First of all, let me state that I am not a nutritionist. I am giving you the information I have learned over my years of fitness training. Everyone’s body is different so please get in touch with your physician or nutritionist before following my recommendations.
Protein
Protein is very important in building muscle mass because the amino acids which are the building blocks of protein, help repair and maintain muscle tissue.
Protein is an essential component of muscle development, bone strength, muscle mass, and lean tissue.
After you work out, the protein will help you recover from your workouts because the muscles slightly tear during exercise.
As a result, your muscles need a daily supply of protein to rebuild the torn-down muscles. Muscle stress from weight training is strenuous enough to make your muscles bigger and stronger. You can get your protein fix by eating food, protein drinks, and protein bars. I like to get my main source of protein from foods and then supplement it with protein drinks and bars.
How Much Protein Do I Need?
The bad news. Research is lacking when it comes to knowing how much protein the elderly should consume when trying to build muscle.
If your goal is to build muscle mass, which it should be, then what I have learned is to shoot for 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
The Best Sources Of Protein
Some of the best sources of protein are:
- Fish
- Nuts
- Chicken
- Tofu
- Eggs
- Milk
- Lean Ground beef
- Turkey
- Cottage Cheese
- Yogurts
- Lentils
- Pasta..Yeah, I know. You’re thinking that pasta is mainly a carbohydrate source. Actually, there are 8 grams of protein in 1 cooked cup of pasta!
Carbohydrates
Now we are going to talk about carbohydrates. Carbohydrates act as fuel for the body. Carbs, as sometimes they are referred to, are also instrumental in providing energy and preventing muscle weakness and breakdown.
If protein is so essential to muscle growth, why emphasize carbs?
Carbohydrates enhance your body’s insulin which assists in transporting nutrients into the cells, including your muscles. Combining protein and carbs has the benefits of reducing post-exercise muscle breakdown and promoting growth.
How Many Carbohydrates Do I Need?
Like protein, research is lacking when it comes to knowing how many carbohydrates senior citizens are to consume when trying to build lean muscle.
If you want to gain lean muscle, you will need to eat 2 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 160 pounds, you should intake about 320 grams of carbs in your daily food intake.
What Are The Best Sources of Carbohydrates?
- Bread(whole and grain)
- Waffles and Pancakes
- Rice cakes
- Cereal(shredded wheat, puff rice)
- Cream of Wheat
- Oatmeal
- Beets
- Melons
- Bananas
- Pasta
Now that we have the nutrition out of the way, I will next be posting about exercises using body weight, bands, free weights, and weight machines.