Published On: September 11, 2019 08:00 PM NPT By: Agencies

Tips for building muscle

Tips for building muscle

Photo Courtesy: Lush Protein

Learn the secrets to gaining lean muscle mass quick! Get your body in an anabolic state in a hurry. See what you've been doing wrong!

1 High calories = Anabolic state

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One of the most overlooked factors in bodybuilding is consuming enough protein but not eating enough calories per day. You've always heard that your body needs protein to grow and this is true. However, adequate protein does not always entail growth. You need to consume adequate calories also. The truth is, if you don't consume enough calories, then you're not growing. A good rule of thumb is to take your bodyweight and multiply this by 10 or 12 depending on how in shape you are. Then add on 1000-1500 calories per day.

2 Eat plenty of carbohydrates

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Carbohydrates are needed to fuel exercise. The storage form of carbohydrates is glycogen. The idea here is to super saturate glycogen levels so that the body never has to dip into protein for energy production. The higher the level of carbs in the body, the more likely you are going to remain in an anabolic environment. Carbs also play a role in the release of insulin. As you know, insulin is the body's most potent anabolic hormone. It promotes gluconeogenesis, protein synthesis, and the formation of adipocytes. In short, the release of insulin is required to promote an anabolic environment and carbs help by releasing insulin.

3 Eat plenty of protein

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Let's face it, muscle is protein and protein is composed of amino acids. You can't build big muscles without an adequate supply of protein. Think of building muscle as building a castle with lego blocks. If you don't have the pieces to start with then you cannot build the castle. Eating enough protein should be a no-brainer but for those who don't know, one should consume anywhere between one to two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. So a bodybuilder who weighed 200 lbs would need about 200 grams of protein per day.

4 Eat multiple meals

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Since you're now eating 4000 calories per day, your next best bet would be to eat six meals a day. Although this may seem like a lot, it really isn't. Do the math. If you divide 4000 calories into six smaller meals a day, then each meal will consist of approximately 660 calories. Although it takes a lot of discipline, eating smaller and more frequent meals will pay off in the end. Another reason to eat smaller meals is for the release of insulin. When you consume food, your blood glucose levels will rise. To counteract this, your body will release insulin to lower blood glucose levels to help keep the body in a state of homeostasis. As you now know, insulin is the body's most anabolic hormone. The more, the better. So basically, you want as much insulin secretion by the pancreas as possible. After all, you want to be big, right?

5 Drink plenty of water

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One of the most overlooked factors in exercise is adequate water consumption. This should be a no-brainer since water comprises up to 70 percent of the body and if you're dehydrated, your muscle size suffers as well.

6. Rest

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The number one overlooked factor in building a better body is rest. If you don't rest, then how can your muscles grow? Our bodies need the stimulus to grow such as intense training. Once this happens, our bodies are essentially "broken down." Afterwards, it needs the proper nutrients and recovery time to grow bigger and stronger so that it can be broken down again. And remember, rest days are rest days. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Source: bodybuilding.com

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