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Building Lean Muscle with the Right Mindset, Part 1

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Building Lean Muscle with the Right Mindset, Part 1

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Building Lean Muscle with the Right Mindset, Part 1

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Take the first step and use the power of mindset to gain lean muscle. Achieve your goals with the right mindset for successful muscle-building

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 2: Constructing a Muscle Building Diet

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 2: Constructing a Muscle Building Diet

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This article is the second installment of the ten-part series on how to build lean muscle. Get yourself caught up with this Part 1. If you're someone who wants to learn the fastest way to build lean muscle, apart from getting on a proper workout protocol, you need to be structuring your diet correctly.

Those who take the time to eat right are almost always going to have greater success and see the fastest way to build muscle because they won't waste time going around in circles due to insufficient food.

Food can make or break your results because if you aren't providing the body with enough raw materials for growth, how do you expect it to generate more lean muscle mass?

The answer: it won't!!!

Let's go over the key points that you should remember as you construct your diet to get muscle so you can succeed in achieving safe weight gain.

Step 1: Determine Your Body Composition

The first thing you should do is determining your body composition. Knowing your lean body mass makes figuring out your daily calorie requirements much more accurate since fat mass burns so few calories at rest.

Athletes who are quite lean to start with will have higher calorie needs and adjust their diet to put on muscle accordingly; otherwise, they will not be providing enough calorie intake to gain more size.

There are all kinds of body fat tests to measure body fat. I'm not the least interested in debating which ones are the best and most accurate. Just know for almost all methods, it's best to perform your measurements:

in the morning after an overnight fast

after you go to the bathroom and

before you eat anything or begin your daily activities.

Suppose you have access to someone trained to use skinfold calipers. This procedure uses calipers to measure the thickness of your subcutaneous fat - the fat underneath the skin - at specific body locations. It is my preferred choice of testing with athletes because it is very affordable, and measurements get taken quickly.

Most of the methods with the highest accuracies are not available to use in your home. What's more, the ones available at a testing facility may be expensive.

If you don't have someone trained to measure your body fat and dislike getting your fat pinched, you might consider circumference measurements. This measure uses circumference formulas for determining body fat. While a tape measure cannot directly measure body fat, there is a correlation between body circumferences, the relationship between body circumferences, and your body fat percentage. Overall, this method may be much more practical and accurate for private, in-home testing. You can find that test using the Critical Reload Calculator by clicking the floating 'Calculator' tab on your screen's right.

Remember that all body fat testing methods only provide an estimate, and that accuracy is much less important than consistency and repeatability. Whichever way you chose, it's essential to use the same method consistently.

So, if you measure your circumferences carefully, make sure you measure the same spot, with the same tape, and with the same amount of tension on the tape (taut by not tight). Doing so will ensure you get an acceptable body fat estimate - and, more importantly, a consistent assessment of your lean muscle gain that you can use to chart your progress.

Step 2: Determine Your Daily Calorie Expenditure Range

The next step in figuring out your diet to put on muscle is to establish your daily calorie expenditure once you have your body fat percentage. This way, you can eat enough to fuel your daily activities and then even more to build additional lean tissue.

To estimate your daily expenditure, you will use the following formula:

This number would represent how many calories you'd burn each day if you didn't do anything other than lie in bed. It accounts for all the necessary processes required to keep your body alive.

So to this, you need to account for activity. So you will use the following activity multipliers.

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) = BMR x 1.2

If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) = BMR x 1.375

If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) = BMR x 1.55

If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) = BMR x 1.725

If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) = BMR x 1.9

Most of you will fall in the range of moderately active to extra active, depending on how frequently you're training and exercising, as well as how your daily life stacks up in terms of activity. Using the example above, an athlete with 150 lbs of lean muscle mass and is moderately active would multiply 1,838.8 x 1.55 = about 2,850 calories per day. This number of calories is what an athlete must consume per day to maintain their current body composition.

If you are looking to gain muscle mass, you will need to eat more than your maintenance calorie intake-a calorie surplus. Ideally, you should add between 250-500 extra calories per day to your maintenance intake number. This addition of calories will result in 0.5-1 lb of weight gain per week and help you stay lean as you build muscle. Any surplus greater than 500 calories can create additional fat mass, which is not productive to your goals.

