Meal Prep For Muscle Gain: The Most Important Factors To Consider

Meal prep ideas for weight loss are around every corner and the issue of obesity has now been labeled as an epidemic (1). It’s clear to see why many people focus on weight reduction. That said, muscle gain is just as important, even when it doesn’t get that much attention.

People want to gain muscle for different reasons – some simply want to look good in the mirror and others do it for health reasons. According to research, building muscle helps you become stronger, increases your athletic performance, and may help reduce the risk of illnesses like cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes (2). It can also enable you to stay active and agile as you age.

But how does one go about doing meal prep for muscle gain? Read on for some fantastic tips on creating an eating plan that will help you build and grow those muscles.

What Is A Meal Prep For Muscle Gain?

A meal prep plan for muscle gain is simply the concept of preparing whole meals or dishes ahead of time that are specifically geared towards enabling you to grow muscle. Such a plan should be paired with regular resistance training exercises. For sure, meal prep for muscle gain can be done by both males and females.  

Is Meal Prep Good For Muscle Gain?

Yes, meal prepping for muscle gain is absolutely a great idea as it increases your odds of success towards your goal. 

When it comes to anything weight related, be it weight gain, loss or maintenance, most failure happens because the diet is complicated or unsustainable. Meal prepping helps to ensure that you always have food at the ready, which lowers the chances of going off track because you are hungry and short on time.

Unlike regular meal prep where you just make the meals you want for the week and move on, muscle gain meal prep requires a bit of extra consideration and calculation when making said meals.

According to a review published in Sports (Basel) in 2019, how you structure your nutrition can play a role in how successful your muscle gain efforts will be. From the study, the researchers advised that when looking to increase muscle mass, one should (3):

1. Increase regular calorie intake by 10% to 20%. This can help with a weight gain of 0.25% to 0.5% body weight per week
2. Be sure to consume 1.6 g to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. To ensure that you are distributing your protein throughout the day, the researchers suggested that one could also aim to consume 0.40g to 0.55 g of this macronutrient per kg of body weight per meal 
3. Eat 3 to 6 times a day and always be sure to eat something 1 to 2 hours before and after a workout session
4. Keep fat intake moderate. The recommended intake was 0.5g to 1.5 g of healthy fats per kg of body weight per day.
5. The rest of the calories should come from carbohydrates with consumption rates of the same being 3 to 5 grams per kilogram of body weight or more

How To Create A Meal Plan For Muscle Gain

Now that you have a better idea of how your nutrition impacts muscle gain, how on earth do you go about designing the perfect meal prep for muscle gain? Here are some tips:

Understand Your Calorie Intake

As stated above, when you are looking to gain muscle, you need to eat more, not less. In the fitness world, specifically within the bodybuilding community, this is known as bulking. The reason why you eat more than your regular calorie intake is because the extra calories provide your body with extra fuel and energy that helps with weight training and the repair and growth of muscle after training is complete. 

Remember that growing muscle requires a lot of resistance weight training, usually with heavier weights than normal so if you do not have enough calories to support this, you will end up failing in the gym.

Ps. If you are worried about your weight going up due to the extra food and training, remember that you are increasing muscle mass – not fat mass. The number on the bathroom scale might be higher, but your body composition is healthier than before – and you probably look smaller than when you had more fat.

Make Protein Your Best Friend

A high protein meal prep for muscle gain is essential for success. The daily recommended intake of protein for an adult is 0.8 g per kilogram of bodyweight per day. However, as seen above, when looking to grow muscle, the recommended intake goes up by two, almost 3 times.

This is because protein is the building block of muscle and without it, you will not be able to repair or build muscle, especially after training. Studies over the years have also shown that dietary protein does indeed play a huge role in the increase of muscle mass and strength (4, 5).

Ps. Healthy fats and complex carbs are of course still essential to your muscle gain eating plan but most people like to figure out their protein needs first and build out the rest of their diet from there.

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Plan Before Heading To The Grocery Store

Nothing will ruin your meal prep plans faster than heading out to the store without a clear idea of what you need to buy to plan for the week. When you head out without a plan, you may end up buying duplicates of what you already have and forget to buy things that you actually needed for the meal plan. 

To prevent this, always start out by thinking about what you want to eat for the upcoming week, then looking through your fridge and pantry to see what you have and don’t have to make said meals. Note down everything that you need and then head out to the store.

Make Budget Conscious Decisions

Eating healthily can get very expensive, very quickly. Add the fact that you are trying to eat healthier and at a higher protein intake and the cost of a weekly meal prep might leave you shocked.

So how do you make a high protein 7 day meal prep for muscle gain plan without breaking the bank? By making smarter choices. According to a study published in Nutrition Today, protein generally tends to be more expensive than either carbs or fats. Animal protein specifically is one of the most expensive foods (6).

To beat this, you can choose cheaper protein options like eggs, dairy, and plant-based protein. Other high protein but inexpensive options include:

1. All kinds of beans (black, pinto, white, garbanzo, red) and lentils make great plant-based protein sources that are usually very cheap, especially if you buy them dried.
2. Canned fish is always less pricey than fresh fish, especially canned tuna
3. Cottage cheese
4. Tofu and other soy products
5. Ground beef or ground turkey
6. Oats – they are largely known for being a good source of complex carbs but oats are also a source of protein. Overnight oats with some peanut butter, chia seeds and some fruit makes a great high protein breakfast meal prep option
7. Nuts and seeds also have some good protein and are rich in healthy fats. They also make great snack options for meal prep ideas for weight loss and even muscle gain.

Aside from this, always make sure to buy things when they are on sale – just look at the ‘sell by date’ to ensure that you have enough time to consume them before they go bad. If you see a special on a normally more expensive option like meat or fish, put some in the freezer for later. Buying in bulk can also save on costs in the long run, but only do so if you have space to put the food. 

