Building Muscle Mass

Building muscle mass requires, first of all, an individual calculation of the basic calories for a given person , and then, according to their own metabolic type, adding a certain amount. There are three basic metabolic types:

• ectomorph,
• mesomorphic,
• endomorphic.

More information about somatotypes can be found in the article:https://www.activlab.pl/pl/blog/Somatotypy-czy-somatotypy-maja-sens-Praktyczne-porady-dla-ektomorfikow-cz.-1/887

Calculating the basic calorie balance for a man:
BMR = weight x 24 x activity factor

Calculating the basic calorie balance for a woman:
Base BMR = Weight x 24
Corrected BMR = Base BMR x 0.9

A person who is an ectomorph , i.e. has a very fast metabolism, is slim and therefore has difficulty gaining weight, should initially add about 400 kcal to the basic calculations (of course, observation and calorie rotation are required in the case of gaining fat tissue too quickly or gaining muscle tissue too slowly - this may be caused by uncertainty as to the metabolic type).

Endomorphs should start with a small amount of calories on the plus side, because they gain weight easily, and therefore there is a greater risk of fat tissue growth. Mesomorphs , due to their ideal type of metabolism, can afford to add a lot of calories. Classic carbohydrate diets are recommended for starters. The number of meals is also an extremely important element. A classic non-exercising person usually eats 3 meals a day…

What do more meals give us?

It has been found that nutrients are better absorbed when we eat more often in small quantities. Each meal continuously provides us with basic, essential nutrients for functioning. Carbohydrates that provide energy, protein that is a building block, and healthy fats that act as a transporter of vitamins and minerals. By dividing these components into a larger number of meals, we are able to maintain a more accurate calorie balance and manage the components for the needs of the body. Snacks between meals are particularly forbidden, as they disrupt metabolic processes.

Many people believe that eating after 6 p.m. is reprehensible.

Nothing could be further from the truth . It is known that the later the time, the slower the metabolism, but the activity level of a given person and the type of food we intend to eat should be taken into account. It is true that you can limit the consumption of sugars (especially simple ones) that cause spikes in blood glucose, and consequently spikes in insulin (the hormone responsible for stabilizing sugar levels in the body). However, you should not give them up . The exception is the last meal, which should contain only protein with a slow absorption rate, to protect against night-time catabolism. We eat this meal about 30 minutes before going to bed. The products recommended in this case are, for example, low-fat or semi-fat cottage cheese containing casein protein, which is absorbed in 6-8 hours, or egg whites, which contain albumins with an absorption time of 4-6 hours.

The most important meal is the one we start with.

It should contain all the basic nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber - this is the foundation of the day . The pre-workout meal, depending on what product with what type of carbohydrates we consume, is set for about 1-1.5 hours before the planned training session. The post-workout meal is more complicated . It is best to use a protein supplement after training in combination with a carbohydrate supplement. This activity should take place about 15 minutes after the end of the training. Why is it so? Post-exercise catabolism is different from night-time catabolism. The cortisol secreted at this time has time to effectively help remove toxins accumulated as a result of physical exercise from the body. After this time, a carbohydrate supplement is an option for quickly replenishing energy losses and partially muscle glycogen. A protein supplement with a fast absorption rate is intended to introduce us and start the anabolic, or building, phase. Only then, after about 30-45 minutes, is it good to eat a normal, planned meal in the diet. Breaks between meals should be about 3-3.5 hours.

Properly supplying the body with fluids, vitamins and minerals is also the path leading us to success…

The basic water requirement of an ordinary person is about 3.5l. However, when doing sports and taking into account physical effort, we must reckon with greater water losses from the body (sweat, evaporation undetectable by, for example, the lungs, excretion during intensive metabolism), including vitamins and minerals. Physical effort causes excessive heat release based on the thermogenesis process, which additionally increases water excretion.

Water is also a nervous system shock absorber and a thermal regulator. When going to a workout, it is good to stock up on about 1.5l of this fluid and replenish it with small sips when you feel a lack. Do not use flavored waters, which, due to the sugar content in the composition, cause gastric hyperacidity, while carbonated water deprives us of micro and macro elements along with gas.

When we are unable to eat a meal, a good solution is to replace it with a carbohydrate-protein supplement. An even better solution is to use a protein supplement in pairs with a carbohydrate supplement, where we can choose the proportions of the given ingredient ourselves. Supplementation that is helpful in building mass is, for example, methods based on keratin products. Additionally, regardless of the training goal, we consider vitamin-mineral complexes and isotonic drinks as constant supplementation.

My recommended creatine product is for example: Activlab Creatine3 or CreaShot. As a carbohydrate-protein supplement I recommend Activlab Gainbody 30 Machine-Man


Janusz Ziółkowski - Dietician