Muscle Building Diet
When trying to build muscle mass, nutrition is extremely important. There are many factors that you must pay close attention to. Below are crucial elements in any muscle building diet.
Protein
It is crucial that your body is getting the right amount of protein. If your muscles do not get enough protein, they will not recover fully, thus not growing to their maximum potential. When attempting to gain lean mass, you should intake 1.5 to 2 times you body weight in grams of protein on the days that you lift.
For example: You weigh 150 lbs = You should intake 175 to 300 grams of protein
HOWEVER, keep in mind that you should NOT intake all of this protein from protein shakes alone. 25 to 50 grams of protein from shakes is plenty. When you do take protein shakes, it should be before and/or after your workouts. Taking more protein from unnatural sources will be harder for your body to break down. In fact, taking in 1.5 to 2 times your body weight is a strain on your body period. Because of this, you should also take in at least one gallon of water each day. This will help to flush out your system and keep you energized.
There are many different types of protein shakes on the market today. The best type of protein for your body (especially your muscles) is 100% whey protein. Whey Protein is derived from milk protein. However, whey protein does not contain fat or lactose sugar. Whey Protein is so good for you because you get all of the advantages of protein, except with the fat and lactose. This allows for the production of lean muscle in your body. Whey protein also helps you recover faster after a workout.
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Carbohydrates
Carbs are very important when it comes to any workout routine. They give you lasting energy, and help fuel your cells and muscles.
*To calculate the amount of carbs you should eat daily, multiply your calorie intake by .6.
A very important type of carbohydrate when building muscle is fiber. Fiber comes from plant-based foods (a.k.a. fruits, vegetables, and grains). Eating a variety of these foods will help to give you energy for your workouts. You should try to eat between 30 and 40 grams of healthy fibers everyday.
Great sources of fiber:
Oatmeal
Beans and legumes
Carrots
Brussels sprouts
Brown Rice
Barley
Citrus fruits
Strawberries
Bananas
Whole-wheat bread
Wheat cereal
Barley
Cabbage
Beets
Turnips
Cauliflower
Sweet potatoes
Apples
Pears
Creatine
Creatine is produced naturally in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. It is condensed in muscle tissue, and is found in animal proteins, such as fish. So if you have ever thought about taking a creatine supplement, it is completely healthy because your body already produces it. Athletes take creatine because it aids in the production of phosphocreatine in muscle tissue. Phosphocreatine is an important factor in the formation of adenosine tri phosphate (ATP), the source of energy for muscle contraction.
Creatine Monohydrate has in fact been proven to help athletes gain strength and endurance. However, the disadvantages to creatine monohydrate are very short-term stability when it is exposed to liquid (and converts into creatinine, a bi-product of creatine), and very poor absorption into the human blood stream. In other words, it helps you to get stronger and gain muscle, but at the same time, it causes your muscles to become bloated with water (making them LOOK bigger). Soon after it is poorly absorbed into the blood stream. However, when you stop working out, that fluid in your muscles drains out. However, there is another type of creatine on the market today that is much more effective than creatine monohydrate, and does not bloat your muscles with water:
Kre-Alkalyn is buffered creatine, meaning that it is highly concentrated creatine in its purest form. It absorbs into the blood stream much better, and it is far more stable than creatine monohydrate. It does not convert into creatinine, so there is no water retention in your muscle tissue. Many Kre-Alkalyn supplements are in the form of pills, and usually 1 gram of Kre-Alkalyn is equivalent to taking between 8 and 10 grams of creatine powder. So, you take far less of the supplement and you get even better results! Kre-Alkalyn is inexpensive as well, with many 150 bottles costing between $20 and $30.
Click here to purchase kre-alkalyn supplements for less!
Meals
Eating 6 smaller meals everyday instead of 3 will help you to gain muscle and weight faster. This will keep your metabolism going and help to fuel the growth of your muscles.
Sleep
Sleeping at least 8 hours every night will give your muscles the time they need to repair. Sleep is so important in bodybuilding because this is the time that your muscles get to rest and grow.
**Your muscles grow while you sleep, not while you lift.
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