Expert Q&A: Nutrition for Building Muscle
We recently caught up with our friend Alexis Williams, Registered Dietitian at Burlington Sports and Spine, to get her take on nutrition for building muscle.
Alexis provides nutritional guidance for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to improve their performance, as well as anyone looking to optimize their nutrition to promote healthy aging.
Check out the full Q&A with Alexis below.
What should we be thinking about in terms of nutrition to support muscle growth?
Overall we need to be thinking about our calorie intake being sufficient for muscle growth (if that’s the goal) and the key macronutrients for building muscle, protein and to some extent, carbohydrate. We want to think about lean proteins being the building blocks of our plate, alongside a variety of vegetables and fruits and whole grains for other key nutrients.
How much protein do we need? What factors impact this?
For most people, at minimum we would want 1-1.2g per kg of bodyweight per day, but for someone active, I would usually say that aiming for at least 1.4-1.6g/kg (about 100g for a 150lb person). I do recommend higher intakes for specific circumstances, such as older individuals (peri and menopausal women in particular), those trying to lose body fat or on weight loss medications, injury recovery etc. As always, targets will vary depending on individual circumstances.
How might we balance protein intake with overall caloric targets?
This can be tricky but by prioritizing lean proteins at each meal, and then aiming for a balanced plate of 1/2 vegetables and 1/4 carbohydrate foods it can be achieved. I usually advise most people to start by aiming for ~30g protein per meal and 10-20g for snacks, as this fits into a lot of peoples needs quite well. I also recommend increasing protein gradually to get your gut adapted and minimize any gastrointestinal side effects of the increase if you have been eating less protein for a while.
Are there any rules of thumb in terms of protein vs. other macronutrients?
The plate visual helps most people with the basics of meal planning and getting macros in the right amounts. We can fine tune on an individual level depending on activity levels and goals.
Are all proteins created equal or does the source matter?
Yes and no. The research shows that plant based proteins have similar benefits to animal proteins when it comes to muscle growth. One consideration is the amino acid leucine which is key to muscle growth and is most common in dairy and meat. It can be a bit harder to get enough of with purely plant based protein sources so you might need to consume more total plant protein to get enough leucine. Many plant based protein powders formulate to have more leucine or you can always consider an essential amino acid (EAA) supplement.
Does it matter when I get my protein or how I break it up throughout the day?
The research is mixed on this but from a practical sense, I think it makes sense to surround your workouts with protein (i.e., have it pre and post, especially if strength training) and then from a satiety standpoint, it helps to have regular doses throughout the day.
Any additional considerations if I’m doing intermittent fasting?
Try to prioritize protein pre and post workout (if you can’t do pre then focus on post), if doing intermittent fasting. Consider the fasting window to be further away from exercise. E.g., if you workout in the morning have protein pre and post but maybe try to start your fasting window earlier in the evening.
Do you recommend any supplementation?
Depends on the person’s preference. Having protein powder can help meet total daily needs and is convenient for some people. It is not a requirement by any means as you can absolutely get a high protein diet from food, it just takes a little more focus and planning. Other supplements for protein/muscle growth would be essential amino acids (for plant based eaters) and creatine (for maximizing workouts/muscle gain as well as emerging cognitive health benefits).
