Muscle building and nutrition

Synonyms in a broader sense

Muscle building training, Strength training, Bodybuilding, Supplements, doping, Anabolic steroids, Steroids

General

Diet largely determines success and failure.

The goal of having a fit body with powerful muscles is pursued by many people all over the world. Well-developed muscles makes the body more attractive, more vital and healthier and increases the quality of life and the Self-esteem.

In addition to a good training plan and sufficient rest breaks, diet plays an important role in building muscle. Especially with Endurance sports one should be on the balanced nutrition Take care. Without the right nutrients, the body is unable to build new muscles and supply them accordingly.

The muscles get one through the training Charm and the Body reacts on it with Optimization and Economization mechanisms. To do this, however, it needs important nutrients that humans take in from food. Muscle growth begins during rest breaks. A good nutrition acts supportive and above all a protein-rich diet effectively supports the development of the muscles.

Almost all foods contain important substances that the body needs to absorb and burn energy. Depending on how a person eats, they lose weight, gain weight or keep the weight. Above all, a protein-containing or protein-containing diet supports muscle building. The protein ingested with food is first broken down into its constituent parts, the amino acids, in the stomach. The amino acids are needed, among other things, to build muscle. Muscles are closed approx. 20% from protein (the rest is water) and therefore need this nutrient for growth. In addition to proteins, carbohydrates and fat are other important nutrients for building new muscles. These two groups of nutrients are the main suppliers of the energy that is needed for muscle work.

In general, there are some guidelines on how the food should be composed if you want to actively build muscle. The daily diet should contain between 1.2 and 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Taking an average man weighing 75 kg as an example, the amount of protein in the daily diet should be between 90 and 150 grams. It should be noted, however, that the body can only absorb approx. 40 - 50 grams of protein per meal, and therefore consume its proteins with each meal.

This article might also interest you: Protein powder for muscle building

With a healthy and balanced diet, it is usually not necessary to take additional protein in the form of dietary supplements. The right combination, but above all the right time of intake, of protein, carbohydrates and fat is much more important than the pure amount of a nutrient. So that the nutrients that are supplied with food can be properly absorbed by the body, it needs a lot of fluid. For this reason, you should make sure to drink between two to three liters of water a day.

Egg white / protein

As mentioned, not only the amount of protein plays a role, but also the quality of the protein. The biological value indicates the quality of the respective protein and thus shows how well the body can absorb the protein and convert it into muscle mass. For example, an egg has a biological value of 100 and is used as a reference value. With a score of 92, beef and tuna can keep up with the egg. So you should also pay attention to which proteins you are consuming.
In general, animal proteins should be preferred to vegetable proteins for muscle building. They are also easier to digest than the vegetable proteins. Chicken and turkey meat are particularly good proteins because they are low in fat but have a high biological value and are therefore good nutrients for building muscle.
Nevertheless, when it comes to proteins, one should not just rely on one group, but combine animal and vegetable proteins with one another in order to achieve the greatest possible success.

For more information, see our topic: Protein such as Protein powder

carbohydrates

Carbohydrates play a bigger role in strength training than first thought. They are an energy supplier that makes training with weights possible in the first place. Therefore, you should make sure that the carbohydrate stores are replenished before training. Z. b. Pasta about 4-5 hours before Strength training eat.
If you feel tired during or before training, you can consume carbohydrates in the form of energy bars (simple sugars). This achieves a performance boost, but this is not sustained over a long period of time. After training, the carbohydrate stores should be replenished, but you should make sure that the human body converts excess carbohydrates into fat.

Further information is available under our topic: carbohydrates

Fats

A high-fat diet should be avoided in any case during strength training, as the body does not burn fat during strength training.
A positive side effect of muscle building training, however, is that the body burns more fat due to the increase in muscle mass, as the basal metabolic rate is increased.

Creatine

Creatine (creatine monohydrate, creatine) is an intermediate product of energy metabolism. Creatine is formed in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids glycine and arginine. Creatine built up in the muscle strengthens the hypoglycemic insulin effect and thereby increases the absorption of sugar in the muscle.

