When it comes to building lean muscle, counting calories may not always be necessary. Lean muscle is a combination of a fast metabolism, strong work ethic in the gym, and having an eye for what you are putting on your plate to eat.
The information ahead discusses 3 nutrition hacks for lean muscle without counting calories at all.
The Easy Basics of Macros
When you count calories you are actually adding up all the macronutrients you consume for a daily total. Macronutrients, or macros for short, include primarily fats, carbohydrates, and protein that you consume every day. The tally of all of these nutrients equates to your daily caloric consumption, with the exception of alcohol.
But while counting your macros can give an excellent way to know what you are eating, it isn’t always necessary when you are looking to build muscle. Especially when you are experienced in nutrition, the eyeball method of determining how much to eat can be enough. Let’s look into some of the basics of macros and what they can do for you besides caloric content.
- Fats. Fats, which are known as lipids, are critical in human evolution. The body can store endless amounts of them and they are essential for brain development, hormone balance, and organ protection. Foods that contain Omega-3 fats are healthy options to consume because they can help to combat inflammation throughout the body and encourage the healing process as well.
- Carbohydrates. When it comes to various physiologic processes in the body, carbohydrates are essential for supplying basic energy needed for enzymatic and body processes. The brain needs carbohydrates to provide quick, short bursts of ATP for natural energy throughout the day and continuously adding healthful carbohydrates with every meal can help to ensure the brain and body have what they need.
- Protein. The consumption of protein serves various functions: it builds tissue, repairs muscle, supports appetite control, and provides amino acids for the body to recover. Protein is delivered in a variety of plant and animal sources and is common in the supplement industry. This macro is vital for the lean muscle process and is something that everyone needs to become familiarized with in order to be successful.
Top 3 Nutrition Hacks for Lean Muscle
Building lean muscle is all about your nutrition. Your workout can be on-point, but without the tools available to build the muscle it’ll be tough to truly meet your goals. Here are 3 nutrition hacks for lean muscle without counting calories.
- Use the Hand Rule for Protein Plating. Studies have shown that moderate protein consumption spread out throughout the day at each meal can increase 24-hour protein synthesis. The main goal of building lean muscle is to provide tissues with amino acids needed to repair tissue. Look to utilize the hand rule of plating protein, which suggests that your hand, palm, or fist should equate to about one serving of protein for meats. Depending on your meat source, this could be anywhere from 20-30 grams of needed protein. Follow along with more rules below:
- Moderate protein consumption would be roughly a hand and a half serving size, which is about 10-15 more grams of protein in that serving.
- Adjust to your hand size. If you have small or big hands, your serving size may be large or small. Knowing this, adjust accordingly to ensure your serving size is what you intend.
- Assess your serving size after the cooking process. Cooking reduces the size of meat, so if you determine your serving before you cook, you may be short changed.
- Time Your Protein Strategically Around Workouts. The type of protein you eat is important for the protein synthesis response you get. Studies show that protein synthesis occurs only when essential amino acids are present. With that in mind, consider these tips for timing your protein consumption.
- Plan your meals and exercise together. If you want to workout in the morning, be mindful that it takes roughly two hours for all amino acids to be available for use.
- Eat pork, beef, lean fish, and chicken at meals to encourage amino acid distribution for your early afternoon workouts.
- Snack Smarter with Protein and Fiber. Snacking is a major part of a regular diet and adding healthy options can help to curb appetite between meals while building lean muscle. Interestingly, a 2023 study showed just what an anabolic response can do for the muscle building process. In this study, researchers found a dose response relationship in the amount of protein consumed and the anabolic response in the body, meaning the more you consume equates to a better anabolic response. Follow along with these tips to snack smarter for the muscle building process.
- Protein snack bars. These curb appetite to prevent overeating, but also add valuable protein for a continuous anabolic response.
- Meal prep snacks. Hard boiled eggs, slow-release casein protein shakes, and homemade granola bars with protein are excellent snack options to encourage lean muscle building.
Make Smarter Choices at Each Meal
Smarter meal options can help to encourage long-term success when it comes to building lean muscle mass. Each meal should contain ample protein, carbohydrates, and fats to support the vast amount of body processes required to maintain health. Here are some ways to make smarter choices:
- Select lean meats including salmon, chicken, pork, and lean ground beef.
- Skim milk offers the nutrients necessary to encourage protein synthesis, but without excessive fats, including saturated fats.
- Fiber can help to fill the stomach and encourage gut health.
- Low fat yogurt options, including Greek varieties, supply high amounts of protein and can be excellent in the morning and between meals for a snack.
- Lentils contain high amounts of fiber and protein for a plant-based alternative to consuming meat.
Conclusion
When it comes to building lean muscle mass, many people quickly jump to calorie counting to get results. While it is important to know what you are eating at every meal, experienced athletes can utilize the eyeball method to avoid counting calories.
Follow along with the top 3 nutrition hacks for lean muscle without counting calories above to help set your workout on the right path for lean muscle mass. With more protein at every meal, the body can have better appetite control while helping to encourage an anabolic body at the same time.
Resources
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4018950
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2732256
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38118410
image sources
- vegan and vegetarian: Ella Olsson on Unsplash
