Whether recreational or competitive, bodybuilding is a lifestyle, as it involves the time you spend in and out of the gym. The reason for this is simple – when you’re attempting to build muscle mass, what you eat is just as important as working out in the gym.
Using a 7-day meal plan for muscle gain can become frustrating if you don’t understand the science behind building muscles. In addition to the basics of bodybuilding, calorie, and macro needs, this article explains what to eat and what to avoid on a bodybuilding diet and provides a one-week sample menu.
The process of muscle gain and fat loss happens primarily as a result of an energy imbalance i.e. the calorie equation (1).
Running on a treadmill for an hour each day won’t necessarily make you gain muscle mass. Neither will lifting weights alone. The real secret behind building muscle mass is a calorie surplus. A well-balanced diet combined with an efficient exercise regimen is essential for gaining lean muscle mass (2).
High-intensity training and intense weight lifting can provide dramatic results in muscle gain. However, without the right diet, it may not result in the body you want. In fact, without a balanced diet and sufficient calories, your difficult workouts may be wasted and you’ll gain no muscle at all.
A 7-day meal plan for weight loss and muscle gain typically consists of two phases, the bulking and cutting phases:
This phase aims for muscle gain and fat loss simultaneously. It lasts anywhere from a few months to years, depending on several factors such as experience level, time to reach your desired goal, body weight, and age (3).
During your bulking phase, it’s recommended that you increase your calorie intake by 15% (4). For example, if your maintenance calories are 2,500 per day, you should eat 2,875 calories per day (2,500 x 0.15 = 375) during your bulking phase.
After the bulking cycle is completed, it often becomes necessary to burn off the excess fat. The cutting phase is much shorter than the bulking phase and lasts anywhere from a few weeks to 6 months.
During your cutting phase, it’s recommended that you decrease your calorie intake by 15% (4). For example, if your maintenance calories are 2,500 per day, you should eat 2,125 calories per day (2,500 x 0.15 = 375) during your cutting phase.
Although your calorie intake will vary at different phases of the muscle-building cycle, your macro ratio is likely to stay constant. To gain muscle, it’s recommended that you get something like (5):
Eating the right foods in the recommended amounts will supply your muscles with sufficient nutrients to recover from intense workouts and grow bigger. Some of the foods that should feature in your 7-day meal plan for lean muscle gain include:
Carbs are the main source of energy for your body. They are essential for powering you through high-intensity workouts and keeping you going throughout the day (6).
Consume starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, and bread to provide you with an adequate amount of energy to train at a high intensity. Whole grain versions provide more fiber, which can help this energy last longer. Also, opt for starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and cassava.
This is the main nutrient that supports long-term muscle growth (7). It’s also satiating enough to power you through the day without the need to snack on unhealthy foods (8).
Eat lean proteins such as lean beef, skinless chicken, fish, and turkey every day to ensure your recovery from tough workouts.
Read More: Protein Powder 101: Everything You Need to Know About This Popular Supplement
All vegetables are rich in nutrients and fiber that support digestion, metabolism, and muscle growth. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, watercress, and broccoli contain high amounts of iron, vitamin A, and folate, which help you recover from intense training. Vegetables also contain antioxidants, which prevent muscle damage and help with muscle recovery (9).
One of the most important nutrients for good digestion and fueling efficient workouts is fiber. Fiber slows down digestion, providing your body with longer-lasting energy, and can keep you feeling fuller for longer so you don’t feel like snacking when you’re not on a training session (10). High-fiber foods include brown rice, whole-wheat bread, oats and beans, and legumes.
Healthy fats are essential for a balanced diet. They supply your body with energy, keep you full for longer, and support heart health (11). Healthy fats include avocado, extra virgin olive oil, other vegetable oils, fatty fish, nuts such as almonds and walnuts, and seeds such as sunflower seeds.
Taking supplements can be helpful if you’re following a training regimen to help maximize your muscle-building efforts. Supplements contain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that keep you healthy when training hard and may increase the rate at which you gain muscle mass.
Some of the most popular bodybuilding supplements include:
For example, you may take a pre-workout supplement before every workout such as whey protein mixed with creatine and essential amino acids to fuel effective workouts; during your workout, you may take a BCAA supplement to prevent muscle damage; and you may take a protein shake with essential amino acids, creatine, and glutamine after every workout (15).
Make sure to use the right amount of supplements recommended by your trainer to achieve effective results without any adverse side effects. Always discuss any supplements with your healthcare provider, particularly if you have any medical conditions or are taking any medications.
Consuming the wrong foods or not having enough of the right ones can frustrate your bodybuilding efforts. Here are some foods you should limit or avoid altogether:
Consuming alcohol can increase the rate at which you gain fat, which will make it more difficult for you to build muscle mass. While pure alcohol can help temporarily improve your mood and give you more energy, it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol when you’re trying to put on lean mass (16).
Fried foods are full of unhealthy fats, which can have adverse effects on your body (17). Fried foods don’t provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to build muscle and the excess amount of fat in them will make it more difficult for you to lose weight when cutting.
