This 40-Year-Old Dad Used a Simple Hack to Lose 20% Body Fat

Simon Khinda, a 40-year-old lawyer from Southern California, looked down and realized he had a “dad bod.” Looking for a reset, he went all out. Here, he tells Men’s Health how he did it.

By Jesse Hicks Jul 26, 2022

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Men’s Health

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Our Takeaways:

· Men can possess high levels of body fat without appearing overweight.

· Maintaining a high level of protein intake is important when attempting fat loss.

· Excellent form with your exercises will give you more results with less risk of injury.

Simon Khinda, a 40-year-old lawyer from Southern California, looked down and realized he had a “dad bod.” Looking for a reset, he went all out. Here, he tells Men’s Health how he did it.

I always thought I was in pretty okay shape. I would intermittently go to the gym, sometimes getting into fad workouts—my waist was at 31 inches and I figured I was doing fine. One day my daughter said to me, “I love you, papa, and you’re squishy!” I realized I had the infamous “dad bod.”

It was an eye-opening moment. I thought I was in generally good health. That said, I don’t really think I ever appreciated what “good health” meant, since I was not surrounding myself with people who were in excellent health. I’d never had obvious issues, and I didn’t lack confidence in myself. At the same time, my sleep was terrible; I had an overactive mind and I was constantly stressed out. So overall I hadn’t really been taking care of myself, even as I thought getting to the gym occasionally was enough.

I signed up for a transformation program with Ultimate Performance in Los Angeles. One of the first things that happened was meeting my trainer, Chris, who checked my body fat. I thought it would maybe be 20%. It was pretty crushing when Chris told me that actually, I was at 30.1%.

I’m from a big foodie family; I actually trained informally in Italian cuisine. Revamping my diet, then, meant cutting out all starchy carbs: no more rice, bread, pasta, or potatoes. I started in November, and dodging comfort foods around the holidays was challenging. I learned to monitor my macros, something I hadn’t paid attention to before. I aimed for 160 grams of protein, 50 grams of carbs, and 65 grams of fat per day.

So on a typical day, I’d start with eggs with smoked salmon or cottage cheese, or other protein alternatives. Lunch and dinner would be lean protein like chicken or white fish and veggies; I had veggies with every meal while still watching my macros. I really love to cook, but I also recognized that Costco was a real help for getting pre-marinated chicken, fish, meats (cooked and uncooked), and bulk veggies—it makes it so much easier to through together a meal. For snacks, I had Epic Bars and nuts. Or protein shakes, a perfect dessert fix for my sweet tooth.

That was a big change from my previous diet, where I’d usually have cereal or eggs and toast, a sandwich for lunch, and often rice with curry or pasta for dinner. Three or four nights a week would be a restaurant dinner, which I thought was healthy. I cut back on all of that and revamped my diet. I also cut out alcohol, which I know can have a big effect.

The closest UP gym was almost 70 miles, so I was doing 140 miles round-trip to get there. I’d work with Chris once a week in person, then four more times using his workout plan. We made it work! Chris really helped me understand good form and the importance of being careful with your exercise. Whatever habits I’d made in the gym were things I’d picked up from other people around me, and I realized that’s not the best way to go. Tempo and form are so important.

Chris is also very strict about doing pure reps. There is no such thing as impure reps, bouncing, or cheating. If you can’t do a pure rep then it doesn’t count. You either decrease the weight or stop as you have hit the limit. I cannot evangelize about this enough.

A lot of people want to know how I stayed motivated and how I found time in the day to be so committed. I don’t have an answer other than that if this is something important to you, you’ll find the time. I have a 4-year-old daughter and my wife got pregnant as I started this journey, so believe me, my time was limited. But I made it work, including tricks like walking around while on the phone to get my 10,000 steps in.

The transformation took me 22-23 weeks. Over that time, I lost 27 pounds and gained 13 pounds of lean muscle. I dropped from 30.1% body fat down to 9.8%. When I had my photoshoot, I weighed 144 pounds.

I said I felt pretty confident in myself before this transformation, but afterward, my confidence shot through the roof. I have much more energy to play with my daughter. My physical with my doctor was amazing. I sleep a hell of a lot better, and I feel much more virile!

