If you’re wanting to increase muscle mass, what becomes important are the types of foods and supplements that you eat. What proper food intake does is they contribute towards better nutrition, which enlarges and sustains bigger muscle mass while not losing bulk.
Consuming the proper nutrients becomes just as important as going to the gym and pumping those heavy weights for muscle gain. Just hard training alone won’t get you the results that you want, as you’re not getting the proper fuel to force the muscles to grow.
If you’re thin or losing muscle mass because of older age, or have a difficult time keeping the weight on, it then becomes especially important that you keep track of the exact nutrients which you place in your body, this based on the exact value of the food sources and supplements you consume.
Eating Meals Every 3 Hours
It’s found that eating a healthy meal every 3 or so hours becomes beneficial for gaining muscle bulk, for those who are wanting to shed fat while attempting to gain muscle, or when wanting the muscle to remain on the body.
Skipping meals in the attempts to lose fat is never a good idea, this because by instinct, what the body will naturally begin to do is store fat, this because of a built in defense mechanism that thinks it’s starving.
What having these meals more frequently does is it supports fat loss while having no other choice but to gain muscle, this because what the additional nutritional meals does is accelerates the body’s metabolism.
Also, if you don’t have meals more frequently, what your body lacks is a constant source of energy, which as a result begins to eat up the existing muscle tissue to get the energy that it needs. Once this happens, the muscles begin to deteriorate.
Your Muscles Need Protein For Growth
Protein from natural food sources such as eggs, lean meat, low fat natural cheese, beans and peas, kinoa, and fresh fish especially salmon, tuna, herring, and cod, are excellent examples of natural foods rich in protein.
The preferred protein intake on a daily basis should be around: 1.5g for every pound of body weight, or 3.3g per kilogram. Every meal that you eat should include at least 40 to 60g of protein.
Protein is vital growing material when it comes to the growth of muscles, while also speeding up muscle recovery. Another option is to use powdered protein supplement.
When it comes to powdered supplements however, consumption shouldn’t exceed more than 40% percent of your overall daily protein intake, the reason being that your body also needs minerals, vitamins, and digestive enzymes, which the protein powder substance itself can’t usually provide.
Carbohydrates Are Vital For Building Muscle Mass
Carbohydrates are classified into three categories: simple carbs such as the sugars, complex carbs such as brown rice or whole grain breads, and the fibrous carbs such as wholesome vegetables.
To gain muscle mass, what you should be concentrating on are the complex carbohydrates, this especially when you’re working out hard at the gym building muscle, or when attempting to lose body fat.
What the complex carbs does is they’ll release the stored energy into the body slower, as well as for longer extended periods of time.
The foods which contains the healthiest complex carbs include: bran, cornmeal, whole grains, brown rice, and pasta. What’s recommended is you load up on the complex carbs in the morning, and then directly after your workout for best results.
Having a good complex carb rich meal post workout becomes crucial for muscle building, along with quicker muscle recovery. The recommended amount to consume on a daily basis is 5.5g per kilo of body weight, or 2.5g per pound.
Vegetables Needed For Muscle Recovery
For every meal that you consume, what it should also contain is anywhere from 1 to 2 cups of a variety of fresh colored fruits and vegetables. What you’re getting is a natural injection of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals from these sources, which speeds up muscle recovery while healing damaged muscle cells.
Once higher levels of acid begins to accumulate in the bloodstream, this because of the consumption of the proteins and carbs, what they need is to be balanced out by the alkaline rich fruits and vegetables.
What too much acid in the blood does is it offsets the pH balance, which results in the process of decreasing muscle mass as well as weakening bone strength and density.
Essential Fats Are Needed
Depending on if you’re wanting to gain muscle or lose body weight, the fat intake should be anywhere between 10 to 30% percent of your daily meals. For those who aren’t able to gain weight easily, 30% percent fat is recommended.
For those who are wanting to lose body fat, a 10% percent ratio is recommended, while 20% percent would be normal. What the body needs is fat, as it’s one of the main contributors when it comes to energy, which diffuses oxygen into the bloodstream.
What’s required however are the “good “fats, better known as the essential fatty acids. This group includes extra virgin olive oil, fresh fish, walnuts, and certain seeds.
Track Your Food Consumption
It becomes important to document what, when, and the types of foods that you consume on a daily basis, this to monitor if the contributions are useful for your muscle building efforts.
What’s needed are their nutritional values, including the exact amounts of carbs, protein, and fat that they contain. Even if doing so sounds too much of a chore, it can become a habit quickly once you begin to see results. What you need is an efficient reminder system as you finish your meals.