There are two different meanings of gaining muscle and gaining weight.
Gaining weight is increasing your weight on the scale, it could be done by increasing water, fat or muscle.
Increasing muscle cells is harder than just increasing body weight, it requires a well-balanced diet plus pushing hard on a non-aerobic exercise routine.
A Balanced diet is necessary during the bulking up phase?
Definitely, it is important because the energy acquired by the food must be the right amount. A small amount of energy will starve the muscle cells to recover and growth plus would not provide enough energy to push harder on the exercise. The extra amount of energy will increase a non-desirable body fat percentage in the body.
Bad carbs vs good carbs?
Bad and good carbs do not exist. What exists is the difference in the rate of sugar “glucose” is released from one type of carb to another into the bloodstream. During the digestion time, some carbohydrates release sugar faster, and others release the sugar slowly. Therefore, depending on the time of the day, individual goals and the type of exercise, each type of carbs will have the right moment to be consumed.
When should I eat carbs?
Normally faster absorption carbs are recommended to be consumed before, during and after exercises, as they are providing faster energy (sugar) for training.
Natural carbs, also called complex carbs or low glycemic index (LGI), are found on vegetables, including fruits, legumes. Those foods are rich in carbs but also contain fibre, vitamins, minerals and water, for that reason, it is also called complex carbs.
Slow absorption of carbs normally must be consumed away from training time, where the body just requires a low amount of energy to keep small tasks and vital organs alive. Extra energy at this time will be metabolised and stored as fat in the body.
Process carbs, also called simple carbs or High glycemic index (HGI), normally found on processed food, do not have the complexity of the natural carbs, so high sugar and low or no presence of water, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Because of the simplicity, the rate of the sugar released into the bloodstream from the digestive system will be extremely high. That explains why top athletes use carbohydrate drinks before, during and after training.
How much protein should I eat to increase muscle?
Protein is mostly found in animal products such as “poultry, fish, red meat” and in some vegetables like beans. The average amount of protein from animal sources is around 30% and vegetables are between 1% and 5%.
According to science, the human body can absorb on average 10g of protein per hour, for that reason health professionals recommend a maximum intake of protein of 30g every three hours.
An alternative to those sources of protein is the protein powders, which most sports people prefer to have because of the “time consuming” to cook actual food.
Does eating fat make me fat?
Good fats, natural fats found on seeds, nuts, avocado, fish, responsible to make cell membranes, include muscle cells membranes, and hormones including growth and testosterone hormones. Depending on each person, those good fats intake can vary from 10% to 30% of their diet.
Bad fats, non-natural fats or also known as processed fats are normally found in processed food, fried food, margarine, and some sauces and dressings like mayonnaise. They are called bad for one reason, your digestive system cannot break it down, those bad fats stack in your vein, arteries and capillaries, with time cause blockages of the blood flows, bad blood circulation, cold feet and hands, erection problems, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, death.