Meals for More Mass - by Adam Hope & Alex Brooker

Nutrition is a relatively simple subject yet HUGELY overcomplicated! Don’t get me wrong, for the elite athlete you can see the importance of counting every possible micronutrient, but to the average gym warrior wanting to add size it doesn’t need to be so in-depth. With the vast amount of different information flying around it’s easy to get confused. You’ve decided you’re fed up of your pencil neck and matchstick legs and want to add some size. “What do I need to eat? How much should I be eating? Can I just eat junk?” This article aims to answer these questions and provide a simple explanation of what to eat to gain monstrous mass!

No matter how much you’re eating – it’s not enough!

This is the biggest mistake people make! It’s a no brainer – eat more and you’ll gain weight! Well despite this, many lifters still fail to eat enough calories to make their body grow. Perhaps this is because they hold their “Six-pack” dear to their heart and are reluctant to let it go. If this is you then ask yourself – “how bad do I want it?” If you are serious about adding size then you won’t mind gaining a little body fat. Once you’ve stacked on some mass you can put the work in and get your abs back. Take a leaf out of a pro Bodybuilder’s book. In the offseason they will balloon up, adding as much size as possible, and once it’s time to cut they’ll put in the hard work – and sculpt a new bigger physique. Moral of the story – Get it down your neck!

The Basics

Protein – 4 calories per gram. Essential for muscle repair and growth. In order to add as much muscle as possible it is vital your muscles are fed enough protein! Protein will repair muscle damage and breakdown caused through weight training, not to mention the added bonus of building your immune system. The word ‘protein’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Protos’ meaning ‘first’ or ‘of primary importance’. The Greeks weren’t lying – ensure you consume enough!

Carbohydrates – 4 calories per gram. Stored as glycogen in the muscle cells and liver, it is the body’s primary energy source. Carbohydrates can be split into simple and complex Carbohydrates. Simple Carbohydrates have a high Glycaemic Index (GI), meaning its energy is released quickly into the bloodstream leading to a spike in blood sugar levels. Complex Carbohydrates tend to have a low GI meaning their energy is released more slowly, helping to keep blood sugar levels and energy levels more constant. On the whole stick with the lower GI options except post workout.

Fats – 9 calories per gram so a great way to boost your calorie intake. Fats provide our body with a source of energy and a depot for energy storage. Fats are essential for normal physiological function and are also used to cushion our organs and insulate the body – however only at reasonable levels (no more than 18% for men and 23% for women). There are 3 different types of fats; Saturated, Unsaturated and Trans fats. On an extremely simple level, Unsaturated fats are “Good fats” and tend to be high in Omega 3. They can be found in nuts, Avocado’s, Salmon and meat. The other two are “bad fats” and can be found in snack-type and junk food. Omega 3 boasts a range of benefits such as improved brain activity, increasing insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, promote healing and increasing the body’s use of fat for fuel. Try to consume foods high in Unsaturated fats and avoid foods high in Saturated and Trans Fats. That Burger and Fries may taste good but it will undoubtedly make you a fat boy. So STAY AWAY!
Your diet should consist of a mix of each of the above, split into 6 meals throughout the day.

Breakdown
So, now you know a little about the basics. But how many calories should you be eating, and how many calories should come from protein, carbohydrates and fat? Using the table below you can calculate exactly what you need.

Protein (g) = Bodyweight (kg) x 3
Carbohydrates (g) = Bodyweight (kg) x 5
Fats (g) = Bodyweight (kg) x 1.75

Here is an example for a 90kg individual;




Split this into smaller manageable chunks to help you achieve your desired amounts.
This could be 6 meals each consisting;

Protein: 45g
Carbs: 79g
Fats: 26g

Or 2 Big meals and 4 smaller meals each consisting;

Big Meals
Protein - 75g
Carbs – 120g
Fat – 40g


Smaller meals
Protein - 30g
Carbs - 53g
Fat - 20g

Follow these guidelines for 1 month and we guarantee you will bulk up! It’s impossible not to!

Top meals for MASS

Breakfast

This is a time to boost your glycogen stores and kick start your metabolism.

RULE 1: EAT BIG! Eat a meal consisting of complex carbs, protein and fats.

Examples:

• Boiled eggs, Porridge with blueberries.
  
• Grilled Bacon, eggs (scrambled) and baked beans

.

“UBER-Shake” (1000kcals).
Blend together:
100g Scottish Oats
60g Whey Protein powder
1 Banana
2 Desert spoons of Natural Peanut butter
400mls Whole Milk



Snack

Look to consume around 300-500kcals. Try to stay away from sugary foods, and instead choose options that will provide more nutritional value and nutrients.

Examples:
Homemade Protein Bars.

Ingredients:
Scottish Porridge Oats
Whey Protein powder
Natural Honey
Mixed Seeds
Natural Peanut butter

Roast Dinner in a pint Shake.(Blend together)

Ingredients:
(Meal Replacement)
(1/2 cup) full fat cream
1 Banana
Digestive biscuits
Full fat milk
Handful of walnuts
Handful of Almonds and Walnuts



Lunch

“Size-ON” Salad

Ingredients:
Mixed leafs (Rocket/Spinach/Watercress/lettuce)
1 tin of Mixed Beans
2 tins of Tuna
3 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar / Organic Mustard Dressing.

• Grilled Salmon and prawns with potatoes and spinach
  
• Homemade Chicken Curry with lentils and rice

Pre-Workout/Snack

Whey protein, yogurt, oats, walnuts

• Homemade protein bars
  
• Handful of walnuts and almonds

Post Workout Meal (not Post Workout shake!!!) /Dinner

Arguably THE most important meal of the day. Post workout you can eat more sugary Carbs such as white rice and white potatoes to utilise the benefit of Insulin sensitisation. This meal should be the largest meal of the day.

• Homemade Chicken Arrabiata with added lentils
  
• Steak with sweet potato and lentils
  
• “Mush” – homemade chilli with lentils and rice

Snack (before Bed)

• Dinner in a pint Shake
• Cottage cheese and peanut butter, mixed.
• Peanut Butter sandwich

Animal Performance’s SUPERFOODS

Here are our favourite “Superfoods” guaranteed to help you stack on the size!

• Sweet potato
• Olive oil
• Lentils
• Walnuts and almonds
• Whole milk

Wrap-Up

So there you have it - a simple yet EFFECTIVE plan for packing on slabs of mass. Keep a food diary to log what you are eating, so you can easily see if it’s enough! Eating all that food may seem like a lot of hassle, but stick with it and you will be rewarded with Kilo upon Kilo of new found size. Train hard, but ensure you put the time and effort into your nutrition – Just listen to the Pro’s…

"Bodybuilding is at least 80% nutrition" - Vince Gironda

"Nutrition is 100%, training is 100%, recovery is 100%" - Dorian Yates

"If you're not growing, it's likely your diet, not your training, that's holding you back" - Dr. John Berardi



AnimalPerformance (APC) Ltd. is run by Adam Hope & Alex Brooker. They are currently in their last year of study at Loughborough University. APC was created in 2010 and already yields some exceptional clients such as international student rugby league representatives, semi professional rugby players, rock climbers and sprinters. They are the NEW generation in Strength&Conditioning, combining scientific methods into a hard working, results driven environment to maximize their results. Their slogan is: ENERGY PASSION SUCCESS and they currently offer online consultation service. Please check out the website for more details: www.AnimalPerformance.com

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