One pound of muscle is equal to about 100 grams of protein. Therefore, an individual would need 14gm/day above normal protein requirements to gain weight (muscle weight). Sports nutrition authorities recommend 1.5 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for the athlete who is training to increase muscle mass. Supplementation by expensive protein powders or amino acids is not necessary. All an athlete has to do is consume additional protein and carbohydrates about two hours before and immediately after the resistance training workout.
Dietary supplements appear to be popular among athletes attempting to gain strength and muscle mass. There is no data to support the use of most supplements. That being said, creatine monohydrate does appear to increase body weight and strength. There is no data supporting beneficial effects of DHEA supplementation and high serum DHEA levels have been associated with several health risks. Most studies show that there is no ergogenic effects of androstenedione supplementation and its use could exert feminizing effects in males and reduce HDL.
Lifting weights and eating protein is often perceived as the best way to bulk up.
Extra calories may be needed, however, especially those from carbohydrates – not protein. Carbohydrates fuel your muscles so that they can perform intense muscle-building exercises. Overloading the muscle with weightlifting and not with protein will increase the actual size of the muscle fibers, instead of water weight. Research indicates that protein powders and amino acids no not work for gaining muscle weight – despite what advertisements might depict. Eating the calories needed is better than taking additional supplements. You are most likely to gain weight if you consistently eat larger-than-normal meals.
Suggestions for those trying to gain weight include drinking 1% and 2% milk, although I have my boyfriend drink whole milk as he needs both the calories and fat from whole milk; increase your intake of lean meats, poultry, and fish; use nuts, seeds and limited amounts of peanut butter for snacks; increase your consumption of whole-grain products; add fruit to other food exchanges and drink more fruit juice (it’s higher in calories); use fresh vegetables as snacks with melted low-fat cheese or a nutritious dip (like humus!); and lastly, try to minimize the intake of saturated fats, using monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead, and minimize calories through alcohol.
Eating three balanced meals per day supplemented with two or three snacks will help you obtain your goals while keeping your metabolism and energy levels consistent. If you can’t get the calories and minerals necessary through foods, liquid supplements may contain 300-400 calories with substantial protein. If you can’t gain weight, try the following: eat more frequently throughout the day, eat extra snacks and larger meal portions, eat foods that are denser and calorie high, eat healthy fats! You can get more calories by using granola, muesli, grape-nuts, bananas, raisins, cooking with milk, margarine, peanut butter and wheat germ, using walnuts, almonds and avocados. Fruits with high calories include bananas, pineapple, mangoes, raisins, dates and dried fruits.
My boyfriend David, has cystic fibrosis; and amongst the many disease side effects he has, he does not absorb calories or fat properly due to improper functioning of his pancreas. Therefore, David has to eat approximately three-four thousand calories per day when he’s inactive, and up to eight thousand calories per day when he is very active. We achieve this through morning shakes consisting of Ovaltine, Ice Cream, Whole Milk, Kefir, Gold Standard Whey Protein and Two Bananas; a carbohydrate dense snack before lunch; a foot long sandwich from Subway; a veggie and fruit intensive snack; and two dinners consisting of chicken or beef, vegetables (usually broccoli or asparagus with vinaigrette), pasta. I also make homemade guacamole for him to add to his meals. It’s always surprising to him that I eat half of what he eats and that is ‘ok’ for me as an individual.
No comments:
Post a Comment