To develop muscle mass, sport is effective. But nutrition has a role to play! This is the whole objective of what is called "mass gain". What is this diet well known to athletes? Explanations from a dietician and nutritionist specialized in sports nutrition.

"Taking mass". This expression comes from the sports world, and more precisely from bodybuilding and bodybuilding. It is the phase that occurs before the dry, a diet that consists of losing fat mass while maintaining muscle mass just before a sporting competition. Mass gain consists of increasing muscle mass in order to develop strength and size.

To achieve this, you need to increase your caloric intake, while limiting bad fats and simple sugars, but also to consume more protein and to follow an adapted sports training. This is why this diet must be supervised by a health or nutrition professional.

Mass gain: how does it work?

For optimal results, weight gain must be carried out over a minimum of two to three months and can last up to one year if it is well managed or supervised by a nutrition professional.

As for sport, training must be adapted: it must be carried out with weights and not with body weight, because lifting weights stimulates the muscle fiber more significantly. This constraint imposed on the muscles helps them to develop.

What about diet? If mass gain consists of increasing caloric intake by adding 400 to 500 kcal per day, it is advisable to avoid eating only "pleasure" foods if they are not balanced. To promote muscle mass gain and limit fat mass gain, the quality of food must be the best possible. Proteins, low glycemic index carbohydrates, good fats and fibers must be consumed in order to gain mass.

No food is forbidden, but some are not recommended, such as foods rich in simple sugars. Some girdles, very popular with athletes, are part of it: if they are rich in protein and can be effective in the context of a mass gain, they often contain simple sugars appearing under different names on the packaging. Their consumption therefore has an impact on blood sugar levels: if the number of calories consumed increases, as is recommended in this diet, the mass gain is mainly in fat and not in muscle.

Mass gain: what are the typical menus?

Increase your calorie intake to increase your muscle mass, yes! But not just any old way. Here are some typical menus to adopt and adapt to the liking of its desires :

Breakfast :

a fruit ;

a dairy product ;

two whole eggs and three whites;

a homemade pancake made with wholemeal flour such as oatmeal or buckwheat, for example.

Lunch:

A source of protein such as red meat, white meat or even fish possibility to add. The right amount for weight gain? 20g of meat per kilo of body weight. For a person weighing 70kg, it is therefore recommended to consume 140g of meat;

vegetables;

wholemeal starchy foods, such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, basmati rice or wholemeal semolina;

a fruit;

a dairy product.

Snack:

one fruit before training;

a handful of oleaginous fruit and protein source like an omelet with two eggs after training.

Dinner:

raw vegetables with salad dressing;

a source of animal protein, such as red meat, white meat or fish, or vegetable protein such as meatless chili or lentil dahl;

Vegetables;

a dairy product such as cottage cheese;

Snack

a portion of cottage cheese before going to bed for a final protein boost.

Mass gain: what are the dangers and how to avoid them?

For this diet to be effective and safe, it is advisable to be followed by a nutrition professional because when it is poorly managed, the gain in mass concerns more the fat mass than the muscle mass. The cause? Athletes increase the quantities consumed during meals without monitoring the quality of the nutrients. However, this aspect is essential in the context of mass gain.

If it is appropriate to increase its consumption of protein, it is advisable not to exceed 1.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. And for good reason: proteins help build muscle but can be harmful when consumed in too large quantities. In a more global way, a poorly managed weight gain or one that is followed over the long term can cause an imbalance of nutrients as well as an intake of simple sugar that is too high, which can be the cause of a gain in body fat, even diabetes or cholesterol.Women must be particularly vigilant. And for good reason: their basic metabolism tends to store fat more than men's.

For women as for men, a medical follow-up by a qualified health professional, in other words a dietician-nutritionist or nutritionist doctor is important. He will calculate the patient's energy needs according to his weight, height, age and level of physical activity and will help him reach his goals while preserving his health. If the intervention of a sports coach is interesting within the framework of a weight gain on the questions related to physical activity, the follow-up related to nutrition should not be done by the latter, who does not have a diploma in nutrition in his basic training.