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For many, muscle gain brings thoughts of long gym sessions, but nutrition often goes unnoticed. Your body requires proper calories and nutrients to fuel muscle growth and adapt to different levels of activity. However, before making drastic changes, it’s a good idea to speak with a doctor, personal trainer, and dietitian.
Steps
Understanding What to Eat
Consume adequate protein. A general guideline is to aim for 0.7 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should target 105 to 120 grams of protein daily to support muscle gain. If you're overweight, use your target weight instead to calculate protein needs. Excellent protein sources for muscle growth include:
- Lean meats such as beef, pork, lamb, venison, and bison.
- Fish like tuna, salmon, swordfish, bass, trout, and mackerel.
- Poultry breast from chicken, turkey, and duck.
- Eggs (including yolks)
- Dairy products like milk, cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt.
Understand the distinction between complete and incomplete proteins. To build muscle, it's essential to consume complete proteins, which are found in eggs, meat, fish, cheese, milk, and most animal-based products. A simple guideline: if it has blood or breathes, it’s a complete protein. Many plant-based complete proteins are also available, so vegetarians can still build muscle. Some great plant-based complete proteins are:
- Soy
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
- Chia
- Hempseed
- Beans or legumes with rice
Choose foods with a high Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). This score measures how efficiently proteins are digested, based on how well the amino acids dissolve in the body. Think of PDCAAS as rating protein quality, with 1 being the highest and 0 the lowest. Here's a list of common proteins with their approximate PDCAAS scores:
- 1.00: egg, whey, casein, soy protein
- 0.9: beef, soybeans
- 0.7: chickpeas, fruits, black beans, vegetables, other legumes
- 0.5: cereals and derivatives, peanuts
- 0.4: whole wheat
Incorporate carbohydrates into your diet. Carbs are crucial for providing your body with glycogen (energy) reserves in your muscles during workouts. Without enough carbs, your body will use muscle tissue for energy instead! To build muscle, aim for 40% to 60% of your diet to consist of carbohydrates, which equals roughly 1,500 calories daily.
- Carbs often get a bad rap in dieting circles. Complex carbs, which break down slowly and have a low glycemic index (less sugar), are ideal for post-workout or breakfast. Opt for carbs that are low on the Glycemic Index for a slower energy release. Some great options are:
- Brown Basmati Rice
- Quinoa
- Rolled Oats
- Sweet Potato
- Wholemeal Rye Bread
- Wholemeal Spaghetti
Consume healthy fats. Not all fats are the same. In fact, research suggests that healthy fats are beneficial for your health. Aim for 10% of your daily calories from fats, focusing on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These healthier fats include:
- Olive, peanut, sunflower, canola, and avocado oils
- Fish
- Nuts
- Flaxseed and pumpkin seeds
- Soy products like tofu or soy milk
Limit saturated and trans fats. While there is some debate about the role of saturated fats, it’s wise to minimize them, ensuring they account for no more than 10% of your daily caloric intake. On the other hand, trans fats are unequivocally harmful ('bad' fats) and should be restricted to no more than 1% of your caloric intake. Examples of unhealthy fats include:
- Ice cream, candy bars, and packaged snacks
- Fatty cuts of meat
- Lard, stick margarine, and vegetable shortening
- Fried foods
Get enough fiber in your diet. Don't forget to include green vegetables like spinach and broccoli to ensure you're getting the vitamins your body needs. These leafy greens are also high in fiber, which is crucial for proper digestion and eliminating waste from the body.
Watch your salt consumption. While too much salt can contribute to hypertension, sweating causes a significant loss of sodium. Sodium is an essential electrolyte that supports muscle contraction, which is why it is often included in sports drinks.
- Studies indicate that replacing regular salt with potassium or magnesium salts can reduce sodium intake and potentially lower blood pressure in individuals with normal to high blood pressure.
Understanding Your Eating Habits
Eat when you're hungry. It may sound simple, but many people get caught up in overcomplicating their muscle-building diets. The secret to consistently gaining muscle mass is eating the foods you enjoy within the guidelines previously discussed. A regular eating schedule is key to maintaining a consistent diet. Here's a sample meal plan to guide you:
- Breakfast: whole egg omelet with turkey, whole grain toast, banana
- Pre-lunch snack: mixed nuts, apple
- Lunch: tuna salad with olive oil, onions, capers; sautéed kale
- Pre-workout snack: cottage cheese with blueberries
- Post-workout snack: protein shake (blend in greens like kale or spinach)
- Dinner: orange-soy chicken breast with quinoa; stir-fried carrots, onions, peas, and peppers
- Reader Poll: We asked 245 Mytour readers who work out, and 53% agreed that the best post-workout refuel is a protein shake. [Take Poll]
Establish a calorie surplus. For many muscle-builders, it's essential to pair an increase in protein intake with additional calories to avoid undoing all the effort spent at the gym. You need enough fuel to build muscle, but not so many calories that they turn into fat. Finding the ideal calorie surplus is possible by calculating your maintenance calorie needs and adding the right amount.
- Your maintenance calorie count is the amount of calories required to sustain your current weight and activity level, typically around 2,000 for most people.