So take the calorie intake you arrived at earlier and multiply by whatever factor best describes you.

Now you have your maintenance calorie intake. Don't want to do the math? Check out the Critical Reload Calculator by clicking the floating 'Calculator' tab on your screen's right.

To this, we also need to add your calorie surplus, which will enable you to build more lean muscle mass. Ideally, add anywhere from 250-500 calories per day, which will help you stay lean as you build muscle.

This calorie surplus will result in ½-1 pound of weight gain per week.

Step 3: Define Your Bioenergetics

Once you've arrived at this number, you also need to factor in your bioenergetics into the mix, which refers to which energy system your body is most going to use as you perform your chosen sport of choice.

Sports such as football, track and field (sprinting) will rely heavily on the immediate energy system and the anaerobic glycolytic system to produce high levels of energy quickly. Their drawback is they fatigue very fast.

Sports such as basketball, soccer, or hockey will rely more on the anaerobic glycolytic, possibly shifting toward the oxidative glycolytic as they require you to exercise for a slightly more extended time.

Finally, endurance sports such as cross country running or skiing will rely on the oxidative system, which will deliver energy at a lower intensity level for a lengthier period.

Closing Remarks

These are the first three crucial steps in constructing a good diet for muscle building, but this is only a general overview of what to eat to gain muscle. Next time, I'll delve a little deeper into the specifics of that diet to learn more about the suitable types of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, as well as macronutrient ratios, to help you fill in the blanks in this diet outline.

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 2: Constructing a Muscle Building Diet

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If you're someone who wants to build lean muscle, apart from getting on a proper workout protocol, you need to construct your diet correctly.

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 3: Selecting the Right Macronutrients

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 3: Selecting the Right Macronutrients

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This article is the third in a ten-part series on how to build lean muscle. Take a look at Part 1 to catch up. If you want to learn the fastest way to gain muscle, you must structure your diet correctly, in addition to following a proper workout protocol.

Part 2 of this series, we covered how to calculate your body composition (percent body fat vs. percent lean muscle mass), how to calculate your target calorie intake, and how to assess your bioenergetics needs (e.g., carbohydrate, protein, and fat requirements based on the energy needs of your sport).

Now that we've covered the fundamentals let's delve a little deeper into building the ideal diet for gaining lean muscle.

Carbohydrates are Good

Don't be misled by fad diets that make broad claims about the dangers of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy and are required for it to function. They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which play an essential role in disease prevention, particularly heart disease and cancer. However, when it comes to fueling your body for athletic performance and safely gaining lean muscle, some carbohydrates are superior to others.

Carbohydrates from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans promote good health by providing vitamins, minerals, fiber, and various essential phytonutrients. Sugary, processed carbohydrates-white bread, white rice, refined grains, pastries, sugary sodas/sports drinks-are highly processed foods that increase fat storage, interfere with fat loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease. Athletes should avoid them.
Bulk up the RIGHT way with Critical Reload's Nutrition Guidebook. Learn more here →
Fiber

How can you tell the difference between a "good" carb and a "bad" carb that will help you achieve your muscle-building goals? There are several methods for distinguishing good carbs from bad carbs. The first consideration is the amount of fiber in the food. Fiber is a low-calorie filler that serves two functions in terms of health: 1) it fills your stomach, making you feel fuller for longer; and 2) it takes your body much longer to break down, suppressing your appetite.

There are two kinds of fiber: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber can be found in foods such as oatmeal (not instant), beans, barley, and citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, kiwi, and so on) and help lower cholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber, commonly found in whole-wheat bread and vegetables, is essential for normal bowel function. Bottom line: eat foods that haven't been overly processed or contain ingredients that are not overly processed.

Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index is the second tool for determining the best carbs for your diet (GI). The GI rate measures how quickly you digest food and convert it to glucose (the body's primary energy source). The higher a food's rating on the index, the faster it degrades. Essentially, the GI is a measure of which foods cause your body to experience a rapid rise in blood sugar, which then causes insulin production. Because insulin's two primary functions are to store glucose as fat and act as a sentry to keep fat cells intact, it's critical to keep insulin levels low when trying to lose or maintain body fat, which means limiting high-GI foods.

Protein

Animal protein and vegetable protein probably have the same effects on health. It is the protein package that likely makes a difference. Let me explain. A 6-ounce ribeye steak is an excellent source of protein - 38 grams worth. But it also delivers 44 grams of fat, 16 of them saturated. That's almost three-quarters of the recommended daily intake based on a 2000-calorie allotment. The exact amount of salmon gives you 34 grams of protein and 18 grams of fat, with only 4 grams saturated. A cup of cooked beans has 18 grams of protein but less than 1 gram of fat. So when choosing protein-rich foods, pay attention to what comes along with the protein. The best animal protein choices are fish and poultry (without skin). If you are partial to red meat, stick with the leanest cuts. Choose moderate portion sizes, and make them only an occasional part of your diet.

The Good Fats

The total amount of fat you consume, whether high or low, is not associated with the disease. What matters most is the type of fat you consume. Saturated and trans fats are "bad" fats that raise your risk of certain diseases. The "good" fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats - reduce the risk of disease. The key to a healthy diet is to replace bad fats with good fats and to avoid trans fats entirely. Although it is still important to limit your cholesterol intake, particularly if you have diabetes, dietary cholesterol isn't nearly the villain it gets portrayed to be. The most important thing is to keep cholesterol in the bloodstream under control. The combination of factors has the most significant impact on blood cholesterol levels. The type of fats in your diet, NOT the amount of cholesterol you consume, has the greatest influence on your blood cholesterol level.

Healthy Fat Tips

1. Cook and bake meals with liquid plant oils. Olive, canola, and other plant-based oils are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Dress a salad or vegetables with an oil-based vinaigrette.

2. Get rid of trans fat and butter. In the supermarket, look for foods that are trans fat-free and do not contain partially hydrogenated oils. Avoid fried foods in restaurants.

3. Consume at least one good source of omega-3 fats per day. Wild-caught fish (salmon or trout), almonds, ground flaxseed, and canola oil contain omega-3 fatty acids essential for heart health.

4. Reduce your consumption of meat and milk. Saturated fat is abundant in beef, pork, lamb, and dairy products. Choose low-fat milk, unsweetened almond milk, and indulge in small amounts of full-fat cheese.

Support your lean muscle gain diet with Critical Reload Performance & Recovery Shake. Learn more here →
Maintain Fluid Intake

After you've established your macronutrient intake, the next step in developing a muscle-building diet is to ensure that you're getting enough fluids. Many athletes looking for the fastest way to gain muscle fail to consider how much they drink daily.

Protein synthesis cannot occur as quickly if you are dehydrated, which can significantly impede your results. Aim for at least 10-12, 8-ounce glasses of water per day, if not more, when exercising.

Know that herbal tea and milk count as fluids, but caffeine-containing beverages do not. Sorry, but your grande vanilla latte does not count as 16 oz. of hydrating fluids either. The same goes for sugary drinks (soda, fruit juice, milkshakes, etc.).

Check out The Hydration Calculator for more information. The Hydration Calculator can help you generate more precise custom hydration settings based on calories burned throughout your day and specific continuous, uninterrupted exercise activities.

Manage Your Sleep

The final step toward safe weight gain is to ensure that you are getting enough sleep. Sleep is essential for building lean muscle when your body goes into deep repair and recovery mode.

Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep per night, if not slightly more, when training is intense. If you can, take naps; many athletes who want to build muscle will find that they recover faster with these in place. Sleep is also when the body releases growth hormones essential in lean muscle mass growth and development.

The Sleep Cycle app for your iPhone or Android is an economical way I've found to track your sleep quality and quantity. It includes functions for monitoring the amount of time you spend in deep or REM sleep, following the quality of your sleep over time, and identifying potential factors that may be interfering with your sleep (too much caffeine, late workout, etc.). You can even set the alarm to wake you up within a specific time frame when the app detects you are sleeping lightly. That's pretty cool!

