Building muscle and gaining strength requires consistent nutrition and fitness habits. Whatever your goals, your eating and activity level can be adjusted to help achieve those milestones. Your diet for muscle gain requires strategic shifts in how you move and nourish your body.
Erik Bustillo, Registered Dietitian and Strength Coach
Nutrition's role in building muscle is to provide nutrients and energy for the body to recover optimally and build muscle. As stated in the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand on Diet and Body Composition, there has to be sufficient [calories] for someone to build muscle.
Why Macronutrients Matter
Macronutrients are important, but a few other components go into muscle gain.
"First and foremost, adequate calories are a priority for gaining muscle and fueling the resistance training sessions that help with building muscle," reports Erik Bustillo, registered dietitian and strength coach at train8nine in Miami. "This and lifting weights [and] resistance training is the most important factor for building muscle."
If you think you can eat any combination of macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—you're right, but it's important to be mindful of optimal body-building foods.
"Protein is the key recovery nutrient, while carbohydrates help with ensuring adequate calories and energy to fuel training sessions," Bustillo says. "Fat is not particularly anabolic like protein and carbs can be, but fats provide calories and help support hormone levels, so they're certainly essential."
Protein
Dietary protein is the most important macronutrient for building muscle—specifically the essential amino acids and an abundance of leucine. These particular amino acids stimulate protein synthesis, or the building of new muscle, and prevent the body from using existing muscle as fuel during workouts.
You can get your daily protein from whole foods; however, when trying to build muscle or participate in sports, supplements including protein powders, shakes, and bars are a convenient way to increase the amount of quality protein.
Proteins are primarily found in animal products but can also be found in smaller quantities in plant-based ingredients.
- Eggs
- Beans and legumes
- Lean meats
- Salmon and tuna
- Soybeans and tofu
- Turkey and chicken breast
- Yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat or nonfat milk
Since protein foods highest in leucine are more equipped to build muscle, opt for choices like beans, cottage cheese, and eggs whenever possible.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are important for energy during tough workouts. Without enough carbs, you'll have a hard time getting the most out of your resistance-training sessions. Specifically, fueling with carbs before and after an intense sweat session can quickly replenish energy stores and promote even more muscle-building potential.
Opt for nutrient-dense sources that sustain glycogen stores for you to be able to exercise longer and more effectively, such as:
- Buckwheat
- Legumes
- Quinoa
- Root vegetables
- Starchy vegetables
- Sweet potatoes
- Winter squash
- Whole-wheat bread, oats, and rye
- Pasta
- Fruit
Fats
While dietary fats may not play a huge role in building muscle, they are important for maintaining hormonal function and a healthy immune system. A fat-free diet can impede muscle growth in a person who vigorously exercises.
Healthy fats include more than just olive oil. There are several other sources, both for cooking and for eating, including:
- Avocados
- Dark chocolate
- Ghee
- Greek yogurt
- Nuts and chia seeds
- Olives
- Whole eggs
- Fish
- Flaxseeds
Body-Building Foods: How Much to Eat?
Trendy diets can be appealing since they tend to promise quick results. The problem is that they're often not ideal for building muscle since most mainstream diets rely on restricted calories. Since this goes against the science of nutrition and building muscle, you may find yourself quickly hitting a wall.
"How much one should eat is highly varied depending on the person, their goals, their energy output, and their respective preferences of foods," reports Bustillo. He recommends starting with a simple equation to determine calorie needs.
Calculating Calorie Needs
To determine calorie goals, multiply your body weight in pounds by 16 and 18, then attempt to meet those caloric goals for one to two weeks.
"There are more scientific approaches like getting a metabolic test done, but this is not very convenient and may be expensive. Starting with the 16 to 18 times bodyweight in pounds can help give a starting point; thereafter, monitor progress," notes Bustillo, who also emphasizes, "Do not be afraid to eat a lot and stay consistent with training and working out."
Whenever possible, consult with a qualified training coach and registered dietitian who can help you map out a workout plan and calorie needs to meet your goals, and work with you through the process.
Have your body composition measured at the start and several months down the line, this will help give measurable data to help see progress," Bustillo adds.
Consistency Is Key
Nutrition and fitness goals aren't met overnight. Patience and consistency are the most important tools for sustainability. "How long it takes [to see change] is highly varied from person to person," Bustillo says. "It may take months to see minimal gains.
"I like to say this for muscle gain, fat loss, and so many other things in life: trust the process, be patient, and stay consistent," he concludes.
Follow these tips for better consistency:
- Create a weekly menu or meal plan
- Keep stock of what's in your pantry and replenish weekly
- Don't skip meals
- Have a workout and meal prep buddy
- Prioritize rest, sleep, and recovery
- Use convenient resources like grocery delivery services, meal prep services, and supplements.
- Prep meals and snacks in advance
- Make foods in bulk like chicken breast, rice, and vegetables
A Word From Verywell
Restrictive dietary fads go in and out of style and are often not the best choice for building muscle. Nourishing your body with body-building foods, especially protein and carbohydrates, is important for meeting your muscle-building goals. If you need help putting together an appropriate diet plan for muscle growth, speak to a registered dietitian or qualified sports nutritionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends consuming 1.4-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day for muscle growth when combined with physical activity. An emphasis on leucine-rich protein sources is ideal and can consist of whole foods and supplements.
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"Nothing major will happen if you don't eat immediately after a workout," notes Erik Bustillo, Registered Dietitian and Strength Coach. "I advise ensuring adequate nutrition throughout the day; however, if possible to consume a carb and protein drink or meal after a workout, that helps begin the recovery process sooner."
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The best plant-based protein sources include soybeans, tempeh, green peas, quinoa, beans, lentils, chickpeas, broccoli, tempeh, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Keep in mind, you generally have to eat a larger portion of plant-based proteins to reap the same amount of protein as one serving of animal proteins.