Leena Watts
Increasing muscle mass requires a combination of physical training and a tailored diet. While strength training, light cardio, and resistance training are the basis for building muscle, a diet rich in protein and whole foods is also essential. To build muscle, the body requires a positive calorie balance, meaning you need to consume more calories than you burn. This can be achieved by increasing your daily food intake and focusing on nutrient-rich whole foods such as fresh meat, fish, poultry, eggs, vegetables, pulses, fruits, rice, oats, and quinoa. Additionally, consuming lean protein before, during, and after workouts can enhance muscle growth and recovery. Dietary supplements, such as whey protein powder, can also help increase protein intake. However, it's important to consult a healthcare professional before adding any supplements to your routine.
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Sufficient protein intake
To ensure you're getting enough protein, it's important to incorporate a variety of protein-rich foods into your diet. These include eggs, chicken, salmon, Greek yogurt, skim milk, beans, and edamame beans. If you struggle to get enough protein from food alone, protein shakes and supplements can help boost your intake. Dairy-based protein powders, such as whey and casein, are popular options, but there are also plant-based alternatives like soy, pea, and beef protein powders.
The amount of protein you need will depend on your body weight and level of physical activity. As a general guideline, it is recommended to consume 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. However, for those looking to build muscle, exceeding this recommended dietary allowance (RDA) may be beneficial. For example, Durainayagam et al. found that consuming twice the RDA for 10 weeks altered the metabolome in a way that supported increased tissue anabolism.
In addition to protein, it's important to consume a balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, healthy fats, and a variety of whole foods. Carbohydrates and fats provide the fuel needed for physical activity, and whole foods provide a range of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which contribute to overall health and muscle-building.
Finally, remember that building muscle takes time and consistency. Combining a well-planned diet with a rigorous training program and adequate rest will help you achieve your muscle-building goals.
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Calorie surplus
Consuming a surplus of calories is a key component of gaining muscle mass. However, it is important to understand that not just any surplus will do—a moderate caloric surplus is ideal, providing enough energy to promote muscle growth without leading to excessive fat intake and storage. Aim for a surplus of 300 to 500 calories above your basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the number of calories your body needs to maintain vital functions at rest.
To calculate your BMR, you can use the "My calorie requirements" function of the Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE). Your daily calorie requirements depend on several factors, including your level of training and your weight. It is important to know your personal calorie requirements to ensure you are taking in the right amount of calories as part of your daily nutrition.
Once you know your BMR, you can focus on consuming a surplus of the right kinds of calories. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods is ideal. Load up on colourful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. These foods provide your body with a wide range of micronutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which support your overall health and contribute to muscle building.
In addition to a balanced diet, consider incorporating supplements to augment your nutritional intake. Protein shakes, for example, can help you get more protein into your diet if you have trouble getting enough from food alone. Dairy protein powders, such as whey and casein, are popular options, but you can also find protein powders made from soy, pea, beef, or chicken. Just remember that supplements should enhance your diet, not replace whole foods.
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Micronutrients
Vitamin D is linked to healthy hormones like testosterone, which aids in muscle maintenance and growth. It can be obtained from fatty fish like salmon and sardines, fortified yoghurt, milk, orange juice, mushrooms, and eggs.
Calcium is responsible for triggering muscle contraction. It works with magnesium to help reduce blood pressure and promote better sleep. Good sources of calcium include dairy, leafy greens, beans, legumes, squash, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Magnesium is essential for muscle relaxation and preventing cramps. It also plays a role in de-stressing, which is crucial for overall muscle health.
Zinc is another important mineral for muscle growth and repair. While specific food sources for zinc are not mentioned in the sources, it is reasonable to assume that zinc can be obtained from a balanced diet, including the aforementioned foods.
Other micronutrients that may be beneficial include potassium, an electrolyte that aids in muscle contraction and carrying other nutrients to the muscles, and vitamin B6, which helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function.