Adenosine triphosphate (= ATP) is synthesized by creatine, which supplies the muscles with energy. With an increased level of ATP, the muscle can perform over a longer period of time without - as would normally be the case - over-acidic due to increased lactate levels.

Find out more about this topic at: The effects of creatine

The daily creatine requirement under “normal” exposure is around 2 g / d, with the body synthesizing around half of it itself and the rest having to be taken in through food (see natural sources).

Further information can be found under our topic: Creatine.

Adjustment screw nutrition

Proper nutrition has long been of interest not only to bodybuilders, but has also established itself in the popular sports sector. It's not about achieving the greatest possible muscle growth, but rather to tone one's muscles and shape the body. This supports the joints and enables a good body feeling.

The effects that muscle building and toning can have many. Back pain can be reduced and possibly even cured by building and shaping muscles, if the corresponding muscle parts are properly trained. In combination with a balanced diet, exercising can help eliminate back pain.
Furthermore, the metabolism is stimulated and optimized by building muscle. The cycle works more economical and is more efficient under stress. More muscle mass also contributes to the fact that more of the surrounding fat tissue is burned and converted into energy. This can be done through the increased energy requirements explain the increased muscle mass.

A combination of strength, endurance training and nutrition is recommended by many experts when it comes to building muscles and toning and shaping the body.

Diet makes the difference

In addition to training, nutrition plays an important role, since without a healthy and balanced diet, successful muscle building would not be possible (see also: Fitness diet). A distinction should be made as to whether the diet is of good quality and balanced or whether it is well designed for muscle growth. Many strength athletes do not pay attention to whether the diet is healthy or not, but concentrate completely on building muscle. Most strength athletes do not care whether or not muscle building is achieved in a healthy way. Many fitness training and nutrition experts recommend a program that consists of 70% proper nutrition and 30% a special training plan. In the following, the 15 most effective foods are presented to support muscle building in the best possible way.

  • Water is one of the most important factors when it comes to building muscle. Muscle tissue consists of almost 80% water and is therefore a staple food, especially for building muscle. Therefore, one should always drink enough or consume water through other foods such as vegetables and fruits.

  • In addition to whey, organic free-range eggs contain the highest concentration of essential amino acids. Organic eggs are a good and important source of protein that is best eaten raw in a shake. Cooked or fried, they lose a little of their biological value. With a small mixer you can mix yourself a healthy nutrient-rich shake with freshly squeezed orange juice, a banana, a tablespoon of coconut butter and two eggs.

  • In addition to egg, fish is also a high-quality source of protein that supports muscle building. Just two meals a week of fish are enough to meet the need for high-quality protein.

  • Walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds and many other nuts are good sources of protein and also contain other important nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron and selenium.

  • As a representative of many legumes, beans are very rich in protein and therefore contribute to optimal muscle growth. If you combine it, for example, with whole-food rice, such a dish provides the body with all the essential amino acids. Beans also contain slowly digestible carbohydrates and zinc, as well as fiber. Since zinc deficiency can inhibit muscle building, one should always make sure to eat enough zinc-containing foods such as beans.

A balanced diet not only has a positive effect on muscle building.
  • Oats are a type of grain that has a well-balanced amino acid profile and is therefore relevant for building muscle. You can prepare a porridge from oats and garnish it with fruit and get a filling, high-quality breakfast.

  • Peanut butter is often considered fattening and its taste is not for everyone. However, it is high in protein and healthy fats while also being relatively low in carbohydrates. A high-quality slice of spelled bread with organic peanut butter supplies the muscles with many amino acids.

  • In addition to a good amino acid profile, quinoa contains other valuable nutrients such as B vitamins, iron and magnesium. Quinoa also has a good store of unsaturated fatty acids.

  • Spinach is not only a muscle builder at Popeye, but also a good vegetable to nourish the muscles. The mitochondria in our muscle cells need the nitrates and nitric oxide contained in spinach in order to work effectively.

  • Broccoli is a very healthy and nutrient-rich vegetable that has a very high protein content (3.2 grams per 100 grams of broccoli) and very few carbohydrates. But broccoli contains many vitamins and antioxidants that protect the muscles.

