Summertime is around the corner, and beyond striving to increase muscle mass for aesthetic appeal, maintaining and building muscle has many additional benefits.

Of course, building muscle is critical for strength and power development; however, muscle also helps to protect joints, support good posture, and improve disease prevention.

The primary tactic to support increasing muscle mass is with the implementation of a good training program.

Moreover, appropriate nutrition tactics are essential for the optimization of training adaptations from the training program.

It is the optimization of training adaptations and recovery through proper nutrition that allows the body to perform at its full potential in subsequent training sessions.

Below are a few nutrition tips that promote muscle building.

1. EAT MORE.

Increasing energy intake is required to build muscle. The evidenced-based recommendation to maximize muscle gains while regulating body fat is to conservatively increase daily caloric intake, starting with around an extra 350 kcals per day.

It’s imperative to closely monitor the body’s response via body composition assessments and make necessary nutrition modifications accordingly.

In such situations, working with a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics can be beneficial.

2. CONSUME ENOUGH PROTEIN.

Studies have shown that daily protein intake of at least 1.6 g protein per kg body weight (.7g protein/lb.) is associated with optimal gains in muscle mass.

However, depending on individualized goals and current training levels, protein recommendations can vary. It is important to keep in mind that too much protein is unlikely to offer any additional benefit. Therefore, loading up your plate with two large chicken breasts is going to be nothing more than money down the drain.

Furthermore, when trying to build muscle the type of protein consumed is also important. Leucine is the essential amino acid that activates muscle protein synthesis, and animal protein sources have about double the amount of leucine than a calorie-matched plant protein source.

3. CARBS ARE YOUR FRIEND.

Carbs are the primary fuel source used when lifting. Hard training sessions can deplete muscle glycogen stores by 30-40%. Therefore, consecutive days of low carb intake can adversely affect one’s ability to train at a high intensity.

Foods like whole grains, fruits, and starchy vegetables help support performance optimization and recovery from hard training sessions.

4. CREATE A FUELING ROUTINE THAT WORKS WITH YOUR SCHEDULE AND STICK TO IT.

In order to optimize building muscle, one should plan to have a meal or snack every 3-5 hours. Both meals and snacks should be well-balanced with carbs and protein.

Busy lifestyles of today can make this difficult, but it would be in your best interest to evaluate your daily schedule and create a daily fueling routine. It is the ability to maintain your fueling routine or eating pattern on a daily basis (even on rest days) that supports a positive energy balance and ultimately increases muscle.