If you're trying to gain muscle and aren't seeing visible results month after month, it's a clue that your strategy isn't working. To improve the situation, have a look at Ultimate Sup's nutrition guide on how to build muscle.
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Perhaps you've heard the phrase, "Abs are made in the kitchen." This may appear strange at first. However, what it really means is that your food is equally as vital as your workout. Do you want to gain muscle, shed weight and fat, or simply get more defined? Then, you need to have a proper nutrition plan. Or, you'll never be able to maximize your performance and reach your goals. Here in this article, we've put up some ideas to help you attain your set goals.
TL;DR How To Build Muscle Fast
To know exactly how to build muscle fast, you must list out your body type, training orientation, and nutrition plan in combination with your macronutrient ratio.
How Do Muscles Develop?
Building muscle is as much about diet as exercise: if you don't eat appropriately, your body has a hard time putting on and retaining muscle mass. Muscles require protein to grow. Eating a high-protein diet can help your body build muscle. The stronger your muscles are, the less likely you are to sustain an injury. A well-trained body not only looks good, but it also has other benefits. So, it is critical to consume enough protein, especially before and after your workout, to enhance your training performance and get the most out of yourself.
The Complete Nutrition Guide On How To Build Muscle Fast
Determine Your Body Type
The nutrition plan that helps you obtain the best results in muscle building depends on your body type. In weight training, we commonly differentiate three body types:
- The ectomorph body type (Hard gainer): A typically small body with long limbs, a low percentage of body fat, and moderate weight gain.
- The endomorph body type (Soft gainer): With a round body, fat deposits accumulate quickly around the waist, hips, and thighs. Wide hips, especially in women. Slow metabolism, but rapid increase of muscle mass and fat accumulation.
- The mesomorph body type: Broad shoulders, robust arms and legs, and a slim waist. High muscle mass, usually very athletic. Quick results when it comes to muscle building.
Body types differ in terms of muscle mass, weight gain proclivity, and overall structure. However, not everyone can be categorized. In that case, they are mixed types.
Appropriate Nutrition And Training Plan To Build Bigger Muscle
The ectomorph body type (Hard gainers):
- Training: While endurance training consumes many calories, weight training should be prioritized for hard gainers. This body type should ideally focus on building muscle mass and flexibility. However, extreme caution is recommended. Ectomorphs easily become overloaded.
- Nutrition: A carbohydrate-heavy diet. To gain muscle mass, a calorie surplus is required. A well-balanced diet for the ectomorph body type should include lots of protein and healthy fats, as well as plenty of fruits and vegetables. Besides, you need to stay hydrated as well.
The endomorph body type (Soft gainers)
- Training: A mix of strength and endurance training to counter extra weight and fat deposits. Exertion causes the endomorph body type to regenerate quickly.
- Nutrition: A diet low in carbohydrates and fat is very important, which is disciplined nutrition. This body type also requires a lot of protein for muscle growth. Stay hydrated.
The mesomorph body type:
- Training: Muscle flexibility exercise should be emphasized. This body type produces speedy gains when it comes to increasing strength. However, it has shorter muscles and tendons.
- Nutrition: A carbohydrate-heavy diet during the day, followed by a carbohydrate-reduced diet at night. A well-balanced diet for this type should include lots of protein and healthy fats, as well as plenty of fruits and vegetables. Make sure to stay hydrated, too.
The Proper Macronutrient Ratio
What Are Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the major nutrients we need to survive simply. On the other hand, micronutrients are substances that are required in much lower quantities, such as vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the three macronutrients. Regardless of any diet, you need all three elements. Carbohydrates deliver energy. Protein supports your muscle growth, repairs injuries, and avoid infections. Fats help you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, insulate your body, and stimulate your hormone production. Cutting out any macronutrient increases your risk of nutrient deficits and sickness.
How Many Calories In Each Macronutrient?
Each macronutrient contributes to a certain calorie amount per gram:
- Carbohydrates offer 4 calories per gram.
- Proteins have 4 calories per gram.
- Fats provide 9 calories per gram.
How Many Macros To Eat?
Every individual is different. As a result, everyone's preferred macronutrient consumption will differ. However, the best macronutrient ratio is suggested as below:
- Carbohydrate content ranges from 45 to 60%.
- Fat content ranges from 20% to 35%.
- Protein content consists of 5% to 35%
Here is an example:
The federal recommendation is based on the fact that carbohydrates are the body's primary fuel source and the fastest macronutrient for the body to convert from food into energy. Fat and protein metabolic processes are far more complex and take a long time, inconvenient when you need immediate energy. Nevertheless, you still need your own macro ratio, depending on your body type and fitness goals.
How To Calculate Your Macros
You now understand what macronutrients are and how many calories they contain. You'll then need to do some math to know how to build muscle.
- First, you must determine how many calories you consume, or wish to consume, each day. We consume approximately 2,300 calories every day.
- Next, figure out what your optimal ratio is. We prefer consuming 50% carbohydrates, 25% fat, and 25% protein.
- Multiply your entire daily calorie intake by your percentages.
- Finally, divide your calorie total by the calorie-per-gram figure.