I got rid of the “dad bod” and the fat, so I had the total body recomposition I wanted. Now I’m learning how to go back to a healthier me, where I can eat pasta and rice etc., have the occasional drink, but all without jeopardizing my health and regressing. I needed the “reset” that the transformation gave me, and now I’m looking forward to a new and sustainable lifestyle.

That was important to me, and I think for anyone who feels similarly, the key is to set clear goals. Whether that means working with a trainer or on your own, clearly lay out the steps you need to get where you’re going. Then just take it one step at a time.

A Nutrition PhD’s Advice & Tips For Optimizing Longevity

Yes, You Have Control Over Your Healthspan: A Nutrition PhD’s Advice For Optimizing Longevity

mbg Vice President of Scientific Affairs By Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN

This article is a repost which originally appeared on mbghealth

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Our Takeaways:

· Healthspan refers to the period of life where someone has good health.

· Healthspan is heavily influenced by diet.

· Supplements can also be used to increase healthspan.

Once upon a time, I had a pretty awkward and comical date in Santa Monica. I was new-ish to Los Angeles and decided to try out a dating site that was famous for its robust matching algorithms. However, on this particular evening on Pico Boulevard, their matching science was, well, not so robust.

I probably should have known something was awry when the handsome maitre d’ wished me “good luck” in a distinct, you’re-gonna-need-it kind of tone before taking me to the table where my date was already seated.

In lieu of a warm salutation, my date stood up, scanned me from toes to head (yes, in that particular order), and proclaimed with some audible disappointment, “You’re taller than your dating app profile said.” I replied, “It’s nice to meet you too” like any gracious Southern lady would, and proceeded to sit my tall self down. (I’m actually a not-so-tall 5-feet-6-inches, but as my dating profile clearly stated, “I like to wear heels,” so you know…do the math.)

The rest of that date could inspire a Saturday Night Live skit, but allow me to cut to the nutrition-relevant chase (since this article is about nutrition principles for a long and healthy life—I promise).

A nutrition Ph.D.’s long-range nutrition philosophy.

After asking my date the obligatory question about what he did for work, I kept the convo flowing by sharing that I was a dietitian and nutrition research scientist. As with lots of strangers, my occupation immediately inspired my date to share his personal foraging and dietary practices with no prompting at all.

Specifically, he shared that since he works best in the wee hours of the morning, he eats supper at around 2 a.m. Rotating between three particular fast food joints, he picks up the food earlier in the day and refrigerates it to enjoy later (you know, at 2 a.m.). To be clear, he does not work a night-shift job. He then went on to say with adamance that he did not like or consume fruits, vegetables, fish, or most “healthy stuff.” Why? His rationale: “Life is too short. I’ll worry about eating healthy later.”

While the daily video gaming and other hobbies he mentioned were never going to fit with my interests and use of time, his eating habits specifically were sounding alarm bells in my dietitian head. Given his nutrient-depleted diet, it took me everything not to convert our date into an emergency nutrition counseling session that at least covered vitamin C, omega-3s, and fiber for everyone’s sake. (OK, I’m 80% joking).

You see, our nutrition philosophies and game plans for the long term were categorically opposed. I threw a bright yellow mental penalty flag down on the dating field and called it quits (in my mind of course—after all, I needed to finish my salmon and vegetables first!).

And while a date might just be a date, its future potential certainly plays a role in deciding whether to prolong said dating journey. The longevity of our hypothetical relationship was doomed for a variety of dating site algorithm failures, but like any research-minded Ph.D. nutritionist might ruminate (OK, maybe just me): This man’s lack of actual longevity potential flashed before my eyes as his shocking nutrient-lacking lifestyle was revealed.

It was like he had zero dollars in his nutrition 401(k) account, and I’m sorry, but that just doesn’t add up to a lengthy partnership.

Healthspan is not fixed (it’s malleable!).

Whether you’re looking for a good nutrition life match or simply cooking dinner for yourself, do we actually know what constitutes longevity food? And do we have the luxury to worry about eating healthy later, as my date suggested? The science is quite clear on that: Nope. At least not if the goal of living on this earth is thriving (instead of just surviving).

Regardless of your life stage, now is always the time to prioritize nutrition and other healthy lifestyle practices (i.e., restful sleep, physical activity, healthy body composition, smoking cessation, moderate or scant alcohol consumption, etc.). But is starting earlier best? Absolutely.

