So there are a few core principles you need to follow if you’re looking to add muscle mass through your weight training program.  You might have heard the phrase;

“Muscle is built in the kitchen, not in the gym”…

…and it’s largely true.  In my estimation, the number one factor holding people back from reaching their desired size and bodyfat percentage is their nutrition.

 Outside of some horrendous mistakes in the weights room that you should avoid, I’d even go so far as to say that you could train pretty much however you like, as long as you were working your whole body with free weights, and you could achieve the body you wanted with enough focus on proper nutrition.

Your Weight Lifting Nutrition Basics

Before we get into the specifics, let’s start with the basics – you don’t grow without eating.  At the most fundamental level, you need to be consuming more calories than you’re expending during the day to consistently add weight.  And enough of that needs to be protein to ensure that the weight you’re adding is actually muscle.

There is a lot more to it, but the basics of good weight lifting nutrition can be roughly summed up like this:

-Eat a caloric surplus.  That is, take in more than you expend.  Unless you meticulously measure your intake, the easiest way to do this is to up your calories periodically, until you start gaining weight.  Add in 200 calories a day, weight a few days, then add in 200 more.  When you start seeing your weight move up a lb or two per week, keep your intake at that level.

-Eat smaller portions, more frequently– 5-6 times per day.  This is optimal for a fast metabolism with a high turnover, which is what you need if you’re going to be adding muscle mass and burning fat tissue.

-Eat protein with every meal – 20-40grams.  Another good rule of thumb is to never be without protein for 3 hours (Aside from when you sleep)

-Stop eating carbs in the evening – ideally before 6pm.  Eat protein and fruit/veg/water for your evening meals aftwards.

-Eat some protein before bed.  It doesn’t have to be much, but if you can get in some slow-digesting protein before bed, that’s ideal.  Cottage cheese, egg whites (say 4 scrambled with a couple of yokes) or casein whey are all great choices.

…And that’s all I have to say on weight lifting nutrition –  but nowhere near all that could be said.  It’s worth doing some of your own research on the topic.