Teens, Weight Training and Bodybuilding (Part 6)

In Part 5 of this series, we examined one of the forgotten keys to success in the gym - nutrition. Now, let's finish our discussion about proper eating and turn to a subject that could make you yawn, especially if you're not getting enough of it.

Counting Calories and Grams – Putting it all Together

There are many places on the Web that explain what to eat in order to maximize your workouts. Before providing you with one such reference, let me offer two guidelines of my own.

• There is no single plan that will work for everyone and produce the same results for each individual.

• There are several variables involved. A person's body type, activity level, and metabolic rate make everyone different in his or her ability to gain muscle or lose body fat. These factors also determine the nutrient ratios required to do so.

What you need is an outline to begin with in order to structure a plan that works best for you. The formulas can all be found here, along with some other helpful information.

Don't let all of the formulas overwhelm you! There really isn't a lot to them. And once you've taken the time to calculate your caloric and macronutrient needs, you'll be well on your way to fine-tuning your own personal plan to meet your individual goals.

Train, Eat, Rest, and Grow

It's obvious that in order to build muscle mass, you must train. The information listed above can help you create an individual nutrition plan that can work best for you. But in order to actually achieve growth, you need rest. And by rest, I'm referring to sleep.

If you deprive yourself of sleep, your body's hormonal activity and natural steroid production decreases, which prevents you from gaining optimal muscle mass. Keep in mind we do not grow in the gym. We tear down muscle tissue in the gym. Then the body rebuilds it – bigger and stronger – during sleep.

Most recommendations suggest that you get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. There is some variability, of course, but more sleep is better in terms of muscular growth.

Editor's Note: The final entry in this multi-part series – "don't expect bodybuilding supplements to do all the work for you", will be coming soon.