And as it turns out, we even know that certain patterns of macronutrients, micronutrients, and phytonutrients (i.e., plant bioactives) and their timing of consumption are tied to longer healthspan.

It’s so important to note that healthspan is malleable! Like the ultimate alley-oop basketball move: Your genes might be the setup, but nutrition is definitely the follow-through. Suboptimal nutrition can be a weak-sauce layup that barely makes it into the net, while a nutrient-dense lifestyle is like a fabulously confident dunk with some impressive hang time.

Smart nutrition: the ultimate power play for longevity.

Beyond the obvious role of taking in enough nutrients every day (i.e., get serious about nutritional sufficiency, whether that means a truly comprehensive multi, effective vitamin D3 supplement, filling your omega-3 gap, or more), our body is nutrient-responsive.

That’s because nutrients are fabulously multifunctional. Aside from being delicious, nutrition has the ability to positively affect so many physiological pathways and outcomes. Here are just a few that come to mind:

‧ boots-on-the-ground antioxidant fighting power against oxidative stress via an array of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients from plants (fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more)

‧ anti-inflammatory marine omega-3s for resolution of inflammatory pathways

‧ prebiotic fibers and probiotic microbes for robust gut health

‧ 24/7 cellular cleanup and rejuvenation activities like detoxification and autophagy (think glutathione, milk thistle, CoQ10, etc.)

‧ adaptogens and nootropics for mental resilience and cognitive performance

‧ normocaloric intake of plant-centric carbs, proteins, and fats within a defined intermittent fasting window (e.g., 12 hours each day) for healthy body composition and cardiometabolic health

‧ intricate interplay of food and nutritional bioactives with your genes and DNA via precision nutrition solutions (e.g., for MTHFR gene variants) and epigenetic mechanisms

Smart nutrition is like a strategic biohacking strategy you tap into daily to thrive for the long haul. A recent, comprehensive research review examined this fascinating area of longevity nutrition, so you’ll want to check out the highlights and key nutritional pillars that represent a literal investment in your future.

Longevity nutrition is core to mbg philosophy, too.

Of course, if you’ve read mindbodygreen content for any period of time, you’ll probably know the pragmatic power of nutrition for health and longevity. This is not just something we cover in a journalistic sense. Longevity nutrition is actually core to the mindbodygreen philosophy, our portfolio of products, and the way we live.

In fact, the suite of premium products in mbg’s longevity & vitality collection were created with your healthspan in mind. By taking longevity support to the next level, these bioavailable nutrients, botanicals, and bioactives transform your daily regimen for healthy aging.*

From the 30 trillion cells that make up the human body, to how we look and feel—the fact is the amounts, types, and timing of nutrients and phytonutrients we choose to consume are absolutely pivotal to our health today and tomorrow. Nutrition isn’t sitting on the sidelines. It’s a versatile quarterback calling the plays.

Whether that “play” is to keep your brain sharp as a tack, maintain strong muscles and bones, promote insulin sensitivity and blood glucose balance, elevate gut microbial abundance and diversity, bolster your resilience to stressors, ensure your immune defenses are game for inevitable challenges that will come, or nurture collagen production—ultimately, these are all longevity plays, individually and collectively. They all rely on smart nutrition rooted in science.

The takeaway.

Some matches simply aren’t meant to be. But thankfully, unlike dating sites and the unpredictable nature of some human relationships, the “algorithm” underlying longevity is less cryptic, and healthful nutrition is paramount.

 

Nutrigenomics Might Be the Future of How You Eat

Medically reviewed by Kim Chin, RD, Nutrition — Written by Sarah Garone on March 16, 2021

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Healthline

Edited for content

Our Takeaways:

· Nutrigenomics is a field where a combination of disciplines merge to potentially optimize nutrition for individuals

· In addition to dietary optimization, nutrigenomics may also lead to more knowledge on finding and preventing health problems.

· Care should be taken when employing nutrigenomics as this branch of science is in its early stages.

If there’s one thing the last several decades of nutrition research have proven, it’s that there’s no one-size-fits-all diet. While many factors are at play, one reason certain eating plans work for one person but not another may have to do with our genetics.

Nutrigenomics is a fascinating, up-and-coming field that uses genetic testing to determine the interplay between genes, nutrition, and health. This information is used to help pinpoint the ideal diet for each individual.

Here’s a look at what nutrigenomics is, what you can expect if you try it, and how it might shape the future of personalized nutrition.

