Nutrition to Build Muscle
In his article, we will discuss how to set up your nutrition to build muscle.
By following the nutrition tips in this article, in addition to a challenging strength and hypertrophy program, you should be able to build quality muscle tissue for years to come.
Calorie Intake
To build muscle, you should aim to include enough calories in your diet. If you are overweight or have a lot of body fat, you can still eat fewer calories than you burn and still gain muscle.
However, if you have already been lifting weights for a long time, you probably need to eat close to your calorie maintenance or even in a small calorie surplus to gain muscle.
If you are already near your goal weight, then you can consume an extra 100-200 calories per day to gain more muscle. Drastically increasing your calorie intake won’t help you build muscle much faster, but it will cause you to gain excess body fat.
In contrast, if you are currently underweight, you might need to increase your calorie intake more drastically to start building more muscle.
However, once you have been lifting consistently for five to ten years, you probably want to eat close to your maintenance calorie intake or slightly above your maintenance. At this phase in your career, you won’t build muscle very quickly, so you want to limit additional fat gains during this period of reduced returns on investment.
Your biggest calorie surplus should happen during your beginner phases of training, when you have the potential to build the most muscle mass.
Protein Intake
To build maximum muscle, you want to include 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. You might even want to include slightly more protein, up to 3.3 grams per kilogram, during dieting or fat loss phases.
Good sources of protein to include in your diet include Greek yogurt, whey protein powder, lean beef, turkey breast, chicken breast/thighs, Salmon, white fish and some vegetarian sources.
However, if you primarily eat a vegan diet or primarily plant based protein sources, you may want to include slightly more protein because the protein you do consume is lower quality protein.
Carbohydrate Intake
Including carbohydrates in your diet can boost energy and performance in the gym.
Most bodybuilders and strength athletes should aim to eat between 5 and 6 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight. However, if you live an extremely sedentary lifestyle outside of your bodybuilding pursuits, you might need a slightly lower carbohydrate intake.
Some good sources of carbohydrates include potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, pasta, oats, quinoa, fruits and vegetables.
Fat Intake
Quality fats help to improve performance, muscle growth and maintain normal hormone levels.
You should consume about 20-35 percent of your calories from fats. You want to include mostly plant-based fats like nuts, seeds and avocados. However, you can also include some fat that occurs naturally in meats and animal products.
Meal Timing
Meal timing can help improve muscle growth. For most bodybuilders, three to six meals per day is ideal. Consuming at least three doses of protein rich food per day can help maximize muscle protein synthesis. Therefore, try to eat at least 20 to 30 grams of protein at each meal and snack.
You can also include carbohydrates in your pre and post training meals. Actually, you don’t need to eat right before or after exercise, but eating within a three hour window before and after training can help maximize muscle repair and growth.
Additionally, you can include fats in your pre and post workout meals. Just don’t eat too much fat prior to a workout as that could impair digestion and make you feel heavy.
Eating a normal mixed meal sometime before training and sometime in the few hours that follow training can help improve recovery and muscle growth.
However, you do not need to eat every three hours. Within a framework of three to six meals per day, find a meal strategy that works for you and your lifestyle for the best results.
Hydration
Staying hydrated can help you in your workouts, recovery and muscle growth. Aim to consume at least half your body weight in pounds in ounces of water per day. Coffee and calorie free caffeinated beverages can also help you meet your hydration needs and provide caffeine prior to workouts to boost your results.
Focus on drinking at least twelve to sixteen ounces of water prior to and after training and sip on water during workouts to prevent dehydration.
Putting the Pieces Together
Nutrition to build muscle does not have to feel complicated. You can continue to eat normal meals and your favorite foods. Simply paying attention to a few key points can help you maximize muscle growth and improve your training and recovery.
Proper nutrition can help you get more out of your workouts and get closer to your goals faster.
What do you think? What nutrition tips have helped you build muscle? Please let me know in the comment section below.