Avoid adding sugar to your food as much as possible. Foods that contain added sugars are high in calories and often also high in unhealthy fat, which can promote the gaining of fat mass (18).
Consume more foods that are rich in protein such as skinless chicken, fish, and turkey to help prevent muscle breakdown when following the bodybuilding diet.
Here’s a sample one-week bodybuilding menu.
Each day has approximately 2,500 calories worth of nutritious foods. When you’re bulking, you’ll increase how much food you eat and when you’re cutting, you’ll reduce it. You can enjoy the foods in this menu during either phase, just make sure to adjust your portions accordingly.
Total daily calories: 2,503
Total daily calories: 2,425
Total daily calories: 2,544
Total daily calories: 2,515
Read More: Intermittent Fasting and Muscle Gain: Here’s What You Need to Know
Total daily calories: 2,485
Total daily calories: 2,575
Total daily calories: 2,436
There’s plenty that can be said about the right diet for muscle gains. However, your success ultimately comes down to doing these two things:
There’s no way around the bodybuilder diet – you have to implement it fully, down to the macro ratios and calorie recommendations. These principles will help you keep your diet lean:
Protein is an extremely important component of your diet if you’re looking to gain muscle (19). Many bodybuilder diets recommend an intake of at least 1 gram of protein per pound of your weight. The reason for this is simple – your body needs protein to build muscle.
Carbohydrates are an essential source of energy for intense training (20) and during a bulking phase, you’ll need to eat more carbs than you would when trying to cut or lose weight. Many people who are trying to lose weight find success with low-carb diets. However, carbs remain important, so they shouldn’t be completely removed from your diet, even when cutting.
When you’re cutting or trying to lose weight but still want to work out, you can use a carb-timing method if you struggle with getting the right amount of protein and the right ratio of fats and carbs without falling into the trap of feeling incredibly hungry or deprived.
A carb-timing method (or cyclic ketogenic diet) is a 4-6 week plan that is based around eating low carbs during the first 2 days of the week, and high carbs on the remaining 3 days. You’ll time your high-carb days to be on high-intensity workout days so the energy gets used up rather than stored.
Forget low-calorie sweetened drinks and stick with plain old water. Drinking a gallon of water per day is essential when you’re looking to build muscle in any way. You should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables as they’re a good source of water. Use natural flavors if you don’t like the taste of plain water. You can flavor it with a slice of lemon or your preferred choice of frozen fruits.
Having a working 7-day meal plan for muscle gain is only half the battle. Sticking to it can be challenging. To help you stay on track:
Have a meal that’s higher in calories and/or fats once a week, but don’t do it more often than this. It will help you feel less deprived and more satisfied with the diet as a whole, while still benefiting from the muscle-building effects.
Are you feeling unmotivated? Take progress photos to see your results. Take them under similar lighting conditions (preferably natural light). Take photos of yourself from different angles – front, profile, left side, right side. Compare how your body is changing.
Keep some bars or protein drinks in your bag at all times. When you’re feeling hungry mid-day, grab one of them and enjoy a small snack to curb your cravings. Doing this will keep you from getting too hungry so that when you do eat your next meal, you can eat more protein.
Whole, nutrient-dense foods are the best choice for building muscle. This means choosing whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Protein
Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle. Aim to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day (7). Good sources of protein include chicken, turkey, fish, tofu, eggs, and dairy products.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide the fuel your muscles need to perform during workouts (20). Opt for complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, and fruits instead of simple carbohydrates such as sugary snacks and ultra-processed foods.
Healthy Fats
Incorporating healthy fats into your diet is important for muscle gain. Healthy fats help with hormone production, cardiovascular health, and energy levels (21). Choose sources such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish such as salmon.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support muscle growth and repair. Aim to include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your meals to ensure you get a wide range of essential nutrients.
Proper hydration is essential for muscle growth. Water helps transport nutrients to your muscles and helps with the removal of waste products (22). Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water each day, and more if you’re physically active or live in a hot climate.
While it’s best to get most of your nutrients from whole foods, supplements can be a helpful addition to your diet for muscle gain (23). Creatine, protein powders, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are commonly used by athletes and bodybuilders to support muscle growth.
To gain muscle, drink the following beverages that can support muscle growth:
These beverages offer a diverse range of nutrients that can help with muscle-building, recovery, and overall performance when combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise routine.
The eating schedule that allows you to consume enough nutrients to support muscle growth and recovery while balancing your daily activities is the best one for gaining muscle. This may vary depending on your individual needs, but a general guideline could be:
Remember that everyone’s eating schedule will look different and that it’s important to listen to your body and adjust as needed.
7 days is hardly enough time to see significant muscle growth, but you can still make some progress by following these tips:
A 7-day meal plan for muscle gain is great, but it’s equally important to understand the basics of muscle-building. Once you do, you’ll keep your diet balanced and stay consistent. Your efforts will be rewarded with muscle gains and a sculpted body.
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