Diet Plan for Muscle Gain: A Comprehensive Guide

When you are trying to gain muscle, only hitting the gym every day is not enough! A high-protein diet for muscle building is equally important. Because after you work out at the gym, a muscle building diet with all the required post-workout nutrition, including a high-quality protein powder for muscle growth plays an

important role in supporting you in building lean muscles. 

It’s understandable that one may struggle to curate the best diet for muscle gain. Therefore, this page delves deeply into an effective diet plan for muscle gain to fuel your body to achieve effective muscle growth, focussing on the relevance of carbohydrates for muscle recovery, the significance of a calorie surplus for muscle gain, the best foods for muscle growth, and a lot more. 

Understanding Muscle Building Diet

Muscle gain necessitates a calorie surplus, which means you eat a greater amount of calories than you consume. However, it is not enough to simply eat more; you must also eat the right foods in order to grow muscle, not fat.

Now, let’s get into the breakdown of the essential nutrients and their sources of what you should be eating and preparing a diet plan for muscle gain!

First, Calculate the Number of Calories You Need

The simplest way to figure out the amount of calories you require is to weigh yourself a minimum of three times per week and record everything you eat with a calorie-counting app.

If your weight remains constant through the week, the number of calories you consume is considered your “maintenance” level. You are maintaining your weight rather than losing or gaining it.

During the bulking phase, aim to increase your calorie consumption by around 15%. For instance, if you consume 3,000 calories per day to maintain your weight, you need to consume around 3,450 calories per day to bulk (3,000 x 0.15 = 450).

Adjust your calorie goals on a monthly basis to reflect weight changes. Aim for small progress—gaining or losing not more than 0.5-1% of your body weight every week—to keep muscle during cutting while minimising fat gain while bulking.

Next, Find Out Your Macronutrient Ratio

This is the proportion of your carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake. Protein and carbohydrates give about 4 calories/g, whereas fat gives around 9 calories.

Your macronutrient ratio remains consistent irrespective of whether you are bulking or reducing. A normal diet involves:

• Carbohydrates account for 55-60% of calories
• 30-35% of the calories come from protein
• 15-20% of calories are from fat

Pro tip: It is best to speak with a qualified dietician to evaluate your specific nutritional requirements and ensure that your diet is adequate.

Foods to Incorporate in the Diet Plan for Muscle Gain

Incorporating nutrient-dense foods into a diet plan for muscle gain is critical to getting the desired outcomes; however, the amount of the following foods will vary depending on individual health goals.

Foods that you can incorporate in your daily diet plan for muscle gain include:

• Dairy (For e.g., milk, paneer, yoghurt, and cheese)
• Fish, meat, and poultry (For e.g., prawns, chicken, and various fish)
• Legumes and pulses (For e.g., chickpeas, kidney beans, and moong sprouts)
• Whole eggs
• Fruits (For e.g., apple, banana, orange, melons, guava, and berries)
• Vegetables (For e.g., leafy vegetables, beans, sweet potatoes, capsicum, mushrooms, cucumbers, and tomatoes)
• Cereals (For e.g., rice, oats, millets, and whole wheat)
• Seeds and nuts (For e.g., almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseeds)
• Oils and fats (For e.g., desi ghee, olive oil, and coconut oil)

Foods you should limit to optimise your diet plan for muscle gain include:

• Alcohol
• Sugary food items and beverages
• Deep-fried food items
• Junk foods
• Refined carbohydrates like white bread
• High-fat meats

Sample Muscle Building Diet Plan

Usually, a lot of people think that they need to eat fancy and shell a lot of money for building muscle; however, it’s all about making some smart choices, and just a well-curated meal plan for muscle gain is sufficient for this.

The Indian diet is the best diet for muscle gain for those who want to build muscle as well as in a budget.  It is a powerhouse of nutrients that promotes muscle growth.

