How to Handle Diet While Building Muscle – Practical Advice

One of the fundamental challenges encountered by individuals following a muscle-building diet is consuming an unwarranted amount of food. The repercussions of devouring enormous servings of rice, chicken, and broccoli include heaviness, bloating, discomfort, and a decline in workout quality due to digestive tract complaints – all of this is experienced by every brave novice who has endeavored to cultivate a bodybuilder's physique without ample knowledge. Building muscle mass is often a painful process that ultimately leads to abandoning the goal. Instead of relying on a haphazardly discovered plan on the internet, it suffices to meticulously plan the diet.

At the outset, it is necessary to assess how many calories one should actually consume. To build muscle tissue, it is necessary to provide more energy than the minimum caloric requirement. It is currently believed that even a 10% caloric excess can be beneficial, which means that it should be increased by about 200–300 kcal per day. However, it is important to note that too high a caloric excess does not accelerate development, but only leads to an increase in fat mass. It is vital to monitor body composition regularly. Each body is different, so even the best mathematical models cannot guarantee optimal muscle gain. If it turns out that the fat tissue is growing too quickly, the number of consumed calories should be reduced, for example by limiting the excess to 150 kcal and continuing to monitor the changes. When planning the diet, it is advisable to consider the distribution of calories in the individual meals. In the case of muscle gain, a diet consisting of 6–7 meals is a good option. Smaller snacks can be introduced between meals, which are easy to consume. The meals should be distributed appropriately throughout the day, taking into account the time of training. A large meal for lunch, consumed immediately before physical activity, can make it difficult and cause discomfort. It is recommended to take a break of about 3 hours between the meal and the training. A smaller meal can be consumed 1–2 hours before physical activity. Everything depends on the individual reaction of the body, so observation is so important to choose the best solution.

It is already known how many calories the diet contains, the number of meals has been established, but it turns out that it is impossible to consume such a quantity of food. Then it is helpful to know the concept of caloric density, which defines the amount of energy per gram of the product: high caloric density (more than 4 kcal/g), medium caloric density (1.5-4 kcal/g), low caloric density (0.6-1.5 kcal/g), very low caloric density (less than 0.6 kcal/g). These values are used in planning reducing diets, as by consuming products with low caloric density, larger portions can be eaten without worrying about exceeding the caloric limit. In the case of muscle building, products with high caloric density are useful. It is worth considering them when composing meals, as they can increase the caloric content of the dish without significantly increasing its quantity. Such products include sweet fruits like bananas, figs, grapes, dried fruits, honey, nuts, peanut butter, white bread and pasta, jams, fatty cheeses, fats. Of course, it is worth remembering that a high-calorie diet should be healthy and balanced. Large amounts of sweets or fatty meat only provide empty calories. It is better to choose a handful of nuts, a spoonful of oil or peanut butter.

– mountain oatmeal – 120 g, skim milk – 250 g, orange – 200 g. Altogether 570 g, approximately 630 kcal, 12.1 g of fiber.

– quick oats – 100 g, – milk 3,2% – 200 g, – nut butter – 10 g, – banana – 60 g. 370 g, approximately 630 kcal, 8.6 g of fiber It can be observed that a minor modification, in this case using high energy density products in the second oatmeal, has decreased the weight of the meal from 570 g to 370 g while maintaining the same caloric content. Additionally, it is worth noting the amount of fiber. Although it is a very healthy component that increases the feeling of satiety, it can cause unpleasant digestive problems in excess. To facilitate the intake of such a meal, one can blend it and drink it. Such drinks are an excellent solution during the muscle mass building phase. However, this does not mean that low energy density products, such as vegetables or whole grain products, should be eliminated from the diet. They are very important and valuable components of the diet, but it should be ensured that they do not form the basis of a diet aimed at developing muscle mass. In the following table, there are examples of products with high and medium energy density. It is worth using them to increase the caloric content of meals. Source: own work based on Kuchanowicz H. et al., Tables of composition and nutritional value of food, Warsaw 2017.

It is known to everyone that after a full meal, even the thought of an extra serving of potatoes or meat can be unbearable. The stomach seems to be so full that it cannot hold even a small amount of food. However, if there is an appetizing pastry on the table, we are eager to get a piece of it. This phenomenon is known as sensory satiation. Sensory satiation (SSS) is defined as a decrease in satisfaction with the food consumed over time. At the same time, the stomach can take into account the increased interest in the taste of the food. This is not due to the mechanical stretching of the stomach walls, but rather to the weakening of neuronal responses in the brain. During the consumption of the meal, its taste and smell become less and less attractive. The neuronal response to food with different sensory properties remains unchanged, so it is perceived as more attractive. In 1996, Prof. M.M. Herrington published the results of an experiment in which the participants were to consume a meal. When they were finished, they were offered another meal with different sensory properties. The participants in the study eagerly took part in the meal. During the experiment, it was not possible to reach the moment when the participants were so full that they did not react positively to the food with a different taste. Interestingly, the purpose of SSS is to mobilize the body to consume foods with different tastes, and thus provide different nutrients. SSS protects against a too monotonous diet, which can lead to deficiencies.

There are certain techniques that support achieving the goals of this diet. – Greater quantity does not imply higher quality, the energy value should be tailored individually. The optimal energy intake is about 200–300 kcal. – Excessively prolonged intervals between meals are not beneficial. It is recommended to eat more frequently so that the size of individual portions will be smaller. In most cases, 6, or even 7 meals, prove to be effective. – An excellent suggestion is to incorporate quick snacks and also liquid meals (cocktails, shakes) into the diet. – Products with high energy density are very useful in this situation. By adding nuts, plant oils, or dried fruits to a meal, one can easily increase its calorie content. – Beware of boredom! In the diet, one should consider diverse meals with different content, color, taste, and texture. This way, they will not only be tasty but also provide all the necessary nutrients.