Close Ad ×

Muscle & Fitness logo Muscle & Fitness

  • Workouts

    Workouts

    • Workout Routines
    • Workout Tips
    • Fitness
    • Athlete/Celebrity Workouts
    • Exercise Videos
    Find Exercises Targeting…
    • Abs and Core Exercises
    • Arm Exercises
    • Back Exercises
    • Chest Exercises
    • Leg Exercises
    • Shoulder Exercises
  • Nutrition

    Nutrition

    • Healthy Eating
    • Lose Fat
    • Gain Mass
    • Supplements
    • Performance Nutrition
    A young Bodybuilding Legend Arnold Schwarzenegger holding two hard boiled eggs for his diet for a bodybuilding physique
    Healthy Eating

    A Healthy Approach to Eating Eggs for Bodybuilders and Athletes

    Walnuts
    Healthy Eating

    7 Low-Calorie Snacks for Fitness Enthusiasts

    Extra Protein Powder Overflowing From Scooper With Dumbbell Plates
    Healthy Eating

    Sick of Smoothies? Try These Protein Powder Recipe Options

    Happy bodybuilder eating a pre-workout protein bar outdoors
    Healthy Eating

    7 Things to Look Out for When Buying a Better Protein Bar

  • Athletes & Celebrities

    Athletes & Celebrities

    • News
    • Interviews
    • Women
    • Pro Tips
    • Behind-the-Scenes
    • Videos
    Dr. Myron Rolle in the operating scrubs
    Pro Tips

    This Neurosurgeon is the 'Rolle' Model We All Need

    Victoria Vesce
    Pro Tips

    This Swimsuit Model Found Hope Through Faith and Fitness

    Wrestler Kenny Omega surrounded by his fellow wrestlers
    News

    5 Ways Kenny Omega Became One of Pro Wrestling's Best

    nick bare bpn founder
    Interviews

    Nick Bare's Transformation from Army Ranger to Ultramarathoner to Entrep...

  • Features

    Features

    • From our Partners
    • Active Lifestyle
    • M&F: Fit to Serve
    • Gear
    • News
    • Opinion
    Anker Capsule 3
    Gear

    Top Father's Day Gear Picks for Every Dad

    AI augmented apparel STARCK running shoes
    Gear

    Here’s a Shoe that Can Do the Walking for You (Sort of)

    Inno Glow_1
    From our Partners

    Medspa Doctor Weighs In on Her Go-To Collagen Supplement Inno Glow by In...

    Wrestler Billy Graham wrestling in memory
    News

    Remembering Pro Wrestling Legend 'Superstar' Billy Graham

  • Anti-Aging

    Anti-Aging

    • Functional Medicine
    • Hormone Optimization
    • Recovery
    • Wellness
    Female working out at home performing a home workout
    Functional Medicine

    Far from Home Fitness

    Molecule of DNA forming inside the test tube
    Wellness

    The Regenerative Medicine Revolution

    Man holding brain illustration against gray wall background
    Wellness

    The Big Picture of Improving Brain Health

    Red stethoscope on top of a stack of money
    Wellness

    Health is Wealth

  • Flex

    Flex

    • Olympia Coverage
    • Athletes
    • Nutrition
    • Training
    • Videos
    PTM cbum vs clarida
    News

    Should Shaun Clarida and Chris Bumstead Go to the Men’s Open?

    TMP ROUND TABLE STEVE EP
    News

    Steve Weinberger Speaks About Judging and Posing

    FRS Jasmine
    News

    Jasmine Payne Shares Some of Her Training Secrets on 'Fit Rockstar'

    PTM Nick Walker
    News

    Is Nick Walker Destined to Become Mr. Olympia?

  • Hers

    Hers

    • Workouts
    • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Athletes & Celebrities
    • Features
    Female fitness model showing off her sleek obliques and muscular sexy abs
    Hers Workouts

    How to Create Athletically Strong and Shapely Obliques

    rafael-cisneros-mendez-y5PG8ZecXQI-unsplash
    Muscle & Fitness Hers

    Summer Must-Haves For Active Women

    Kate Mansi wearing yoga gear and sitting down
    Hers Athletes & Celebrities

    'Casa Grande' Star Kate Mansi Shares Her Wellness Rules

    FFF
    Hers Workouts

    Two IFBB Bikini Pros Show You How to Build Olympia Caliber Legs and Glut...

