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How to Eat to Build Muscle

Our bodies are designed to survive and adapt, after billions of years going through the evolutionary process our bodies have reached the peak of performance. You were created with a self-survival mechanism built into your ability to live, every breath you take needs to be constantly pushed outside of its comfort zone just to survive.

Every second of every day, our bodies are breaking down its own structure, its own tissues which it then replaces with new stuff that it is able to make from a wide variety of different foods we eat and other "recycled material." This building/repairing process (hypertrophy) is able to scavenge from other tissues.

Although our bones are able to replace themselves completely only every 10 years, the high intensity workouts we put ourselves through will cause our immune system to break-down and then build-up at a much faster rate than it would ordinarily.

If we train specifically to increase our lean body mass, then we need to make sure of two simple facts when we train. The first is to eat good quality protein, around 1 gram of protein per pound of body-weight. The second is to train in such a way that the muscle fibers get damaged so that they can repair for another day.

A study that was published in the "Journal of Applied Physiology" in 2007 found that in the first 20 days of any new strength-training routine the muscle size will increase by 0.2% per. This increased growth rate is because of the elevated rate of muscle-protein breakdown.

Someone who is starting weights for the first time or starting again after a long lay-off, needs higher amounts of protein than the average bodybuilder in the gym. Any arbitrary bodybuilder that's been training four times a week for the last 2 years is going to need 1 gram of protein for every pound of body-weight to continue growing.

Generally, bodybuilders are very aware of this, but they get the mix wrong because they don't realize that having more protein will not solve the problem. Having just a few grams of protein with your high-carb breakfast (bowl of cereal with milk), and later some small moderate-protein lunch (turkey sandwich), followed by a high-protein dinner with a large piece of fish or meat will NOT solve the problem of insufficient protein. Despite the fact that you are taking in your protein requirement for the day.

A study published in the "Journal of Nutrition" has clearly shown that you can only turn a limited amount of protein, which is why your protein intake should be equally distributed correctly through the day, not one big meal. The study showed that protein synthesis was 25% higher in those subjects who ate around 30 grams of protein at three daily meals than those subjects who ate exactly the same amount of protein but had it all in one meal, like dinner.

Another completely independent study published in the "Journal of Applied Physiology" found subjects that ate 20 grams of protein 6 X day lost body-fat and increased their lean body mass, with and without training. These subjects were given protein supplements an hour after waking up, every 3 hours and no more than 2 hours before bed.

Your protein synthesis will peak 16 hours' post-workout, remaining elevated for 48 hours. Every meal counts, if you're training 3 or 4 times a week, your body will be breaking down and building muscle every second of the first 24 hours after a workout. Those crucial 24 hours' post-workout, is the process of building new muscle every hour, the protein that you eat both before and after training is vitally important.

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program.