How To Supplement Your Workout Program With A Solid Diet To Build Muscle

By Arnold Sylvester


There are few skills in the gym more valuable than learning how to deadlift with proper form. However, if you truly want to discover how to build muscle you need to learn how to supplement your hard training with a good muscle building diet.

Given that the majority of the hypertrophy process occurs while your body recovers at home, it really makes sense to learn how to structure your food intake to match your fitness goals.

Yet this is a mistake which many men make on a daily basis. They'll workout with dedication and then eat whatever they want. Six months later, they're often left wondering why they can't see any results. Any good workout program should be supplemented by a solid eating plan, too.

For many, the diet is actually the hardest challenge of their quest to get lean. They find it easier, perhaps even fun, to workout at close to their maximum ability every day but they find it almost impossible to resist the temptation of junk food and alcohol outside of the gym.

Now, there are groups of people who totally neglect their diet out of nothing more than a lack of self discipline. That's their choice. But there are another group here, a group who want to get results but simply do not know where to get started with all the information out there offering different advice.

When in doubt, trust science. The latest research on hypertrophy shows a proven three step formula for setting out a food plan to build size and strength. It is:

1. Consume around 1.5g protein per pound of body weight.

2. 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per lb of your current body weight.

3. Consume around 0.5g fat per pound of body weight.

Obviously, one size does not fit all here. You have the freedom to experiment with the formula and find a balance that works best for you, but these steps will at least serve the purpose of getting you on to the correct path.

In a shocking twist to what you may expect, most men do not actually eat enough protein to build muscle. That may sound very strange, given that every man and his dog seems to buy the latest whey protein drinks. But apart from those drinks, they often don't eat any other sources of lean protein.

If you are like most men, your daily fat intake could also do with a boost. Fat is an often misunderstood nutrient because it is unlucky enough to share the same name as your body's worst enemy. That's where the similarities end, though, in fact a good dietary fat intake has been scientifically shown to aid in lean muscle building as well as weight loss. You will find a lot of your healthy fat intake through your protein sources, like fish.

Of the three nutrients, though, carbohydrates are your secret weapon. They hold the key. Too few and you will start to drop weight, too many and you will begin adding body fat. That's the reason you should start with around 2g per pound of your body weight, before increasing or decreasing your intake depending upon your individual results in the first two weeks.

What you do in the gym only plays a small role in the physique you are trying to build. Learning how to build muscle in the kitchen is really as important as perfecting your lifts and smashing a brand new personal best lift in the squat rack.




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