7 Secrets To Eating For Muscle Growth

Do you want to build muscle mass? If yes, know that it requires a proper diet and hard work to make it happen. When it comes to muscle growth, you must eat nutrient-dense foods that have the right blends of healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

Keep on reading and find out the top secrets to eating for muscle growth.

① Try The Steak And Eggs Diet

As the name implies, the steak and eggs diet consists of eating eggs and steak only. This diet will offer your body adequate protein to build and repair cells like the muscle cells damaged as you exercise. What’s more, this eating plan consists of many amino acids. When these are taken from protein sources such as eggs and meat, they boost muscle protein synthesis. In this process, protein is produced in order to repair muscle damage because of vigorous exercise.

On the other hand, to remain cut, you’re supposed to keep an eye on how many calories you eat in one day. But with this kind of diet, you’re less likely to do this because protein can offer you the feeling of satiation that prevents overeating.

Nevertheless, aside from the steak and eggs diet, you can also eat other protein-rich foods like beans and legumes, tofu, soybeans, tuna, and salmon.

② Have More Fats

When maximizing muscle growth, cutting down on trans fats and saturated fats are important. But you’ll still need the right amount of healthy fats in order to maintain hormonal function and improve metabolism.

A fat-free diet may obstruct muscle growth in those who are exercising vigorously. Having said that, make sure to keep fats in the ballpark, roughly 15-20% of your day-to-day caloric intake. Olive oil isn’t just the source of healthy fats. Other sources include dark chocolate, Greek yogurt, ghee, dark chocolates, chia seeds, and nuts.

③ Eat Green Leafy Veggies

Green leafy vegetables are important as they offer the body useful antioxidants, calcium, iron, and vitamins. It’s very important to maintain a healthy level of iron to make sure you’re producing sufficient red blood cells to keep the body healthy.

On the other hand, vitamins are needed to ensure a fully functioning immune system that’ll save you from being sick. This is crucial as you won’t be able to exercise or work out when you’re sick, which will badly affect your gains. When it comes to maintaining stronger bones, calcium plays an important role too. With stronger bones, you can lift heavy weights easily as weaker bones may result in injuries.

An antioxidant is also essential for the body as it keeps you free of toxins that can affect your overall health and performance in the gym. Nevertheless, some of the vegetables you can include in your diet for muscle growth are kale, spinach, and even broccoli.

④ Don’t Ignore Carbohydrates

If you want to gain mass, you’ll need to consume a considerable amount of carbs. Typically, a pound of bodyweight needs 2-3 grams of carbs. Carbohydrates have the needed calories for growth as well as the glycogen to fuel vigorous lifting.

For muscle growth, some of the foods you can have include oatmeal, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and brown rice. But in your first meal and post-workout food, if an insulin spike is necessary to channel the amino acid into muscles, you’ll need carbs that are fast-digesting like white rice, fruits, and white potatoes.

⑤ Consume Enough Calories

If you want to obtain body mass or build muscles even though you’re in your 40s, it’s crucial that you’re in a caloric excess, the same way attempting to lose body fat needs a caloric deficit. Setting this caloric surplus is quite tricky and specific to athletes and their needs.

As a rule of thumb, opt for a certain amount and stick with it. Then, monitor both your body composition and body weight. When you reduce weight on the scale but your body composition remains the same, increase your calories. If you’re gaining body fat and weight, adjust in the other direction. In contrast to the common belief, if the weight on the scale increases, it isn’t about muscle all the time. Take into account all the factors.

⑥ Consider A Liquid Meal

Getting enough food can be challenging sometimes, especially if there are many things to do. If you’ve truly shifted in the amount of food you’re eating, it’d be best to add one liquid meal daily to boost that. For instance, you can include protein like pea or powdered whey. Also, it should consist of some fats like nuts, coconut oils, almonds, or butter. By doing this, you’ll be able to add 500 calories easily to boost your total daily count.

Further, it’ll require some fiber and micronutrients, so add some veggies and fruits. If you want a shake for post-workout and have acquired some carbs, you can include powdered carbs in your shake together with water, protein powder, and creatine.

⑦ Don’t Stick With The Same Foods

Sticking to the same foods every single time may result in a food tolerance to such. In fact, this could happen with common culprits like gluten, milk, eggs, and meats. By rotating your food, your body will have a break from digesting foods for several days that can help you reduce or avoid the possibilities of intolerances. It’ll keep inflammation low, keep your gut happy, and most importantly, help you in building more muscle. You can also obtain a wide range of nutrients and keep your diet even more interesting.

Conclusion

Muscle growth is all about doing the right thing not only in the gym but also in the kitchen. Don’t leave your diet to chance. If possible, plan your meals so you won’t end up eating at fast-food restaurants or reheating frozen lasagnas after working out. Nevertheless, by following the tips above, you’re one step closer to achieving the body you are dreaming of. Consider the ideas mentioned here as you build your muscles and take care of your body.