The diet for muscle mass aims to support the body building process. In this article, you will find out what the principles of this diet are, as well as which products support your goal and which are better to avoid. Find out what to eat for mass!

Diet for muscle mass – where to start?

Gym-goers are certainly familiar with the terms ‘mass’ and ‘reduction’, which in a way clearly define the two main periods in the lives of gym-goers. Building muscle mass is not a simple process. It consists not only of training, but also of a proper diet. The mass gain diet is mainly aimed at people who want to achieve the figure of their dreams. This is because a proper diet in combination with exercise builds up the muscles. However, such a diet should be approached in an individual manner.

Before starting such a demanding diet, you should calculate your daily energy requirements. Furthermore, the answer to the question “what to eat for weight gain” can also pose a problem. Such a diet should be rich in products with a high protein content. Complex carbohydrates should also not be avoided. A very important aspect is also to distribute protein evenly across all meals. There should be a maximum of 30-40g of protein per meal. This is important because above this amount there is no further increase in muscle protein synthesis and a higher amount of this nutrient will not have the effect you are looking for, i.e. an increase in muscle mass. In addition, to boost the effect, you can also support yourself with supplementation, but guided by a doctor. What are the effects of a mass gain diet, what to eat and what to avoid, and what might a sample menu look like on such a diet? Find the answers below!

What is the muscle mass diet about?

If you want to build impressive muscle mass, it is important not to base your efforts solely on intensive weight training. A proper diet is also extremely important in the process. It should be composed in such a way that all the ingredients used in it support an increase in muscle mass. So if you want to build muscle, you should bet on a calorie surplus. The main principle of such a diet is to provide your body with approximately 10% more calories than its daily requirements. Such a diet, combined with appropriately selected training, helps you to deposit the accumulated energy surplus in the form of muscle.

In principle, a diet for muscle mass may seem simple – after all, all you need to do is consume more calories. However, this is not so obvious. Such a diet should absolutely be combined with proper exercise. This is important because if you only take in increased calories and don’t distribute this appropriately according to nutritional values, you could gain a layer of fat mass instead of muscle mass. A proper diet is therefore important both during periods of mass building and reduction. However, if you are not sure how to plan your meals well, be sure to get help from the Fitatu app. Thanks to it, you can easily calculate your energy requirements and choose the proportions of your menu so that you can quickly notice the results. 

It is also worth bearing in mind that often the first effect of so-called pumped-up muscles is when the body stores water. The muscles then appear more impressive, which can be deceptive. This should not be suggested and you should still maintain your diet, which you should compose so that it is a diet for dry muscle mass. 

Muscle mass diet – effects

It is worth giving yourself at least a month to see the first effects. For people in their early 20s, muscle mass should increase slightly after a month of sticking to the diet and training. For those just starting strength training, you can expect to gain up to 240 g of muscle for men and 120 g of muscle for women in one week – if you stick to your diet, of course. If this is not the case, it is essential to review the training and nutrition plan implemented. As mentioned, building muscle mass is a complex process. So you need to prepare for it meticulously – identify the goal you are aiming for and assess your physique. This will help you plan not only your exercises, but also your menu.

It is also essential to remember to calculate your calorie requirements. Only by calculating your balance correctly can you be sure that you are supplying your body with as much energy as is necessary to increase muscle mass. It is also worth bearing in mind that those starting out in pursuit of a goal such as mass gain can expect more spectacular results. Muscle mass gain will also be more apparent in men than in women, which is indirectly due to biological conditions. Here’s our article: How to calculate your caloric needs correctly?

Meals for muscle mass are particularly important and beneficial for athletes. This is because such a diet allows them to build strong muscles, which contributes to their success in this field. But strong muscles are not only the domain of professional athletes. This diet is also popular with people training in strength sports who want to improve their body proportions. There is another advantage to the mass diet – it is intrinsically linked to discipline, a healthy lifestyle and regular training, which ultimately contributes to increased longevity. 

What to eat for muscle mass and what to avoid?

What to eat for muscle mass? Meals for mass should be composed of high-quality products. They must therefore nourish the body and support the building of muscles, which will be further stimulated to grow during training. The ingredients should be unprocessed and natural. It is not recommended to eat fast food dishes in excess, as they accumulate fat.  

What to eat for muscle growth?

What to eat for muscle mass? Here are some foods worth considering:

• vegetables and fruit,
• whole-grain cereals,
• lean dairy products,
• lean meat,
• fish,
• healthy fats,
• yoghurts.

High-calorie diets should be enriched with ingredients that can provide a good dose of calories in a small amount of product. Such products are:

• peanut butter,
• nuts,
• seeds
• seeds,
• dried fruit,
• yellow cheeses,
• olive oil.

What should you avoid when dieting for mass?

You should avoid products such as:

• highly processed foods, 
• fast food, 
• trans fats, 
• sweets, 
• instant foods, 
• ice cream, 
• crisps, 
• sweetened fizzy drinks, 
• alcohol.

Sample diet for muscle mass – menu

When dieting for mass, it is recommended to eat 4-6 meals. Our example menu consists of five balanced meals:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with tomato.

Second breakfast: rice waffles with peanut butter and banana.

Lunch: stew of chicken, peppers, peas and corn with rice.

Afternoon: tuna, egg and chive sandwiches.

Dinner: tortilla with turkey, hummus, onions, peppers and lettuce.

The Fitatu Premium app will easily help you adjust your menus and determine your calorie requirements. In this app, you will receive meal suggestions for each meal with calculated macronutrients. However, what is most important is choice – you decide for yourself what you fancy.

The muscle mass diet – is it for everyone?

The muscle mass diet is suitable for virtually everyone – not just slim people. However, it is not suitable for people who, for some reason, cannot participate in sport. This diet is inextricably linked to regular strength training. During a mass gain diet, it is also a good idea to take care of the rest necessary for regeneration. This diet is also recommended for people who want to reduce stress. It has a multitude of advantages, the greatest of which is a strong and well-nourished body, ready for everyday challenges.

Muscle gain is easier with the Fitat app!

If you want a healthy, muscular physique, consider introducing a weight gain diet into your life. This kind of diet is inextricably linked to training. This is because without a proper diet, you will not build a strong, healthy body. Drink water, get enough sleep and stick to your diet and you will soon see results.

The Fitatu app – downloadable from the Play Store or App Store – will help you plan your meals. Its main benefits include: detailed information on nutritional intake, a broad database of products and dishes from Poland verified by nutritionists and access to a calorie calculator. However, in the Premium version you will gain additional recipes, 6 ready-made meal menus, including a high-protein menu, and the ability to create shopping lists. If you want to increase muscle mass, the Fitatu app will be very useful for you – download it and see for yourself!