Disclaimer: The nutritional information and the diet calculation tools in this section of the Website are made available to you for informational purposes only. Dieting should always be done under proper supervision by a person who is certified and trained and only after consulting a physician.
Eating To Grow Muscle
Even the most effective mass building leg workout will do nothing for leg development if your diet is not up to par. In order to grow, you must have a caloric surplus, that is, you must consume more calories than you expend.
As a general rule of thumb, eating 500 more calories than you expend will help you gain approximately 1 lb of bodyweight per week. If those calories are mostly clean, i.e. not junk food, and you lift weights regularly and lead an active lifestyle, then almost all of that weight gain will be muscle.
Protein: One of the keys to building muscle is eating at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Carbs: Another key to building muscle is having a sufficient amount of carbohydrates for energy and for growth. Complex carbs such as rice, pasta, whole wheat bread, muesli, granola, and oatmeal should be ingested for maximum effect.
Healthy Fat: The often forgotten variable to a balanced diet is healthy fat. Many people eat greasy foods such as hamburgers. However, they should concentrate on eating enough flax seed oil, fish oils, and nuts such as almonds.
Supplements: Additionally, fish oil supplements can be taken so that you make sure that you are eating enough healthy fat. If you want to build muscle, a good investment would be a multivitamin to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients and vitamins you need.
Very good protein sources include:
Many people would be surprised how well a multivitamin can assist in muscle growth. Other valuable supplements are your basic protein powder and possibly Creatine. However, supplements won't help you at all if your diet and your training are not at a high level.
Basically, if you hit a plateau, eat about 250-500 calories of healthy foods more per day and you will be amazed at what it can do for recovery and growth.