Following is a sample diet plan for muscle gain that emphasises balance and the right macros for muscle gain to fuel your body:

Sample Diet Plan for Muscle Gain (For Vegetarians)

Breakfast

• 2 stuffed parathas or a bowl of dalia (250 gm)
• 2 bananas
• A glass of milk
• 25-30 gm of boiled chickpeas (preferably black)
• A scoop of protein powder

Snack (Mid-morning)

• A handful of nuts, such as peanuts or almonds, for healthy fats
• A fruit, such as an orange or apple.
• Greek yoghurt

Lunch

• 3-4 chapatis or a rice bowl
• A bowl of dal (yellow/black)
• A side of mixed veggies, such as spinach, carrots, and capsicum
• A curd salad bowl

Snack (Afternoon)

• Paneer (cottage cheese) sprinkled with roasted cumin powder or Greek yoghurt
• Some whole grain crackers

Snack (Pre-workout)

• A brown bread slice with peanut butter
• 1 banana

Snack (Post-workout)

• Protein Smoothie (banana+ milk+ protein powder) with hard boiled eggs

Dinner

• A portion of paneer or tofu prepared with vegetables and spices.
• A bowl of rice (brown) or wheat-based chapati.
• A side dish of salad containing greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lemon juice for dressing.

Sample Diet Plan for Muscle Gain (For Non-Vegetarians)

Breakfast

• Scrambled eggs or omelette made with 2-3 eggs and plenty of veggies such as tomatoes, onions, capsicum, and spinach.
• For complex carbohydrates, add whole wheat bread/roti or a small amount of cooked quinoa.
• Optional- a glass of milk or a banana smoothie containing protein powder for an added protein boost

Snack (Mid-morning)

• A bowl of crushed paneer with some black pepper
• Add a handful of nuts, such as walnuts or almonds for healthy fats

Lunch

• Grilled/stir-fried chicken breast flavoured using Indian spices like cumin, turmeric, and coriander
• A bowl of steamed veggies like cabbage, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower for fibre and nutrients.
• A portion of brown rice or roasted sweet potatoes for complex carbohydrates.
• A dish of curd for probiotics with a fresh green salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, onions)

Snack (Afternoon)

• A bowl of flavourful boiled chana chaat with some chaat masala and lemon juice
• A banana

Snack (Pre-workout)

• A salad made with sprouts and boiled potato
• Optional-Include hard boiled eggs

Snack (Post-workout)

• Pasta made from whole wheat
• Alternatively, have a protein smoothie with protein powder, banana, and milk

Dinner

• Chicken or any lean meat tikka marinated in yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, and spices
• A plate of stir-fried mixed vegetables
• For a balanced meal, add a small portion of quinoa or whole wheat roti/bread

Is Incorporating Protein Powder in a Diet Plan for Muscle Gain a Good Idea?

Incorporating protein powder in your muscle-building diet can be one of the most efficient ways to achieve your daily protein needs. It is simple to digest, convenient, and can be tailored to your preferences and requirements.

Advantages of protein powder for muscle gain:

• High-quality protein source: Provides all of the amino acids required for muscle growth and recovery.
• Supports recovery: Reduces muscular soreness and accelerates recovery.
• Versatility: Can be mixed into smoothies, cereal or baked items.
• Convenience: Ideal for post-workout nutrition or a quick snack.

Tips for Meal Prep and Consistency

Follow these tips for your meal prep for bodybuilding:

• Plan ahead of time. Cook dishes in bulk to minimise your time and stay on track with your muscle-building diet.
• Keep track of your macros and ensure that you fulfil your everyday calorie and macronutrient needs.
• Keep hydrated, as water is necessary for healing and performance.
• Supplement smartly in a way that complements your diet. For example, add protein powder and additional supplements like caffeine to your meal plan for muscle gain.

Build Muscle the Prohance Way!

Accomplishing your fitness goals requires more than simply working out; it also involves fuelling your body with the right diet plan for muscle gain. Incorporating nutrient-dense foods, keeping proper macro balance, and supplementing with high-quality products such as Prohance protein powder can make a big difference. Including Prohance protein powder in your diet allows you to easily satisfy your daily protein needs while also boosting muscle growth and recovery.

Begin your muscle building journey now with a lean bulk diet plan, and watch your progress unfold!