Building muscle requires more than just exercising regularly and lifting weights.
Sure, working out is extremely important when it comes to losing fat and building lean muscle, but that’s not the whole story; diet plays an important role as well.
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen”.
The underlying theory is that what you eat is more important than how much you exercise if you want to have defined abs and sculpted, toned, visible muscles.
I’m not saying that all you need to do is diet and you’ll have abs. But neither I’m saying that you have to kill yourself with strenuous exercise to build a leaner and more muscular body.
Instead, what I’m trying to say is that abs – like any other muscle – are built in the gym but revealed in the kitchen.
Want to learn more and find out the best nutrition strategies you can use for muscle growth? Read on!
5 Nutrition Rules to Follow If You Want to Build Lean Muscle
1. Eat Enough Calories
Fitness today can seem complicated, especially because most nutrition advice revolves around helping people lose weight.
But eating for muscle growth is different from simply trying to lose weight.
Muscles are highly active tissues that require sufficient and consistent nutrition to recover optimally and grow.
That’s why when you go on fad diets you actually lose muscle because your body starts breaking down muscle to meet energy requirements.
The problem is that lots of women shy away from combining exercise with a high-calorie diet due to concerns about getting bulkier or gaining weight.
Believe me, eating enough calories and lifting weights won’t make you gain fat or get bulky. Instead, it will reshape your body in a way that low-calorie diets will never achieve.
2. Focus on Protein
Protein is the foundation of muscle growth.
In this guide to macronutrients, I have already explained why protein is crucial for building lean muscle and how it helps repair and maintain muscle tissue.
To stimulate muscle growth, you should consume 1.7 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight each day. For example, if your weight is 58 kilos, you should consume approximately 98.6 grams of protein each day.
Be sure to choose minimally processed sources of protein rather than processed sources with added sugars.
Clean protein sources include plain Greek yoghurt, white-fleshed fish, beans and lentils, skinless white meat poultry, lean beef, tofu, egg whites, and low-fat dairy products.
On the other hand, you should avoid protein sources such as hot dogs, bacon, sausages, and other processed meats.
Processed meats are loaded with preservatives that are not good for your health. Plus, they typically contain less protein than a piece of fresh meat or fish.
3. Eat the Right Carbs
When it comes to fitness and nutrition, there is a lot of bad advice out there. It’s a common misconception that carbs make you gain fat, so it’s best to avoid them.
Another common misconception is that you should only increase your protein intake for muscle growth.
But the truth is, to stimulate muscle growth, you need a fair amount of carbs, and that shouldn’t scare you.
Here’s why: Carbs increase protein synthesis and the rate of transportation of amino acids to tissue (as revealed by a study published by the National Library of Medicine).
Put simply, your body processes protein better if fueled with carbs. If you don’t eat enough carbs, your muscles won’t reap all the benefits of the protein you’re consuming (and, as you already know, protein is an essential building block for muscle).
Plus, carbs provide energy for your body, which is essential for an intense workout.
However, do note that not all carbs are created equal. Be sure to choose whole carbs which are minimally processed and can properly fuel your workout (e.g., vegetables, whole grains, legumes, oats, beans, etc.).
On the other hand, you should avoid refined carbs such as white bread, pastries, or sugar-sweetened beverages that have a high glycemic index and are low in nutrients.
4. Distribute Protein Evenly at Each Meal
According to a study by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston published by Science Daily, having an evenly distributed protein intake over your daily meals can stimulate muscle growth.
Typically, people eat a high-carbohydrate breakfast, a bit more protein at lunch, and then consume a high-protein dinner.
But if you shift some of the protein you eat at dinner to lunch and breakfast, you can maximise muscle building and keep muscles healthy.
Not to mention that protein makes you feel fuller for longer, so eating some quality protein with every meal is important for reducing food cravings and managing hunger levels.
For breakfast, for example, you can consider replacing some carbs with high-quality protein from sources such as eggs, Greek yoghurt, or soy milk.
As I have previously mentioned, you should eat 1.7 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram each day provided that you follow a strength training workout plan.
Now, suppose you need approximately 90 grams of proteins each day. In that case, each of your three main meals should include approximately 30 grams of protein.
5. Time Your Pre- and Post-Workout Meals
One of the most common questions I get is, “Should I eat before and after a workout?”.
The short answer is yes, you should.
The protein you eat pre- and post-workout can boost your results and stimulate muscle recovery and growth.
That’s why I recommend all my clients to eat before a workout because I believe that the right pre-workout meal will give them the best chance to train properly and build muscle.
Not to mention that not eating enough before exercise can make you dizzy and lightheaded.
Ideally, you should eat a protein-rich meal a couple of hours before training. However, if you typically work out in the morning you probably won’t be able to eat a large meal before you hit the gym.
In that case, a nutrient-dense snack or a light breakfast should be enough.
The same goes for your post-workout meals – They’re extremely important to help your muscles recover and replace the glycogen stores your body consumes during a workout.
Eating carbs and proteins after a workout enables your body to increase muscle protein synthesis which is the process of building muscle mass.
That’s why you should eat a combination of carbs and protein within an hour or two after finishing your workout.
The Bottom Line
If building lean muscle is what you’re looking for, changing your diet is key.
Eating quality protein and carbs from healthy sources before and after your workouts can help improve body composition and maximise muscle growth.
Meanwhile, you’ll want to avoid processed sources of protein and carbs that typically include high levels of added sugar, sodium, and fat.
For optimal results, be sure to eat enough calories to fuel your body and combine a healthy diet with the right strength-training exercises.
Sources:
Verywell Fit – Beginner’s Guide to Getting Lean the Right Way
Medical News Today – 30 muscle-building foods to fuel your goals
WebMD – What to Eat Before and After a Workout
Healthline – Pre-Workout Nutrition: What to Eat Before a Workout
Healthline – Post-Workout Nutrition: What to Eat After a Workout