Unlocking the Secret: 10 Tips for Building Lean Muscle Mass

If you want to add muscle mass, you have to add calories to your diet. What and how much you eat is key. In this article, I will break down the 10 key components for putting on muscle

1. Protein. Protein is the bedrock of the muscle building process, crucial for providing your body with all the amino acids it needs to recover from the stresses of high intensity workouts and hence build muscle. In addition, you help prevent muscle breakdown by supplying your body with the extra amino acids it needs for other bodily processes and you wont take them from muscle stores.

2. Carbohydrates. Often, people get so focused on adding lean muscle that they overly restrict the amount of quality carbohydrates they consume, particularly during a muscle-building phase. Carbohydrates are crucial for providing your body with an efficient source of energy to fuel your workouts and help you add the quality muscle you seek.

3. Fat. Many people don't eat enough healthy fats, and those with less than ideal discipline or insufficient knowledge may eat too much of the wrong types of fat. Ideally, you should take in 20% of your calories from fats, with two-thirds or more of those coming from healthy fat sources.

4. Calories. Calories always count. If you're not getting enough calories, you wont grow, no matter how much you work out or how much attention you place on counting macronutrients. For protein to be retained as muscle mass, you must consume more than you need for maintenance. Only those protein calories that are not used for energy or other bodily functions can be devoted to building new muscle. Extra carbs and fats provide readily available energy sources so that protein is accessible for building muscle. Carbs then help deliver amino acids to muscles, facilitating the growth process.

5. Increments. Some inexperienced people make a mistake when trying to increase muscle - they add as many calories as possible into their diets as fast as possible. When you begin to increase your calories, you're better off doing it in increments. If your goal is to move from 2,000 calories to 3,000 calories a day, do so in 3 increments of around 300 calories each. This should help your body use the calories more efficiently.

6. Meals. I recommend that you eat 6 meals a day. If you are in a muscle building phase, 7 meals may be a more effective number of meals. To do this you need to get an early start and stick to a schedule- cramming two or three meals into one big calorie frenzy is less effective than taking in several moderate sized meals. As in the previous point about increments, when you consume 300-1,000 calories (the range for all daily meals, from the smallest to the largest) you distribute calories and energy more evenly throughout the day, resulting in less likelihood of adding bodyfat.

7. Water. You should drink at least 8 pints of water a day, and more if you can. Include water if you have protein shakes - more is better. Drink water between meals and also between sets when you are working out. Drinking water is one of the most overlooked essentials of a healthy lifestyle- it is crucial for flushing toxins from the body and aiding a number of digestive and metabolic processes.

8. Fibre. Aim to eat 20-30g of fibre per day. Fibre does not contain calories but is crucial whether you are trying to gain muscle or lose fat. Think of fibre as a food processor, it helps the body handle the demands you place on it, whether you're eating a high protein or a high calorie diet

9. Supplements. Certain supplements can give you an edge when it comes to adding muscle. The four supplements I will mention at this time are a multivitamin, glutamine, creatine and a meal replacement shake.

10. Consistency. This is the best way to add muscle- and keep it! It seems obvious when reading it but a lot of people struggle with this, so bear this in mind when you are considering an alternative option.

Learn how to put all the components needed for a successful weight loss program together by contacting me on 07971 22 22 35 to schedule your time TODAY!

Blog Written by Tanvir Heer Coaching

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