For bodybuilders, athletes and most recreational lifters, the goal in the gym is to gain as much muscle as quickly as possible. And as most experienced coaches and trainers can tell you, muscle growth does not happen in the gym--it happens during the other 23 hours of the day while the muscle rests and rebuilds from the stress of the workout. But to make that process occur smoothly, we need to fuel the engine with a proper diet. Discover how high protein can result in quality muscle gains.
Defining "High Protein"
According to the American Dietetics Association, daily required protein intake for ordinary people falls somewhere around 0.4 g per pound of body weight. Those looking to gain muscle are hardly "ordinary," however. As muscle is primarily built through the process of protein synthesis, the daily protein requirements for individuals looking to add lean mass to their frames falls somewhere between 1 to 2 g per pound of body weight. Most trainees will see noticeable effects by consuming around 1 g per lb, but those who train more frequently or intensely will want to come in at around 1.5 to 2 g per lb to optimize their gains.
Keeping Things Healthy
So now that we have a baseline idea of how much protein our muscle-gain diet should contain, let's take the next step and ensure that it is considered healthy in all other respects so we do not accidentally create illness through vitamin or mineral deficiency. Consider merging your high-protein lifestyle with the "7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutritional Programs," developed by Dr. John Berardi.
Dr. Berardi's "7 Habits" should be the cornerstone of every balanced nutritional program. They are, in no particular order:
1. Eat small meals every 2 to 3 hours, for a total of five to eight meals a day.
2. Consume lean protein with every meal--fish, poultry, meat and eggs. To balance this, divide your daily protein requirements across the number of planned meals for the day. For example, if your daily requirement is 180 g over six meals, eat roughly 30 g of protein per meal.
3. Consume fruits and vegetables with every meal.
4. Make fruit and vegetables your main source of carbohydrates.
5. Consume at least 25% of your calories from fat--including animal fat, fat from avocados and coconuts, and oils (fish, flax and olive).
6. Drink only water and green tea--if you must break this rule, consume no beverage that has any calories.
7. Eat mostly solid food--minimize protein shakes and other liquid nutrition.
Other Tidbits
Remember that consistency is the key to progress. You cannot expect to gain muscle overnight. If you do everything correctly and keep your diet wholly in check, the most you can hope for is around one to two pounds of muscle gain a week. To maximize your gains, cheat on your diet as little as possible. Dr. Berardi expects 90% compliance, but for optimal gains, keep your cheat meals to one or two a week.
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