Here's how Ultimate Sup Singapore would figure out how many calories one need for each macronutrient:
- Carbohydrates: 2,300 x 0.50 = 1,150. Every day, he consumes 1,150 calories in the form of carbohydrates.
- Protein: 2,300 x 0.25 = 575 calories, thus he gets 575 calories worth of protein.
- Fats: 2,300 x 0.25 = 575. He also receives 575 calories from dietary fat.
To determine the exact gram amounts, use the following formula:
- Carbohydrates (four calories per gram): 1,150 divided by 4 is 287.5 grams.
- Protein (four calories per gram): 575 divided by 4 yields 143.75 grams.
- Fat (nine calories per gram): 575 divided by 9 is 63.8 grams.
Rules Of How To Gain Muscle
Eat At Least 6 Meals Daily
Muscle gain involves a calorie excess. At least six moderate meals should be consumed per day. Every 2-3 hours, try to eat a small snack. The body does not go into a catabolic (breakdown) state when calories are consumed regularly. Furthermore, to prevent your mental and physical performance from slipping, keep your blood sugar levels and metabolism at a high level.
It's critical to eat the proper foods at the right times to increase your muscle build. The simplest method is to eat your regular breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with meals post-workout, before bed, and two snacks in between. You will not be hungry if you keep your food intake up because eating smaller meals more frequently than a few large meals will reduce your stomach size. You'll feel fuller faster, your waist will slim down, and you'll have fewer cravings. When you don't eat for a long time, you're more likely to overeat during your next meal or fill up on harmful vending machine snacks.
Limit Simple Carbohydrates
Sugar in fruit juice and honey, for example, are often referred to as harmful carbs. A muscle-building diet should always prioritize the consumption of complex, healthy carbs. Because healthy fats digest slowly, they aid in fat loss and overall health. Ensure to eat a variety of healthy fats with each meal and stay away from artificial trans-fats and margarine.
Prepare Protein And Carbohydrate-Rich Meals
It's crucial to get the optimum nutritional balance in your meals. Hence, you need to ensure that each meal contains both protein and high-quality carbs. Also, if you want to attain the results you want and increase your muscle build dramatically, 90% of your food intake should be made up of whole foods.
Don't Forget Fruit And Vegetables
Most of them (but not all) are low calorie, which means you may fill your stomach without gaining fat or weight. Fruits and vegetables are also high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, which aids digestion. However, you should be cautious of the sugar content of some fruits.
Drink Enough Water
Strength activity leads to water loss through sweating, which can hamper muscle repair. It is not how to build muscle. That's why you need to find a way.
A proper intake of water promotes your muscles' ability to recover effectively. Whether you want to strengthen or define your muscles, water is a must for your body regardless of your goals. Therefore, remember to drink 2 to 3 litres of water per day. On workout days, we recommend drinking 1 litre more to compensate for fluid loss after exercise. Apart from reducing dehydration, having water avoids hunger, as an empty stomach can fool you into thinking you're hungry.
Take Nutritional Supplements To Build Bigger Muscle
Dietary supplements are a vital part of your recommended muscle building diet. They can help to speed up the muscle-building process. For the best results, we recommend the following products:
- Whey Protein: To get the protein needed for muscles
- Mass Gainers: To get the extra calories needed
FAQ About How To Build Bigger Muscle
Do Nitric Oxide Supplements Enhance Muscle Building?
Maybe. To be specific, these supplements don't include the gas nitric oxide. They usually contain L-arginine, which can allow the body to produce more nitric oxide. Nitric oxide may enhance blood flow to muscles and other organs as a result. But, will this result in increased muscle mass and/or athletic performance? It depends on your body type and physical condition.
Do I Really Need To Load On Creatine To Bulk Up?
Not really. Whey protein and mass gainers are much more important. If you wish to boost your energy, creatine is without a doubt the one you need. Bodybuilders can use creatine to push themselves harder in the gym, resulting in enhanced strength and size improvements after weight training. Not only that, creatine can aid recovery between sets, allowing people to hit the weights faster and harder than ever.
Will Eating Carbs At Night Make Me Fat?
No. The statement that eating carbs at night will be stored as fat due to the slower metabolism is false. According to studies, your metabolism does not slow down when you sleep. It accelerates. This is especially true if you routinely exercise. Your basal metabolic rate might increase for up to 18 hours after leaving the gym if you exercise regularly. That means you're burning up to three times as many calories as usual, regardless of what you're doing.
Do I Need To Eat All Clean Foods?
No, but you should. Clean foods provide your body with various vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, and healthy fats. They aim to improve heart and brain health, weight management, immune system strength, and energy levels.
Does Protein Intake Damage My Kidneys?
No. In healthy individuals, higher protein diets have no negative effects on kidney function. Nonetheless, in those with kidney illness, a high protein diet has been proven to hasten kidney damage.
Will Whey Protein Make Me Fat?
It relies on how much you take. It may contribute to weight gain if taken in larger quantities without a balanced exercise program.
Do you find this information on how to build muscle fast helpful? If you want more informative articles about muscle building, check out our other articles.
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