STRENGTH TRAINING NUTRITION TIPS

The basis of strength training is the progressive overloading of your muscles. If you do this while providing your body with the proper nutrition that it needs, the result will be an increase in muscle mass and strength. If you do the workouts but don’t supply the nutritional building blocks, you won’t effectively build new muscle tissue. Instead, you’ll fatigue more quickly and the quality of your workouts will suffer. So for optimal results, strength training and nutrition go hand-in-hand.

KNOW THE PHASES OF MUSCLE BUILDING, AND EAT ACCORDINGLY

If you’re going to the gym regularly, it’s pretty clear that you want to add muscle mass. But some people who strength train also want to lose weight. Still others want increased muscle mass but with a lower percentage of body fat. Avoid the temptation to try to achieve all of these goals simultaneously. Instead, tackle them separately, in phases. Each phase has its own nutrition strategy.

Calories, carbohydrates, and protein are the key dietary factors that you will manipulate during each phase of strength training in order to achieve your goals:

Calories are most important. They dictate whether you gain weight or lose weight. If you want to build muscle, you may need to increase your calorie intake in conjunction with strength training. If you want to lose weight or cut fat, you’ll likely need to decrease your daily calories.

Carbohydrates fuel your muscles when you train, which in turn stimulates muscles to grow. Too few carbs in the diet will saddle you with inadequate muscle fuel stores, resulting in poor-quality workouts and poor results.

Protein provides the amino acid building blocks that you’ll need to support muscle development. Strength training demands some extra protein, but huge intakes aren’t required. Most people who strength train will easily meet their increased needs. Consuming more protein than you need won’t make your muscles bigger or stronger, but timing of protein intake can make a difference.