What is nutrigenomics? 

“Nutrigenomics is the study of the relationship between genomics, nutrition, and health,” says geneticist Jan Lim, MS, of CRI Genetics. “The field includes both the study of how the whole body responds to micro- and macronutrients, as well as the relationship between single genes and single gene/food compound interactions.”

You may sometimes hear this field referred to as “nutrigenetics.”

Technically, nutrigenomics refers to how nutrients influence your body to express genes, while nutrigenetics refers to how your body responds to nutrients because of your existing genetic makeup. However, many people use the terms interchangeably.

History of nutrigenomics

Though the science of nutrition genetics is still in its infancy, the idea that our genes can determine our best diet isn’t as space-age as it might seem.

In fact, as far back as the early 20th century, British physician Archibald Garrod is credited with establishing a connection between nutrition, genetics, and phenotype.

The Human Genome Project of the 1990s, which mapped out human DNA, paved the way for the modern era of nutrigenomics. Since then, hundreds of studies have examined genes’ influence on the body’s response to diet, as well as the other way around.

Today, it’s not uncommon for practitioners like dietitians and doctors to use genetic testing to assess patients’ dietary needs and set customized health goals.

Benefits

Genetic testing as part of nutrition counseling might sound rather extreme. A genetic workup just to see if you should eat low carb or get more vitamin C?

However, as part of an integrative nutrition approach, nutrigenomics can shed light on issues a simple health history can’t. This includes everything from a predisposition to heart disease to why you’re not losing weight when you’ve tried everything.

“Genomic testing truly is useful for anyone wanting to be proactive about their health,” says dietitian and certified genomic medical clinician Andrea Chernus, MS, RD, CGMC. “Genomic testing can help to explain why situations exist for a patient, such as which style of eating might suit them best.”

By looking at your genetic makeup, a practitioner may be able to advise you on certain eating patterns that will or won’t work well for you. For example, gene variants might mean your body wouldn’t benefit from a vegan diet or wouldn’t adapt well to a keto diet due to genomic tendencies for fat metabolism.

A nutrigenomic test can even uncover your personal best sources of both macro- and micronutrients.

Perhaps your body is unable to optimally use omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources, or you have trouble converting sunshine into vitamin D. With this data, a trained practitioner can instruct you on which foods to eat or supplements to take to meet your needs.

Likewise, predispositions toward certain diseases may show up on a nutrigenomics test.

“We may be able to see gene variants that increase one’s risk for breast cancer due to the genes involved in estrogen metabolism, for example,” Chernus notes. Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and mental health have all been linked to genetic expressions, and all have dietary prevention strategies.

Empowered with this information, you can make preventative choices to mitigate risk through diet.

What to expect

Interested in pursuing a genetic approach to nutrition, but not sure what to expect? Nutrition counseling using nutrigenomics is surprisingly painless.

“The experience should start with a detailed health questionnaire so the practitioner has a complete understanding of the patient’s health status, history, family history, and current and past lifestyles,” says Chernus. “The actual test involves an at-home cheek swab. It’s typical for a test to evaluate anywhere from 80 to 150 or more genes. It’s quite simple to do.”

In some cases, if your results raise additional questions, a blood test may follow.

Once your test results are back, your dietitian or other health professional will evaluate them and work with you to develop an action plan for eating.

Potential drawbacks of nutrigenomics

Although extensive research has been conducted on the connection between genetics, diet, and health, the science of nutrigenomics is still emerging. “Nutrigenomics is a relatively new field of research, so we still have a lot to learn,” says Lim.

This isn’t to say that genetics aren’t a helpful piece of the puzzle when it comes to nutrition counseling. Just recognize that nutrigenomics won’t solve every diet conundrum, and that genes are just one of many factors that influence health and ideal dietary choices.

“Genomic testing should not be the sole criteria used to make recommendations,” says Chernus. “We need to include lifestyle, health history, health status, personal preferences, cultural identity, willingness of the patient to change, and their own health goals in our work.”

The availability of direct-to-consumer genetic testing for diet purposes, while it may seem exciting and convenient, is another potential drawback.

“The main drawback [of these tests] is that they’re not interpreted by a skilled clinician,” Chernus says. “Skilled practitioners use a polygenic approach: how all of the genes are part of bigger systems in the body. They interpret how these systems work together in the totality of one’s health.”

