From Fitness & Power
When trying to build muscle, often the simple tips are the ones that will help you the most. Here are the 7 muscle building essentials that will get you on the right track when trying to build muscle.
1. Eat enough calories
Simple as that! Your body can’t build muscle if you burn more calories than you consume throughout the day. Many weightlifters make this mistake, they eat all the right foods, but not enough quantity of them.If you are not gaining weight, try to increase your calorie intake for 300-500 calories a day, until you find the right number of calories that will make you grow.
2. Eat Protein
Muscles are built of protein and protein is built of amino acids.Think of it as building a house.You can’t build a house without the bricks.A good rule of a thumb is to take 1,5 to 2 grams of protein per pound of body-weight, although some experts suggest 1 gram or even 3 grams per pound. Good protein sources include : chicken, beef, eggs, fish, casein and whey.
The most important time for consuming proteins is after the workout. You can read more about proteins and their function here.
3. Eat Carbohydrates
Carbs also take a very important in building muscle.They fuel your workouts and everyday activities.The best time for consuming carbs is early in the morning and after your workout. You can read more about carbohydrates here.
4. Eat Good Fats
Lots of lifters make a mistake of limiting the fats in their diet when they try to build muscle. Good fats are a great source of calories and they are in direct relation with the testosterone (male hormone responsible for bigger muscle mass) in the body. Read more about fats.
5. Drink plenty of Water
Without water your body will fall into catabolic state.Around 70 % of the body is water. The body uses water for almost all its functions including digestion, absorption, circulation, excretion, transporting nutrients, building tissues, maintaining blood volume, and maintaining body temperature.
6. Rest
Your body builds muscle while you rest, not in the gym. The muscle gets damaged by lifting weights.Then it needs the proper nutrients and time to repair itself.
7. Don’t Overtrain
This is maybe the most overlooked factor in the world of bodybuilding. Overtraining is a physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. Overtraining will cause a cease in progress, loss of strength and in some cases can make you sick. In the everyday life, more work means greater result.But in the world of bodybuilding – more is not better.
Source: http://www.fitnessandpower.com/training/bodybuilding-misc/7-essentials-for-building-muscle
