Building muscle is a pretty simple affair yet so many for numerous reasons struggle with it, try to overcomplicate it, misunderstand it, and get it wrong. There are 3 components to building muscle: correct training, correct eating, and rest. And, that’s all there is to it.
In this article, I’m going to tell you about correct eating to build muscle.
So, you’ve worked out, hit the muscles properly and thoroughly, and, now it’s time to get the nutrients into your system, so while you rest they can go to work, rebuilding and growing your muscles.
So, what to eat?
An ideal diet for a person looking to build muscle would be a diet which consists of 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fats – over the course of a day. Each of these nutrients plays a vital role in building muscle, and neither should be neglected.
Combined, the nutrient breakdown above (known as macronutrients) should add up to a total of 15 calories per lb of bodyweight you carry, plus 500 calories. It’s important that you don’t forget to add the 500, as, this is the surplus you need to feed your body so it now has the added energy to grow beyond the size it currently is.
Protein sources you should aim to utilise are: egg, milk, fish, beef and chicken. Supplements such as whey protein are also great, if you wish to purchase them.
Carbohydrate sources which are the best for building muscle are: brown rice, pasta and potato.
Fats are the most misunderstood macronutrient and people tend to be scared of it. Don’t be: they are essential in helping you produce testosterone, to put your body into an anabolic state in which the muscles can grow. Don’t be afraid of taking in moderate amounts of saturated fat, and, you should supplement your good fat intake by using fish oils, which are loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids.
And, that’s about it. It’s as easy as that!
If you struggle to eat enough simply because you find yourself full, there are numerous great supplements on the market which aim to boost calories or protein, usually in the simple form of a powder which is drank with milk, juice or water. These are also useful if you don’t have the time to constantly prepare meals.