Diet: Eat a Variety of Foods.

Eat foods like spinach, romaine lettuce, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, asparagus, green pepper, cottage cheese, yogurt without excess sugars, carrots, chicken, whole grains, whole oats (not instant, make oatmeal yourself without the added sugar), lean pork, and lean beef.

Drink milk, juices not from concentrate without added sugars, soymilk, and your protein shakes.

There are so many healthy foods that taste great. Be patient and willing to spend the time required to eat healthy. If you "don't have time," change your perspective and make time. What is more important than your health?

Diet is the most important aspect of body building and weight training because without proper diet, your body can't build the muscle you deserve after workouts. And as I've recently posted, supplementing protein powders into your diet is a necessity. For beginning lifters, managing protein intake and proper diet is the best method to success.

Become accustomed to preparing your own meals. Fast food is high in saturated/trans fats with hydrogenated oils and fast absorbing carbs/sugars like high fructose corn syrup. Occasionally enjoying fast food for the convenience is fine, but if your serious about your health, it's important to keep it out of your diet.

Preparing your own meals lets you:
a) control the portions
b) choose the method of preparation
c) vary the foods included.
Controlling the portions is essential, but not just for caloric intake. Spacing your meals out into more than 3 meals a day is optimal, so eating normal portions (of a 3 meal per day diet) is to much food. Spread out your consumption by eating 4 to 6 small meals a day. This allows your body to absorb and convert the energy as you are eating, instead of storing excess calories as fat. Eating 4 to 6 small meals a day with increase the nutritional advantages you gain from eating.