Marc Megna’s 8-Week AMP Trainer, Nutrition & Supplementation Overview – Bodybuilding.com

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If you want to look and perform great, precision nutrition is essential. The AMP program will help you learn the ropes. Here is your food list, your meal plan, and your supplement regimen for the next eight weeks!

The purpose of the AMP program is to bridge the gap between aesthetics and performance. To be the best in either category, you have to train specifically for that goal, but I firmly believe there’s a sweet spot where you can walk in both worlds. You can have great performance and great aesthetics at the same time. How you eat is the most important part of bridging that gap.

When I was playing football, I was big, I was strong, I was fast, but I was a big block of mass. I performed well, but I didn’t really look how I wanted to look. Now, I think many athletes have turned the corner. They perform extremely well, and want to have nice shoulders and ripped abs as well.

Many of the improvements in athletes’ aesthetics have come from a greater knowledge of nutrition and supplementation. I believe that you can fuel your body for performance and enhance your aesthetics.

Knowing what food to eat, when to eat it, and how to prepare it are the keys to improving your aesthetics and performance. More important, though, is having discipline. Eating properly is a challenge; even I struggle sometimes. But if you’re not paying attention to the effects food can have on your body, you’re going to have all sorts of problems. Be consistently mindful.

Nutrition is essential to enhancing your performance. What you eat can improve your immune system, keep your bones and ligaments strong, and provide proper fuel for training and recovery. If you’re not properly fueled, you’ll be tired. When you’re dragging, you’re much more susceptible to injury.

In regard to aesthetics, you’re not going to look good unless you eat the right food at the right times. Your body composition requires constant attention to how many grams of protein, carbs, and fats you eat at each meal.

AMP NUTRITION PHILOSOPHY
With this program, you’ll receive a sample meal plan and food list. Your meal plan won’t change much week to week, but with each new phase, you’ll implement a new healthy habit. Watch each phase’s corresponding video so you know exactly which habit you’ll be adopting in each phase.

Every day, you’ll eat three meals and two snacks. When I say snack, I don’t mean a candy bar or a bag of chips. Think of your snacks as smaller meals.

MACRONUTRIENT RATIO
Your meals and snacks should come from the following sources and fall near these amounts:

MEN
40 percent of calories from carbs
40 percent of calories from protein
20 percent of calories from fat

WOMEN
50 percent of calories from protein
30 percent of calories from carbs
20 percent of calories from fat

AMP MEAL PLAN
The AMP meal plan is very simple. On days that you ask a little more from your body, you’re going to give it a little more fuel. So, on your lifting and cardio days, you’ll take in more calories than you will on your rest days. You’ll notice that, as you go through the program and your body starts to respond, you’ll have to start paying more attention to your nutrition.

FOOD LIST
This meal plan is basic and really easy to change. If there’s something you don’t like, you don’t have to eat it. I don’t want anybody force-feeding themselves on this program. You can mix and match any of the foods on the list.

The quality of your food and how you prepare it is essential to your success in this program. Do the best you can to prepare your meals at home so you know exactly what you get.

AMP SUPPLEMENTATION
Whole foods are absolutely essential to your performance and your physique. Supplements, however, can give you the extra edge so you’re better fueled during your workouts and can recover from them more quickly and efficiently.

AMP SUPPLEMENTS
We’re going to utilize just four supplements in this program: Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), a multivitamin, protein powder, and carbs like dextrose from a dedicated supplement or blend, such as a mass gainer.

You’ll supplement with BCAAs because they aid muscle building and help you recover between workouts.

Protein powder is important because sometimes it’s difficult to get enough with just whole foods. Getting ample protein will also help you stay anabolic throughout the day.

A carbohydrate supplement like dextrose or even a mass gainer is great to take post-workout to replenish your glycogen levels and provide some carbohydrates to facilitate muscle building.

Taking a multivitamin is a great addition to your supplement protocol because it ensures that your body is getting all of the necessary vitamins and minerals for optimal health.

Source: Marc Megna’s 8-Week AMP Trainer, Nutrition & Supplementation Overview – Bodybuilding.com