Food is one of the three pillars in sculpting the body. No matter if you want to lose weight, gain muscle or define your body, a balanced diet affects 80% of the results, and why it is given special importance.
This means that if you are willing to eat a well balanced diet, but are lacking the time to exercise, you might just get *most* of the results you are looking for by simply manipulating your diet.
The Anabolic Diet
That said, it is important that before going to the gym and plan a workout routine, it is best to structure a balanced diet, rich in macro-nutrients, especially if you want to gain muscle mass.
Foods that should not be missing in your diet
Proteins
Proteins are an essential macronutrient for maintaining body tissues in a healthy state, especially when exercise is performed. When consuming it, your body will produce what is known as protein synthesis, muscle fibers will regenerate the damage caused to your body and thereby increase muscle volume, which increases the volume of lean mass.
There are many protein foods that have large amounts of essential amino acids, these are extremely important as your body can not produce them and seeks outside sources to meet that demand. When developing muscle mass, it is recommended to consume foods with animal protein and a low fat content, so that the protein intake is not exceeding caloric intake that leads to weight gain in the form of lipids.
Chicken breast, low fat beef, fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, etc.), turkey breast, milk and its derivatives (fat-free cheese), are ideal examples protein foods.
Carbohydrates
Contrary to what many say, when you gain muscle mass, it is essential to avoid carbohydrates at all costs. You gain more than enough carbohydrates from proteins and vegetables.
You may consume carbohydrate before or after a high intensity workout. No more than an hour after your workout, as your body is burning everything inputted, and helps your muscles to avoid starvation.
Fats
Fats can also be consumed, this enhances the production of human growth hormone which has a considerable impact on muscle tissue, plus it helps protect your internal organs.
However, you must be very careful when eating them, as they have a high caloric value. In this case it is advisable to eat foods which are high in healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados, etc.
Vegetables/Legumes
Vegetables are extremely important as they provide your body with vitamins and nutrients that can not be obtained from protein sources. A double vegetable portion should be consumed with each meal. The additional perks of vegetables is that they make an excellent “filler” that stagnates your hunger. PS. Avoid fruits/juices/sodas since they have elevated dosages of sugar. This will only slow down your work outs.
The best diet plan for proper muscle development
Always keep in mind the information listed above, it is crucial to create a balanced diet where the three macronutrients complement eachother to promote muscle growth.
Blueprint of the perfect Diet Plan
Breakfast (Any combination of)
- Protein & Fat: 3-4 Eggs/21 grams of egg protein/protein shake
- Coffe/Tea with Cinnamon
- Any vegetable combination of your liking
Lunch (Any combination of)
- Protein: Chicken, Fish (Tuna with lime), Meat (Under 200 grams)
- Fat: Guacamole or Small portion of nuts
- Vegetables: Beans, Cooked vegetables, Raw vegetables
Dinner (Any combination of)
- Protein: Chicken, Fish, Meat (Under 200 grams)
- Fat: Salad with Olive oil/Hummus/Guacamole
- Vegetable: Light Salad with vinaigrette
Antioxidants
With training stress on the muscles worked occurs, while the oxidation of these tissues is accelerated due to the amount of free radicals produced, harmful substances that hinder body movement and weaken the immune system, making more likely to stimulate diseases.
To combat this problem, the consumption of some antioxidants is recommended as follows:
- 1 tablet of 500mg of vitamin C every 12 hrs
- 1 capsule of 400 IU of vitamin E every 12 hrs.
Energy
If you have followed the above workout and have not seen the proper results, perhaps it is because the body doesn’t metabolize the nutrients at a proper pace. As a solution, the consumption of any product with B-complex, which gives the body extra energy to yield through, improving metabolism noticeably.
Creatine supplements are also ideal to perform better when training. Some are:
- 2 B-Complex tablets every 12 hrs
- 5g of creatine in 500ml of Gatorade before training
If the above still doesn’t produce results which are satisfactory to you, the problem might have a deeper root. Low testosterone levels might be the problem.
Use only products of quality
When building a body of quality, you should make sure to consume supplements of the highest quality. In this case, it is good to opt for whey protein found in different products and today is known as the best protein to build muscle mass.
Factors of Influence
And finally, it should be noted other factors that are key to the success of any diet to gain muscle:
- Drink enough to stay hydrated at all times, especially when training.
- Do not skip meals
- Low-fat cooking and dressings should be used
- Be consistent in your diet and training at all times
The transformation of the body is not a process that is achieved in just a few weeks, much less than overnight. Its a lifestyle.
