Bodybuilding: Are you doing all that you can to make the most of your physique?

Water is the essence of life. It's also the essence of health and, as such, it's one of the cornerstones of muscle gain. If you're underhydrated, you are not providing your body with an ideal environment for muscular growth and, in fact, your muscles will appear flatter and smaller, and your strength will be affected. In addition, taking in too few fluids may undercut your health. Almost all bodily functions depend on proper hydration to function at peak efficiency. This includes your digestive, immune, cardiovascular, neuromuscular and a host of other systems.

Strategies: Drink water several times throughout the day, especially between meals. Carry a bottle with you and drink from it throughout the day as you work, travel, train, etc. Don't discount the benefits of other fluids--tea, milk and even coffee contain water and are beneficial in helping provide your body with the fluids you need.

Many bodybuilding foods, especially those high in protein, are low in, fiber. Yet, bodybuilders should consume even more fiber than the average person does. Fiber is crucial for helping the body digest food, and it serves many other functions, as well. By consuming an adequate amount of fiber, you'll get more bang for your training buck, as well as improve your long-term health. Fiber helps slow down the digestion of protein, allowing your body more time to absorb amino acids for muscle building.

Include vegetables in every whole-food meal. Use nuts and seeds as additional protein sources. Always eat whole fruit instead of drinking fruit juice Choose whole-grain breads over processed breads. Use whole-grain oatmeal rather than quick-cooking oats. Select protein products that contain at least 2 g of fiber per serving (however, use fiber-free protein products postworkout for aster absorption). In general, think about fiber as a vital nutrient and consistently make choices that result in adequate daily fiber consumption.

Bodybuilders need more nutrients than average people do. Although many bodybuilders generally choose healthy foods, their diets are often limited in variety. Regularly consuming food combinations that are low in one or more nutrients can inadvertently result in deficiencies.

In addition, training results in the creation of numerous free radicals. Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, help reduce these harmful compounds. Finally, bodybuilders require more vitamins and minerals because of their size, as well as training demands. In fact, athletes such as bodybuilders who train intensely are often found to be deficient in several minerals, including magnesium, zinc and copper.

Rest and recovery, which are crucial to a healthy lifestyle, are vastly underappreciated in bodybuilding. Keep in mind that training tears down your body, and muscle growth occurs afterward, when you are recovering. The pump you feel when you're lifting may feel like growth, but it's really your body's way of helping to counter the stress you're puttingon it. The real growth occurs with proper nutrition and rest after a good training session. Training without taking days off not only undercuts your ability to add muscle mass, but also can deplete your immune system and induce training-related injuries.