What do you think of when you hear the word diet? Weight loss, of course.
You think of counting calories and forsaking sweets in order to shed pounds.
However, your diet is not really a weight loss plan; a diet is what you eat every day.
Some people exist on cheeseburgers and French fries, but it is doubtful that they care one bit about how their diet affects their ability to build muscle.
If you are looking for a diet to build muscle, chances are you are already working out and eating healthy.
You have probably already chosen a strength training regimen and are highlighting it with weights.
You are probably choosing whole foods and lean meats for protein and you are drinking more than the prescribed 64 ounces of water and getting plenty of rest.
What else can you do to build muscle? The simple answer is you must increase the frequency and intensity of your workout.
Frequency is how often you exercise.
Your frequency should be determined by how much you stress your body and long it takes to recover.
Intensity refers to the amount of energy that goes into each exercise.
In a good resistance workout, you body has to give just a little bit more to overcome the resistance.
If you are weight training and you add more weight, your body has to give just a little bit more to lift the weight.
These are examples of good ways to push your body.
First, add another day to work out during the week and then add more repetitions or more sets or more weight.
Make gradual increases so that your body has the chance to benefit from each level of change.
Now a look at the more complex answer to the question of how can your diet help you build muscle.
In order to build muscle you need to add at least 1 gram of protein to your diet for every pound of weight.
Please don't confuse this with high protein diet fads.
Choose healthy meals that consist of 40% proteins, 40% carbohydrates and 20% fats.
Your diet rich in lean red meats, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy will help you build muscle in every workout.