  • Muscle&Fitness+

    Muscle&Fitness+

  • Olympia

    Olympia

    • Olympia Coverage
    • Buy Tickets
    Caesar Bacarella performing a dumbbell workout with biceps curls
    Pro Tips

    Caesar Bacarella Is Building a Fitness Empire at Full Speed

    Olympia-2019-Whiteny-Jones-Press-Conference
    Interviews

    Whitney Jones Can Break, But Can Never Be Broken

    IFBB Wellness Pro Yarishna Ayala
    Interviews

    Yarishna Ayala Shares Advice for Future Wellness Division Competitors

    2021 Mr. Olympia Top 3 winners Brandon Curry, Big Ramy, Hadi Choopin
    News

    BIG RAMY WINS THE 2021 OLYMPIA!

Subscribe to YouTube Subscribe to the Newsletter Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Accessibility Statement Do Not Sell
  • Workouts
    • Workout Routines
    • Workout Tips
    • Fitness
    • Athlete/Celebrity Workouts
    • Exercise Videos
  • Nutrition
    • Healthy Eating
    • Lose Fat
    • Gain Mass
    • Supplements
    • Performance Nutrition
  • Athletes & Celebrities
    • News
    • Interviews
    • Women
    • Pro Tips
    • Behind-the-Scenes
    • Videos
  • Features
    • From our Partners
    • Active Lifestyle
    • M&F: Fit to Serve
    • Gear
    • News
    • Opinion
  • Anti-Aging
    • Functional Medicine
    • Hormone Optimization
    • Recovery
    • Wellness
  • Flex
    • Olympia Coverage
    • Athletes
    • Nutrition
    • Training
    • Videos
  • Hers
    • Workouts
    • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Athletes & Celebrities
    • Features
  • Muscle&Fitness+
  • Olympia
    • Olympia Coverage
    • Buy Tickets
  • Resources & Highlights
    • Topics
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Do Not Sell

Stay Connected

Success!

Thank you for signing up. Your information has been successfully processed!

I want content for...
Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest
Open menu button
Open search bar button
×

Search M&F

Featured Articles
Lean Muscle
Healthy Eating

28-Days-to-Lean Meal Plan

With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.

Read article
Kate Upton Attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Women

The 20 Hottest Female Celebrities

Talented stars, killer physiques.

Read article
Bench press record holder Bill Gillespie breaking the world record at age 62
Pro Tips

The 'Dos' and 'Don’ts' of Bill Gillespie’s Record-Breaking Bench Press

At age 62, "Big Bill" shares his wisdom to dominate one of the ultimate strength marks.

Read article
The 50 Best Female Fitness Influencers on Instagram
Girls

The 50 Best Fitness Influencers on Instagram

Follow these fit women we're crushing on for inspiration, workout ideas, and motivation.

Read article
Gain Mass

5 Nutritional Mass Building Tips

Follow these nutrition rules to maximize your mass-building potential.

by Tom Weede
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
Bodybuilder Drinking
View Gallery

5 Nutritional Mass Building Tips

Close gallery popup button
1 OF 6

1 of 6

Bodybuilder Drinking

If you’’re looking to add muscle mass to your frame, hitting the weights hard is a given. Quality time in the gym begins a cascade of changes that will stimulate your muscles to grow bigger in response to the challenges you throw their way. It’’s tempting to think that’’s all it takes to add muscle to your body. After all, you can actually feel your biceps growing after an intense set of curls.That pump is tangible, real-time biofeedback to let you know that blood is flowing to your muscle cells, beginning a chain of events that stimulates protein synthesis. Maybe that’’s why it’s easy to overlook how important good nutrition is in the mass-building equation. When you choose to eat, say, chicken instead of ice cream, there’’s no immediate muscle gratification — no pump to keep you motivated.

Eating for Muscle

Make no mistake: Eating for muscle is just as important as lifting for muscle. The foods you grab in the morning on the way to work, the meals you pack for lunch and mid-afternoon, what you put into your body immediately following your workout, and your final meal of the day impact your results as much as, if not more than, the number of reps you squeeze out at the end of a set. But in reality, it can be tough to stick to a ““clean”” diet when you’’re busy. We know that adding another layer of complexity to life in the form of reading food labels and studying ingredient lists just isn’’t an option for most of us. Not to mention actually preparing all those healthy meals.

