- Eating enough – Most people who think they are eating a lot, are usually under eating in order to add muscle to their physique. First you should find out you’re BMR (calories burned at rest) in order to know how many calories you should consume to gain weight.You’re calories should come from quality foods including all the macronutrients ( carbs, protein and fat). Everyone’s body type is different and gains at a different rate but as a general rule of thumb, It is essential to be eating all you’re meals including 2 big snacks throughout the day.
- Get adequate amounts of protein – For the average person trying to maintain their weigh, it is recommended that they eat 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of kg of body weight. However if you’re goal is to gain muscle, you should be eating between 1.6-2.0 grams of protein per kg of body weight. The majority of you’re protein intake should come from complete protein sources such as ( chicken, eggs, beef, tofu, fish)
- Load up on carbs- There is all the hype that more protein is better for muscle building, yes, it is important but so are carbohydrates. The reason being, when you are training, you’re body taps into the glycogen stores as a source of energy. If you don’t have enough glycogen, you’re body will start to eat away at the muscle tissue. The best carbs sources to reach for are potatoes, pasta, bagels,rice and quinoa.
- Get enough sleep and rest to recover- Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep on a daily basis. The human growth hormone is most active when sleeping, you’re biggest gains will be when you’re resting and sleeping enough. Not sleeping enough could cause a spike in cortisol levels which will in turn lead to muscle breakdown.
- Method of training- For muscle growth the ideal rep and set range to stick to is 6-12 reps. The volume of the workouts are also important. For muscle groups and areas that you feel need the most work, you should be performing 4-5 sets per day and for body parts that you’re content with you should be aiming for 12-15 reps for 2-3 sets. This will help maintain and prevent muscle loss when focusing more on the other areas.
- Supplements – a good multi vitamin, daily fish oil and protein powder post workout are all important for building muscle. The protein powder is great because it provides the body with the essential amino acids in order to repair the tissue after a hard workout.
