Do I Need to Lift Heavy to Build Muscle?
We Asked Trainers If You Need to Lift Heavy to Build Muscle — Here's What They Said
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We've talked a lot about what you need to do at the gym, but nutrition plays an equally important role if you're trying to lose fat and build muscle. "Beneficial pre-workout snacks are higher-carb, lower-protein foods for energy and endurance," Brittany Linn, RD, CDN a clinical nutrition coordinator at The Mount Sinai Hospital told POPSUGAR in a previous interview.
An example of this would be a banana or yoghurt with fruit. After you've completed your workout, Brittany said to eat high-protein foods with carbs within 30 minutes of completing your workout to replenish and rebuild your muscles. A few options are a smoothie with protein, chocolate milk, or a well-rounded plate of protein, carbs, and fats. She also recommended eating 1.0 to 1.7 grams of protein per pound of body fat to build muscle.
Now that you know exactly what you need to be doing at the gym to build muscle, put what you learned to use with this four-week muscle-building workout plan.