Gaining muscle through diet should be always being fun. But the mass-building, short menu bland of foods that nutritionist writes out makes it anything but fun. They have you keeping track of your calorie intake and planning your meals well in advance.
Thankfully, all of this meal planning is not needed. Your main duty should be to gain around half-pound to two pounds of muscle each week. To achieve this increase in weight, you will need to increasingly consume an extra 600 to 900 quality calories a day above your basal metabolic rate and exercise exertion requirements. These additional calories will achieve faster muscle growth.
The common fierce-training individual will need to take in at least 11 calories per pound of body weight just to meet their regular basal metabolic requirement. If you are working out, you will need to consume an extra eight calories per pound of body weight to meet any regular activity that consist of movement and focused exercise, such as cardio and weight lifting. One example is an individual who weighs about 179 pounds, is fairly active throughout his everyday life and who weight trains intensely and frequently will need to consume approximately 3,043 calories to add quality muscle to his body (179lbs x 17 = 3,043).
Remember, this example is meant to be a guide because everyone’s body has a different set of dietary responses. Some people may find a different ratio that works better for them. It’s strongly advised that you utilize your body and the mirror as your main guide — if you’re not satisfied with how you feel or what you see in the mirror each month, small adjustments to your nutrient ratio and serving size are adequate until you find what works best for your body.
To promote muscle growth and strength gains, you will need to consume proportionate amounts of high-quality protein (eggs, sardine, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and almonds just to name a few) along with enough complex carbohydrates to nourish heavy and extreme training sessions. Aim to take in at least 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight and 1.5 to 2 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight (as a baseline). Make note of how your body responds to the ratio of protein and carbohydrates that you are eating. Your needs will alternate depending on your body’s metabolism and body fat, as well as insulin levels. Begin with at least 1 gram of protein and 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight and add 26% each week if you’re not progressing. Your dietary fat intake should account for 0.5 grams of fat per pound of body weight.
There are four calories in every gram of protein and carbohydrates and nine calories in every gram of fat, so an individual who weighs 179 pounds will consume 179 grams of protein per day (179 x 4 = 716 calories), 270 grams of carbohydrates per day (270 x 4 = 1,080 calories) and 90 grams of fat per day (90 x 9 = 810 calories). In total, that’s 2,606 calories to gain quality muscle mass without unwanted body fat.
How to Amplify The Muscle-to-Fat Ratio
- Create a regular meal count by taking in at least five calorie-dense whole-food meals (nuts, peanut butter, dark chocolate, etc.) and one muscle shake each day. In the beginning, this might seem like a lot of calories, but this amount is necessary to promote muscle growth.
- Provide you body carbohydrates in a timely fashion during intense workout. For example, 1 carbohydrate meal prior to training, while you are training, an hour after training, and five hours after you train. The key is to supply your body with carbohydrates during extreme workouts.
- Try to alternate your protein sources at each meal to promote absorption and digestion. The best sources of protein are chicken, buffalo, turkey, salmon, white fish, and eggs.
- Alternate your carbohydrate sources at each meal for allergy prevention. The best sources of carbohydrates are potatoes, yams, oats, barley, brown rice, breakfast cereals, and pasta, as well as some fruits. Gatorade is sufficient if the options above are beyond your budget.
- A small cup of vegetables (around 1 cup) with all of your meals will promote digestion and absorption, as well as control blood sugar levels.
- Alternate your fat sources each day to get a wide range of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats into your diet — walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds, all nut butters, coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, and a variety of seeds.
- When you wake up in the morning, try to consume organic greens drink to supply your body easily with the vitamins, amino acids, chlorophyll, alkaline salts, enzymes, and phytonutrients that helps to stabilize acids and ensure your cells are living in an environment where they will grow and thrive.
