Getting Started
Building Muscle: Diet
Whether it be you want to build muscle, loose weight or be generally healthier overall, your diet is the most fundamental factor to seeing results.
It’s common to see that people tend to struggle with dieting more then they do training as it can be so easy to fall off course and be tempted by a sweet tooth.
The word diet can cover a broad spectrum of different dieting methods and types and some will suit better than others. However, below are the basics which apply to those wanting to build lean muscle mass.
Protein
Probably one of the most popular macro nutrients in the fitness industry and rightly so. Protein is a key part of any diet and especially for those looking to build muscle.
When resistance training, you’re breaking down the muscle and creating microscopic tears in the muscle tissue. Protein consist of amino acids that are essential for muscle development. It is therefore utilised by the body by targeting the damaged cells and repairing them in order to become stronger.
The correct amount of protein will vary from person to person, however, a common rule to follow would be 0.8-1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. You can also make use of macro nutrient calculators to help give you an idea based on your body composition.
With the fitness/health industry rapidly growing, it does also mean there are numerous supplements and foods out there that offer high quality protein for those who may be vegetarian or vegan.
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Meal Timing
Creating routine is a great way to create consistency and that applies with the consumption of meals as well. If you’re wanting to hit your macro nutrient target, spacing out your meals and giving yourself a sufficient amount of time in the day to hit this is essential.
For building muscle, people typically eat around every 3 to 4 hours a day of smaller portions, this of course being dependant on your total calorie/macro intake. This may not be possible for everyone so it’s worth noting that this is were you can substitute meals with protein shakes and meal replacements etc.
Timing your food intake evenly throughout the day will aid you with keeping glycogen levels high which will be used for energy when exercising as well as keeping your metabolism active. However, I would suggest you don’t consume calorie dense food within an hour or two of your workout – The reason for this being that digestion requires a lot of blood and energy, essentially impacting your performance.
Meal timing is more important to help hit your macro intake on an even basis, however it is becoming increasingly popular for people to introduce intermittent fasting into their diet plans and having a shorter eating window in the day. Although this may not be easy, it is said that fasting can offer a magnitude of benefits on your health.
Calorie Surplus
A calorie surplus is when you consume a higher amount of calories then your body burns off throughout the day. Although it may not be essential to build muscle, it is a method which can certainly help.
There is often a misconception that ‘bulking’ entails consuming mass amounts of calorie dense foods such as pizza or muffins. However, this is not the case, if done correctly it can greatly aid your progress.
It’s recommended you consume around 10-20% more calories then your maintenance intake and you can do this by keeping your original diet plan but simply making fractional increases to the amount you serve out, for example – 200g of chicken breast as appose to a 150g usual portion.
The benefit of a calorie surplus foremost is that it can promote protein synthesis which is the repairing of muscle tissue leading to growth. It will also allow you to maintain consistent glycogen levels and offer a consistent source of energy for your body to utilise.
A higher amount of food will also offer a higher amount of vitamins and minerals within your diet, this being the case provided you split your macros correctly and maintain a moderately clean diet. If you overload on excessive amounts of calories and ‘dirty’ food it could lead to you feeling more sluggish than usual and in turn having a negative impact on your workouts and motive.
Finally, note that being in a calorie surplus will ultimately lead to you gaining weight, both muscle and also fat. This is a natural effect but with a consistent workout routine incorporating progressive overload and moderate cardio it will help keep this at bay.
Carbohydrates
With most diets, carbohydrates are the bodies main source of fuel, unless you are practicing a keto diet which utilises fat. With this, carbs are what are going to fuel your muscles and body when exercising. Ensure your overall diet consist of around 50% carbohydrates.
In theory the higher amount of carbs you consume the more fuel your body will obtain, this fuel not only contributes to your performance and energy levels when exercising but also when your body is repairing post workout. This process requires energy which carbs will aid.
In relation to muscle development, carbohydrates help contribute to the amino acids that are the building blocks of your muscle tissue.
There are two types of carbohydrates which are simple and complex. Simple carbs are fast releasing sugars you may get from sweets to where as complex carbs would be rice, pasta, potatoes etc. Complex carbs are what you want to incorporate within your diet as these are the are slow releasing and offer a sustainable source of energy throughout your day without that ‘crash’ effect.