Take Away

So there you have it: some key points to consider when choosing macronutrients for your muscle-building diet and making beneficial lifestyle changes in hydration and sleep to supplement that diet. Check back for the next installment in my 10-part series on building lean muscle, when we'll talk about how to time your nutrients for the best results0

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 3: Selecting the Right Macronutrients

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This article is the third in a ten-part series on how to build lean muscle. Take a look at Part 1 to catch up. If...

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 4: When, How And How Much To Eat

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 4: When, How And How Much To Eat

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 4: When, How And How Much To Eat

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If you want to grow lean muscle mass as quickly as possible, you’ll need to get your nutrition under control. There’s no denying it: you…

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Protein for Muscle Gain and More: How Much Do You Need?

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Protein for Muscle Gain and More: How Much Do You Need?

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The following post is an overview of an episode from Science for Sport's podcast, "Massive Muscle Gains: How Much Protein Do You Need According to Science?". Host Matt Solomon and Dr. James Morehen answer critical questions related to protein and its role in muscle growth.

This podcast is a great additional resource for those following our Building Muscle Series.

In this post, we will provide an overview of Matt Solomon and Dr. Morehen's discussion that covers:

Protein's role in muscle growth and sources of dietary protein.

How much protein do you need to maximize muscle growth?

Practical ways to hit your protein needs in a day.

What Does Protein Do?

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, the other two being carbohydrates and fats. Protein is not only for athletes, but the general person as well. Almost every reaction or process that helps us function and operates as normal healthy human beings requires protein. Protein is an essential structural component of hair, skin, eyes, and of course, muscle.
Build strong, lean muscle by utilizing five individually patented ingredients in Muscle Rx. Learn more here →
Sources of protein include:

Animal proteins such as beef, poultry like chicken and turkey, pork, and fish

Dairy products such as yogurts, kefir, milk, and cheese

Plant proteins such as tofu, beans, legumes, grains, and grain products

How Much Protein Do you Need?

We don't often work in the metric system, and to calculate your needs, you will need to convert your weight in pounds (lbs) into kilograms (kg). To do that, take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 to convert to kilograms.

Once you have converted your weight, you can calculate your protein needs by multiplying by 1.6-2.2g/kg to determine your daily needs.

It is important to remember the role of protein in the body. It's more than just supporting muscle growth and maintenance.

Building muscle is an energetically expensive process, thus requiring elevated needs; HOWEVER, we can't forget that caloric and carbohydrate intake are also essential in building mass and supporting performance.

Distribute Protein Throughout the Day

This segment was my favorite part of Science for Sport's episode. Dr. Morehen does an excellent job of outlining how you can hit your total needs for the day, around training, and when to adjust up or down based on training/competition duration and intensity.

Break your total protein needs down into meals.

Aim for 0.3 to 0.4 g/kg of protein at each meal.

Make sure it adds up to your total daily needs.

You may need to adjust slightly up or down at each meal to hit your daily target.

Consume protein before and after training sessions, and consume a protein-rich meal before bed.

Include protein in your pre-training meal, especially before lifts.

It's great if you can consume a source of protein post-lift. If not, don't worry, as you still have that muscle-building opportunity up to 2-4 hours post-lift.

Protein before bed can support recovery during sleep.

Let's Make It Practical

Once you have taken care of the math and key timing opportunities, determine how you will hit those numbers.

It doesn't have to be all protein powders nor costly cuts of beef. Use relatively inexpensive sources of protein such as:

Eggs, milk, and yogurt

Beans, legumes, and whole grains (buy in bulk)

Include powders to supplement or provide a convenient way to meet your protein needs

Support your lean muscle gain diet with Critical Reload Performance & Recovery Shake. Learn more here →
"You're a DJ..."

Are we training once or twice a day, and is it the day before the competition. Our overall calorie, carbohydrate, and protein needs will change based on training duration and intensity. Knowing when to dial up or down these needs is an important skill, eating with intent.

This segment was my favorite analogy that Dr. Morehen used to explain "eating with intent" during his interview.