- Men should aim for a surplus of 250 calories per day (2,250 total), while women should target a 150-calorie surplus (2,150 total). Over a week of consistent muscle-building exercise and proper nutrition, this surplus should help you gain about .25 to .5 pounds of muscle per week.
Make sure to eat breakfast every day. Breakfast is arguably the most important meal you can have, second only to your post-workout meal. A breakfast rich in protein, complex carbs, and fiber will kickstart your metabolism and prevent your body from breaking down muscle for energy. Keep in mind the saying: "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." However, since you're not on a strict diet, there's no need to go too light on dinner.
- Include protein in your breakfast. Foods like omelets, smoothies, and cottage cheese are excellent protein choices.
- Opt for complex carbs in the morning. Unlike simple carbs like sugar and donuts, which cause sugar spikes, complex carbs (oatmeal, bran, beans, whole grains) break down slowly, preventing blood sugar spikes.
Eat smaller meals more frequently. Stick to a regular eating schedule to avoid getting so hungry that you overeat when you finally do eat. Consistency in your routine will help your body get used to eating at specific times.
- Try eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, a post-workout meal, and a pre-bed snack (at least an hour before sleep), plus two snacks in between. Snacks can range from nuts and seeds to veggies or fruits.
- If your goal is to gain muscle and lose weight, avoid eating right before bed. Eating late can cause your body to store unprocessed food as fat, as metabolism slows down while you sleep.
Stay hydrated throughout the day. Dehydration can hinder muscle recovery, so make sure to drink plenty of water all day long. Remember to sip water during your workout too. The general recommendation is about 3 liters (0.8 US gal) of water per day for men, and 2.2 liters (0.6 US gal) for women.
- If you dislike the taste of tap water, invest in a water filter. It's an affordable way to turn your tap water into healthy, great-tasting water. Once you have one, you'll likely find yourself drinking more.
- Don't wait until you're thirsty to hydrate. Regularly sip water to prevent dehydration and avoid the discomfort of gulping down water when you're already parched, which can upset your stomach during exercise.
Using Supplements the Right Way
Decide if supplements are right for you. Natural protein and muscle-building supplements offer an easy way to increase your protein intake without having to eat more. Whey and soy proteins are commonly used.
- Start by using whey protein before and after your workouts. Whey powder is an effective, safe, and convenient muscle-building supplement. It's widely available, and whey powder can be found in bulk and comes in various flavors. Simply mix it into a shake and consume it before and after your workout.
- Base your portion size on your daily protein needs. Always read the supplement label and adjust the amount based on your individual requirements.
Consider trying creatine. Creatine is believed to aid in increasing muscle mass and support muscle regeneration during rest periods, though research on its effectiveness is mixed. Some studies suggest that creatine causes muscles to retain water, contributing to temporary weight gain. While creatine may be worth experimenting with, remember that it's not essential for muscle growth. Typically, up to 10 grams (0.35 oz) of creatine, with 3 – 5 grams taken before and after workouts, can enhance ATP production, boosting strength during exercise and making it easier to gain muscle.
- If you do use creatine, stay hydrated. Creatine can dehydrate muscles during regeneration and disrupt your electrolyte balance.
- Consult your doctor about your muscle-building plan to determine if supplements are right for you based on your health and medical history.
Boost recovery and muscle growth with Vitamin C. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, combating free radicals that hinder workout recovery. Taking 500 mg of Vitamin C daily will support your immune system, and over time, you can gradually increase the dosage to 2000 mg for maximum benefit.
Prioritize hydration. Some health experts suggest that whey protein can be hard to digest, putting stress on the liver or kidneys, especially when consumed in large quantities. A high-protein diet can strain the kidneys, making it essential to drink plenty of water. Doing so will help flush toxins from your system and minimize the adverse effects of a high-protein diet.
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Foods and Supplements to Include or Avoid for Muscle Growth
Foods to Include in Your Diet for Muscle Gain
Foods to Steer Clear of for Muscle Growth
Supplements to Help You Build Muscle-
Ensure a balanced workout routine. If you’re engaging in intense aerobic exercise and not consuming enough protein, your strength and muscle mass will continuously decrease. This is a common issue for high school and college athletes, like wrestlers, who experience diminishing strength during the season due to a lack of awareness about proper nutrition.
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Instead of consuming all your protein or carbs in a single meal, it's optimal to spread them across the day in five or more smaller meals. If you consume a large amount of protein at once, your body won’t be able to fully utilize it. Maintaining a steady level of blood protein throughout the day helps your muscles recover and grow, even as you sleep.
The insights shared in this section come from the experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have a valuable tip to share, please submit it in the field below.
- Consistency in your meals is key to making progress. Try to limit the number of meals each week that lack sufficient protein or essential nutrients.
- Gradually increase your nutrient intake over the course of a month. Ensure that every meal you consume is of high quality and offers maximum nutritional value, as each meal is important.
- Maintain a food journal to monitor your daily intake. This will allow you to see how many nutrients you're getting and identify areas for improvement.
Important Warnings
- Make sure to drink plenty of water—aim for a gallon per day, as it's a good target.
- Though building muscle can be challenging, never resort to steroids. They can cause serious harm to your body and lead to harmful side effects.
