The muscular lean look is in and many people are eager to get gains that can replicate this physique. But here is the thing. Besides lifting heavy in the gym, you must also follow a diet for muscle gain. Without this, no amount of weight lifting will give you those coveted muscles. If anything, you could end up losing weight in the process, which would reduce your muscle mass.
So, what is the right diet for muscle gain? Let’s get into this.
Do You Need To Follow A Diet For Muscle Gain?
If you ask any fitness pro about how they got their muscle, they will tell you that they followed a diet for muscle gain. But why is this the case and what happens if you do not follow the same path?
- Fast muscle growth. You have two options when you are on a fitness journey. The first is to aim for muscle growth in the long term. In such a case, you have the luxury of waiting years to see muscle growth. But even then, it may not be much to write home about. The second option is t follow a diet for muscle gain which forces your body to grow muscle in a short amount of time. Even then, the muscle growth will not be dramatic but it will be significant enough to result in physical changes.
- Weights alone are not enough. A common mistake that people make is assuming that lifting heavy weights alone will get them the results. Sure, the weights may provide the stimulus but only food can fuel your muscle growth.
The truth is that what you do in the gym will contribute about 20% to your muscle growth rate while the 80% will come from your food. So, anyone trying to get gains must get on a suitable diet for muscle gain.
What is the Right Diet for Muscle Gain?
There are many ways to go about creating a diet for muscle gain. However, I will keep it simple by using a 3-step approach, as follows:
Step 1: Know Your TDEE.
A diet for muscle gain hinges on eating more calories than your body needs. But how can you tell what your body needs? You would need to calculate your total daily energy expenditure, aka your TDEE, which is also known as your maintenance calories. This article shows you exactly how you can do this. But for context, this figure is highly individual as it depends on factors such as age, gender, weight, activity levels, and more.
For our example, we will assume a woman with a TDEE of 2,000 calories which I will refer to as we continue in this guide.
Step 2: Increase Your TDEE.
If you eat at maintenance or per your TDEE, you can still get gains but they will be minimal. Usually, this happens in beginners as their bodies are likelier to undergo re-composition. But for most people, the only way to see gains is to eat more. Moreover, even for beginners, the only way to see considerable gains is to eat above the TDEE.
But how much is enough? This figure depends on your TDE. The lower your TDEE, the less of a percentage you should add to your figure. In our example, we have a 2,000-calorie TDEE, which is typical for a woman. As such, we can work with a 15% increase which would mean a 300-calorie increase.
The usual calorie increase for a diet for muscle gain is anything from 10% to 20% of your TDEE. You do not want to aim too low or increase your food intake too much. Else, you will counteract the point of the whole bulking phase.
Step 3: Choose the Right Foods For Your Muscle Gain Diet
Is a calorie surplus with the gal of muscle gain a free pass to eat whatever you want? Hardly. You want to hit your new calorie goal by eating mostly healthy foods while eating enough protein and carbs. Protein should be at least 0.8 grams per pound of your body weight, though higher ranges have proven beneficial. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, your protein intake should be at least 160 grams a day.
Your carb intake should also be optimal to give you the energy you need to lift heavy at the gym. About 40% of your calories should go to carbs though a lower range can also work. Also, remember to work in some healthy fats – the more, the better.
What about sweet treats? As part of your diet for muscle gain, you can have desserts and other sweet treats. Ideally, these should make up less than 20% of your total calorie intake. It is all about balance.
Get Help With Your Diet For Muscle Gain
Gaining muscle is much easier than it may seem. If you would like a personalized approach to this journey that considers your individual needs, fill in the form below and I will get back to you ASAP.