The most significant factor when it comes to building lean muscle mass is nutrition, it doesn't matter how hard you work in the gym, if you're not fuelling your body with the right food for building muscle your progress will be severely hindered.
The first thing you need to do is work out your daily calorie maintenance, this is the amount of calories your body needs to sustain its current weight. You can find out this information relatively quickly using an online calorie calculator. Once you know how many calories you need to maintain your weight, you will need to ensure that you are eating between 300 and 500 extra calories a day, this will give your body the extra calories it needs in order to repair the exercised muscle and build new lean muscle mass.
It is important to eat a varied diet made up of all the main food groups; these are Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat. Protein is the key ingredient when it comes to building muscle and you should aim to eat a minimum of 1g protein per pound of bodyweight. To help accomplish this you can get protein from whole food sources and whey protein powder.
Excellent sources of protein include:
• Chicken
• Lean beef
• Steak
• Turkey
• Tuna
• Salmon
• Eggs
• Milk
Carbohydrates, along with protein should take up the majority of your diet. Carbohydrates are essential for giving the body the energy you will need to get through your day-to-day activities as well as your weight training.
Great carbohydrate sources include:
• Rice
• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Oats
• Wholemeal bread
It is also very important to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, both of which are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining a healthy body.
There are two types of fat you need to include into your diet; these are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Both have excellent health benefits, are vital in the absorption of vitamins and can even help prevent bad cholesterol and heart disease. Fats should make up around 20% of your daily calorie intake.
Good fat sources include:
• Olive oil
• Cod liver oil
• Nuts
• Peanut butter
• Oily fish
When undertaking any kind of exercise routine it is necessary to drink plenty of water to keep the body properly hydrated, you should aim to drink at least 8 large glasses of water a day. By eating the right food for building muscle you will see progress faster and feel healthier in general.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/bodybuilding-articles/food-for-building-muscle-3325980.html
