If you are new to bodybuilding and interested in gaining muscle mass, do it wisely by following sensible dietary guidelines. One widely used food matrix, called My Food Pyramid, designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advises healthy adults to eat a varied diet. Avoid eating only animal protein because you still need complex carbohydrates found in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy foods.
Determine Total Daily Calories
Figure out how many calories you need to eat daily to gain the amount of weight you want. To gain one pound, you need to eat an additional 3,500 calories. If you want to gain 10 pounds, that means consuming 35,000 additional calories. To do this safely, start with adding perhaps 500 more calories per day. Always chose nutrient-dense calories instead of processed and refined junk food.
Tally Total Daily Protein Intake
Figure out how many grams of protein to eat for your ideal weight. Depending on your ultimate goals, you might eat 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for half your ideal weight. For example, consume 90 grams of protein if you would like to weigh 180 pounds or 135 grams of protein if you are following the 1.5 gram formula. Rather than eating only hamburgers, vary your proteins daily by consuming roasted nuts, legumes, whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, millet, oats, soy, almond or hemp seed milks and more fish. Four ounces of ahi tuna provides 25 grams of protein for only 150 calories.
Eat Several Smaller Meals Daily
Do this with a protein hit every time to gain bulk. For example, if you are consuming 3,000 calories per day, consider eating six mini meals of 500 calories. Eating some kind of protein each time will mean you are feeding your muscles. Muscles are comprised of amino acids found in all protein foods: eggs, beef, poultry, fish, beans and rice, nuts, dairy foods, and cow and seed milks. An example of a mini meal for a bodybuilder might be a small hamburger of four ounces of lean beef, whole-grain bun and a cup of bean-only chili.
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