & body fat percentage in order to assess whether the new changes in your diet are beneficial or not.

10) Not drinking enough water.

Water is probably one of the most important ingredients for life. Over 70% of our muscles consist of water. Water is needed for all metabolic processes, including protein synthesis. It helps get rid of toxins, it is important in fat metabolism and it can reduce fluid retention. A good rule of thumb is to drink 10 cups of water per day, increasing it during the summer months and during hardcore training sessions. Even the slightest bit of dehydration can make you feel sluggish and hold you back during your training sessions. Never ignore water intake!!

Copyright 2006 Konstantinos Marangopoulos

About The Author

Konstantinos Marangopoulos is a certified personal trainer, natural bodybuilder and owner of one of the best bodybuilding websites & forums on the web, BodybuildingApplied.com. To get Kostas' free monthy bodybuilding diet & training secrets newsletter, please visit http://www.BodybuildingApplied.com.