Because nutrition is the main muscle fuel, pairing your workouts with suitable meals is a priority in your muscle gain strategy.
Often, muscle gain is summed up as a caloric surplus or more protein. In reality, it is much more than that.
A muscle gain meal should be sufficient in quantity and satisfactory in quality, to promote energy and overall health.
I share with you the nutritional advice I give to my athlete patients, for successful muscle gain meals.
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1. Assess your energy needs for muscle gain
If your weight is relatively stable, increasing energy intake is indeed interesting to promote muscle gain.
Between 250 and 500 extra calories per day for gradual muscle gain is sufficient. It is neither necessary nor recommended to exceed this to avoid excessive fat gain, as summarized in this study.
If you tend to fluctuate, you can use dietary calculations to calculate your needs more precisely:
Calculation of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
For men: BMR = 1.083 × weight kg⁰·⁴⁸ × height cm⁰·⁵⁰ × age⁻⁰·¹³
For women: BMR = 0.963 × weight kg⁰·⁴⁸ × height cm⁰·⁵⁰ × age⁻⁰·¹³
Calculation of Daily Energy Expenditure (DEE)
Once the BMR is calculated, multiply it by an activity coefficient (NAP), according to your practice:
- Sedentary = 1.2
- Moderate activity = 1.55 (moderate exercise 3 to 5 times a week)
- Intense to very intense activity = 1.7 – 1.9
Then, add 250 calories. You now have a benchmark for the caloric needs necessary for your muscle gain and can now focus on the quality of food.
2. Proteins to feed the muscles
Pillars of muscle building, proteins provide essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own.
To promote the repair and growth of muscle tissues, aim for 1.6 to 2 g of protein / kg of body weight.
Focus on dietary proteins, they are all beneficial and help meet your intakes:
- lean meats (chicken, turkey, skinless ham, beef with 5% fat…), fish, shellfish, and fatty fish (1 to 2 times per week)
- eggs (preferably organic)
- plant proteins: legumes, semi or whole grains, nuts and seeds
- dairy products (low-fat)
Each main meal during muscle gain should provide some protein. Simply adjust their quantity according to your needs.
3. Good fats for your balance
Though often feared, fats also count and contribute to a balanced muscle gain. They are needed in every meal.
They play a crucial role, notably in testosterone production, an important hormone for muscle development. They are also crucial for energy and gustatory pleasures thanks to the flavors they bring.
Favor healthy fats for a satisfactory supply of essential fatty acids. Omega-3s, interesting for muscle mass according to this study, as well as omega-6s, to care for the cardiovascular system and limit storage:
- favor unsaturated and plant fats: avocados, nuts, seeds, olive and canola oils, fatty fish, almond or peanut butter, coconut milk…
- limit saturated and trans fats: animal fats, industrial, processed, and fried products
In general, lipids should represent about 25 to 35% of your total daily caloric intake in a muscle gain context.
As a guideline: this amounts to counting roughly 15 to 20 g of lipids per meal.
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4. Carbohydrates for Muscle Development
To maintain a good energy level and enhance training performance, carbohydrates are essential for mass gain.
Indeed, carbohydrates are converted and stored as glycogen, the fuel for your muscles. To optimize your meals, here are some tips:
- consume complex carbohydrates at main meals: brown rice, pasta, sweet potatoes, coral lentils, quinoa, whole sourdough bread or cereal bread
- vegetables: all of them, preferably seasonal and/or organic, they offer vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber to support stable and lasting energy
- incorporate fruits around your workouts, before and after your sessions, for example, to maintain your glycogen levels
- adjust the quantity to your needs: aim for 5g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight on average
Practical example: you weigh 90 kilos, calculate 5×90 = 450 g of carbohydrates per day represent your average needs, which is 50 to 65% of total energy.
5. Example Meal for Mass Gain
I’m sharing with you an example of a balanced meal for mass gain, including all essential macronutrients to facilitate muscle growth and provide you with energy:
Starter
Grated carrots seasoned with olive oil and lemon
Main Course
- Roast chicken
- Sweet potatoes with sesame sauce
- Sauteed summer vegetables
Dessert
- Mango cubes
- 4-5 almonds
Nutritional Intake of the Mass Gain Meal
- Proteins: 69 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fats: 20 g
- Total meal calories: 790 kcal
I advise you to vary your recipes by planning your weekly menus to avoid monotony and prevent less suitable “quick meals” that don’t align with your goals.
You can also introduce 1 to 2 snacks per day to complete daily caloric intake. Distributing energy helps avoid fatigue during training and ensures a well-balanced nutrient intake.
If needed, protein shakes are practical and can easily fit into your routine outside of meals.
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Finally, to assess if your meals for gaining muscle suit you, ensure a gradual weight gain: 0.5 to 1 kilo per week.
If you gain weight too quickly or nothing happens on the scale, consider rebalancing diet and training.
Sources and scientific studies
Maughan, R. J., & Burke, L. M. – Practical Nutrition for Team Sports – Journal of Sports Sciences, 2012
Phillips, S. M., & Van Loon, L. J. C – Dietary Protein for Athletes: From Requirements to Metabolic Advantage – Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2011
Stephen M Cornish , Dean M Cordingley , Keely A Shaw , Scott C Forbes – Effects of Omega-3 Supplementation Alone and Combined with Resistance Exercise on Skeletal Muscle in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Nutrients, 2022
