When it comes to training, protein and muscle building go hand in hand. It’s a well-known fact that those who want to build muscle will often fill up on protein-rich foods and protein shakes. However, is it possible to do so without that extra protein?
In this article, we’ll go through the role of protein when building muscle, and whether or not you can build muscle successfully without it. We’ll also provide you with tips on how to get started in training to increase your muscle mass.
Is Protein Essential For Muscle Growth?
Protein is essential for successful muscle growth and without it, it would be very difficult to build muscle. This is because protein contains amino acids, which are responsible for building and maintaining body tissue.
In fact, your body prioritizes proteins over anything else for maintaining important bodily functions.
You must take in more calories in order to produce a protein surplus, which will provide you with extra protein that can be used to build muscle.
How Much Protein You Need For Muscle Growth
Many people think you need a lot of protein to build muscle, but in reality, the minimum amount you need to build muscle and make the most out of your strength training is about 0.8 grams per pound of body weight.
This amount of protein is perfect when factoring in the increased carbohydrates you’ll be consuming alongside it. Along with protein, carbs are good for maintaining muscle mass and can help fuel training sessions.
Increased calorie and carbohydrate intake are more beneficial to growing muscle than consuming too much protein as muscle growth requires a calorie surplus.
Interestingly, people who are trying to lose weight will benefit more from excessive protein than those who are trying to bulk up.
The Best Way To Build Muscle
When building muscle mass, you should follow these guidelines to ensure success:
Have Enough Protein In Your Diet
You won’t have enough nutrients to grow muscle without proteins. Making sure you get adequate protein enables your body to use them for muscle growth.
Choose protein shakes or a protein supplement that is gentler on your stomach if you are having trouble increasing your protein intake because of your appetite.
Be Consistent
Not eating enough calories is one of the main reasons that limit healthy weight gain and muscle growth. You have more calories to work with the more you eat.
Regular eating gives your body an excess of calories that will speed up the process of you building muscle. Eat a meal every three to four hours, if possible. You’ll be able to digest food more quickly by dividing up your calorie intake.
Eat Healthy Fats
To fuel your muscles throughout such demanding workouts, you need fat. You should concentrate on eating heart-healthy fats. This includes omega-3s found in eggs, avocados, and olive oil.
Additionally, nuts and fatty fish are good sources of healthy fat, which aids in the consumption of proteins. Generally speaking, you should consume 20 to 35 percent of your total calories as fat.
Commit To Regular Exercise
This goes without saying, but to build muscle successfully, you have to commit to regular exercise and stick to your routine, otherwise, the extra calorie intake in your body will store as fat.
During your exercise session, you’ll need to focus on intense workouts that involve weight, resistance, and strength training.
These types of workouts promote muscle protein synthesis, where the protein in your body is used to repair muscle damage caused by exercise. This means your muscles will become stronger and grow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need protein powder to build muscle?
It’s not absolutely necessary to consume any kind of protein powder in order to gain muscle.
Protein can be found in some lean meats like chicken breast and beef as well as in organic foods such as nuts, seeds, and tofu. These foods can be added to your diet if you prefer to get your protein in natural forms.
However, a smoothie or powder formula will work if you’re looking for another approach to up your protein intake. Whey protein is also regarded as the top protein supplement for muscle growth.
Do I need post-workout protein when building muscle?
After a workout, you should take advantage of the “golden eating window.” This period is where you can optimize your body’s recovery and performance by ingesting fast-digesting nutrients.
However, you don’t have to take advantage of this window. In the grand scheme of things, overall calorie and nutrient intake over the day matters much more when building muscle mass.
What are the best high-protein foods?
The good news is that there are plenty of foods out there that are high in protein, so you have a lot to choose from. These protein-rich foods are easily available and also have some healthy fats:
- Lean cuts of beef
- Chicken breasts
- Turkey breasts
- Beans
- Eggs
- Prawns
- Fish, like salmon and haddock.
- Nuts, like peanuts and almonds
- Seeds, like pumpkin seeds
- Whey protein shakes
- Plant protein shakes
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Chickpeas
- Dairy products, like cheese and milk
- Vegetables
Will reducing my protein intake cause me to lose muscle?
If you entirely stop getting protein, your muscles will gradually shrink. To support appropriate growth, your body needs adequate grams of protein per pound of body fat.
Exercise can actually cause muscle tissue loss if you do not consume enough protein afterward.
Final Thoughts
When building muscle, your diet must be rich in protein in order to build muscle mass successfully. With other nutrients, such as healthy fats and carbohydrates, and a commitment to intense exercise, you should be able to build muscle over time.
