So, you want to build muscle mass, but don’t know where to start? Well, you’ve come to the right place for the right answers. Building muscle mass requires both exercise and dieting, but today in this article we’ll be focusing on the latter rather than the former of the two.
Gaining muscle mass is directly linked with your body getting enough protein and calories with the food that you are eating. It is of the utmost importance that your body gets enough protein in it before going to sleep, but on the other hand if you consume a large amount of calories before you sleep, it can go sideways. Those calories will then be retained as fat, which is something that no one wants, so you should opt to eat calorie rich meals in the first half of the day.
However, if you are one to enjoy a meal that contains a small amount of calories 1 or 2 hours before going to bed, that too will help you build muscle mass without retaining too much body fat.
High protein meals you can consume before sleep
Here are some example high protein meals you can consume before sleep to your diet that help to promote gaining muscle mass:
-
Canned Tuna with Olive Oil
Looking at the nutrition facts, one can of tuna which is 165 g with a bit of olive oil amounts to 220 calories, 42 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat and a whopping 0 grams of carbs!
This is a fairly easy meal to make, and it is the perfect thing to eat if you are feeling particularly lazy or tired of meal prepping for the day. Also, olive oil is beneficial when consumed together with tuna as it gives you those additional healthy fats that are necessary to stay healthy, while the canned tuna is rich in protein.
-
Cottage Cheese and Almonds
Adding an ounce of almonds to one cup of low fat cottage cheese makes the perfect low effort meal. The nutrition facts are the following: approx. 327 calories, 34 grams of protein, 16 grams of fat, and 11 grams of carbs.
This meal is also another so called “lazy” meal that’s perfect before going to bed as it helps to stop those junk food cravings we all have. Basically, when you eat both cottage cheese and almonds together, you digest them slower so your body will get that slow and steady release of nutrients while you slumber, which is essential to build healthy muscle mass.
-
Greek Yoghurt with Chia Seeds
Containing only 180 calories, 23 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat and 11 grams of carbs, this easy meal is amazing and you only need to mix one tablespoon of chia seeds in one cup of yoghurt!
As well as being a common favorite amongst bodybuilders, Greek yoghurt has a sweet taste and health benefits. So, you should definitely opt for Greek yoghurt instead of the regular plain one, since it has more nutrients and protein. When mixing Greek yoghurt with chia seeds and some berries, you get an antioxidant snack that’s full of fiber, protein and omega 3.
-
Whey Protein with Peanut Butter
When you mix two tablespoons of nuts or about 28 grams of peanut butter with some whey protein you get a meal which contains 288 calories, 28 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbs and 16 grams of fat.
As mentioned in a previous article, whey protein is known for being another bodybuilder favorite as it helps to grow muscle mass by providing the body with essential amino acids that are majorly important to achieve muscle growth by stimulating the anabolic hormone production. Let’s be honest here, whey protein is not the best tasting thing around, so most of the time, instead of consuming it by itself, people mix it with stuff such as peanut butter or other variants of nuts that make it tasty.
-
Low Fat Cheese and Raw Veggies
Mixing a 150 grams cheese that’s low in fat with 200 grams of raw vegetables provides you with a meal containing 270, 36 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat and only 7 grams of carbs.
The reason we picked low fat cheese for this meal is because eating a meal full of fat before going to bed can ultimately result in poor sleep, so low fat it’s better all around. The cheese will provide you with enough protein to grow muscle mass, while the raw vegetables such as broccoli, tomato, cucumber and any other vegetable you like, will up your mineral, vitamins and fiber intake.
-
Casein with Flaxseed Oil
Combining 28 grams of casein protein powder with a tablespoon of flaxseed oil will provide you with 221 calories, 20 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fat.
Another favorite product amongst bodybuilders, casein protein when consumed acts as a slow digesting protein and stops the muscles from breaking down while sleeping. To make this type of protein even more beneficial you can mix it with a bit of flaxseed oil in your shakes as it helps you avoid problems with your cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of liver disease and decreases your blood pressure.
If you are having a hard time gaining muscle, it’s likely that you are not consuming enough calories or protein with your diet. Consuming these high protein meals before sleep, combined with a good resistance routine will surely help you build more muscle.
