Bodybuilders are typically obsessed with their diet routines and they can go on lengths discussing it. They read or hear something and take it as gospel truth and mark it as a secret for bodybuilding. However, most of the principles for healthy balanced diet remain the same for everybody.

A healthy balanced diet can be described as -'enough of each nutrient being taken in as is being used up by the body's functions'. Bodybuilders typically shun this kind of healthy diet as they feel they need more nutrients for growth. This is true, but basic components of healthy diet remain the same. Here are some ideas to make it better.

1. Increase the count of your regular meals- Try to eat similar amount of starchy carbohydrate foods from day to day. - It is important to have a good amount of carbohydrates in your meals. Protein should still be the major component of your daily meals.
   
2. Include plenty of fruit and vegetable- Try and eat more fruits, avoid fruit juices.
   
3. Reduce your sugar intake- This is a very common advice. However, if you are a hardgainer and find it really tough than sugar can be an easy source of energy.
   
4. Limit the amount of fried of fatty food you eat- Limit your fat intake to good fats only like fresh water fish.
   
5. Identify a healthy weight for you and stick there- Bodybuilders normally fall into overweight category as per the height-weight tables, however as a bodybuilders its nothing to worry about. A certain level of subjectivity is needed out here.
   
6. Eat more high fibre foods- important for strong healthy bowel, good health and for more steady digestion and absorption of carbohydrate. High fibre foods are also more filling and can help you control weight too.
   
7. Eat more variety of foods
   
   • Starchy Foods- Cereals, potatoes, bread, rice pasta.
   • Fruits & Vegetables- Have atleast five servings a day.
   • Meat, Fish & alternative- Main source of protein and some minerals
   • Milk & Milk Products- provides protein and calcium.
   • All fatty and sugary foods- limit them to bare minimum.
     
     
8. Keep limit to your alcohol intake -As a bodybuilder you are supposed to restrict yourself to very small amount of alcohol
   
9. Don't use too much salt