Great little TED-ED video by Jeffrey Siegel that explains the basics for building muslce:
- Eating enough protein (protein is the building block of muscle tissue) – as per the FAQ, between 0.8 up 1.2g per lean pound (more is not necessarily better).
- Eating adequate calories – to build muscle, you need extra energy from enough calories -You can’t build from sweat alone- These calories can come from protein, carbs or fat, (preferably, from the latter two, as protein is better used for repair and growth). If you are following a ketogenic diet, your extra calories should come from Fats. Note: your own body fat serves as a “buffer”, hence why some people may even build muscle at caloric deficit. Don’t “wait” until you are “lean” to start strength training.
- Strength training that stimulates the muscle with progressive overload and causes muscle hypertrophy .
- Rest.
- Repeat all the steps above – Consistency is key.