While whole foods should be the primary source of micronutrients, supplements can be considered in consultation with a healthcare professional if specific needs are not being met through diet alone.
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Meal planning
To build muscle effectively, it is recommended to aim for a moderate caloric surplus. This means consuming slightly more calories than you burn throughout the day, with the excess calories promoting muscle growth. However, it is important to avoid a massive calorie surplus, as this can lead to fat storage. A surplus of 300 to 500 calories above your basal metabolic rate is generally considered a sustainable approach. You can calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) by determining the number of calories your body needs to maintain vital functions at rest.
When planning your meals, it is crucial to incorporate a variety of whole foods. This helps provide your body with a diverse range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These micronutrients not only support your overall health but also contribute to muscle building. Load your plates with colourful fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats to fuel your muscles and optimise results.
In terms of specific foods to include in your meal plan, high-protein options such as eggs, chicken, salmon, Greek yogurt, skim milk, beans, and edamame beans are excellent choices. These foods provide the amino acids necessary for muscle building and repair. Additionally, consider including healthy sources of carbohydrates and fats, such as brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and avocados. These macronutrients provide the fuel needed for exercise and physical activity, ensuring you have the energy to support your muscle-building efforts.
While building muscle mass, it is important to remember that rest and recovery are just as crucial as your training and diet. Getting sufficient sleep, typically between 7 and 9 hours per night, allows your body to repair and strengthen muscle fibres, leading to increased muscle mass. Additionally, supplements can be a helpful addition to your meal plan, but they should augment your diet rather than replace whole food sources.
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Supplements
Protein supplements are a popular choice for muscle growth. Protein is critical for gaining muscle, and while it's possible to get all the protein you need from protein-rich foods, some people may struggle to do so. Whey, casein, and soy protein are some of the most popular forms of protein supplements, but there are also supplements that contain protein isolated from eggs, split peas, rice, hemp seeds, beef, or chicken. Research shows that adding extra protein via supplements causes slightly more muscle gain in people who exercise than adding extra carbs. However, the effects are probably largest for people who aren't getting enough protein in their diet.
Creatine is another popular supplement for muscle growth. Creatine is one of your body's natural energy sources for muscle contraction, and it can help increase muscle strength and improve recovery. Creatine supplements can increase muscle creatine content, which affects muscle cells and exercise performance, promoting muscle gain. Creatine can also increase the water content in your muscle cells, which may lead to larger increases in muscle mass over time. The most common creatine supplement is creatine monohydrate, which is beneficial for short-duration, high-intensity resistance exercises. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you may see more significant muscle gains by taking creatine supplements, as you don't get creatine through animal-based sources.
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are another supplement that may be beneficial for muscle growth. BCAAs consist of three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are found in most protein sources, particularly animal-based ones. While everyone consumes BCAAs from food every day, taking them as a supplement may improve muscle gain or reduce muscle loss. However, one study found that BCAAs may not preserve lean body mass in people following a weight-loss program. It's likely that BCAA supplements are only beneficial if you're not eating enough high-quality protein in your diet.
HMB is a supplement that has shown some promise in increasing muscle mass, particularly for people who are new to exercise or increasing the intensity of their workouts. It may be especially important for reducing the breakdown of muscle proteins. A 2017 review of studies found that taking 3 to 6 grams of HMB per day can improve lean body mass gains from weight training for previously untrained adults. However, HMB does not appear to be effective for athletes or adults with weight training experience.
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Frequently asked questions
Lean meats, chicken, turkey, eggs, yoghurt, cheese, milk, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, and oily fish such as tuna and salmon are all good sources of protein that can help increase muscle mass.
Whey protein, creatine, and rice protein supplements can help increase muscle mass.
To build muscle, you need to consume more calories than you burn. For every 450g of muscle you want to build, you need to consume around 2,800 calories. A daily increase of 250 to 500 calories is recommended, but this may vary depending on your weight gain goals and how easily you gain fat.
