Just like our training that we rotate around to prevent boredom, you should rotate
your food selection. Normally, you will eat whatever is in your house, so the best
strategy to eating a healthy variety is to shop for different foods each week. This
will help balance out your diet and help you measure the response a variety of foods.
Don't go for the boring and easy route.
Principle #3: Eat Enough Calories
Building muscle is an eating game because your muscles grow on calories. Not eating
enough calories is like an attempt to buy a $50,000 car with only $25,000 in the
bank. It's not going to happen. If you are not gaining at least 1-2 pounds per week,
then add some extra carbohydrates and proteins to your breakfast, pre-workout meal
or post-workout meal.
THERE IS
NO WAY
AROUND THIS STEP. Even if you have the perfect training routine, you will never
grow unless you provide your body with the proper amount of nutrients. It's
like saying you want to build a house but you do not have enough bricks, cement
and wood. It will be impossible to build that house. It's like saying you
want to race a car as fast as possible but you don't have any gasoline or
oil. It's downright impossible.
If you wish to ensure that your muscles have enough fuel
to support your workouts, lift heavy weights for high reps, recover from workout
to workout and, let's not forget, GROW NEW MUSCLE, then you have to keep track
of what you are eating every day. There is no way around it. This is the number
one reason why skinny guys never gain weight or why anybody for that matter will
not make quality gains that they so desperately strive for.
Keeping track of what you eat is a lot easier than it sounds - it's
probably why most people avoid it, because they perceive it to be difficult.
Sure, you're going to have to take some extra time
to read containers and labels, but if this method will promise another 20 pounds
in a few months from now, is it not worth it? And the good news is that your brain
will create a new file to store all your new nutrient calculations, and since you
are eating from the majority of the same foods, your 'memory food bank'
will expand quickly.
Principle #4: Eat 40-60 Grams Of Protein Per Meal
Building muscle is not on your body's 'to do' list - simple survival
is. Not getting enough protein for your internal organs results in your body robbing
it from your muscle tissue. Your body cannibalizes itself for the amino acids it
needs! This is the polar opposite of what skinny guys want.
Proteins should make up at least 35% of your overall caloric intake. This translates
to 40-60 grams of protein per meal for males less then 200 lbs and will be enough
to maintain your appetite, increase your muscle mass, accelerate recovery and keep
body fat levels low. Hit this level and you're doing well.
It is better to get your protein from whole, complete, and lean protein. Remember
that protein is a costly food and burns twice as much energy as carbs and three
times as much energy as fat. You need protein to maximally turbo-charge your metabolism,
improve your muscle mass and accelerate recovery.
Aim for lean meats such as ground beef, chicken, turkey, etc. Aim for fish such
as salmon, tuna, orange roughy, etc. Aim for Omega 3 eggs and pasteurized egg whites.
Aim for dairy from cottage cheese, yogurt and partly skimmed cheeses. And if you
have to resort to supplement shakes, go for whey, casein or milk protein blends.
Principle #5: Eat 60-80 Grams Of Carbohydrate per Meal
Not getting enough carbohydrates will make you feel like you're carrying a
bear on your back throughout your workouts. Your body's gas tank is comprised
of carbohydrates. No carbs and don't expect to get that car too far.
A lack of carbs in your diet can slow the muscle-building process because your muscle
tissue can be used as energy if your body's preferred source of energy, carbs,
are not available.
It is best to get your carbohydrates from a variety of high-fiber, complex and low-glycemic
carbohydrates as opposed to simple carbs (sugars) found in fast food, fried food,
processed food and junk food. Complex carbs release a slower and longer lasting
energy that is critical for your intense training workouts. Complex carbs will rarely
get converted to fat unless you are clearly eating too many of them. If you are
gaining more fat around your midsection as opposed to muscle, then you know you
should cut back on your complex carbs or add a few cardio workouts.
Aim for high-complex, muscle-building carbs such as bran, barley, buckwheat, beans,
brown rice, cornmeal, oatmeal, pasta, potatoes and whole grains.