nutrition and sleep

You could have great work-outs, but without eating enough protein, you won’t add muscle mass. A general rule is to eat one gram of protein per pound of body weight, so a 140 pound person would need to eat 140 grams of protein per day. A 230 pound person would need to eat 230 grams of protein per day. Just to give an idea of how much protein is in food, a 3 ounce serving of chicken has 28 grams of protein, a 3 ounce ground beef patty (85% lean) has 16 grams of protein, and 1 cup of skim milk contains 8 grams of protein. Protein powders are ok to use, just make sure to get one with a low sugar content. To get my required 280 grams of protein, I drink 1% milk, eat meat and high protein nuts like almonds, and have some protein powder mixed with milk either early in the morning or at night before going to bed. Some carbohydrates (beans, whole wheat bread, etc.) are fine, just try to minimize foods high in sugar (soda, donuts, ice cream – opt instead for fruits like apples, strawberries, and blueberries) or drinking alcohol in excess, as these usually end up turning into fat after being digested. Also, stay away from the white carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, and white bread – as these have a high glycemic index, meaning that your body digests them quickly, resulting in an accumulation of fat.  Also, it’s important to drink at least 10 (8 ounce) glasses of water every day and try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night, 8 hours is optimal. Taking creatine before workouts really gives you an extra kick of energy. Having a few glasses of milk during your workouts helps to provide energy during workouts, quenches your thirst, and provides protein to fuel muscle growth. If you do the work-outs, eat correctly, and get enough sleep, you will add lean muscle mass, and you won’t have to lift record-breaking amounts of weight to bulk up, but you will get much stronger.