One of the biggest mistakes many new bodybuilders make is that they don't pay attention to their muscle building diets with the same detail, desire and determination with which they pay attention to their weight training program.
You constantly see people throw out numbers such as your weight training program is 85% of your results or that muscle building diets are 95% of your results. I've always rolled my eyes at these sorts of statements and found them rather silly. No one can know for sure how to break this down.
But I can tell you this, if you neglect (or ignore completely) one or the other, whether it be your training or muscle building diets, your results will only be a fraction of what they could be - if you get any results at all!
So let's talk about the importance of your diet and nutrition plan in your quest to gain pounds of quality muscle masss.
The truth is, no one will ever gain muscle without food. Muscle building nutrition for muscle gain is simply a matter of eating. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to learn. Stuffing your face with the wrong type of food, or just eating 1 or 2 large meals a day isn't the way to gain muscle. You'll just end up with the other weight problem. That's right, even if you are lifting properly, you'll find yourself adding more fat than muscle to your body. And no bodybuilder I know wants to do that.
High quality protein should be the center point of all your meals. Intense exercise increases demand for protein, which support muscle repair and growth. When you train with weights, you should eat a minimum of 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
If you weight 150 pounds, try and take in at least 225 grams of protein each and every day. I know this sounds like a lot and you could probably do okay with 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. But if you find it really difficult to gain muscle, this extra protein can help.
Here's a good starting guide for the number of calories you need to eat in your musclde building diets. A simple, yet highly accurate formula is to multiply your bodyweight by 20. For example, if you weight 150 lbs, you need at least 3,000 calories per day to maintain your bodyweight.
To grow and build muscle, you'll need more. Here's a quick guideline based on your weight. Remember, these numbers are for underweight people with high metabolisms trying to build lots of muscle quickly.
175 pounds and under - add 400 calories per day
176-200 ponds - add 500 calories per day
201 pounds and over - add 600 calories per day
To break down what you need in your muscle building diets:
Eat A Lot of Protein - At least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, preferably more.
Eat A Lot of Calories - If your goal is to gain weight fast, you most likely have little body fat and a high metabolism. While in the gaining weight stage, don't worry about adding a little bit of fat during your gaining weight phase. A good rule of thumb to start with is to multiply your body weight by 20 to get the number of calories you should be consuming each day.
If you weigh 150 pounds you should be consuming at least 3,000 calories a day. If you find, after a couple of weeks you haven't added any weight, you'll need to increase this number. This is just a starting guide. If you have a really high metabolism and you are working as hard as you should, you may need to increase your caloric intake.
Eat 6 meals a Day - This makes sure your body has the protein and calories it needs at all times. It also allows you to eat the high number of calories that you need.
Use Protein Shakes - This will make it easier for you to consume enough calories and protein each day, as well as making it much more convenient to have 6 meals a day.
Here's a sample weight gain drink you can make up and use in your muscle building nutrition program.
100 grams of protein powder
2 quarts of whole or 2% Milk
2 cups of skim milk powder
2 cups of chocolate ice cream
4 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 banana
Mix in a blender and drink throughout the day, in addition to your regular food meals.
Add or subtract ingredients based on individual taste preferences and number of calories needed.
Gregg Gillies is the founder of http://www.buildleanmuscle.com and has contributed articles to Ironman magazine and is a regular contributor to Body Talk magazine. He publishes a free newsletter availabe at Build Lean Muscle He is the author of two books, also available at his site.
limousine chicago serviceAs you've probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very... Read More
Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the... Read More
Your fiber intake is a critical factor in weight loss... Read More
I would like to raise a question: Is Rejuvenation possible... Read More
Recently I found the book : "Eating and health according... Read More
When I hear the word fat I usually think of... Read More
Modern life can be stressful. There are so many concerns... Read More
Most digestive disorders develop because of the bodys inability to... Read More
The cry of "I have no willpower!" often emerges from... Read More
Food in general has the distinction of being probably the... Read More
Apple cider vinegar is a product of apple juice fermentation.... Read More
Almost every woman suffers with premenstrual syndrome at one time... Read More
The debate regarding Fluoride continues to rage, is it good... Read More
For decades science has been looking for the answers to... Read More
I confess: I'm completely addicted to Pringles. My determination weakens... Read More
What is nutrition? We hear so many reports today on... Read More
Ambrotose? - the Nutritional Alphabet of the "Sweet Language of... Read More
Images of "protein powder" containers with accomplished bodybuilders on their... Read More
What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people... Read More
Vitamins & Minerals are essential to sustain life. Its what... Read More
Magnesium is an important mineral that serves numerous essential functions... Read More
Nails are a protective horn at the end of our... Read More
How is it that we can't seem to think that... Read More
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E.... Read More
There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More
street lights philips induction lighting Pete's produce ..I'd like to explain an important concept that most online... Read More
Looking into statistics, we can see the average American consumes... Read More
FOOD (Macro-nutrients)One of the most important aspects of hill walking... Read More
Despite the fact that accurate nutrition information can be accessed... Read More
Do you want more energy? How about more of the... Read More
It seems as if the health of America is failing.... Read More
The old clich? that you are what you eat is... Read More
"Organic" has some quite specific legal definitions in most developed... Read More
If you want to lose weight, there is one thing... Read More
For decades science has been looking for the answers to... Read More
Did you know that there might be poison in many... Read More
You are a mineral bodyEvery part of you is made... Read More
During a recent discussion with my father about low carb... Read More
We all need fat in our diet on a daily... Read More
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the healthiest of them... Read More
Who suffers from Eating Disorders?Eating Disorder sufferers are male and... Read More
The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams,... Read More
Flaxseeds may be the smallest seeds you will find in... Read More
Some of the things you think you know that just... Read More
Are there any benefits to be obtained from drinking water... Read More
Most of us are "regular" people. We don't eat the... Read More
Coconut oil is less known compare to olive oil, corn... Read More
BASIC MEAL & MENU PLANNINGAs a basis for meals and... Read More
How Can... Read More
A green and lush oasis in the middle of a... Read More
Nutrition Nutrition |