Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Building Muscle Mass

Consuming an adequate amount of carbohydrates also is an important aspect of building muscle mass. This is because carbohydrates provide the energy needed to fuel a workout session. If the body runs out of stored carbohydrates during an exercise session, it starts to burn protein, and this hinders muscle growth. Remember that complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, high fiber cereals, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta digest slowly and provide a sustained source of energy, while simple carbohydrates such as fruits and fruit juices require little digestion and provide a quick source of energy.

Building Muscle Mass

You've got to eat to lose body fat. Say that again? This statement often seems crazy to people like Jessie, who are new to the world of fitness. But , this idea holds true. This is because muscle needs calories to grow, and muscles burn more calories than fat. A client who isn't building muscle despite consistent weight lifting probably isn't eating enough calories to fuel muscle growth. Teaching clients to use high calorie foods to supply the needed fuel for muscle growth is helpful, especially for clients who have difficulty finding the time or desire to consume these needed calories. Examples of nutritious high calorie foods include nuts, dried fruits, peanut butter, and smoothies made with soy or protein powder.


When exercising to build muscle mass it is important to eat enough quality protein. A high quality or complete protein supplies all the essential amino acids in the ratios that the human body requires to build muscle tissue. A protein source that is deficient in one or more of the essential amino acids is termed a low quality or incomplete protein. Do you remember reading about complete and incomplete protein in the previous lesson?