There are many muscles in the body, which you need to keep active for the sake of your health. However, in some people, building their muscles is not only for their health but also for professional reasons. Some of these are professions, such as fitness trainers. Either way, your diet is the first determinant of the kind of muscles that you have. For this reason, the type of food that will complement and support your muscles needs to be strategically planned.
Read on to help you know whether the diet you have is sufficient for building muscles and how you can adjust it.
Eating Carbohydrates
Ideally, carbohydrates are sources of energy in the body stored and used during a strength training workout. They are stored in the form of glycogen in the muscles. They are later used to supply energy for short or intense power needed. For this reason, the longer and harder you work out, the more glycogen your muscles will require. To help build your muscles if you are doing only minimal workouts for less than an hour, then two grams of carbohydrates will be enough. On the other hand, for those doing long, intense training, go for three to four grams of carbs in a day. Though this may seem like a lot, it will be risky for your body if you consume less than that since your body will burn a lot of muscles to help you in your workouts.
Fat
Fat is an essential nutrient which not only helps you build your body muscles but also helps you remain healthy. In fact, a good percentage of the content of your muscles is from fats. For this reason, ensure that your diet is rich in fats by eating foods such as avocados, nuts, fish, lean meat, and olive oil, among others. These will also help you build your muscles.
Proteins
After vigorous exercises or involving yourself in work that requires a lot of body energy, you will need proteins. Ideally, proteins help rebuild and repair the muscle tissues that may have broken down during the hard work or the tough exercise. Being the primary material for building muscles, you need to consume a lot of proteins if you strength-train or get involved in energy-demanding tasks. According to research, on average, a person should have about 0.4 grams of proteins in a day. However, for those using up a lot of energy in a day, consume about 1.2 to 1.7 grams a day. It will help you ensure that you replace the muscles you use up and remain healthy and active. You will get enough proteins by eating foods such as eggs, low-fat dairy, lean meat and a variety of fruits and legumes, among others.
Water
Water is a compound that helps in many processes in the body, muscle building included. Though doctors recommend eight glasses of water in a day, you need to take more than that if you are working out to replace the fluids that you have lost. Drinking a lot of water will help you ensure that all body processes are working in the right way, which includes the building of muscles in the body.
Calories
As mentioned above, fat helps in maximizing muscle growth. For this reason, the more calories in your body, the better your muscles will be. However, considering that calories can be harmful to the body, especially when taken in excess, ensure that you do not go overboard with them; too many calories could end up causing more harm than good.
What to Eat to Help You Boost Body Muscles
After you have understood how each food content helps in the growth of muscles in the body, it is necessary to see the kind of ideal meal in a day that will help you build your muscles. According to studies, you need to have proteins spread across at least four meals in a day. Use of steroids such as turinabol will also help you build your muscles.
Below are the contents of an ideal meal that you can take in a day
First Meal
Your first meal; breakfast, should be composed of a lot of calories and nutrient-dense foods. You can consider blending them into a shake to mix them well. The approximate content value of the meal should be:
- 64 grams of proteins
- 28 grams of fat
- 1000 calories
- 131 grams of carbs
Second Meal
For the second meal, which is commonly referred to as lunch, the ideal content value is:
- 48 grams of proteins
- 550 calories
- 3 grams of fat
- 80 grams of carbs
This meal should have adequate carbs and proteins, especially if you are to workout later on.
Third Meal
The third meal is the mid-day snack that is taken at around 3:00 pm. Nuts such as almonds among others are some of the ideal meals to make at this time. It is because they not only have essential micro-nutrients in the body but are also a tremendous nutrient-dense source of healthy fiber and fats. However, be careful about the amount that you will eat since they have a high-calorie value, and this could be harmful to your body. The average content of this snack is:
- 5 grams of proteins
- 12 grams of fat
- 145 calories
Fourth Meal
The fourth meal is probably the last meal of the day and the meals that come after a workout. This is an essential meal as it helps you regain the calories that you could have lost in the course of the workout. It is composed of:
- 13 grams of fat
- 92 grams of carbs
- 600 calories
- 35 grams of proteins
The primary purpose of this meal is to help in muscle repair, muscle growth, and anabolic signaling.
Conclusion
When looking forward to building muscles, your diet is an essential factor to consider. Though a balanced diet is the first step towards building good muscles, the way you combine the foods that you eat determines how your muscles will be. Use the information above to help you know whether your diet is sufficient to build muscles and the kind of adjustments that you can make.
