If you’re into weight training you need to take in some carbs for energy and to fill your muscles with glycogen. Of course many weight trainers want a defined appearance so they need to lose or keep fat off. Weight training itself will help give you a higher resting metabolism and burn the carbohydrates stored in your muscles. This is good because if do your cardio workouts after weight training you’ll be burning more fat because your body won’t have to burn as much glycogen (which the body will use before it starts burning fat).

  Weight trainers and bodybuilders who are ectomorphic (tend to hold extra body fat) need to watch their carb intake more than those with other body types. Try eating most of your carbohydrates earlier in the day and avoid taking in very many later in the day. If you do cardio first thing in the morning or after weight training you’ll also burn more fat. Your carbohydrates should come from wheat bread or pasta, fruits, vegetables, and other quality sources. Avoiding junk food carbs should start you on your way to getting shredded.

  Even if you’re consuming less calories than you’re burning per day you should still actually eat more often. Doing this will keep you energetic throughout the entire day and you’ll get a boost in metabolism every time you eat. If you wait too long in between meals your body will try harder to hold on to the fat it’s carrying. If you eat every 3 or so hours you won’t have to worry about this. Obviously, if you eat more often to lose fat you’ll need to make sure you keep your meal portions small enough so you don’t take in too many calories. Try eating 5 or 6 small meals daily and you’ll notice the change.

  For people trying to build muscle, especially ectomorphs (naturally skinny people), it’s best to eat more often because you’re body can only digest so much at a time and a lot of waht you eat may just end up as waste instead of in the muscles. This is especially true of protein, which is very important for building muscle mass. If you’re trying to build muscle, eat based on your body type. If you’re skinny you can eat more calories during your 5 or 6 daily meals and not gain too much body fat. If you tend to hold more fat, make sure you get plenty of protein but keep the carbohydrates low.

  Consuming a lot of protein is important for anybody trying to build muscle. Lean red meat, chicken, fish, and eggs are the main sources of protein. If you find it hard to take in enough protein during the day you should buy a protein supplement. Nowadays, you can find protein supplements in the form of shakes and bars that actually taste good. Since the body can only digest so much protein at a time it’s best to eat some 5 or 6 times a day instead of the normal 3 so you get more protein where you want it.

  While you need carbohydrates and fats to help build muscle, how much of each you consume daily depends on your body type. If you’re an ectomorph (naturally skinny) you can probably eat as much as possible without having to worry about gaining too much fat. If you’re an endomorph (tend to hold more body fat) you need to keep an eye on your intake of carbs and fats. If you’re a mesomorph (naturally muscular) a balanced, high protein diet should work best.