Most folks know that the major key to gaining muscle is to increase your daily calories while following a weight training routine.
However, just blindly eating calorie-rich foods won’t do you much good, in fact it will more than likely cause you to pack on a lot of unsightly fat. There’s no point in busting your tail down the gym only to have it covered up by slabs of blubber is there?
So there must be a better way. How can you gain LEAN muscle without piling on unwanted fat deposits? Here’s how…
The key to successful lean muscle gain is mostly about nutrition rather than training, and understanding how your body works and when it needs re-fuelling.
Calculate How Many Calories You Really Need
This is absolutely essential as step number 1 if you want to gain lean muscle mass. You need to know what your goal is before you can even aim for it.
It’s no good just going out and finding the first high calorie diet you see – it needs to be balanced to your body and level of activity. That’s why just basing it on averages on just on your height and weight is not enough.
There are a number of online calculators that will give you a more accurate figure based on your body and activity level. Whatever the ideal number of calories is for you, make sure you write it down and then go find a meal plan to achieve that daily figure.
Eat More Regularly
The bog-standard “3 square meals a day” mantra is not much good for muscle building I’m afraid…well, let’s just say it’s not AS effective.
And it’s not great at keeping the fat off either.
Smaller meals eaten more regularly like 5 or 6 times a day are far more effective than the usual 3. This is because it keeps your metabolic rate consistent as well as your energy levels. If you are lacking energy your body will sometimes look to your muscles as a ready source BEFORE it goes for your fat deposits.
So make sure you eat regularly to gain lean muscle mass.
Time Your Meals For Greater Efficiency
In addition to eating more frequently, you should time your meals as far as possible to encourage lean muscle gain and as efficient use of energy and nutrients.
This idea of nutrient timing is key to ensuring your muscles are re-fueled and given the nutrients they need in order to repair and grow.
The most important times will be the pre- and post-workout windows, since pre-workout you need to consume high energy foods to get you through the workout, and the post-workout meal requires a lot of protein as well as substantial carbs an fats to encourage testosterone production.
Being smart about your food choices and when you eat them is critical if you want to see maximum muscle gain with minimal fat build up. Find out more about nutrient timing and how to plan out your meal times and workout schedules to reach your maximum genetic potential in the shortest time possible ==> Gain Muscle In 21 Days