  • Berries come in different varieties, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, currants, etc. All berries are high in antioxidants and vitamins, which are important for muscle growth and general health.

  • Lupins are legumes and are therefore very rich in protein. However, unlike other legumes, lupins do not contain any purines and therefore contain particularly good protein.

  • Hemp protein is particularly popular with fitness athletes because it contains a lot of vitamin B2.This vitamin plays an important role in the formation of new muscles, but it is also very important for the eyes and skin. Hemp contains 20 to 24% protein, which covers the entire range of amino acids. The branched-chain amino acids in particular are particularly important for muscle growth and repair and are therefore always urgently needed.

  • In addition to hemp protein, rice protein is another high-quality source of protein. The digestibility of rice protein is very good, similar to breast milk, so there are no problems even with a sensitive stomach. Rice protein also supplies the body with the vitamins from the B complex and thus supports the absorption of the protein.

  • Protein mixtures have the great advantage that all amino acids are included and, above all, the otherwise rarer amino acids L-valine, L-isoleucine and L-leucine are contained in increased amounts. This has a very positive effect on building muscle. A mixture of pea, hemp and cranberry protein is offered as a Sunwarrior Blend, for example.

Read more on the topic: Leucine

It all depends on the dosage

Generally should be on organically grown products can be used. The foods presented offer a well-rounded nutritional profile that covers all the important amino acids and other nutrients.

Is the diet balanced and diversified you do not need any additional intake of dietary supplements. Vegetarians and high-performance athletes who cannot get enough protein through their diet can compensate for this with protein supplements. There are normally no consequences to fear from the additional protein intake. Exceeds one in the long run the amount of protein from two grams of protein per kg of body weight per day, can be an undesirable extra amount of nitrogen arise of the kidneys more burdened. Protein that is not used for muscle building is used as a third choice of energy, which then creates nitrogen and demands more from the kidneys. It is important that in addition to an increased protein intake additionally more liquid is supplied in the form of water. This will make the Kidneys flushed well and the increased load can be partially compensated.

example

As an example of one Nutritional plan to build muscle a day is presented with a breakfast starts with a wholegrain roll, a slice of turkey slices, a tomato, a little salt and pepper, a hazelnut and 200 ml of coffee with milk. Occasionally there is a fruit quark to which you should drink 200 ml of liquid. The Lunchtime meal can be a fruit muesli with fresh fruit, to which 600 ml of liquid are served. Before the dinner you can also treat yourself to another small snack. A fruit salad or a selection of fresh fruit is ideal for the afternoon. Again, you should take 600 ml of liquid again. Dinner can start with a stir-fry with feta cheese. 100 grams of whole wheat pasta, lean beef fillet and two times 200 ml of water are recommended. As a small dessert you can serve 30 grams of hazelnuts and add a 200 ml glass of water.

Diet can make an important contribution to effective muscle building and is largely responsible for good, healthy muscle growth.

Regeneration times

Time after exercise function of the organism

4-6 minutes Creatine Phosphate Replenishment (KrP)

20 minutes Lowering blood pressure to normal

20-30 minutes Increase in blood sugar

30-35 minutes Reduction of the lactate value below 3 mmol

60 minutes Onset of protein synthesis

about 90 minutes Change from catabolic (degrading) to anabolic (building up) metabolism

120 minutes Occurring regeneration of the muscles

approx. 12-24 hours Balancing the fluid balance

24 hours Decrease in hematocrit value

> 24 hours 2-5 days Filling up the glycogen store

4 days Restoration of the weakened immune system

5 days Replenishment of the muscular fat stores

7 days Structure of dysfunctional mitochondria

> 1 week Regeneration after extreme long-term endurance loads

Anabolic steroids / doping

You can find more information on the use of anabolic steroids to build muscle on our page: Muscle building and anabolic steroids

continuation

For further information please follow the corresponding link on the topics:

Muscle groups

    • Back training
    • Abs workout
    • Leg muscle training
    • Arm muscle training
    • Chest muscle training
    • Shoulder and neck muscle training
    • Expander training