Combine your workouts with a good muscle building diet if you want to succeed. Just working out or just eating right will not give you the results you are after. This is because your body will be stimulated by exercise, then a good diet provides the correct nutrients to repair and grow the muscles. It is essential that you understand that your diet choices are vital for the reaching your muscle building goals. 

Here are a few basic muscle building diet tips that can assist with your muscle growth mission : 

1.Eat plenty of Protein – Body builders diet stipulates the consumption of lots of high quality protein sources. Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of your muscles and body.  Your muscle tissue grows, is repaired and maintained by amino acids contained in the protein. Foods that are classified as good sources of protein include beef, chicken breast turkey, salmon, tuna and eggs . When choosing meats as your choice for protein be sure to remove any excess fat. The optimal muscle building daily dietary protein intake is probably between 20% and 30% of total calories . 

2. Keep eating Carbohydrates-Carbohydrates ARE an important part of the muscle building diet. A number of bodybuilders get it into their heads that the only food responsible for muscle growth is protein. Protein may be primarily responsible for the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue but it can only complete this task when the other  nutrients are present in the diet. A diet that is deficient in carbs will force the body to break down protein into energy which is not really suitable when trying to build muscle. Only through a diet that includes suitable carb intake can a body reach its optimal muscle building potential. For the best results when eating carbs (ie you build muscle without gaining fat) it is important to know which type of carbohydrate to consume . Carbs known as complex types are the preferred foods to eat as they are broken down more slowly in the body resulting in a release of energy that last for longer. This means that you can sustain longer workouts, faster recovery plus better assistance in the muscle building process . Good choices of complex carb foods include oatmeal, wholegrain breads, brown rice/pasta, vegetables and sweet potatoes . A daily carbohydrate intake of 50%-60% of total calories is best for optimal muscle building. 

3. Include Healthy Fats– A diet that has adequate levels of the right fats will be great for your health as good fats help the body to gain muscle and decrease body fat levels more effectively. This is due to the fact that a healthy fats encourage the release of testosterone in the body and raise the rate of fat burning metabolic reactions in the body. For good sources of healthy fats opt for oily fish such as salmon or sardines, avocados, monosaturated oils like flaxseed and olive and various nuts (eg walnuts, almonds). A daily fat intake of 15%-25% of total calories is best for optimal muscle building. .

4. Invest in a quality Whey protein supplement–  In my opinion the only supplement worth taking when building muscle is a whey protein. Although you can get all your protein requirements from natural sources I feel that using a quality whey supplement in addition to natural protein food sources can be beneficial. An ideal body building food, whey protein is easily absorbed which makes it perfect for that pre or post workout snack when the muscle needs protein quickly.It is typically added to shakes and smoothies using either water, milk or fruit juices . Whey protein is readily available in health food or body building shops. 

So in conclusion a diet that is balanced and rich in all nutrients is best for optimal muscle gains. Combined with an ideal muscle building program, you will experience muscle growth in a relatively short time.

 

 

Tags: diet for muscle building, muscle building diet, muscle building diet tips
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