Building muscle needs a positive energy balance, which means you need to take in more calories than you’re burning. You need around 2,800 calories to build a pound of muscle. You need this to support protein turnover, which can be boosted with training, like weights or martial arts. By following these tips, you can build muscle mass more efficiently.

Eat Breakfast

Breakfast gives you an immediate boost of energy and helps you to stay full until your next meal or snack. It also sets you up for the day. You will eat healthier if your day starts with a healthy breakfast. If you’re trying to build muscle mass, choose omelettes, smoothies, and cottage cheese. You can also add a mass bulk stack for beginners.

Eat Every Three Hours

Eating the right thing at the right time is essential for helping you to boost your muscle mass. The easiest way is to eat your breakfast, lunch, and dinner at your usual times, and then add meals post-workout and pre-bed, and two snacks. By keeping up your food intake, you won’t be as hungry. Eating smaller meals more often rather than less, larger meals, makes your stomach size decrease. You will feel full more quickly and your waist will trim. You’ll have fewer cravings. Not eating for long periods can cause you to over-eat at your next meal, or turn to unhealthy snacks. To prevent cravings, eat at fixed times every day and your body will feel hungry at those times.

Eat Protein With Each Meal

You need protein to build and maintain muscle. To do this, you need to eat at least 1g of protein per 454g of body weight. The easiest way to make sure you get enough protein is to eat a whole protein source with every meal. These could include:

• Red meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb
• Poultry, such as chicken, turkey, or duck
• Fish, such as salmon, sardines, or mackerel
• Eggs. Eat the yolk too
• Dairy, such as milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yoghurt, or quark
• Whey, such as in post-workout shakes
• Vegan options, such as lentils, tofu, seeds, or nuts

Eat Fruit And Vegetables With Each Meal

Most fruits and vegetables, although not all, are low-calorie. You can eat as much as you need to get your stomach full without gaining any fat or weight. Fruit and vegetables are also packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre which aids your digestion. Be careful to check the sugar content before you tuck in though.

Eat Carbs Only After Your Workout

You need to eat carbs for energy, but most people eat more carbs than they actually need. Limit your carbohydrate intake to only after your workout.

Eat fruit and vegetables with all your meals. These don’t have many carbohydrates, compared to whole grains, with the exception of corn, carrots, and raisins.

Eat carbs after your workout to refuel. This includes rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, quinoa, and oats. Stay away from white carbs and eat wholegrain.