Be sure to also buy some of your fruits and vegetables from the frozen section and when looking in the fresh section, buy whatever is in season, as prices are usually much friendlier for in season produce.

Customize Your Plan

There is nothing wrong with finding a free meal prep for muscle gain sample online and using it as is to plan your meals. Such samples are fantastic for people who may not know where to start in terms of making a 7 day meal prep for muscle gain plan or those who do not know how to cook.

However, for someone who enjoys cooking or trying different types of foods, such plans can be a little boring. Getting bored of your meal prep could make it difficult or unpleasant to stick to – which might negatively affect your progress and goals. It may also lead to food waste which is bad for your pocket and the environment.

To avoid this, try and make a plan that fits within your macros and your tastes, and make it as flexible as you can. This way you know that you are eating the right amounts and also something that you enjoy, reducing the risk of waste.

Read more: 7 Day High Protein Meal Plan for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

Should I Eat Every 4 Hours To Gain Muscle?

You can, but it’s not a specific requirement. According to a review published in Nutrients researchers suggested that spacing out protein rich meals by around 3 to 5 hours helps to maximize muscle protein synthesis (the process of producing new muscle protein that helps build muscle) over a 12-hour wake period (4).

Can You Bulk On 3 Meals A Day?

Yes, you can. While most people eat more than three times a day during the bulking period, studies suggest that you can increase muscle mass with a variety of eating patterns, including by eating three times a day. What’s more important is that you hit your overall calorie and macro goals, and that protein is evenly distributed in all 3 meals (3, 4).

When making a high protein meal prep plan for muscle gain with 3 meals a day you might aim for each meal to contain around 0.53 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. To achieve the same goal but with 4 meals a day, the intake of protein per meal per kg of body weight should be 0.4 grams (4).

Can I Build Muscle In 3 Months?

Yes, you can build muscle in 3 months. As long as you keep working out using the concept of progressive overload and eat as recommended, then you should see some gains within the first 3 months of your training regimen.

However, how much muscle you gain within those 3 months is going to vary from person to person. Like weight loss, muscle growth is determined by a number of variables and not just what you eat and how you exercise. 

Factors like your hormones, how well you hydrate, your age, sex and even genetics all determine how quickly muscles grow – so do not be discouraged if your progress is not as fast as you’d have hoped. Just remain consistent and be patient (7).

Is 3500 Calories Enough To Bulk?

It depends on the person. As suggested above, when looking to gain muscle, you need to increase your daily calorie intake by an extra 10 to 20%. Thus, if by your calculations 3500 calories falls within these parameters, then it is enough for you to bulk. One study also stated that competitive male bodybuilders can consume up to 3800 kcal/day (8) so saying that 3500 kcal/day is enough to bulk is not a stretch of imagination.

However, if you calculate and realize that your extra 10 to 20% is below 3500 kcal, then you should not try to eat this many calories a day. Doing so will lead to more fat increase than desired, in addition to muscle gain as your body will not burn the extra calories, which will end up stored in the body as fat.

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What Is The Difference Between Meal Prep For Muscle Gain And Meal Prep For Muscle Gain And Fat Loss?

Perhaps the biggest difference is in the calorie intake required for either goal. For muscle gain or bulking, you are required to increase your calorie intake. However, in a 7-day meal plan for muscle gain (or maintenance) and weight loss, the first step is usually to reduce your daily average calorie intake by anywhere between 500 to 1000 calories.

Can You Make High Protein Meals For Muscle Gain And Fat Loss?

Yes, you can. A high protein diet is one of the more popular eating plans for weight loss. A review published in 2021 explained that this diet likely helps with weight loss through improved satiety, which helps reduce daily calorie intake (9). 

Diets higher in protein also increase diet induced thermogenesis which slightly increases calorie burning. Combining this diet with exercise also helps with muscle maintenance gain which also boosts calorie burning at rest, ultimately helping with fat and weight loss (9).

Aside from protein, a healthy meal prep that is ideal for weight loss should also include whole grains, legumes, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables..

Read more: Chair Yoga for Muscle Building: Beginners Guide

FAQs

• How Can I Bulk In 7 Days?

You cannot. It is impossible to bulk in just 7 days. You can start making the changes required, like eating more protein and intensifying your exercise routine in the first 7 days, but you need to give yourself at least a couple of months to build muscle and bulk up.

• Is Rice Good For Bulking?

Yes, rice is a good source of carbohydrates that are essential for bulking (carbs provide the energy needed to do the workouts). White rice is more refined and digested more quickly, which might make a better choice before a workout for quick energy. Brown and wild rice have more fiber and so they are digested more slowly, which makes you feel full longer and supports digestive health. They might be a better choice post-workout or for one of your main meals. 

• Is Pizza Good For Bulking?

Some people do what they call “dirty” bulking – eating a lot of extra calories from high-calorie foods, including junk foods, to promote quick weight gain – they would probably consider pizza as a perfect bulking food.

However, those who prefer “clean” bulking, which involves mostly getting your extra calories from healthier foods, may not see pizza as an ideal source of bulking calories. They might save pizza for an occasional treat, but would not include it too often in their meal plan.

• Can You Gain 1kg Of Muscle A Week?

No, gaining 1kg of muscle a week is unlikely. The average weekly muscle gain is about 0.25 kg so with these parameters, you generally gain 1 kg of muscle in a month, not a week.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to making a meal prep for muscle gain, the main points are increasing your calorie intake, your protein intake and working out more and preferably with heavier weights. If you follow these 3 main tips, as well as the others mentioned throughout this article, then you should see noticeable and positive results over time.