Men’s Beginner Nutrition for Gaining Strength & Muscle

Men who are looking to begin working out to build their strength and muscles should ensure they have more energy and they stay healthy at all times.

One way of achieving this is by consuming nutritious foods. Antioxidant-rich foods are perfect examples as they reduce inflammations while improving the well-being of your blood vessels. You should also ensure that your meals are high in proteins and very low in carbohydrates.

How to Calculate the Number of Calories You Need

If you are trying to build muscles you should be able to know how to many calories you are going to need. This information is essential as it will determine your diet.

For you to find the total amount of calories you require daily, you will calculate your energy expenditure when at rest – known as BMR (Basal metabolic rate).  After that, you are required to add the calories you used in your physical activity, and then add ten percent of your increase in the thermic effect of food TEF.

The whole equation of finding the number of calories you are going to need is, therefore, as follows: 

Total Amount of Calories = BMR + Calories used in your activity + 10% of TEF

Equations are not for everyone, so if you are one of the people who don’t like numbers, worry not. There is another simpler way of calculating the total amount of calories you need – using online calorie calculators! They will help you to get the numbers right.

The next step is for you to know the number of nutrients present in some of the meals you are going to be having and this list provides a comprehensive breakdown of the nutritional value of some of the most common foods available.

Armed with this kind of information, you can then be able to know how much of a particular type of food you will need to consume in every meal.

How to Come Up With a Meal Plan

A meal plan is a pre-arranged number of meals required to set limitations on what to eat and how much to eat. It acts as a guide for you to avoid both over and under-eating. 

For you to be able to come up with a meal plan that is ideal for muscle and strength building, you need to keep in mind the pillars of nutrition.

5 Pillars of Nutrition

1. Eating 4 – 6 Times a Day

This helps to ensure that your body has enough energy at all times. Note that you don’t have to eat until you can no longer be able to move on each of the six meals.

Instead, you are supposed to eat small meals and snacks to keep you satisfied and your metabolism steady. This is what will stimulate the growth of your muscles.

2. Minimizing the Consumption of Processed Foods

Processed foods normally have no nutritional value as they have plenty of added sugar and often have no fibre.

3. Including Lean Proteins in Your Diet

Providing your body with constant amounts of lean protein throughout the day prompts the release of fat-burning hormones and also helps to boost the growth of your muscles.

Sources of lean protein include whole eggs, skinless chicken, fish, nuts, beans, among many others.

4. Drinking More Water and Fewer Beverages

One of the best ways of ensuring that your body is healthy is by staying hydrated at all times. To stay hydrated, you can drink water and beverages which are calorie-free. This will help to maximize your body’s performance when working out.

5. Consuming Fruits and Veggies Throughout the Day

Consuming both starchy carbohydrates (potatoes, cereals, & bread) and non-starchy carbohydrates (broccoli, carrots, cucumber, eggplant, & fruits) will help you to maintain a muscular body.

Daily Meal Plan for Beginners

An example of a daily meal plan for beginners who seek to gain muscle and strength should be as follows:

Meal 1: Should have starchy carbohydrates

Meal 2: Should have a few or no carbohydrates

Meal 3: Should also have a few or no carbohydrates

Meal 4: Should contain starchy carbohydrates (post-workout)

Meal 5: Should contain starchy carbohydrates

Examples of meals that can be taken using the above plan are such as:

Meal 1: Wholemeal protein bread, scrambled eggs, and a cup of yogurt.

 Meal 2: A protein shake, a cup of blackberries, and 2 cups of water.

Meal 3: Pasta, lean ground beef or chicken breast fillet, and veggie such as lettuce.

Meal 4: A protein bar or a recovery shake.

Meal 5: Rice, Veggies, and 5oz turkey breast.

Conclusion

When selecting your diet, you should go for the one you feel you can be able to stick to. As a beginner, your diet doesn’t have to be perfect or tough, as long as you can control the calories you consume, you should be fine.