Most ambitious bodybuilders and weight trainers will learn everything there is to know about weight lifting and do whatever it takes in the gym for results. They will work their butts off pumping iron and endure pain that the common man would coward from. However, one of the major causes of failure for even these overzealous trainees is not having a proper diet plan for building muscle mass.

They might plan in their MINDS to eat correctly, but without a plan written down most people simply can't get in the habit of dieting correctly. I can definitely admit that for a long time I was no exception to this way of thinking. When I finally sat down and got serious, I finally got to the core of why most weight trainers fail in this department: improper planning. Most of us can decide to start eating right, and some of us are even good at righting down goals and how we need to achieve them. But, if we don't construct a diet plan for building muscle mass on a day to day basis, this can be a plan for disaster for most of us.

If we don't plan our meals each day, then we will find ourselves battling obstacles that will constantly make it hard for us to eat properly on a consistent basis. Obstacles such as hunger, finding yourself in a situation where you don't have any food prepared for several hours, such as school, work, a long car ride, temptations to eat fast food, and many others.

The reason why these obstacles are so hard to combat is because of the very nature of hunger. Along with sleep and water, eating is an absolute vital necessity for survival. And since our bodies are designed to alert us when one of these are lacking, it does so very intensely.

This explains why our desire to drink when we are thirsty, sleep when we are tired, and of course eat when we are hungry is so intense, and at this point you will often find yourself giving in to something not productive for gaining mass. The pains from lack of these are too intense to bear for too long. So if we don't properly plan beforehand our meals each day, then the urge to just eat whatever is most tempting or convenient will easily overcome our goals for gaining mass.

On top of that our bodies are also designed for one single purpose: survival. Your body is designed to keep you alive and healthy, and it is important to understand that building muscle mass is definitely not its "default" or primary function. That is why it is important that you have a proper diet plan for building muscle mass and that you plan your meals on a day to day basis.

The better planned and prepared you are, the easier it will be to stay consistent with your diet. Then, on a positive note, since we are creatures of habit, once you stick to a diet schedule for about 21 to 30 days, it will become a habit and the process will be much easier!

Follow some of these guidelines that will help you plan out your meals properly: First, plan on paper! Write in a journal your daily meals, at least a few hours in advance before your next meal, preferably the night before. Next, prepare your meals the night before and store them in separate plastic containers if possible so when your meal time comes it will be ready to go.

When you go grocery shopping go with a specific intent for your meals so you can plan out your week in advance, and I suggest you invest in some meal replacement shakes in case you have a busy schedule and are rarely at home - never leave home without a meal handy just in case! A simple and final tip to help your planning is to list out your ten favorite and simplest meals according to your diet so that you can rotate through them to avoid boredom and keep it interesting.

Remember, if you fail to plan then you can plan to fail. Don't make the mistake of so many people by working out hard and consistently, only to cheat yourself and your results by improper planning of your diet. It still takes some brains if you want to build the brawn!