six ways to keep anabolic and build more muscles

Diet plays one of the biggest roles in gaining muscle mass and strength.

Here are a few rules you can follow to ensure you are getting what your body needs!


Eat a lot of protein:

Protein is the main building block of your muscles, therefore you should never eat a meal without any protein. To be able to gain lean muscle mass you need to be consuming minimum 1g of protein per pound of body weight. For more information on protein intake and protein sources follow this link.

http://alexmuller-training-nutrition.blogspot.com/2012/02/protein-inake-how-much-protein-should-i.html

Eat every three hours:


Meal timing and frequency is very important as you will need to fuel your muscles and keep your body in an anabolic state. Eating every 2-3 hours will ensure you get your 6-8 meals a day. Each meal should be more or less the same in protein, carbohydrates and essential fats.

Do not be afraid of fat:

Another mistake most beginners make is not eating fats. Fats are ESSENTIAL for hormone production and your energy to perform throughout the day in and out of the gym. Your fats should mostly be unsaturated and you need to stay away from excessive animal fats and trans fats (bad fats) and get your fats from nuts and legumes (good fats)

Drink water:

Water is extremely important. Our bodies are made up of mostly water, including our muscles, so keep feeding them water. Water will also help flush your system of all toxins and keep your kidneys healthy. Water is also good for the skin and proper organ function. Try to drink at least 2-3 liters of water a day.

Carbohydrates: 

Most people seem to think that if you cut out your carbohydrates and just eat high protein then you will gain muscle and no fat. WRONG! If you are not consuming enough carbohydrates then you wont be gaining muscle, have energy to perform or have any strength. The most important times to have your carbohydrates is upon waking in the morning, 1.5-2 hours before training and right after you train. Aim for 2-3 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. Your carbs should be from low GI sources to ensure you get a slow release of energy. Sources should include whole wheat bread, sweet potato, brown rice and oats.

Eat before you sleep:

Most people think eating late at night is a bad thing because "your body cant use the energy". Not true, you should be eating at night before you sleep as this is when your body actually grows, repairs muscle fibres and ensures you produce optimal growth hormone. You need to consume a slow releasing protein such as eggs, casein protein shake or cottage cheese with a few almonds which will slow down the protein digestion.