Your Upper-Body Builder nutrition handbook

STEP 3: Choose your muscle-building goal:

• Build lean muscle: You want to build muscle and definition, without getting too bulky or adding body fat.
• Build mass: You want to add serious bulk, getting as big and strong as possible, so an increase in body fat doesn’t bother you.

STEP 4: Combine your TDEE results from the calculator with the suggested extra calories for your body type and your muscle-building goal to arrive at your total daily calorie estimate.

For example:

• Luke uses the calculator and finds his TDEE is 2800.
• He decides his body type is ‘mesomorph’ and he wants to build muscle mass, meaning his extra requirements are approximately 500 calories per day.
• Luke calculates his target daily calories as 2800 + 500 = 3300 calories

STEP 5: Your base Build Muscle meal plan delivers 2400 calories per day for men and 1600 per day for women. This is made up of your 3 main meals and a post-workout Super Smoothie.

To achieve your daily target for this program, you can then add calories in a number of different ways, depending on your preference. You might add:

• an extra Super Smoothie
• an extra meal (double portion or a separate meal)
• extra snacks

Example

• Luke’s total calorie target is 3300 calories.
• In addition to the Centr Build Muscle meal plan’s 2400 calories, he needs to make up an extra 900 calories to meet his total calorie target.

Important: Please remember that no equation is perfect. Every body is different and individual needs depend on a range of factors including genetics, body size, metabolism, weight and training history. Follow the principles as best you can, then monitor your progress and adapt as needed.

Timing your nutrition to max your results

Your intake of protein over the 24-72 hours after training and your TOTAL calorie intake is key when it comes to getting results. For this reason, Angie does not recommend intermittent fasting if your goal is to build muscle.

“It’s harder to consume the calories and nutrients you need to build muscle while eating in a restricted window,” Angie says.

Pre-workout nutrition: If you’re working out first thing in the morning, have a snack or a light breakfast (e.g. a smoothie) an hour before you start. If you train in the late afternoon or after work, aim to have lunch 3-4 hours prior, then a top-up snack with protein and carbs an hour before.

Post-workout nutrition: Ideally, you will have a post-workout snack or meal (containing at least 20g of protein) within 1-2 hours of your workout.

Protein spacing: Aim to eat good quality protein every 3 hours or so throughout the day for optimal muscle protein synthesis.

Rest days: Angie recommends keeping your calories up even on the days you’re not training.

“Your days off are a good opportunity to repair and rebuild, which requires consuming adequate energy. Continuing to eat in a surplus will help promote consistent muscle gain.”

Check out more of Angie’s Build Muscle snacking tips here.

Alcohol and building muscle

“Alcohol disrupts muscle protein synthesis and hurts sleep quality, which impacts muscle growth and training performance,” Angie says. “If your goal is to increase muscle, cutting alcohol is a no-brainer.”

If you don’t want to go entirely dry, consider reducing your intake while you follow the program. Angie suggests avoiding alcohol for at least a few hours after training and consuming no more than 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks for men.

What to do if you're not seeing gains

If you’re smashing your workouts consistently and not seeing results, the most likely reason is that you aren’t eating enough.

“Everyone’s body is different, so it’s important that you monitor your progress when training, and increase portions if you’re not seeing gains,” Angie says. “Start with one extra serving, then see how your body responds.”

What about supplements?

At Centr, we take a “real food” first approach, but you’ll find protein powder features throughout your meal plan to make intake easier.

Once you are in the swing of your routine, there are a handful of other supplements that may help you to reach your goals – but they are by no means essential. Our Supplements Guide will help you make an informed decision.

Recipes that make muscles happen

Now you’re getting your head around the nutrition you need to maximize your results, you just need quick and easy recipes to do it. Here are some of our favorite muscle-building bites:

• 9 recovery meals to lock in your training
• 14 of our favorite fast high-protein dinners
• Luke Zocchi’s favorite post-workout meals
• 20 high-protein snacks to eat after your workout