BASIC EATING RULES FOR MUSCLE GAIN.

(1) THE BEST CHOICES

There are so many foods on the supermarket shelves nowadays, and for the average weight trainer trying to gain muscle, it can be a big challenge choosing what to eat. Please see some of my other, more in depth articles for a more detailed description of choices, but for now, I will keep it simple:- Keep it natural.

Processed foods such as cakes, ready meals, biscuits, fizzy drinks etc. are generally low on essential nutrients and high in calories, sugar and salt. This does little to help in your quest for building muscle. Try to eat food at its most basic form. It will have a lower glycaemic index, be higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat.

(2) EAT MORE CALORIES

The average man needs around 2,500 calories a day – this is just to maintain the same weight. To gain muscle, you need fuel – this comes from food. Consider increasing your daily calorie totals to around 3,000. The extra energy will be needed to keep you going throughout your workout and go towards your growing muscles.

(3) BALANCE NUTRIENTS

Following on from rule number 2, you cannot simply eat one type of food and think you will burn into a beef-cake! Balance is the key! You will need carbohydrates to provide the muscle glycogen that fuels your workouts. Make carbs around 60% of your total calorie intake – this equals around 450 grams of carbohydrates a day if your total calorie intake is 3,000.

Protein is needed to grow new tissue in your body. For most men, 20% of your total calorie intake or 180 grams a day is a good number to aim for.

Don’t be afraid of fat. It is not all bad. It can help you to absorb vitamins and improve athletic performance as well as protect joints and tendons against injury. It should ideally make up the final 20% of your calories.

However, fat is more than twice as calorie dense as carbohydrate or protein. One gram of fat contains 9 calories whereas protein and carbs contain only 4 calories.

(4) TIMING

‘When’ you eat is as important as ‘What’ you eat. The most crucial times to eat are an hour or so before your workout and immediately after you finish. This ensures that your muscles have plenty of stored glycogen for training and rebuilding.

Other than these times, it is important to eat small meals throughout the day at regular intervals of 2-3 hours. Ensure you have some protein with these meals. This keeps your glycogen levels topped up and prevents your body from breaking down the proteins needed for building muscle.

(5) SUPPLEMENTS

Supplements should ‘not’ be used as a substitute to a good diet and they are not a magic pill to build muscle. They are, however, a convenient way of getting the carbs and protein you need without having to prepare special meals. Be sure you know what you are taking before you buy them because they can be expensive. Always pick a reputable brand and read the label!

(6) HYDRATION

Being dehydrated will have a serious impact on your performance. It also affects the way your body stores fat and repairs muscle because of poor organ function. To prevent this keep sipping from a water bottle during workouts – don’t glug it all at once or you will spend more time in the bathroom than in the gym!