There are many training programs on the internet that teach you how to get bigger muscles. But when that's not enough, you need a good lesson on the other thing that helps you build greater muscles: nutrition. And I am not talking about the 'see-food' diet here. You need to adopt an eating regimen designed to help you build muscle without sacrificing your physique to achieve that.
This program is designed to fit a weightlifter's demands to build big and strong muscles, so it is divided in 2 plans: one for your training days, and the other for your rest days. Your training days should maximize your growth through a higher carbohydrate intake, little fat, and a great amount of lean protein.
And that is because when you train, you benefit from the powerful hormone insulin especially first thing in the morning or immediately after a workout, and by timing this anabolic effect with your intake of carbs, your nutrients will be forced into muscle cells, instead of fat cells.
If you want to speed up these nutrients into your muscle cells, have a fast absorbing carbs and protein shake during or after the workout. Preferably, you should sip from you shake during your training and finish it by the time you've completed your workout session. After your training, eat your post-training meal within the next 60 to 90 minutes, to take advantage of the afterburn effect that follows your training session.
The goal on your rest day, as opposed to your training day, is to decrease your intake of carbs, reduce your caloric intake, and reduce the number of meals you have as well. Make sure you combine healthy fats with protein at optimal times. By reducing your carbs intake, you keep your insulin under control and thus prevent body-fat deposits.
For the best results, you need to adjust your diet plan to your weight and body-fat percentage. Take your lean body weight and divide it by the approximate lean bodyweight of a sample lifter, like 200 or 150 pounds. For example, the formula for a 150-pound lifter with 10% body-fat, the formula looks like this: 150 - (0.10 x 150) = 135/200 = 0.675. Next, take the result and multiply it by the amounts listed your sample plan to get the correct numbers for your lean body mass. So, for the example we have, the 150-pound lifter who normally has 90g of carbs and 35g of protein for the first meal of his training day will have 90 x 0.675 = 60g of carbs and 35 x 0.675 = 24g of protein for his first meal on his training day. For this diet plan, the following food sources will lead to the best results for your muscles gains:
Protein: chicken breast, cod, turkey breast, egg whites, protein powders, trimmed lean red meat
Carbohydrates: oatmeal, grits, brown rice, baked potatoes, yam, Ezekiel bread
Vegetables: broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, lettuce
Fats: natural peanut butter, almond butter, extra virgin olive oil
7 Meals Plan For Training Days
- Meal 1: 2 cups of oatmeal with 8 scrambled egg whites
- Meal 2: 3/4 cup of white rice with 6 ounces of chicken breast
- Meal 3: 2 baked potatoes with 6 ounces of chicken breast
- During/post-workout shake: Peri-workout nutrition, approximately 75g carbs, and 50g protein
- Meal 4: 1 cup of white rice with 6 ounces tilapia
- Meal 5: 3/4 cup of white rice with 6 ounces tilapia
- Meal 6: 6 ounces lean round steak with 2 cups of broccoli
- Meal 7: 100g of casein/whey blend shake
7 Meals Plan For Rest Days
- Meal 1: 1-1/2 cups of oatmeal with 8 egg whites and 2 whole eggs
- Meal 2: 1 cup of brown rice with 8 ounces of chicken breast
- Meal 3: 1 cup of brown rice with 8 ounces of chicken breast
- Meal 4: 8 ounces of trimmed sirloin with 2 cups of broccoli and 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
- Meal 5: 8 ounces of cod with one large salad and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil as a dressing
- Meal 6: 8 ounces of trimmed round stake with one tablespoon of natural peanut butter
- Meal 7: shake of 100g casein/whey blend with 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
The secret to hypertrophy is to work with your body's natural insulin production and use that to your advantage by timing your meals with the afterburn effect of your workout sessions. If you combine these nutrition tips with an awesome weight training routine, you will benefit from maximum gains in no time.
Some trainees even claim that they were able to make significant gains in as little as 8 weeks by following this nutrition plan in combination with heavy-duty training. Make sure you adjust these tips by using to your personal numbers and you'll see those muscles grow!