2 of 6

Bodybuilder eating

Calories Are Key, But They’re Not Everything

While it’’s okay to chow down on the occasional fast-food choice for convenience, a mass-gain program isn’’t an excuse to gorge on pizza and chocolate sundaes. “”Rebuilding muscle tissue broken down by training requires energy -— in other words, calories,”” Aceto says. ““But many people, including many nutritionists, overestimate the energy needs for gaining mass, encouraging extreme high-calorie intakes. This often leads to an increase in bodyfat, making you bigger, for sure, but also leaving you fat.” In general, aim for 300-500 more calories every day than your body burns through exercise and normal functioning (multiply bodyweight by 17). And that’’s divided among six meals a day.

3 of 6

Steak 12 23

Concentrate On Protein

Protein is important for mass gains because it’’s the only nutrient that’’s capable of stimulating muscle growth. You should consume up to 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. Eating every three hours  will help ensure you’’re absorbing and assimilating enough protein to support muscle growth.

4 of 6

Eat Healthy

Eat After Training

“It’’s especially important to eat a carb- and protein-rich meal immediately after a workout,” Aceto says. “Right after training, it turns out that your body is really lousy at taking carbohydrates and sending them down fat-storing pathways,”” he says. “So post-training, carbs will be sent down growth-promoting pathways instead.”” And when these carbs are combined with a protein source, you’’ve got a strong muscle-feeding combination because carbohydrates help deliver the amino acids into muscles by boosting insulin levels. This anabolic hormone drives nutrients into the muscle cells and kick-starts the muscle-growth process.

5 of 6

Drinking Water

Stay Hydrated

Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially in the hours leading up to your workout. This can help you feel full and reduce hunger pangs. During training, drink about 8 ounces every 15-20 minutes, more when it’s hot and humid. The reason is simple: Your performance quickly begins to suffer when the body is dehydrated just 1%-–2%. And if you wait till you feel thirsty, you’ve waited too long. A flavorful, low-calorie sports drink is a great way to hydrate. Try drinking fluids stored at cooler temperatures; studies show that people consume more when the liquid is colder. 

6 of 6

Tape Measure

Keep Track of Growth

Gains will differ from one individual to another depending on body size and level of experience in the gym. To make sure you’’re gaining muscle, not fat, don’’t just consider your scale weight. Instead, rely on what you see in the mirror and use a tape measure twice a month to keep track of your waist and hips (you don’t want to gain there)— as well as your biceps, chest and quads. Also, don’’t think that you have to gain a set amount of weight each and every week. “Your mass gain doesn’’t have to be uniform,”” Aceto explains. That means you can gain 1/2 pound one week and 1 1/2 the next, perhaps none the third week and still remain on course. ““Expecting uniform gains ignores the intricate makeup of the body and the way it gains mass -— or loses fat – which is by no means in linear fashion.”

Back to intro

If you’’re looking to add muscle mass to your frame, hitting the weights hard is a given. Quality time in the gym begins a cascade of changes that will stimulate your muscles to grow bigger in response to the challenges you throw their way. It’’s tempting to think that’’s all it takes to add muscle to your body. After all, you can actually feel your biceps growing after an intense set of curls.

That pump is tangible, real-time biofeedback to let you know that blood is flowing to your muscle cells, beginning a chain of events that stimulates protein synthesis. Maybe that’’s why it’s easy to overlook how important good nutrition is in the mass-building equation. When you choose to eat, say, chicken instead of ice cream, there’’s no immediate muscle gratification — no pump to keep you motivated.

Eating for Muscle

Make no mistake: Eating for muscle is just as important as lifting for muscle. The foods you grab in the morning on the way to work, the meals you pack for lunch and mid-afternoon, what you put into your body immediately following your workout, and your final meal of the day impact your results as much as, if not more than, the number of reps you squeeze out at the end of a set. But in reality, it can be tough to stick to a ““clean”” diet when you’’re busy. We know that adding another layer of complexity to life in the form of reading food labels and studying ingredient lists just isn’’t an option for most of us. Not to mention actually preparing all those healthy meals.

