The human body is much like a motor vehicle. A vehicle can run while maintained in a mediocre fashion, but the better you take care of it, the more you can get out of it for the longest amount of time. The same goes for the human body. You can live off of a poor diet but if you want to excel physically and mentally, a carefully guided meal plan can push you over the fence of mediocrity.

        For me, because I am planning to be a college athlete and looking to be physically superior to my competition, I have to “no” to that doughnut in the morning or the ice cream after dinner. Every day is a mental battle to stick to the plan you put together with your trainer until “gains” stop becoming a diet, but a lifestyle.

Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays are the days which I consume my highest number of calories. This is because these are the days in which I train the hardest; my full body circuit days. Anywhere between 5,000 to 5,500 calories is a good count to maintain my body weight and healthily build my muscles stronger.

On “down” days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays), when I do recovery lifts for individual muscle groups, I stick to the 4,500 to 5,000 calorie range. Sundays are my off day for lifting standards, but my by no means is it an off day for my diet. 4,000 to 4,500 calories is my limit for this day.

You may be wondering how 5,500 calories a day is in the best interest for my health, but at my weight, 245 pounds, and the amount of calories I burn during everyday workouts, any less and I’ll lose weight and stop building my body.

Mondays are a day get in a lot of protein and a higher sodium day.  Breakfast is four eggs over easy, toast with lightly salted butter and a light protein shake with a blend of GNC Whey Protein and MHP’s “Up Your Mass.” Throughout the day, I drink strictly water, with the exception of one 12 oz. cup of black decaf coffee to start the morning. The coffee I use as an antioxidant booster in place of artificial vitamins. Lunch consists of two chicken cutlets (for my food planning, chicken cutlets and grilled chicken are made weekly in bulk) and three peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread. Study lunch is a big day because I can go to Muscle Maker Grill and have my favorite “Rocky Balboa Wrap.”

Tuesday through Thursday is the day when I get most of my carbs in with a lot of pasta and starchy foods like potatoes or rice. The reason for the carbs is to store energy for the rest of the week. This also helps me put on and keep on weight.

Friday is a relaxed day where I eat a mixed diet of all the foods during the week including protein to cap off the work week and build muscle, and carbs to gain weight through the weekend.

If you want to build mass and become the best version of yourself, I recommend following a similar meal plan. It has worked for me; it will work for you.