Gaining Muscle |
Q: I have been working out twice a day every day for the past year and a half. I have not taken a day off once at all. Every weekday I wake up at 3:40am, eat breakfast, work out, take a shower, go to school, come home at 2:30, eat and work out again. That has been my schedule during this year and a half. The thing I need to know is WHAT and WHEN to eat. I only eat two meals a day. In the morning before I work out I eat 6 egg whites, fruits, and a 50g Mega Whey Isolate protein shake along with a multi-vitamin. I don't eat until 3 before I work out the second time, and that meal consists of 2 to 4 chicken breasts, a salad with multiple vegetables, fruits, and another 50g protein shake with another multi-vitamin. I am 16, a sophomore in high school, and have not increased or decreased weight since I have been working out.
I would really just like to increase my muscle mass without gaining fat. That is my biggest concern and is the reason why I only eat two meals a day. I just do not feel comfortable eating, and then sitting around. I would greatly appreciate it if I could get some professional reassurance as to why I should eat many more meals, and what they should consist of. I also follow this same schedule on the weekends as well, except I get more sleep. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and I will be waiting readily for your reply with my pictures and an eager mind!
A: Thanks for your question. It is imperative to consume more calories throughout the day, meaning you need to eat more regularly. From the information you gave me, you're only consuming approximately 1000 calories, virtually zero fat, and very few carbs. Basically you're consuming a heck of a lot of protein without much else. All nutrients are crucial if you're trying to gain muscle mass - even when you want to prevent fat, as you mentioned.
Food gives you energy - just like you can't drive a car without gas you can't function properly without fuel for your body, which is food. You said you eat breakfast - this is great. I would cut out the shake at this meal and instead include it after a workout, with some carbs as well. Cut the protein in half (so you're getting 25 grams) and consume carbohydrates to replenish your depleted muscles. You then need to eat again soon after; remember, your muscles don't grow when you're working out, they repair and grow BETWEEN your workouts. Without feeding your body proper nutrients and training as often as you are, you're clearly overtraining and not allowing for adequate recovery. Of course how you train is crucial too, but for this time around we'll focus on the nutrition part of things, since that was your question.
Briefly, I would actually suggest cutting your workouts down to 1x/day. Try it out for a bit and allow your body to recover; you’ll come back stronger, with more power, and ultimately allow your muscles to grow a bit.
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