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Pre-Workout Nutrition: Eating For Muscle Gain

By: Sean Nalewanyj

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The old saying goes "If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail"-this advice is very important for all of your workouts as well.

If you want to succeed at bodybuilding, every session in the gym should be like a battle, and just like any other battle, you have to enter it with total mental and physical preparation.

This article will deal with the physical side and will teach you exactly how to prime your body before battling the weights by eating for muscle gain.

Eating for muscle gain helps give your body the necessary tools to workout as effectively as possible because it ensures that you go into the gym at peak strength.

The three main goals of eating for muscle gain before a workout are as follows:

1) Increase your strength potential to the max.

2) Provide a steady stream of balanced energy for your mind and muscles throughout the workout.

3) Reduce your muscle breakdown by offering your body the raw tools to kick start the recovery process once the workout is over.

Eating for muscle gain before a workout doesn't begin with solid food. The first thing to make sure of is that you are properly hydrated before beginning your workout. As water plays a major part in maintaining strength and energy levels, you should always ensure you've consumed lots of water, especially during the few hours before you workout.

Around 60 minutes prior to entering the gym you should consume your 'eating for muscle gain' pre-workout meal. Protein should be a major ingredient of this meal. This protein will keep your body in an anabolic state throughout your workout and will help to prevent muscle breakdown as you train.

I would recommend that you consume 30-40 grams of high quality protein, ideally coming from a mix of whey protein and casein. You can make this mixture by combining around 300-400ml of skim milk with 25-30 grams of whey protein.

As whey protein is naturally high in BCAA's, which help to prevent muscle catabolism during your workout, it's a smart pre-workout choice when eating for muscle gain. When you mix your whey with milk, the release of proteins is slowed and this helps provide your body with a constant stream of amino acids throughout your training session.

Along with your protein shake you should also consume 1-2 portions of low-glycemic carbohydrates. Low glycemic carbohydrates are ideal before the workout because they are broken down and absorbed gradually in the bloodstream, providing your body with a steady stream of energy throughout your workout.

When eating for muscle gain, especially before your workout, stay away from high glycemic carbohydrates because they are released too quickly into your bloodstream and result in a surge of insulin being released to balance your blood sugar levels. This will result in a quick rise in insulin levels followed by a sharp fall.

Once you experience a fall in insulin levels, you will feel tired, weak, and sluggish. is is the last thing you want in the middle of a high intensity workout, so choose carbohydrates that won't cause this rapid fluctuation in insulin levels.

Opt for carbs such as oatmeal, apples, or brown rice before your workout to give your body a steady stream of sugars that keep your energy levels peaked for the duration of your workout.

The key to pre-workout nutrition, when eating for muscle gain, is to keep the portions small so that they can be easily digested and you don't feel sick during your workout. You should never workout without having a meal in you first.

So, just to recap:

60 minutes before your workout:

1) 300-400ml of milk mixed with 25-30 grams of whey protein

2) 1-2 servings of carbohydrates like brown rice, oatmeal, or apple, which are gradually released into your system

l so like to throw in a cup or two of coffee before my workouts as I find that this increases my energy and amplifies my focus nicely.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Access Your Free Gift: Uncover the dead-simple truth to build more muscle with Sean Nalewanyj's famous 8-part www.musclegaintruth.com">muscle building tips course.

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