If you are thinking about embarking on a fitness or bodybuilding program, here are a few pointers you should know before you begin.

  1. Consult your physician, especially if you are out of shape
  2. Set realistic fitness goals and record them in a notebook
  3. Start off slowly
  4. Stick to the basics
  5. Commit to your program
  6. Weigh yourself and take measurements
  7. Build a foundation (don't be tempted to follow an advanced routine)

Following this advice will be very helpful in the long run.



There are 3 basic different body types and some people have certain characteristics of all 3.

  1. Ectomorph—Extremely thin with a very fast metabolism.
  2. Mesomorph—Athletically built and usually classified as an easy gainer.
  3. Endomorph—Usually overweight, with a very slow metabolism.

Ectomorph

Training

Upper Body
1
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
3 sets, 8 reps
+ 5 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Lower Body
1
Barbell Squat
1 set, 8 reps
1 set, 10 reps
1 set, 12 reps
+ 4 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Bodybuilding For Beginners: Training & Nutrition

{{caption}}

The reason I stress not adding any other exercises to this routine is because, being extremely underweight you do not want to overwork, and you must conserve energy to re-build the torn down muscle tissue.

Workout Schedule

Upper body on Monday and Thursday, lower body on Tuesday and Friday.

Rest on the other 3 days, keep outside activities to a minimum so as not to burn excess calories needed to build muscle.

If you find this diet too much to consume slowly make an effort to eat just a little more all the time. Also get as much good sound sleep as you can to aid in recovery.

Diet

Now the matter of what to eat to feed those injured muscles. I would recommend eating every 3 hours or so. I know from personal experience this might not seem possible, but you must try to eat at least a little more until your body becomes acclimated to the new food intake.

We no longer label our 3 meals as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, because we will be eating at least 5 but preferably 6 meals a day, and they are now known as Meals 1-6.



Meal 1
Eggs
4
Whole Wheat Bread (toasted)
2 slices
Banana
1
Milk
1 glass
Meal 2
Tuna
1 can
Salad (mixed greens)
1 serving
Orange
1
Milk
1 glass
Meal 3
Peanut Butter
1 tbsp
Protein Powder
2 scoops
Eggs
2
Ice Cream
1 scoop
Meal 4
Steak
1 serving
Baked Potato
1 serving
Asparagus
1 serving
Milk
1 glass
Meal 5
Chicken
1 serving
Carrots
1 cup
Olive Oil
1 tbsp
Meal 6
Protein Shake
1
Peanut Butter
1 tbsp

That should be enough for starters as you will probably have a hard time eating this amount. Drink a minimum of a at least a gallon of water every day.

Endomorph

I would offer the same advice to them also except do 3 days of low intensity cardio just for your endurance and to keep fat gain to minimum. Mind you this is only a temporary routine.

Mesomorph 

Same routine, different diet, and 4-5 days of cardio of your choice.

I recommend walking on the treadmill. As you get in better shape increase duration, but start off at 20 minutes slowly building up to 30-45 minutes. If this seems like a lot of work it is but as I tell my clients if you can't stay motivated, stand naked in front of a full length mirror, if you don't like what you see this should be motivation enough. I will go a lot deeper into fat loss but here we are just beginning.

Diet

Meal 1
Egg Whites
7
Eggs
1
Oatmeal
1/2 cup
Meal 2
Protein Shake
2 scoops
Meal 3
Tuna
1 can
Baked Potato
1
Salad (mixed greens)
1 serving
Meal 4
Chicken
5 oz.
Brown Rice
1/2 cup
Broccoli
1/2 cup
Meal 5
Tuna
1 can
Salad (mixed greens)
1 serving
Water
1 glass
Meal 6
Protein Shake
1

Now here are some helpful tips to avoid hunger pangs and binging.

  1. Eat your food slowly.
  2. Always drink at least a gallon of water a day. There are a lot of good reasons for doing this but for you it will create a sensation of fullness.
  3. If you must eat something, pick a healthy low calorie snack, such as raw veggie cakes, fat free yogurt, salad, etc.

Do's And Don'ts

Now for some do's and don'ts for all 3 body types... let's get to the Don'ts first:

  • Don't eat junk
  • Don't forget water
  • Don't miss workouts
  • Don't deviate from this routine
  • Don't slack off.

Now for the Do's:



  • Do train hard
  • Do be consistent
  • Do stick to your diet
  • Do add weight to the bar when possible
  • Do use good form

About the Author

Tim Wescott

Tim Wescott

Tim is a competitive bodybuilder who has been competing for decades and now offers his take on training and diet!

View all articles by this author