Provide your body with a surplus of calories
This is first and foremost on the list.
Beyond planning a proper workout schedule with all of the right exercises, sets, reps and rest periods lies this one simple rule of muscle growth…
In order to build muscle, you must consume more calories than you burn!
This is a basic biological law of muscle growth, and if you fail to consume an adequate number of calories per day you will NOT build muscle, plain and simple.
The work that you perform in the gym is simply the “spark” that sets the muscle growth process into motion. However, the REAL magic takes place when you are out of the gym, resting and eating. This is when your body will use the nutrients that you consume to begin repairing your damaged muscles and increasing their size and strength in preparation for your next workout.
If you don’t provide your body with the raw materials needed to facilitate growth, this process simply cannot take place.
In order to provide your body with the calories necessary to fuel muscle growth and to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building state at all times, you should be consuming anywhere from 17-20x your bodyweight in calories every single day. So if you weigh 150 pounds…
150 x 17 = 2550
150 x 20 = 3000
…Then you should be consuming anywhere from 2550-3000 daily in order to build muscle.
You should adjust this number based on…
a) Your Metabolic Rate – Are you naturally thin and have a hard time gaining weight? Or do you seem to put on body fat just by looking at food? Depending on your overall body type you can adjust the number higher or lower. b) Your Activity Level – Do you play sports or work a physically strenuous job? If so, you’ll need to consume more calories in order to compensate. If you’re fairly sedentary and aren’t very physically active (besides your weight workouts of course), then you probably won’t need as many calories as someone who is more active. c) Your Goals – Are you aiming to bulk up and build as much overall body mass as you possibly can? If so, you’ll obviously want to consume as many calories as you reasonably can. Are you simply trying to build a little bit of extra muscle and look better overall? If so, then a slight caloric increase is all you’ll need. Based on these 3 factors above you can decide where to place yourself on the caloric range.
Do NOT overlook this aspect of the muscle growth process!
Most trainees are so concerned with their workouts that they highly underestimate the importance of proper nutrition. If anything, nutrition is even MORE important than what you accomplish in the gym.
If you fail to eat properly by not providing your body with an adequate number of calories each day, building muscle will be physically impossible
The caloric method I just outlined is known as “The Basic Multiplier”. To get an even more accurate number that takes specific individual factors into account, such as age, sex, height, activity level, body composition etc…
Sharing is sexyBeyond planning a proper workout schedule with all of the right exercises, sets, reps and rest periods lies this one simple rule of muscle growth…
In order to build muscle, you must consume more calories than you burn!
This is a basic biological law of muscle growth, and if you fail to consume an adequate number of calories per day you will NOT build muscle, plain and simple.
The work that you perform in the gym is simply the “spark” that sets the muscle growth process into motion. However, the REAL magic takes place when you are out of the gym, resting and eating. This is when your body will use the nutrients that you consume to begin repairing your damaged muscles and increasing their size and strength in preparation for your next workout.
If you don’t provide your body with the raw materials needed to facilitate growth, this process simply cannot take place.
In order to provide your body with the calories necessary to fuel muscle growth and to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building state at all times, you should be consuming anywhere from 17-20x your bodyweight in calories every single day. So if you weigh 150 pounds…
150 x 17 = 2550
150 x 20 = 3000
…Then you should be consuming anywhere from 2550-3000 daily in order to build muscle.
You should adjust this number based on…
a) Your Metabolic Rate – Are you naturally thin and have a hard time gaining weight? Or do you seem to put on body fat just by looking at food? Depending on your overall body type you can adjust the number higher or lower. b) Your Activity Level – Do you play sports or work a physically strenuous job? If so, you’ll need to consume more calories in order to compensate. If you’re fairly sedentary and aren’t very physically active (besides your weight workouts of course), then you probably won’t need as many calories as someone who is more active. c) Your Goals – Are you aiming to bulk up and build as much overall body mass as you possibly can? If so, you’ll obviously want to consume as many calories as you reasonably can. Are you simply trying to build a little bit of extra muscle and look better overall? If so, then a slight caloric increase is all you’ll need. Based on these 3 factors above you can decide where to place yourself on the caloric range.
Do NOT overlook this aspect of the muscle growth process!
Most trainees are so concerned with their workouts that they highly underestimate the importance of proper nutrition. If anything, nutrition is even MORE important than what you accomplish in the gym.
If you fail to eat properly by not providing your body with an adequate number of calories each day, building muscle will be physically impossible
The caloric method I just outlined is known as “The Basic Multiplier”. To get an even more accurate number that takes specific individual factors into account, such as age, sex, height, activity level, body composition etc…
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