Top Muscle Building Tips That Everybody Needs To Know

If you are one of those people that struggles to build muscle, there are a few things that you could be doing wrong. One thing that you need to do is be consistent with the gym. You are not going to get results if you are training now and again. Another thing to mention is that nutrition is a key factor in getting results.

There is a well-known saying that goes for the gym and that is 80% nutrition and 20% training. Here are some key facts that you should take into consideration when it comes to training and putting on muscle. 

Take Your Muscle Building To The Next Level

When you are working out, you are going to be using a lot of energy for training your muscles. For you to achieve your goals of building muscle, you need to replace this energy with protein. If you do not have enough protein, you are not going to see any progress. That is why fitness specialists recommend that you have one gram of protein per pound of your body.

Protein is the key to putting on muscle mass so make sure you are consuming plenty in your diet. Once you have calculated the rest of your calories and how much more you require, split them up between healthy fats and carbohydrates. That way, you shouldn’t struggle to reach your protein and overall calorie goals for each day.

Eat More Than What You Already Do

Not only do you want to ensure that you are reaching your daily amount of protein, but you also want to be fueling your body with the correct calories. You are going to be working out and sweating a lot which means you will be burning a lot more calories than usual.

Tracking your calories can be difficult but luckily for you, there is an app that allows you to scan a barcode which tells you the number of calories in that food. However, it is not easy to understand how much more calories you need on top of what you are already having. Nonetheless, there is a simple equation for this which is what we are going to talk you through now.

Firstly, you want to work out your weight in pounds and then times that by 12 which will get your calorie needs. Once you have that number, you need to multiply this by 1.6 for an estimate of your metabolic rate without including calorie burn when exercising.

Once you have done that, multiply 5 by the number of minutes you do strength training. Do the same with your aerobic training but multiply this number by 8. Once you have got both of those numbers, add them together and divide it by 7, the number of days in the week. Then use this number and add it together with the calorie count you got earlier. Finally, you need to add 500 more which calculates a rough estimate of the total number of calories that you require each day.

This number is a rough estimate however, it will give you a general idea of how calories you need to eat. Furthermore, it is pointless to eat foods that are high in fat and sugar as these are empty calories. If you wish to have an accurate number for your calorie count, we recommend that you go to a dietician specialist as they will be able to give you a better idea of how much you need to eat.

Meal Preparation Is Key

Preparing your meals is not only a great way to achieve your goals but to also stick to a strict diet. We suggest that you spend one, maybe two days cooking where you count your calories and plan your meals for the week.

When it comes to planning your meals, you need to cook the meals that require the most attention and the most calories. These will be your lunches and your dinners (evening meals).

Ensure that you are mixing up your meals throughout the week as well. For example, for two days, have white meat such as chicken and turkey. On two other days, you should be having red meat which is lean beef, lamb and pork. Finally, for the final two days, you should be looking at any high protein fish such as Salmon, Shrimp, Prawns and many others.

If you struggle to find the time to food prep yourself then consider a food prep service. They will be able to do all of the dirty work such as counting calories and varying your meals. Many prepared meal delivery services will be able to give you the healthy options that you need.

Summary

There are many things that you need to prioritise for putting on muscle. As mentioned before, nutrition plays a key part which is why it is essential to track your calories. Protein is the main priority of your diet but you must remember to get the remainder of your calories through carbohydrates.