Build Lean Muscle Mass

If your goal is to put on lean body mass and/or increase strength, consider following a nutritional guideline set for a bodybuilder.  Begin by setting realistic goals and focus on the long-term goals most beneficial for your respective sport and position.  Keep in mind the following tips when you design a program to build lean body mass and/or increase muscle strength.

Be consistent and diligent with your supplements.

During the offseason, follow the nutrition guidelines for bodybuilders.  Then during the preseason, follow a more sport-specific program to maximize your strength, power, and recovery.

Monitor your body composition.

Add 2 calories for every 1 lb of lean body mass.  Add the calories to your protein and CHO intakes and leave your fat intake at roughly 20%.  Divide the additional calories equally among all your daily meals.

Eat 5 to 6 smaller meals a day to give your body a steady supply of calories and nutrients and to keep your blood sugar at a constant level.

Eat whole foods.  Avoid processed foods.

Eat high quality, low fat proteins (such as egg whites, chicken, turkey, tuna, lean red meat, low fat dairy products, and low fat protein supplements).

Consider consuming a high protein, low fat powder weight-gain drink as a snack or part of a meal.

Supplement at least a multivitamin.

DO NOT consume too much protein.  The human body can only assimilate (take in, digest and absorb) about 25 – 40g of protein per meal.

Eat more complex CHO such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, potatoes, whole-grain bread, and beans.

Wait at least 1 hour before consuming your post-training meal.  Studies show that if you train hard for about an hour, your GH and testosterone levels (which are essential to building lean body mass and strength) will reach a peak.  However, if you eat during or directly after training, your hormonal responses will be reduced.

*CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO

An athlete weighs in at 169 lbs and 15% body fat.  He wants to put on 6lbs of lean body mass in the off-season.   

169 x .15(%) = 25.35 (lbs of actual body fat)

169 (total body weight) – 25.35 (lbs body fat) = 143.65 (LEAN BODY MASS)

*to figure out any number in kilograms, divide the number by 2.2*

So… 143.65 (LEAN BODY MASS) / 2.2 = 65.30kg

To calculate how much additional energy should be consumed, multiply your LBM (in kilos) by 1.5…

65.30 (kg0 x 1.5 = 215 (additional calories per day)

These additional calories should be consumed by either CHO or PRO, not fat!

**to do anything such as this to work on your body composition, you need to have an analysis done.  If you’d like to schedule an appointment to have one done, please send us an email or call 303.386.5460.  They are inexpensive, very accurate, will take less than 30 minutes, and can be done in the comfort of your home.