"Gaining muscle is a very tough thing to do and you definitely have to factor in the quality of your nutrition, the timing of your nutrition because once again, when you're developing tissue, you always want to be in an anabolic state (when the body is building or repairing tissue) where you have the necessary energy in your body for your system to build tissue," Rondel told POPSUGAR. If you're trying to gain muscle but are constantly hungry, and you're going six and seven hours without eating, it will negatively impact your muscle gaining capacity, Rondel explained. "It will decrease it a whole lot," he said.
Bottom line, building muscle and following low-carb or low-cal diets won't work. "A lot comes down to what you're eating, and supplying your body with the necessary macronutrients so you can then transfer it and turn it into muscle," he explained. Everyone's macronutrient profile (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) will look different, so definitely consult a registered dietitian or nutrition coach to figure out what works best for you. In a previous interview, Jim White told POPSUGAR your macronutrient profile for building muscle should consist of 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 20 percent fat.
If you're looking for a weightlifting program to follow, get started with this four-week plan to build muscle.