Going in for sports in order to build muscle mass, you need to understand that muscles do not grow simply from physical activity.
The daily diet is something that should be given special attention to those who want to increase their muscles.
Here are some recommendations for proper nutrition and menu design.
Should I eat before or after training?
There is a big difference between when and how to eat.
The same food eaten before and after training can produce different results.
The main law of nutrition when building muscles is that the amount of energy supplied from food should exceed the amount of energy consumed by the body during training.
Yes, the diet works the other way around here, when for weight loss we try to reduce calories, then in order to increase muscle mass, you need to increase the calorie content of food consumed.
Despite the fact that the basis of nutrition for muscle building is proteins – the building material. In total, they should be no more than 35% of the diet. The bulk of the diet is still carbohydrates – 60%.
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Here, digressions should be made – that for “drying” (when you need to quickly lose weight and show muscle relief), for example, during competitions – this balance is temporarily reversed.
Those. temporarily proteins become priority. But such food is very limited in time. Eating like that for a long time is harmful, even dangerous to health.
The most import meals are in the morning for breakfast and after exercise.
It is recommended to consume about 20-30 gr of protein within an hour after waking up. Boiled eggs in the morning (a portion like this: one whole egg and two egg whites) or protein shakes are very good.
Before training, it is best to eat for an hour and a half.
For a pre-workout snack, a coarse bread sandwich with meat or chicken is suitable. If this is not possible, it is recommended that you eat an apple and drink a protein drink half an hour before training.
But the main food is right after training.
It is nutrition after training that becomes the basis for increasing body weight.
Indeed, after training, proteins and carbohydrates are completely absorbed. And whatever you eat will go for recovery and muscle building.
It is important to consume food as early as possible, preferably in the first twenty minutes after training.
Fats should be almost completely eliminated, because they will also be assimilated, but this is not necessary.
Is it important to keep track of what you eat?
Most trainers recommend taking special protein sports nutrition.
You can also consume egg whites (ready-made), while remembering that the yolks contain a lot of fat, which slows down the process of protein absorption.
Therefore, separate the yolks from the whites. By the way, egg white is absorbed by the body almost completely. This contributes to a dramatic increase in the formation of protein in muscle fibers.
Drinking is very important. It can be plain water or, better, freshly squeezed juice. Therefore, you can often observe how bodybuilders or powerlifters drink juices after training almost in the locker room.
And a more substantial meal can be an hour and a half after training. This could be:
- Lean meat,
- Egg whites with rice or pasta.
Metabolism is an important factor in acquiring the desired shape and volume.
What is not allowed within 2 hours after training ?
There should be no fat in food, because it slows down the absorption of proteins and carbohydrate
Caffeine (coffee, tea), cocoa, chocolate, cream, whipped cream – they also slow down the processes and therefore the work on muscle recovery will be incomplete.
Outside of training, it is important to consume animal proteins, especially for men (we discussed the dietary habits of men and women in a separate article). they form male sex hormones from them, under the influence of which there is an active build-up of muscles.
The formation of male sex hormones is promoted by:
- Eggs – Building Muscle
- Oysters
- Beef
- Hen
- Brussels sprouts
- Dairy products
Women can do without fatty foods altogether. Although fatty sea fish is good for everyone.
Nutritional recommendations
If you are a vegetarian, this is the end of your sporting life (although, of course, it is difficult) – add protein supplements, rich in protein legumes and “milk” to your diet.
Eggs, kefir, nuts are ideal for a snack.
Proteins should be not only of animal, but also of plant origin.
A variety of amino acids are needed to help build muscle. These are soy products, nuts, legumes, etc.
When eating animals, do not forget that this is not only meat, but also eggs, all dairy products, including kefir, cottage cheese, yoghurts, etc.
Sports Supplements and Protein Shakes
For additional stimulation of muscle growth, you can include sports supplements in your diet.
In the diet of a person trying to build muscle, most experts recommend the inclusion of various supplements.
These are primarily protein shakes – they are quickly absorbed and convenient to consume immediately after the workout itself.
It is also recommended to include vitamins and minerals. What is very important is that it is pointless to take vitamins in a short course – they do not accumulate in the body. It is important that they do it constantly.
There is also such a thing as necessary acids that our body does not produce (leucine, isoleucine and valine, etc.).
With a lack of them, the body begins to accumulate fat, and not muscle. Necessary Acids are often sold separately from protein shakes, sometimes included in them. It is consumed on the day of training at night.
All products must be of high quality. Remove preservatives, substitutes and flavor enhancers, fast food, and sweet soda from your diet.
Muscle gain occurs precisely with a varied and regular diet.
Drink a lot. Preferably between meals. Desirable – plain water, it helps to carry nutrients throughout the body and plays an important role in metabolism. It is also important to consume vitamins.
Building Muscle Final Words
There are many variables that determine what works and what doesn’t for a particular person. Training program, training effort, genetics and other factors all play a role.
But the general picture of nutrition for a set of muscles looks like this:
- Calories: + 10-20% of the normal weight maintenance
- Proteins: 1.76-3.3 g / kg
- Carbohydrates: 2.2-6.6 g / kg
- Fat: 1-2.2 g / kg
