I lift and have been bodybuilding for many years now, off and on in competitions over the yeas as well. There is sage advice between the lines here and whoever mentioned tuna above there is right on the money. You can't wrong there and it is high in choline which is solid gold for what you are aiming for. I stockpile the stuff. It is a great, great meal as well as snack.
You need to avoid the fast-food scene altogether. There is no "moderation" in it at all. It is a crutch, and a horrible one at that. There is nothing good that can come of it, and you need to choose and plan your meals and what you consume very, very carefully. Avoid fast food, as well as such things as colas (don't know if you consume those or not, but avoid the sugary drinks).
The best book I ever read on the subject of nutrition is "The Bodybuilder's Nutrition Book" by Franco Colombo. This guy knows what he is talking about and, as a former Mr. Olympia who used to train with Arnold, Frank Zane, Bill Pearl and Dave Draper, he will not steer you wrong. It's small, manageable, and very easy to understand. Inspiring too.
Speaking of inspiring, in that list above is a personal friend of mine, and someone I have had the pleasure and privilege of training with many times: Dave Draper. He's back in Santa Cruz/Aptos, California now, and he is one who is absolutely no-nonsense when it comes to lifting, training and just living right. If you are just starting out, look for his book "Your Body Revival." If you are a little further along, look for "Brother Iron, Sister Steel." That book is hands-down one of the greatest books I've read, and has had one of the greatest impacts on shaping my bodybuilding "career" over the years, particularly when I was just starting. Thank GOD I found it then and didn't get sucked into the typical muscle-mag line of thinking. He has a new book which he just sent me called "Iron on my Mind" which is equally outstanding, and I'm still going through it. But don't start with it. You can sign up on his website for weekly emails and "Iron on my Mind" is kind of a collection of those musings...which are indeed inspiring. Draper is locked on, firmly, and continues to be, even though he is getting up there in years. He'll still outlift and outperform most guys, and is still in phenomenal shape. His guidance, his faith and his advice are second to none, and I am proud to call him a friend. But, if you take a moment to read his work, you'll see that my words here aren't even biased, they are simply the truth.
I also mentioned Bill Pearl. His tome, "Keys to the Universe" is just that: the keys. It's far better than Arnold's "Encyclopedia," which I also own. But the "Keys" is just hands-down some of the best guidance around on nutrition, form, function and living, from one of the greatest experts around and still living.
Finally, if you can still find it (I think IRONMIND carries it still), Steve Reeves book, "Building the Classic Physique: The Natural Way" is one of the greatest books around, from non-other than Hercules himself. It's an outstanding book on practicality, perserverance and dedication to the art, and it will serve you well.
You can kind of see I'm more of an old-school bodybuilder and my training over the years has been completely molded by these classic bodybuilding guys. It's done well for me, and it will for you I believe. There are plenty of "natural" or "classic" bodybuilders still out there. One guy I know is John Hansen. I met John at a competition. He's a great guy and he too has put out a "Natural Bodybuilding" book that is great on advice, form and nutrition.
I steer you to these references because you are going to need something to reach for time and time again for inspiration and guidance. It sounds as if you have a habit here of going to these places and that is one that will need breaking. It's not always easy, but once you rid yourself of these horrible chemicals, additives, high-fat and empty calories, you will immediately begin to feel better. Implement a great PT schedule, and then you'll begin seeing the results as well. Not only do these sources provide fantastic illustrations on proper form of exercises, but they also provide excellent nutritional information on not only what to eat, but how to eat and how to plan meals. You'll need to definitely educate yourself there and it's something that really takes pages, not just a few lines. But, I hope this helps a little brother. Good luck and definitely, always reach for the iron. There's gold in it.
