Overview
Gaining muscle through strength training and proper nutrition can help prevent chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Eating correctly and following a strength-training routine will improve your health and physique.
Benefits of Muscle Development
While it is not true that muscle mass affects your metabolism, it is true that people who exercise burn more calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, any type of physical activity will burn calories, and strength training routines will give you the added benefit of toning your muscles. When increasing daily fitness and improving daily diet habits are combined, the result is a trimmer, more toned body.
Protein
When you are strength training, eat a sufficient amount of protein to supply your muscles with the protein they need to recover from training and to build more muscle. According to the American Dietetic Association, you can increase your protein to about 1.4 to 1.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Research has not supported increasing protein past 2g per kilogram body weight. Good sources of protein include lean cuts of meat, poultry, legumes, eggs, milk and soy.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates often receive a bad rap for increasing a person’s body weight, but your body needs carbohydrates in order to properly absorb and use the amino acids from the protein you consume. When choosing carbohydrates, choose whole grains over refined grains, and limit added sugars, which are just empty-calories providing few nutrients.
Sports Beverages
When you begin exercising, it is important to hydrate your cells. Pure water is the most effective fluid at hydrating your cells because flavored drinks, energy drinks, and electrolyte drinks all contain nutrients your body might not need to use. Energy and electrolyte drinks are generally recommended for athletes who exercise at levels that most exercisers will not reach. Unless you are participating in several hours of exertion, it is unnecessary to stock up on electrolyte beverages. A protein shake might be beneficial after a rigorous routine, but drink water while you are exercising.
Calories
If your goal is to burn calories and tone muscle, do not increase your meals to compensate for the calories used during exercise. However, if you are working to gain muscle and weight, then you will want to increase your calorie intake by about 200 calories through the consumption of wholesome foods, proteins and whole grains. The 200-calorie increase can be easily included in the form of a higher protein snack or a protein shake.
Creatine Supplementation
According to the Natural Science Research Collaboration report on Medline, creatine has been shown to enhance muscle mass, but the studies had mixed results. Creatine breakdown in the body has been associated with cramping, muscle breakdown and muscle tearing, and high dosages have been associated with kidney damage. There is also a link between creatine supplementation and asthmatic allergies. Long-term use of creatine supplementation has been associated with with inflammation, ischemia, thirst, headache, irritability, nervousness, aggression, sleep problems, depression, abnormal heart rhythms and blood clots. Individuals who also use herb supplements, insulin replacement, or medications should consult their physicians before taking supplements.
About this Author
Kimberly Schaub is a nutritionist, writer, and cook whose passions have led from serving in the United States Air Force (2005-2006), to R&D for Day by Day Gourmet (2009) and into professional writing for publications since 2006. She has been published in Pepperdine’s “Graphic,” “That’s Natural in Pueblo,” and “Pike Place Market News.” Schaub earned her Bachelor of Science in nutrition at Pepperdine.
