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Body Mass Building Diets

Building quality body mass requires a diet with a caloric surplus, sufficient amounts of protein, and a good workout plan involving weightlifting. With so many people struggling to lose weight, one might not believe that gaining weight can be difficult. Eating a significant amount of calories can be a challenge, especially over the long period of time required to build quality mass. There are some tricks to make the process less painful and get those calories down.

  1. Calories

    • Those looking to build body mass need to start out by increasing their daily caloric intake. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that individuals gaining mass should take in 23.6 calories per pound of body weight. This means a 160 pound individual attempting to gain mass would need 3,776 calories each day. Eating a surplus of calories sounds easy but many people attempting to gain weight overestimate the amount of food they are eating causing them to fall short of their goals. Proper planning of meals and keeping a food journal will help one avoid this. When looking to build body mass, keep plenty of prepared foods and snacks on hand for busy days.

    Protein

    • In order to ensure that the mass being gained is muscle, a high amount of protein should be consumed. Those seeking to build muscle need a minimum of one gram of protein per pound of body weight. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, those exercising at high intensity will require 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, while those attempting to gain muscle mass and reduce fat at the same time require 1.8 to 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

    Training

    • Gaining weight is only half of the equation though. Weight lifting is important to ensure that the body mass gained is muscle rather than fat. Those who simply eat more and do not incorporate physical exercise will become overweight. Those who are serious about building body mass should be lifting weights in the gym a minimum of three times a week, and they should increase caloric intake by at least 200 calories on days when they lift.

    Supplements

    • For those who have a difficult time eating the recommended amount of calories and protein needed, protein supplements can be used between meals. Drinking three protein shakes a day made with two scoops of an average whey protein powder can easily add 600 calories and 132 grams of protein to one's daily diet.

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