Calories Are Key, But They're Not Everything

While it’’s okay to chow down on the occasional fast-food choice for convenience, a mass-gain program isn’’t an excuse to gorge on pizza and chocolate sundaes. “”Rebuilding muscle tissue broken down by training requires energy -— in other words, calories,”” Aceto says. ““But many people, including many nutritionists, overestimate the energy needs for gaining mass, encouraging extreme high-calorie intakes. This often leads to an increase in bodyfat, making you bigger, for sure, but also leaving you fat.” In general, aim for 300-500 more calories every day than your body burns through exercise and normal functioning (multiply bodyweight by 17). And that’’s divided among six meals a day.

Concentrate On Protein

Protein is important for mass gains because it’’s the only nutrient that’’s capable of stimulating muscle growth. You should consume up to 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. Eating every three hours  will help ensure you’’re absorbing and assimilating enough protein to support muscle growth.

Eat After Training

“It’’s especially important to eat a carb- and protein-rich meal immediately after a workout,” Aceto says. “Right after training, it turns out that your body is really lousy at taking carbohydrates and sending them down fat-storing pathways,”” he says. “So post-training, carbs will be sent down growth-promoting pathways instead.”” And when these carbs are combined with a protein source, you’’ve got a strong muscle-feeding combination because carbohydrates help deliver the amino acids into muscles by boosting insulin levels. This anabolic hormone drives nutrients into the muscle cells and kick-starts the muscle-growth process.

Stay Hydrated

Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially in the hours leading up to your workout. This can help you feel full and reduce hunger pangs. During training, drink about 8 ounces every 15-20 minutes, more when it’s hot and humid. The reason is simple: Your performance quickly begins to suffer when the body is dehydrated just 1%-–2%. And if you wait till you feel thirsty, you’ve waited too long. A flavorful, low-calorie sports drink is a great way to hydrate. Try drinking fluids stored at cooler temperatures; studies show that people consume more when the liquid is colder.

 

Keep Track of Growth

Gains will differ from one individual to another depending on body size and level of experience in the gym. To make sure you’’re gaining muscle, not fat, don’’t just consider your scale weight. Instead, rely on what you see in the mirror and use a tape measure twice a month to keep track of your waist and hips (you don’t want to gain there)— as well as your biceps, chest and quads. Also, don’’t think that you have to gain a set amount of weight each and every week. “Your mass gain doesn’’t have to be uniform,”” Aceto explains. That means you can gain 1/2 pound one week and 1 1/2 the next, perhaps none the third week and still remain on course. ““Expecting uniform gains ignores the intricate makeup of the body and the way it gains mass -— or loses fat – which is by no means in linear fashion.”

Topics:
  • Build Muscle
  • Meal Plans
Author picture
Written by Tom Weede
Related Articles
Female fitness model showing off her sleek obliques and muscular sexy abs
Hers Workouts

How to Create Athletically Strong and Shapely Obliques

PTM cbum vs clarida
News

Should Shaun Clarida and Chris Bumstead Go to the Men’s Open?

Stay up to date

Sign up below to receive our newest workout routines, recipes, news stories, and offers from our partners

Success!

Thank you for signing up. Your information has been successfully processed!

I want content for...

Follow us

Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest

More news

5 Must-know Winter Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips
Gain Mass

5 Winter Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips

You don't need to look like Santa during bulking season.

Read article
A young Bodybuilding Legend Arnold Schwarzenegger holding two hard boiled eggs for his diet for a bodybuilding physique
Gain Mass

Eating for the Bodybuilding Physique of the 70s

Here's how you can benefit from some old-school eating habits.

Read article
A bowl full of chocolate candies and Mars chocolates
Gain Mass

Dietitians Say You Can Grab These 6 Candies

This isn't a trick — treat yourself to these snacks

Read article
All Gain Mass
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Nutrition
  4. /
  5. Gain Mass
  6. /
  7. 5 Nutritional Mass Building Tips
Muscle & Fitness logo
  • Workouts
  • Nutrition
  • Athletes & Celebrities
  • Features
  • Recipes
  • Topics
  • Videos
  • Exercise Videos
  • Podcasts
  • RSS Feed
  • Muscle&Fitness +
  • Buy Olympia Tickets
  • Archives
  • Sitemap
Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest

Newsletter Signup

Success!

Thank you for signing up. Your information has been successfully processed!

I want content for...

Muscleandfitness.com is part of a360media Fitness & Health Network

Contact Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Do Not Sell Accessibility Statement

JW Media, LLC

Copyright 2023 JW Media, LLC, parent company of Muscle & Fitness. All rights reserved.