Muscle Growth
While it is absolutely necessary to lift weights in order to achieve muscle growth, lifting weights is only a part of the equation. In fact, lifting weights is secondary, and your primary concern is nutrition. Only through eating for muscle growth and exercise will you see worthwhile results. In essence, eating for muscle growth consists of two aspects: eating a surplus of calories and eating the right types of calories.
Caloric Surplus
Real, noticeable gains in eating formuscle growth can only be seen through eating a surplus of calories each day. If you are eating for muscle growth we recommend this strategic method: bulk-and-cut, bulk-and-cut.
When eating for muscle growth, it is important for you to figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is how many calories your body burns in one 24-hour period while at rest. There are several places online that will calculate this for you, such as this one.
Once you find you BMR, you will then take this number and add 500 to it. So, if your BMR is 2500 calories, then you should be eating for muscle growth roughly 3000 calories per day for maximal muscle growth. In general, you will need about 350-700 additional calories above your BMR per day to create an environment that is favorable for muscle growth, so start with 500 as an average and work from there. You may be able to see muscle growth eating closer to 350 additional, or you may need as much as 700 additional calories, but 500 is a good place to start .
At this rate, you should gain 1-2 pounds a week. It is not healthy to gain weight any quicker than this, so patience is key.
Types of Foods
If you are eating for muscle growth, you want to eat a lot of food, but they need to be fairly clean foods, or you will gain a lot of unnecessary fat. Fat gain is an inevitable part of the bulking process, but the amount of fat that you gain can be controlled, to a certain extent.
To maximize your muscle growth your protein intake should be approximately 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight, or a simple 1:1 ratio. If you weigh 180lbs, then you should eat at least 180g of protein each day. Great sources of protein would include whole eggs, egg whites, turkey, chicken breast, lean beef, salmon, and soy. Always opt for organic, minimally-processed meats and eggs. Whey and casein protein supplements are also excellent, and a quick shake in the early afternoon is a great way to add that extra 350-700 calories into your diet.
Carbohydrates should be kept very clean and minimally processed, as well. Although it is different for everyone, eating approximately 2g of carbohydrates to each pound of bodyweight is typically good for muscle growth. Examples of clean carbohydrates would be minimally-processed sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, Ezekiel bread, almonds, peanuts, and oatmeal.
At the end of each day, make sure that the combined caloric total of all foods matches your target intake.
