Gaining muscle mass, increasing strength, and achieving a more toned body are goals that almost everyone who signs up at the gym pursues. However, with the sheer number of routines and diets circulating online, confusion grows in people’s minds, making it not as easy as it seems to reach those objectives isn’t as straightforward as it appears at first glance.
To shed some light on the topic, Maria Casas, a pharmacist, dietitian, and instructor at Fit Generation, has shared the definitive keys on her YouTube channel for building muscle naturally and setting aside those myths that are useless. Among the tips she offers, one stands out notably: the key to gaining muscle mass isn’t in those powder supplements everyone mentions, but in the real foods you eat even before you start training.
If you want to gain muscle mass, eat carbohydrates
Forget the extreme obsession with protein that social media is generating. Although from the very start it is mentioned that this is the key to achieving the goals, María Casas states that it can be achieved through natural foods, and, contrary to what many think, carbohydrates are very good for it. In fact, the expert suggests that 50% of the calories in your diet should come from them. That said, not every type of carbohydrate is suitable. We’re not talking about pastries or refined flours, but healthy and high-quality options: vegetables, fruits, legumes, tubers, and whole grains.
How can you organize your meals?
Organizing the way you eat is a very important step, especially on those days you train. In this regard, the expert explains that the ideal is to start about two to four hours before going to the gym by eating a medium plate of carbohydrates that provide long-lasting energy, such as rice, potatoes, or oats, accompanied by some vegetables to keep you powered up. Then, as training time approaches, between one hour and fifteen minutes before training, it’s very beneficial to have a fast-absorbing carbohydrate like a piece of fruit, which will give you an immediate but light energy boost without weighing you down in the stomach. After finishing your workout, it’s time to recharge your muscles and replenish what you’ve spent; for this, the best choice is to select carbohydrates that digest slowly, such as legumes, tubers, or cereals, always paired with a generous portion of vegetables. “Protein is not the most important macronutrient for gaining muscle mass; we’ve just gone a bit overboard. (…) More isn’t necessarily better,” she explains.
1. Strength training
You don’t need to push yourself six days a week or spend two hours lifting weights. With three or four days per week and intense sessions of 30 to 60 minutes, it’s more than enough if you organize your routine well. The golden rule is to train each muscle group twice per week and perform about 12 total sets per muscle per week.
To know whether your training is working, pay attention to the intensity: the last repetition should cost you a lot more than the first and look slower. Also, look for progressive overload: try to improve each week by increasing the weight, adding a rep, or improving your technique.
2. Rest
This is something almost everyone forgets, despite how important it is. Muscles don’t grow while you lift; they grow when you sleep and allow the fibers to recover. “If there were a single supplement that could accelerate muscle mass, it wouldn’t be creatine or protein; it would be a quality hour of rest each night,” explains Maria. The recommendation is to sleep between seven and nine hours per day. To achieve deep sleep, the expert advises turning off screens one hour before bed, not drinking too much water two hours before to avoid waking up at night, and keeping the room dark and cool.
3. Adapt what you eat to your body
When it comes to eating to gain muscle, nutrition must adapt completely to your body because not everyone needs the same. Maria Casas explains that the amount of food depends on how you start: for instance, if you have a high body fat percentage (more than 20% in men or over 30% in women), you’re in luck, because you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time by eating a little less than what your body expends, specifically about 10% less. On the other hand, if you’re at a mid weight, the ideal is to maintain your calories as usual or cut only about 5% to slowly slim down. Finally, if you’re very lean or weigh less than you should, what you need is to eat a bit more than you expend, adding between 5% and 10% more food to give your body the energy and material it needs to build that new muscle.
4. You must be consistent
Gaining muscle naturally is a somewhat long and challenging process, so you should know that you won’t achieve it overnight. Therefore, what matters most in these cases is consistency and discipline, since it’s normal not to feel motivated every day or eager to go to the gym. A mental trick that the nutritionist shares when you don’t feel like going to the gym is to tell yourself: “I’m just going to go train for 10 minutes.” By lowering the pressure, you’ll break through the laziness and, once there, you’ll finish your routine. Forget about changing exercises every week and focus on enjoying the process. As María rightly reminds, long-term consistency is the only thing that guarantees results.
