You might think that all it takes to build muscle mass is hitting the gym as much as possible but this isn't the case. An improper diet will negate your efforts in the gym, but a good one will help you build the physique of your dreams.
Protein
Protein is an important part of gaining mass because protein contains amino acids, which are the muscles' building blocks. In addition, eating protein signals your body to go into an anabolic, or muscle-building, state.
You'll often see recommendations for consuming "adequate" protein. According to Dr. John Berardi, a fitness and nutrition expert, optimal levels of muscle gain involve eating between 1 to 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. To find your body weight in kilograms, divide the number of pounds by 2.2.
Great sources of protein include whey protein, cottage cheese, lean meats, and most seafood.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy. They provide fuel for workouts, recovery and growth.
But be mindful of the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates provide sustained energy and are found in vegetables, rice, and wheat products. Simple carbohydrates give you a quick burst of energy followed by a crash, so try to limit them. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, so avoid candy, cookies and soda.
Fats
Dietary fat is essential, too. It offers many benefits, such as helping you absorb nutrients and encouraging healthy skin and hair.
Dietary fat is also helpful when you're trying to gain weight, as it packs more than double the amount of calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein. Fat contains nine calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates contain four.
Choose sources high in unsaturated fats, such as nuts, vegetable oil and avocados.
Avoid saturated fat and trans-fat. These are found in butter, partially-hydrogenated oils and full-fat dairy. Saturated fat raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol, and trans-fat encourages fat gain "even when calories are controlled," says researcher Dr. Lawrence Rudel.
Calculating Calorie Needs
The first requirement of building muscle mass is eating more calories than you expend. Find your basal metabolic rate (BMR) by converting your body weight into kilograms - divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. The calculation varies by gender, like so:
Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age)
Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age)
Next, take your BMR and multiply it by one of these numbers, depending on activity:
1 - No activity
1.3 - Light activity
1.5 - Medium activity (exercising three hours weekly)
1.8 - High activity (exercising six to seven hours weekly)
2 - Extreme activity (exercising more than eight hours weekly)
That number indicates how many calories will maintain your current weight. To gain weight, Berardi recommends eating 500 calories above maintenance level, for a rate of one pound weekly.
Meal Planning
What you eat is just as important as how much. Bodybuilding experts such as Randy Herring recommend a 40/40/20 split: eating 40 percent of your calories from protein, 40 percent from carbohydrates and 20 percent from fats. For instance, a 600-calorie meal would have 240 calories from protein, 240 from carbohydrates and 120 from fat.
An easy way to consume enough calories is by eating six or seven meals daily. Eating frequently keeps protein in your body all day, maximizing possible growth.
Try to space your meals evenly, but be sure to eat within a half-hour after workouts. Resistance exercise causes muscle breakdown, so you'll want nutrients in your body quickly to spur recovery.
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