20 Ways To Eat For More Muscle

As you aim to get more muscle-bound this winter, use these 20 tips to optimise your nutrition.

No matter your genetics or the goals you’ve set for yourself, you need to follow the rules of bodybuilding nutrition if your hard training is going to pay off. Granted, nutrition can be a complicated subject. Carbs, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats, not to mention meal timing, creatine, and shelves and shelves of other exotic supplements—it can all make your head spin.

Stop spinning. We’ve compiled 20 rules of nutrition to help guide you through the minefield of all things related to food and supplements. This comprehensive compendium of commandments gives you easy-to-follow principles that have passed the FLEX test for accuracy and efficiency. As you set your sights on bulking up, you can be sure that you’ll find the answers here.

1 TONE DOWN THE PROTEIN.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the right amount of protein to consume, in conjunction with an active lifestyle, is 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight— or 0.8 gram per pound. That’s 160 grams of protein for a 200-pound person. The good news: You’ll save a little coin on protein powder.

2 MAKE YOUR CARBS COMPLEX.

Complex carbs (constructed of long chains of sugars) are easily digested yet slow burning. Since they are a longer-lasting fuel than simple carbs, there’s less chance they’ll be stored as body fat. Strive to take in 3g of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day, mainly from sources such as vegetables, pasta, potatoes, rice, and oats.

3 KNOW YOUR FAT.