Getting into Shape - Part 2 - The diet

In this part I'll summarize my diet. But before I start, I would like to comment on "dieting" in general. Many people have a misconception of what dieting is. Dieting does not mean to eat sparingly to lose weight. Nor does it mean cutting out certain types of food. For me dieting is taking everything in moderation. Don't force yourself not to eat something because it has too many calories or something like that. This in turn will make you to quit exercising as your mind will carve for that Sunday ice cream or a cheese burger. There is nothing wrong in an occasional bite of a pizza. But do practice restrain on these stuff, as these tend to negate all the hard work you put while exercising. So when you hear people say 'Don't diet', what they mean is don't starve yourself to death.

With that clarified, I can tell about the diet that I'm am currently on. Being a vegetarian, I was constantly told that body building requires one to eat meat. Well, that is bull-shit. Agreed, eating certain type of meat will give more protein and easily soluble protein, but one can get the required amount through pure vegetarian menu.

Simple formula. More protein => Quicker Muscle building/recovery => Better body. Sounds simple right. So where do you get the extra protein from? Soya is the major source of protein for me. I consume soya in many forms. From the beans to milk. It has higher protein content per gram than any other natural substance. Apart from this, egg whites are know to contain amassing amounts of protein (don't consume yolk, as it it known to have the bad cholesterol). Apart from this green vegetables and citrus fruits contain the essential minerals to supplement the protein intake. Do not go low on carbs, since it is the major source of energy for your workouts. It is when we go low on carbs, does a workout result in loss of body mass. In general have a balanced meal. 5-6 meals with lesser quantities is better than the 3 meals a day formula.

If you are working in the evening, don't take anything for 2 hours before the workout. During the workout, one can eat a banana or have an occasional energy drink for the instant energy. Remember to drink lots of water. Don't let yourself get dehydrated. And do not listen to people who tell that drinking water during workouts is bad.
It is desirable to work on the abs and run on the treadmill on an empty stomach. So its better to do these workouts in the morning.
So what about the capsules that claim to give you the 'Arnold' body? Most of them are bad if not outright dangerous. But some are good, like the Whey protein. But take your doctors consultation before having anything that is not natural.