Living Large: Jay Cutler's 8-Week Mass-Building Trainer - Eat Large

5 TIPS TO EAT LARGE

1NUTRITION ALWAYS WINS

You can kill yourself in the gym all day long, but if you don't have the nutrition to back it up, you'll never see mass gains. "I tell people to put as much effort into their diet as they do into their weight training," Jay says. Whether an athlete, bodybuilder, or fitness enthusiast, your job includes eating the right number of carbs, protein, and healthy fats.

2SUPPLEMENT SMART

"Supplements can give you an advantage," Jay says. "You have to find ways to budget and be able to fit that extra stuff in there." Beginners don't necessarily need fancy products. For most people, a tub of protein powder and a multivitamin will do just fine. For more advanced athletes, pre-workouts, BCAAs, and fat burners may help those fitness goals come to life a little faster.

3SCHEDULE TIME FOR MEALS

Most people who want to build muscle simply eat too little. Although it might be difficult on a busy schedule, scheduling time to eat is essential. "The average person needs at least five meals [per day]," Jay declares. Unless you're a pro bodybuilder, you don't have to spend eight hours of your day preparing and eating meals, but even the average Joe needs the right number of calories to build serious muscle.

4LEARN FROM EXPERTS

"I think I've had the best advisors from the day I started," Jay explains. "I think it's good to hire someone who has some knowledge about nutrition. You might as well do it right because the nutrition is more important than the weight training." You may not be able to afford an actual nutritionist, but you can do research and learn as much as you can about which foods have the right effect on your body. Your success may depend on it.

5CARBS AREN'T EVIL

If you want to get big, you need to eat carbs. Building muscle takes the right combination of macronutrients. It's not a "protein-only" magic trick. Jay needs simple carbs to keep his muscles full. "I can't eat just oatmeal and egg whites or fish," he says. "I can't do it. I shrink. I need a lot of simple carbs." To grow, you can't skimp out on any macronutrient. You need the right ratio.