Your muscle building efforts will not be complete without proper nutrition to feed your body. However, most aspiring muscle gainers do not have a proper muscle building diet plan to accomplish their objectives.
Most of them simply feed themselves without understanding the basic functions of post-workout nutrition.
In fact, the post-workout period is one of the most integral components that can contribute to your muscle building efforts. This period is normally known as the 3 hours that follows your intensive training.
This is the time when your body is most primed for absorption of nutrients. Your body will absorb almost anything that you feed it, almost literally like a sponge.
When you feed your body with a proper meal after your workout, you will greatly enhance your muscle gains and improve your recovery period.
So, what is the ideal post-workout meal to include in your muscle building diet plan?
The first meal of your post-workout meal should be consumed in liquid form. This is the period where your body is in a high state of stress and starving for nutrients. As such, you need to replenish your body almost immediately with a liquid meal. Your body will then start to rebuild itself fast enough, as a liquid meal is easily digested.
Your post-workout shake that forms part of your muscle building diet plan should ideally consist of whey protein, simple sugar like dextrose, creatine, and glut amine.
These ingredients should be mixed with water and ideally consumed within half an hour after your training. This simple post-workout meal will go a long way to help your muscle grow faster and improve your recovery period.
After about 45 minutes to one hour, you should then consume your second post-workout meal that consists of whole foods. This meal should be duly noted in your overall muscle building diet plan and should be high in protein and high glycemic carbohydrates.
Total Calories. You should be aware of the total calories you are consuming every day and where those calories are coming from. Don't assume you know. Start keeping a journal of everything that you eat, with a breakdown of the macronutrient content.
This is the best way to determine exactly what your total calorie content is. You have to take in enough calories throughout your day to supply your body with a continuous number of nutrients.
2. Adequate Protein. Lean protein is the way to go. Lean sources of protein can be found in chicken and eggs. This is a must if you want to build quality, lean muscle. An adequate source of protein will help your body repair itself after a hard workout.
You need to supply your body with carbohydrates, specifically complex carbs, to keep your body's energy stores up. Good sources of complex carbs are oatmeal and wheat-based products.
4. Drink plenty of water. This may sound too basic,, but it is an aspect of any muscle building diet plan that is grossly overlooked. You should be consuming 1 ounce (ca. 38 g) of water for every pound of body weight you have.
So if you weigh 200lbs. You should be drinking 200 ounces (7.56 kg) of water every day. Just about everything in your body needs water to function—so make sure you are drinking your fair share.
The Importance of Protein for Muscle Growth
Protein is critical to increase muscle; so you will need to eat a lot of it. However, you require carbohydrates too, to give your body the energy had to build the muscle. A good diet for increasing muscle is a balanced one; with somewhere around 20%—35% of your calories coming from protein.
Ammo Acids and Muscle Growth
Amino acids are also a very helpful part of a diet for increasing muscle. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins in our bodies. There are 20 amino acids that can be found in proteins.
Humans can produce 10 of the 20 amino acids, but the other 10, which are called essential amino acids, can only be obtained by eating the appropriate foods. For this reason, many people dieting for muscle building add amino acid supplements to help increase their ability to build muscle.
Some of the most often used amino acids in a diet for increasing muscle include:
1. Creatine—Creatine supplements are common in diets for muscle building because creatine is what allows our muscles to contract. More creatine means you can have a more intense workout.
2. Glut amine - Glut amine supplements you recover from your workouts faster. You build muscle faster when you heal faster.
3. BCAA—Branched Chain Amino Acids are popular supplements in a diet for building muscle because they improve recovery time, so that your muscles heal from a workout faster.
4. Lysine—Lysine helps with muscle building. Serious athletes need more than the average person. So serious body builders may need it as a supplement.
The Best Foods for Increasing Muscle Mass
A good diet for building muscle includes extra calories, unless you are overweight. But it also includes plenty of protein eaten throughout the day.
Many people add milk to their muscle building diet because it's a great way to add calories and protein at the same time. Many also add protein powder to their diets because it is a convenient way to add protein.
Going to the gym and doing your weight training routine every day is not enough for you to gain massive amounts of muscle mass. A usual bodybuilding diet plan comprises several feedings and refueling a day. Typically, a mass building diet centers around 3 main meals with several snacks to fill in the gaps.
The key to your success in adding muscle mass is to have plenty of quality calories and lots of protein. Be sure to stay away from refined foods and sugars.
Egg is an excellent source of nutrition. They do contain a high amount of fat and calories,, so some bodybuilders prefer egg whites. Egg whites are especially good if you're looking to cut up or lose a bit of body fat.
Your bodybuilding food plan would not be the same without chicken on your list. The white meat of the chicken contains less fat and calories than the dark meat. It doesn't matter which you prefer, so long as you consider the calorie difference.
You have to include some green vegetables in your diet plan. They are not only a good source of protein, but also an exceptional source of fiber and vitamin C. You can consume plenty of greens because they have low amounts of fat and are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Bodybuilders are going to need to eat some carbohydrates. These are easy to get and overdo, so be careful. A favorite carbohydrate supply is old fashion oatmeal. Be sure to avoid the instant oatmeal because it contains many preservatives and sugar.
Other foods to consider are:
Chia see
Nuts
Green tea
berries - blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
Tomatoes
Avocado
Kale
Wild Fish
Cinnamon
The about list is short, but it contains some of the best food choices you can have. Be sure to consume as many of these items as often as possible.
In addition to all the protein-rich food, it is important to drink lots of water, at least 2 liters a day. Hydration is very essential to your mass gaining program. Being even slightly dehydrated will make a big difference in your progress because you will be weaker, less energetic, and toxins will not be flushed as quickly.
Immediately after your workouts, it is significant to get a good balance of proteins and carbohydrates. This will ensure you have the proper nutrients available to your muscles when they are most readily able to accept them.
Designing an appetizing bodybuilding diet using the suggested food ideas mentioned above along with a solid weight training routine will ensure you reach your bodybuilding goals.
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