Eating for Muscle Growth
You’ve been working hard but still not seeing the muscle gains you’d hoped for? When building muscle, diet is just as important as exercise. Eating right is essential for forming strong muscles and maintaining overall health. This blog post will give you the rundown on properly fueling your body to maximise strength and muscle growth.
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Contents
Consume Enough Calories
The key to gaining muscle mass is consuming enough calories. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body won’t have the energy or nutrients it needs to build up muscle mass. So, if your goal is to gain muscle, ensure you eat enough calories each day! Generally speaking, a good starting point would be an intake of 20-30% more than your body requires to maintain weight.
Eat Plenty of Protein
Protein is crucial to muscle growth because it provides the amino acids needed for muscle repair and growth. It also helps with fat loss and can help reduce hunger levels, so you feel fuller for longer. Aim to consume 1-2g of protein per pound of body weight daily from lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, legumes, and dairy products. If you are eating a plant-based diet, a delicious homemade black bean soup is an excellent source of protein and carbohydrates. Try to spread protein consumption throughout the day by including protein at every meal.
Eat Regularly
It’s important to eat regularly to keep your body fueled and energized. Eating every 3-4 hours will ensure that you consistently give your body what it needs to maintain muscle growth. Additionally, eating small, regular meals can help prevent overeating and reduce any feelings of hunger throughout the day.
Eat Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are also essential when building muscle mass as they provide energy and help absorb certain vitamins like A, D, E & K, which are essential for the proper functioning of the body. Aim for about 20-30% of daily calorie intake from healthy sources like olive oil, avocados, nuts & seeds, or fatty fish such as salmon or tuna. Avoid unhealthy fats in processed foods such as pastries or chips, which can cause inflammation over time, leading to poor health outcomes.
Include Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates provide energy for intense workouts and help replenish glycogen stores which improve recovery times between workouts – this allows you to train harder during subsequent sessions resulting in better performance overall! Include complex carbs such as sweet potatoes, oats & brown rice at most meals throughout the day to keep energy levels up while providing sustained release of glucose into the bloodstream – this helps prevent spikes & drops in blood sugar, which can lead to feeling sluggish or tired during training sessions!
Eating right is essential for building strong muscles and increasing performance during workouts. Make sure that you are consuming enough calories each day (20-30% more than what your body requires), and include plenty of protein along with healthy fats & complex carbohydrates into your diet – these macronutrients all play a vital role in providing energy & nutrients needed for optimal health & performance! With these tips in mind, you should be well on your way toward gaining that extra bit of muscle mass you’ve been looking for!
