Many men involved in fitness are faced with the problem of gaining muscle mass. The most common problem is nutrition. The athlete either consumes an insufficient amount of food, or the foods included in his diet are not selected correctly, which inhibits the process of gaining muscle mass.
To solve both problems, it is necessary to create a complete menu for a set of muscle mass for men.
Inadequate food intake is a fairly common problem among visitors to gyms. One of the most common causes of malnutrition is a work or study schedule that does not allow you to follow a diet. Nutritionists and experienced trainers recommend taking meals every 2-3 hours in small portions, but we are well aware that in the rhythm of life in the modern world this is often simply impossible. In this case, you can reduce the number of meals, while increasing the calorie content of each of them. Thus, the total number of calories a person needs to gain muscle mass will be met. At the same time, you need to understand that you need to consume high-quality food containing a large amount of carbohydrates and proteins, and not be content with harmful snacks like fast food or confectionery. Harmful snacks can be replaced by the use of sports nutrition, which will be discussed below.
Key Aspects of Muscle Diet
“You are what you eat,” each of us has heard such a phrase. And it is very justified, because one of the key success factors in the selection of muscle mass is a close attention to consumed products. It is necessary to consciously approach the preparation of your diet, understanding what and in what amounts is contained in a particular product. First of all, we are talking about counting calories, as well as proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU) - the most important components in building beautiful muscles.
For a set of muscle mass by a man weighing 75 kilograms, who is regularly engaged in the gym, the following ratio of BJU per 1 kg of own weight is considered normal: proteins: 2-3g / kg, fats: 1-1.5g / kg, carbohydrates: 4-5g / kg In other words, carbohydrates should be at least 50% of the total calories consumed. It is important to understand that we are talking about complex carbohydrates, which are found, for example, in vegetables and cereals (potatoes, pasta, various cereals) and healthy fats, the sources of which are vegetable oil, nuts, fish. The best sources of protein are chicken, fish, cottage cheese and eggs. Also, do not forget about foods rich in fiber, which is necessary for the human body and supports the normal functioning of digestion by cleansing the stomach and intestines.
The daily calorie intake for a man is calculated by the formula weight (kg) x 30 = Kcal. That is, if a man’s weight is 75 kg, then his daily calorie intake will be 2250 Kcal. About this number of calories is necessary to maintain the body in an unchanged form. If the man is engaged in bodybuilding, you must add at least another 500 Kcal to the resulting figure. Depending on the type of physique, this figure may vary. An ectomorph or mesomorph can be added to its daily norm, not 500, but 1000 Kcal. To endomorph, on the contrary, it is advisable not to exceed the bar of 500 additional Kcal, because excess calories will lead to a set of fat, not muscle mass.
Everyone knows that for normal functioning of the body, a person needs to drink at least 2 liters of water per day. In people involved in fitness and bodybuilding, this figure should reach 3-3.5 liters. Adequate water intake helps to speed up metabolism (metabolism), which leads to a decrease in subcutaneous fat. And this is just one of the beneficial properties of water, and it also, for example, has a positive effect on the functioning of joints and mental activity.
Sports supplements
As mentioned above, you can use sports nutrition as a snack. Sports nutrition is a nutritional supplement for athletes whose main goal is to improve strength, endurance and stimulate muscle growth and / or burning fat. Sports supplements are made based on natural ingredients of natural origin. Another advantage of sports nutrition is that it practically does not contain excess substances, but at the same time it is rich in minerals, amino acids and other elements necessary for the body of a training person.
There are several types of sports supplements, each of which performs certain functions, having understood which you can understand exactly when you need to use this or that supplement. Carbohydrate mixtures (gainers) are best taken 1-2 hours before training to provide the body with a supply of energy before hard work, and immediately after it to replenish the body with the energy that it spent in performing the exercises. Protein is recommended to be consumed immediately after training, when the body is exhausted and ready for use and assimilation of nutrients. Another important supplement for gaining lean muscle mass is the L-carnitine fat burner, which helps break down adipose tissue and convert it into energy, making it able to speed up the process of lowering subcutaneous fat.
What is before and after training
Eating before a workout should consist primarily of carbohydrates, which will give the body a charge of energy needed to perform heavy physical work. It can be pasta, rice or buckwheat with a piece of chicken breast. It is necessary to eat an hour and a half before training so that the food has time to assimilate in the body, and there is no feeling of heaviness during training.
The first meal after training should be rich in protein foods, such as poultry fillet or fish with vegetables. This combination will provide the body with the most important building element - protein, as well as fiber and healthy minerals.
Cheatmeal
It is impossible to strictly adhere to a diet all the time. Sometimes a person is drawn to eat something not very healthy. For such cases, there is cheatmeal - the day when an athlete can break his diet. Cheat-mills are arranged once a week or once a month, this is an individual decision. Even bodybuilders with many years of experience sometimes allow themselves to eat some burger or pizza. There is nothing to worry about. Moreover, some nutritionists even recommend arranging cheat mills to relieve the nervous system.
Below is an example of a three-day menu for gaining muscle mass for a man whose list of dishes is not exhaustive.
Monday
First meal: oatmeal with fruits, 1-2 boiled eggs, whole grain bread toast, tea / coffee.
The second meal: a gainer or snack in the form of fruits and bread.
The third meal: soup, rice with boiled meat, whole grain bread, tea / coffee.
Fourth meal: buckwheat, boiled chicken breast, vegetables.
Fifth meal: gainer.
Sixth meal: potatoes, boiled fish, vegetable salad.
Seventh meal: cottage cheese, kefir.
Tuesday
First meal: buckwheat porridge with milk, scrambled eggs, cheese sandwich, tea / coffee.
The second meal: a gainer or snack in the form of fruits and bread.
The third meal: soup, potatoes, boiled fish, vegetables.
Fourth meal: rice, boiled meat.
Fifth meal: gainer.
Sixth meal: buckwheat, boiled turkey fillet, vegetables.
Seventh meal: cottage cheese.
Wednesday
The first meal: wheat porridge, fried eggs, toast from whole grain bread with jam, tea / coffee.
The second meal: a gainer or a snack in the form of fruits.
The third meal: soup, buckwheat, boiled meat, vegetable salad.
Fourth meal: buckwheat, boiled turkey fillet.
Fifth meal: gainer.
Sixth meal: potatoes, boiled chicken breast, vegetables.
Seventh meal: cottage cheese, milk.
Training and recovery
Muscle building workouts should consist primarily of basic exercises such as squats, traction and bench presses. Such exercises are aimed at working out large muscle groups: legs, back and chest. Basic exercises are most often performed with large weights, therefore, after a hard workout the muscles have a good rest. Large muscle groups recover for a long time, so it is customary to work out each of them only once a week, while it is not recommended to train two large muscle groups on the same day.
Summing up, we can conclude that only a well-composed diet will not lead to a set of muscle mass. Building dry, sculpted, but voluminous muscles is a long process, and only a combination of proper nutrition, a well-built training program and sufficient recovery time will help you achieve your goals.
