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For a lot of people, gaining muscle is a top priority. It boosts their confidence, makes them feel healthier, and improves their physique.
Of course, going about gaining muscle can be tricky since there are a lot of different variables to take into account.
Although it can be confusing, ultimately substantial muscle gain is entirely possible and most of it comes down to diet.
Here’s what you need to know about maximizing your gains through eating right.
How Does Muscle Gain Work?
While there’s a lot of information out there about how muscle growth works, you only really need to know the basics.
Muscle growth is primarily instigated by an increase in muscle strain and muscle tearing. When you use your muscles to lift something heavier than you’re used to, it triggers the development of minor cell changes that increase the absorption of growth hormones that make the muscle stronger.
At the same time, muscle tearing that results from lifting heavy objects also leads to an immune response that encourages standby cells to bind to the damaged muscle fibers, increasing their density once repaired.
This combination of hormones, cell repair, and immune responses is why diet is so important for muscle gains. You’ve got to have the right nutrition for hormone production, enough protein to repair damaged muscles, and a healthy enough immune system to deal with inflammation.
What Foods Should You Eat to Gain Muscle?
Hormones, growth hormones included, are primarily based on lipids, specifically cholesterol, and proteins are needed to build muscle strands.
This means that any diet that’s designed for muscle gains will need to be high in fat and high in protein. Additionally, if you’re looking to get a highly chiseled look that shows your muscles off, you’ll need to reduce your intake of carbohydrates, which is the primary source of excess fat storage that can cover muscle.
Here are some good food options for gaining lots of muscle.
Fish
Fish is a comparatively low-calorie, high protein food option that contains lots of healthy fats which encourage muscle growth.
Spinach
Although it may not seem like it at first, spinach is actually a great muscle-building choice due to its high content of glutamine, which plays an important part in protein synthesis.
Cheese
At the end of the day, cheese is basically a giant block of fats mixed with proteins, making it a tremendous option for muscle gain.
Peanuts
Peanut butter has long been a staple for bodybuilders who are looking for a cheap, easily accessible, and an easy to prepare form of protein. Due to peanut butter’s sugar content, it’s best to go with plain, old-fashioned peanuts, but the added sugar isn’t going to completely throw you off your diet.
Poultry
Most kinds of meats are good for gaining muscle due to their high protein and fat contents, but poultry in particular is considered to be one of the best due to how lean it is.
Developing A Plan
With information about proper dietary changes in hand, you’ll need to develop a plan.
It’s best to engage in meal planning to get the right balance of fats and proteins as well as meet your necessary calorie count. Winging it is always possible, but that’s probably not going to be as successful.
Bodybuilders tend to have six small meals throughout the day in order to maximize muscle repair, although it’s also possible to go with a standard 3 meals a day. Typically though, people go with three meals plus a small snack for more casual muscle building.
If you find that doing it all on your own is a little too difficult to pull off, you can employ the services of businesses that will create a custom keto meal plan for you.
Getting Started
Gaining muscle and getting into shape isn’t always easy, but it’s certainly worth it. Consistent workouts don’t just transform your physical look, they transform your mind and your frame of reference.
The road is going to be paved with many challenges, but ultimately all you need to succeed is just to get the ball rolling.