Struggling to Gain Muscle? Dial in Your Diet and Training

Does it feel like no matter how hard you try you aren’t putting on the muscle mass you think you should? There could be multiple factors that are contributing to your lack of muscle growth. Building muscle isn’t easy, lack luster nutrition and not training hard enough might be the reason why many people fail to do so. Some people blame their genetics because they aren’t building muscle but that usually isn’t a valid excuse. 

Your muscles are broken down when you’re working out and built back up with your diet. Therefore, an adequate intake of protein is important. My suggestion is that you consume 0.8-1g of protein per pound of ideal body weight. Let’s say you’re 200 pounds, you should be getting in 160-200 grams of protein in per day.

Having a balanced and progressive program also plays a huge role in building muscle. You should be training each muscle group at least once a week, ideally twice a week to maximize your gains. Progressively increasing the weight and repetitions of your exercises is important to build strength. Your muscles will adapt and grow using this technique called “Progressive Overload”.

It is true that different people have genetic advantages when it comes to building muscle. Some people can eat anything and still put on muscle while others have a lot more difficulty putting on mass. Your metabolism plays a significant role in your overall physique as well. People with a higher metabolism are generally leaner than people with a slower metabolism. This just means people with a higher metabolism are burning more calories at rest than someone with a slower metabolism. So, someone with a higher metabolism would have to intake more calories to put on mass. In conclusion, have a balanced diet high in protein with a progressive training program and your muscles will grow.