Even the most minor dietary adjustments can dramatically impact one’s physique. This is why competitive bodybuilders pay meticulous attention to their nutritional choices and grocery shopping.
On Sept. 15, 2024, Men’s Open bodybuilder Martin Fitzwater revealed his grocery haul en route to his highly anticipated Olympia debut on Oct. 10-13, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV.
Martin Fitzwater’s Essential Bodybuilding Grocery List
- Rice cakes
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Potatoes
- Chicken breast
- Ground turkey (99% lean)
- Greek yogurt
- Fairlife lactose-free milk
- Cream of rice
- Rice
- Cereal
- Almond butter
- Gatorade
- Coffee
- Jalapeno Tabasco
[Related: Dirty Bulking? Sam Sulek’s Grocery List for Gaining Muscle]
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Load Up on the Deals
Fitzwater recommends capitalizing on bulk deals when available. Whole foods are rarely discounted and can be expensive. He suggests buying non-perishable items like rice, oats, and nuts in bulk to save money and ensure a ready supply.
I’m like an old man swiping through the deals at the grocery store to make sure I can save money any way that I can.
[Related: Martin Fitzwater Details the Financial Cost of Being a Pro Bodybuilder]
Incorporate Fresh Produce Into Your Diet
The store’s perimeter is where fresh produce, lean proteins, and dairy products are typically located. Fitzwater minimizes his exposure to processed foods by avoiding the aisles.
As his calorie intake decreases during the later stages of contest prep, Fitzwater adds more veggies like cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms to his diet. This increases his overall food volume without significantly impacting his calorie count.
Fitzwater adds blueberries and strawberries to his breakfast. Berries are loaded with antioxidants and help neutralize harmful free radicals within muscle tissues, thus promoting faster and more efficient recovery.
Fitzwater eats a banana before each training session. The simple sugars in bananas provide a quick energy boost, which can improve workout performance. The potassium content improves muscle pumps, which have been shown to boost hypertrophy. (1)
Protein & Carb Sources
Chicken breast is Fitzwater’s primary protein source during a cut. While he adds ground turkey to his cart, it’s primarily used to make turkey meatballs.
Fitzwater favors Greek yogurt over its regular counterpart due to the former’s significantly higher protein content. He also credits the yogurt’s probiotics with improving his gut health during the off-season, leading to better digestion.
Although cod and shrimp are Fitzwater’s favorite protein sources, he has temporarily removed them from his diet. He observed increased water retention and muscle inflammation after consuming them, prompting this dietary adjustment.
Every time I take shrimp out of my diet, I drop two to three pounds and look a lot better.
Cream of rice is Fitzwater’s go-to carb source, with Jasmine rice a close second. He incorporates low-fat cereals like cornflakes, Rice Krispies, Fruity Pebbles, and lactose-free milk into his post-workout meal to replenish his glycogen stores and prevent energy crashes.
For his remaining meals, Fitzwater usually rotates between rice, cream of rice, and rice cakes to ensure a variety of textures and flavors.
Given the absence of red meat in his diet, Fitzwater relies on almond butter to meet his daily fat intake goals. Healthy fat sources support several body functions, including hormone production and brain and joint health.
References
- Hirono, T., Ikezoe, T., Taniguchi, M., Tanaka, H., Saeki, J., Yagi, M., Umehara, J., & Ichihashi, N. (2022). Relationship Between Muscle Swelling and Hypertrophy Induced by Resistance Training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(2), 359–364. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003478
Featured image: @martfitzh2o on Instagram
