Most people’s fitness goals are centered around losing weight, because it’s very common to have excess fat nowadays. However, there are plenty of people who are actually a bit underweight, and could benefit greatly from putting on some pounds in the form of muscle.
In order to do that effectively, you might have to add some calories to your diet to promote better muscle growth.Just as your body can turn excess calories into fat, you can also turn them into muscle.
When you work out and feel sore afterwards, your body repairs itself using the nutrition from the food you eat in order to create stronger and larger muscles. Having the right nutrition and having enough nutrition is very important for this, because the wrong kinds of calories can leave you without the proper food you need to put on muscles.
Arguably the most important part of your diet for putting on muscles is protein. Proteins are the building blocks of your body, and you need plenty of them for your muscles. Obviously protein can be found in any form of meat, so that’s going to be the best initial option for you.
Clean sources of protein like chicken are a staple of many weightlifters’ diets, because they provide plenty of protein without things like grease, fat, and extra carbs. If you need a bit of an extra boost, there’s always protein shakes.
Protein shakes are a great way to get in a boost of protein after a workout, and they can be made in seconds. Most often you’ll see people buy protein powder and mix it into water or milk to make a shake.
Chances are, you’re most familiar with whey protein, which specifically helps with muscle growth directly after a workout. This powder comes in all kinds of flavors, so you’re sure to find one you like.
There are other supplements that you can take to increase your caloric intake as well. For example, mass gainers are a type of shake similar to protein powder, but with a bunch of other added calories and nutrients to help you put on weight in general.
This can be helpful if you’re finding it hard to eat a lot throughout the day, which can be both costly and uncomfortable. By condensing a lot of calories and nutrients into one single shake, your body is more likely to put that mass to use.
