Eating
to Gain Mass /
Build Muscle
This is usually the forgotten element of most mass programs. Food.
The truth is, no one will build muscle without food. It seems
so simple and basic, yet most don't get enough of it to build
muscle.
Dieting to build muscle is simply a matter of eating. You must
eat more calories than your body burns off. Now, when I say eat,
I do not mean just anything. All calories are not created equal.
In other words, some types of calories are not equal to others
for building muscle. For example, if I said that you need to eat
2,000 calories per day to gain weight, and you eat 4 bags of potato
chips each day, do you think you would build muscle? Not likely.
The majority of your weight would be fat. Why? Because potato
chips, like most processed junk food, contains empty, totally
nutritionless calories. These foods do not provide you with the
correct nutrient breakdown essential for building muscle.
High quality protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids,
should be the center point of all your meals. Intense exercise
increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair
and growth. When you train with weights, you should eat a minimum
of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. So, for example,
if you weight 100 lbs., you should be eating at least 100 grams
of protein per day. You also must have protein at every meal.
To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the all the
calories you will ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and
increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller,
more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization
of nutrients . I always eat six meals each day, evenly spaced
out at three-hour intervals. My goal is to provide my body with
constant nourishment throughout the day.
You don't have to have carbs or fat at every meal, but you must
have protein. When I say protein, I am referring to high quality
protein derived from animal sources. Soy protein, tofu and bean
curd have their place, but for getting bigger and stronger, the
only protein you need to be concerned with are those found in
whey, casein (cottage cheese), eggs, beef, poultry, and fish.
High Protein Foods
Whey protein
Eggs
Egg whites
Chicken breasts
Turkey Breasts
Lean Beef
Fish (tuna, salmon)
Protein bar
Soy protein Isolate
High Carbohydrate Food
Potatoes (baked, fries, hash browns)
Sweet Potatoes, yams
Oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice rice
Beans
Any green leafy vegetable
Bread
Pasta
All cereals (hot or cold)
Healthy Fats
Olive oil
Sunflower oil
Safflower oil
Flaxseed oil
Walnuts
Avocados
Sample Mass Diet
It provides 2,440 calories, 234g of protein, 182g of carbs and
81g of fat:
8am -- Meal 1
Myoplex, 1 tsp flaxseed oil
432 calories, 42g of protein, 25g of carbs, 14g of fat
11pm -- Meal 2
4 Whole Eggs w/ 1 cup of hash browns
440 calories, 28g of protein, 36g of carbs, 20g of fat
2pm -- Meal 3
6 oz. chicken breast with 1/2 cup of rice
319 calories, 50g of protein, 23g of carbs, 7g of fat
5pm -- Meal 4
4 whole eggs in a flour tortilla w/salsa
367 calories, 24g of protein, 17g of carbs, 20g of fat
8pm -- Meal 5
Myoplex, 1tsp flaxseed oil
432 calories, 42g of protein, 25g of carbs, 14g of fat
8pm -- Meal 6
6 oz grilled tuna with large baked potato, 1 cup of veggies
450 calories, 48g of protein, 56g of carbs, 6g of fat
Recommended Reading: Gain
Mass by Anthony Ellis