Think of yourself as a DJ at your mixing board. Depending on the type of track you are playing, you may need to adjust your protein and carbohydrate intake. This suggestion could be within one track (a day) or from track to track (day to day).

Here are some examples:

Before a hard/intense training session, including a high protein and high carbohydrate breakfast, dial down the carbohydrate if it's a light or skill-based session.

The day before and day of competition, dial down the protein and dial up the carbohydrate. This scheduling is so you can make more room for carbohydrates.

Where to Listen

Listen and subscribe to Science for Sport's Episode, " Massive Muscle Gains: How Much Protein Do You Need According to Science?" using your favorite platform:

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Protein for Muscle Gain and More: How Much Do You Need?

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The following post is an overview of an episode from Science for Sport's podcast, "Massive Muscle Gains: How Much Protein Do You Need According to...

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The Breakfast Dilemma: Should You Eat Breakfast Before or After a Workout

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The Breakfast Dilemma: Should You Eat Breakfast Before or After a Workout

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The Breakfast Dilemma: Should You Eat Breakfast Before or After a Workout?

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Should you eat breakfast before or after a workout? Learn the research-backed answers here about eating before training in the morning.

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 5: Body-Type To Pace Your Gains

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 5: Body-Type To Pace Your Gains

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Building Lean Muscle, Part 5: Body-Type To Pace Your Gains

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We are halfway through our popular series on building lean muscle! In Part 5, Mike Bewley shares his secrets on sticking to your diet plan,…

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Pre-Workout Nutrition, Part II: Carbohydrate Loading

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Pre-Workout Nutrition, Part II: Carbohydrate Loading

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Pre-Workout Nutrition, Part II: Carbohydrate Loading

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Carb loading is a tool for athletes who train or compete for > 90 minutes and would benefit in maximizing their muscle glycogen stores.

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MUSCLE GAIN SERIES Coach Mike Bewley, MA, CSCS*D, RSCC*E, SSN, USWA-I is the founder of Critical Reload and a contributor to the Critical Reload Performance...

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PRE-WORKOUT NUTRITION BLOG PRE-WORKOUT ARTICLES What are you doing for your team's sports nutrition? LETS CONNECT Critical Reload delivers sport-specific nutrition solutions designed by certified...

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Iron Deficiency in Athletes: Signs Beyond Fatigue

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Iron Deficiency in Athletes: Signs Beyond Fatigue

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Iron Deficiency in Athletes: Signs Beyond Fatigue

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Explore the importance of iron supplements for athletes to combat deficiency and enhance performance for optimal health.

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Off-Day Nutrition: Should Athletes Eat Less on Rest Days?

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Off-Day Nutrition: Should Athletes Eat Less on Rest Days?

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Off-Day Nutrition: Should Athletes Eat Less on Rest Days?

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Discover what to eat on a rest day for optimal recovery and performance. Proper nutrition is crucial even on off days.

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Nutrition for Speed & Power Athletes vs Endurance Athletes

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Nutrition for Speed & Power Athletes vs Endurance Athletes

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Nutrition for Speed & Power Athletes vs Endurance Athletes

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Unlock your athletic potential by understanding the link between athletes and nutrition. Optimize your diet for peak performance.

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Late-Night Hunger After Practice: Smart Snacks That Help Recovery

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Late-Night Hunger After Practice: Smart Snacks That Help Recovery

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Late practices are common in competitive sports. However, the question most athletes ask at the end of training is: what to eat after a workout at night without disrupting sleep or excessive calories?

It all depends on who you are, how hard you have been training, and the time of going to bed. Refueling late at night is not about eating "a lot", but rather having the right amount of protein and carbohydrate for your body and training demands.

Let's break it down clearly.

Why Eating After a Late Workout Matters

Training longer than 45-60 minutes and particularly in a moderate to high intensity burns your stored glycogen (carbohydrate) and causes muscle protein breakdown. Recovery requires:

When you do not refuel, the speed of recovery at night is slow. This is even more significant to the increasing number of youth athletes and high-volume competitors.

