Make a Nutrition Plan to Build Muscle

Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Nutrition and diet are very important to building muscle. It is told by experts that the process of building muscle is only 20% lifting weights, but more importantly 80% the correct diet. Learning how to build muscle is an actual science and this is why you will need a good nutrition plan.

This is not to say that you should start eating huge amounts of food. Yes you will need to eat protein and healthy carbs, but you don't want to overload your system with any one food group. Eating in this fashion will only lead to health problems in the future. Just look what happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger after eating huge amounts of protein for years!

When adding protein to your diet, you will want to give yourself a 6 ounce portion. Add to this whole wheat pasta, potatoes and brown rice. Then fill up on fresh vegetables, broccoli and carrots are great choices here. Also be sure to drink milk as this helps in building muscle fast. Chocolate milk works really well here and tastes good to boot.

You will want to be eating at least 3,000 calories for muscle growth to work efficiently. Some weight lifters will eat up to 5,000 calories depending upon their starting weight and body size.

You should aim to eat 3 good meals per day along with 2-3 snacks. Try to plan your meals so that you are eating roughly every three hours. One great tip here to keep your nutrition plan for building muscle on track, is to stock your cupboards with food. Along with this you can actually create a menu plan for the entire week. This way you know exactly what you are going to eat at each meal and it will be easy to just grab the ingredients and prepare them.

When it comes to snacking, eating a handful of nuts is a good choice. Almonds are great and full of nutritional value. Other snack ideas for building muscle include having a banana along with a glass of milk. Fruit always makes a good option and berries, melons, oranges and apples are all good picks for building muscle. If you happen to be a vegetarian use tofu instead of meat and use more nuts in your nutrition plan.


To build muscle correctly you have to take care of your body in all areas. This means getting enough sleep, 8 hours is recommended. When building muscle it is crucial to take days off. This allows your muscles to recover properly and is a great stress reliever too.

It is a great start to have a good nutrition plan. To gain muscle mass correctly requires a definite plan. With a well fuelled body you will have the energy that is required to perform quality workout sessions. Achieving the results you desire can be just around the corner with the right planning.