If you have decided to gain muscle mass, you surely know that nutrition plays a fundamental role.
Good nutrition to increase muscle mass must be balanced. The body needs carbohydrates (a source of energy for the muscles) to train, while protein is essential to recover.
Also, to maintain your normal hormones, you need healthy fats. This is why omega-3 fatty acids and vegetable oils should also be on the menu to gain muscle mass.
This article describes nutrition to gain muscle mass with a complete menu example.
Nutrition rules to gain muscle mass
Ideal muscle-building nutrition doesn’t just mean eating a serving of protein shakes or BCAA amino acid capsules before or after training. To achieve muscle growth, you must select the foods in your diet well and not just rely on supplements.
It doesn’t just matter how practical the physical training is. It is impossible to gain muscle mass if you do not provide enough essential nutrients for your muscles. In addition, to improve the diet results, you must provide a sufficient amount of calories. To gain muscle mass, the body needs energy.
Avoiding carbohydrates is one of the most common nutrition mistakes these days. Studies claim that gaining muscle mass without them may be possible. But the results are minor. Examples of these foods are buckwheat, oats, and quinoa.
The nutrition rules to gain muscle mass are:
- 10% increase in calories
- 50-60% carbohydrates
- 15-20% proteins
- 25-30% fat
- Provide sources of vitamins and minerals
- Distribute proteins throughout the day
// Read more:
- Muscle hypertrophy – What is it, and how is it achieved?
- Bulk Diet – Sample Menu
- The ideal percentage of carbohydrates, proteins and fats
Example of a menu to increase muscle mass
The logic of a menu of proper nutrition to gain muscle mass is based on giving the muscles enough energy to work and a good amount of nutrients to increase their size later.
The main dishes should always have some source of complex carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables), proteins (meats, eggs, low-fat dairy), and healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, etc.). Between meals, you should eat fruits or foods high in vitamins.
Here is an example of a menu to gain muscle mass:
- Breakfast
A cup of oatmeal (30-50 g) in skim milk with half a banana and a handful of nuts.
- Lunch
A serving of brown rice (120 – 140 g) with chicken breast (120 g) and olive oil dressing. (20 grams). To add sources of vitamins and minerals, you can add low carbohydrate vegetables or fruits such as cherry tomatoes, kale, or seeds.
- Snack
250 mL of skim yogurt with nuts. One fruit and rice crackers with skim cheese.
- Before training
The pre-workout time is when you can go for something sweet. 10-20g of simple carbohydrates will make your workout more powerful. If you are into supplements, this is the time. Add 5g of creatine to your sports shake and take 2 BCAA capsules before exercising.
- Price
Vegetable stew with meat and dressing with olive oil. Use 200-250 g of various vegetables (zucchini, bell pepper, sweet potato). You can also substitute them with durum or whole wheat pasta. The amount of protein source should be about 100-150 g. Examples are beef, fish, and chicken.
// Recommended:Â Hypercaloric diet – sample menu
Do I have to eat a lot to have more muscles?
You need to eat more, but not too much, to gain muscle mass. Unfortunately, the caloric intake of most lean men who have problems with weight gain ( Ectomorph ) is usually less than 2000 kcal per day.
For muscle growth, you should raise this value to 2500-2900 kcal per day. In addition, you must bear in mind that good nutrition is not about eating only protein at all times.
According to studies, the ideal for gaining muscle mass is 1.5-2.0 grams per kilo of body weight. This is about 120 grams of net protein per day for a 70 kg man. Eating more will not bring additional nutritional benefits to gaining muscle mass. (1,2)
// Recommended:Â How many eggs can I eat per day?
Do sports supplements serve as nutrition to gain muscle mass?
The use of sports supplements should be viewed as a supplement and is never a substitute for good nutrition. However, they can help you improve the results in gaining muscle mass.
If meeting your daily protein needs is difficult, protein isolates are one of the best options. If you are in the muscle definition stage, then bcaa amino acids are the best supplements.
Another sports supplement that helps you gain muscle mass fast is creatine. Creatine optimizes energy processes in muscle fibers. If you worry about the health of your kidneys, you should know that if it is taken cyclically, it does not mean any danger. (3,4,5)
Recommended:
- How many protein shakes to drink per day?
- Sports nutrition to gain muscles
- How do you achieve muscle growth?
ABSTRACT
Muscle-building nutrition doesn’t just mean taking your sports equipment before or after training.
If you want to gain muscle mass quickly, you need to balance your diet. Keep a count of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates on the menu; Getting enough essential nutrients and calories through food is even more critical.