So yes, if you're wondering, should I eat after a workout at night? In most cases, yes.

How Much to Eat After a Late-Night Workout

The number of portions is dependent on training load and body weight. These are some evidence-based general targets:

For Most Athletes (Post-Workout Within 60 Minutes)

(Average 15-25 g in young people; 20-30 g in adults)

(30 to 60g average per moderate to hard session).

When Carbs Matter More

Choose the higher carb range (40-60 g+) if:

Practice lasted ≥60-75 minutes

It was endurance-based (soccer, basketball, swimming)

There's a morning session the next day

You're in a double-session training phase

When Protein-Dominant Is Enough

Minimal carbs and 20-30 g protein are adequate when:

This clarifies the choice of what to eat after late-night workout to a great extent - align the snack with the exercise.

Timing: How Close to Bed Can You Eat?

Ideally:

Consume 30-60 minutes after training.

Attempt to complete a meal within 30-90 minutes of sleep.

If you must be asleep within 30 minutes, then choose a liquid variant (shake or smoothie). Liquids are more rapidly digested and have less chance of reflux or stomach indigestion.

For athletes who think of what to eat late at night after a workout, it is more about digestive comfort rather than macro balance.

Practical Recovery Combinations That Hit the Right Macros

The following are realistic combinations which actually strike recovery targets.

Moderate to Hard Practice (≥60 Minutes)

Target: ~20-25 g protein + 40-60 g carbs

Examples:

Banana + 1/2 cup cereal + Greek yogurt (1.5 cups).

Chocolate milk (16-20 oz) + small granola bar

Critical Reload post-workout recovery drink + additional fruit to reach 40-60 g carbs

Turkey sandwich (2 slices of bread + 3-4 oz turkey)

This is a good illustration of a balanced late night post workout meal that assists in the recovery of glycogen.

Short Lift or Light Session

Target: 20-30 g protein + 15-30 g carbs

Examples:

Lower carb intake works here because glycogen depletion was minimal.

Heavy Training or Two-A-Day Athletes

Target: 25-30 g protein + 60 g carbs

Examples:

This is particularly true when answering what to eat after a workout at night, during intensive training.

Different Situations to Consider

Youth vs Adult Athletes

Youth athletes (particularly teens) need constant body and muscle replenishment.

Adults can increase intake more strictly depending on the targets of body composition.

If the practice is over 60 minutes, the young athletes should never miss out on the post-workout intake.

Athletes Trying to Gain Mass

Athletes Managing Weight or in Weight-Class Sports

The goal is recovery without excessive caloric surplus.

GI-Sensitive Athletes

If you have reflux or bloating:

Choose low-fat options

Avoid high-fibre cereals

Limit heavy nut butters

Consider lactose-free yogurt.

Take liquid shakes at bedtime.

This holds particular significance in the determination of what to eat after late night workout in case the quality of sleep is poor.

Snacks That Sound Good But Don't Do Enough

Not all the typical late-night choices do anything meaningful to aid recovery on their own:

Dark chocolate may also affect athletes sensitive to caffeine.

These should be eaten in moderation-but they must not substitute protein + carb recovery intake.

So, Should You Eat After a Workout at Night?

In most cases, yes.

Recovery doesn't stop because the clock says 9:30 PM. The key is moderating the consumption to:

Bodyweight

Training intensity

Proximity to bedtime

Individual tolerance

For the majority of athletes, the 20-30 g protein and 30-60 g carbohydrate snack consumed within 60 minutes will have a significant positive impact on recovery and will not disrupt sleep.

In its proper form, nighttime eating enhances performance, muscle recovery, hormonal balance and readiness for the next day.

It is not whether to eat or not eat, it is a question of a proper approach to your sport and plan.

And that's exactly how you answer what to eat after a workout at night in a practical, performance-focused way.

Fuel smarter and recover stronger with Critical Reload, a balanced carb-protein recovery drink designed to help athletes refuel properly after late-night training.

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Late-Night Hunger After Practice: Smart Snacks That Help Recovery

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Discover what to eat after a workout at night to optimize recovery without disrupting your sleep or calorie intake.