To understand the relationship between your own genome and diet, it’s always best to consult with a health professional who specializes in nutrition genetics.

Takeaway

“Every body is different” isn’t just true of our shape or physical type. It’s true down to the genetic level. Although nutrigenomics is a relatively new field that’s still gaining mainstream acceptance, many nutrition experts believe it’s the future of dietary counseling.

As part of a comprehensive nutrition philosophy that looks at the whole person, nutrigenomics could help people overcome health obstacles other approaches can’t.

“The more personalized our approach, the better the outcome,” says Chernus.

Sarah Garone, NDTR, is a nutritionist, freelance health writer, and food blogger. She lives with her husband and three children in Mesa, Arizona. Find her sharing down-to-earth health and nutrition info and (mostly) healthy recipes at A Love Letter to Food.

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Chernus A. (2021). Personal interview.

Ferguson J, et al. (2016). Nutrigenomics, the microbiome, and gene-environment interactions: New directions in cardiovascular disease research, prevention, and treatment.
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Lim J. (2021). Personal interview.

Mathers J. (2016). Nutrigenomics in the modern era.
cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/nutrigenomics-in-the-modern-era/4DBAD038D30F9BB0900AF7F30999D388

Rana S. (2016). Nutrigenomics and its impact on life style associated metabolic diseases.
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Sandstrom A, et al. (2019). Offspring of parents with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression: a review of familial high-risk and molecular genetics studies.
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Waalen J. (2014). The genetics of human obesity.
translationalres.com/article/S1931-5244(14)00197-2/fulltext

Eat to Build Muscle – Foods and Diet Plan

The Bodybuilder’s Diet: 8 New Rules of Muscle Building

Pure gains.

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Men’sHealth

Edited for content

You can crank out heavy squats and curls until your quads and biceps scream for mercy, and still you can’t seem to build the muscle you want.

What’s going on?

If you’re struggling to grow muscle despite your dedication in the gym, your problem most likely isn’t your workout, but rather your diet and lifestyle.

Building muscle is a complex science. It’s a coalescence of your lifting, your nutrition, your hormones, and your rest. So, let’s assume you’re doing everything right in the gym—following a good program and pushing yourself hard. Keep it up.

But now let’s focus on the other stuff. Are you getting enough protein and calories? Are you supporting your endocrine system properly? Are you getting quality sleep? Tweaking these crucial variables will result in the kind of muscle that fills out a T-shirt—and then some.

“Nutrition is the cornerstone in building lean muscle,” says nutritionist and exercise physiologist Jim White, R.D. “If the protein isn’t there, it’s not going to help your muscles grow. If the carbs aren’t there, you’re going to feel sluggish. If the fat isn’t there, it’s going to affect energy levels and overall health.”

In short, it’s time to master the soft art of building hard muscle—meal time. Your diet needs to be strategically choreographed to accelerate the repair-and-grow process that follows that strenuous workout session you’re so proud of.

White knows the right formula. A former skinny athlete, he was a self-described “hard gainer,” frustrated by his inability to grow bigger and stronger and run faster. Then he took a hard look at his crappy diet: He ate like a bird. Rarely touched fruits and vegetables. He gravitated toward sugary processed junk.

His nutrition training opened his eyes to his problem, and he changed his body and his life. He started eating six meals a day, increasing his daily calories to 3,500 and began experimenting with different percentages of macronutrients until he found the sweet spot.

Suddenly, his energy skyrocketed, making his time in the gym more productive. Now he’s jacked—he added 70 pounds of lean muscle and saw huge strength gains. The guy who struggled to bench 65 pounds can now press 295.

White shares his story of total body transformation and the plan that got him there in the new book Men’s Health Best Meals for Muscle. Here’s a sample of White’s muscle building plan, below. To finesse your own massive growth spurt, grab a copy of Best Meals for Muscle; it’s full of White’s expert advice and tasty, easy-to-cook meals with the right macronutrient mix to fuel your transition.

1. Eat More Protein

The actual process of growing muscle, when cells rush in to rebuild your torn-down muscle fibers, happens not in the gym but after your workout, when you rest. And the composition of what you eat before and after you stress that muscle can mean the difference between building up the muscle or destroying it.

Making sure you’re eating enough protein is of paramount importance for two reasons:

1. Proteins deliver the amino acids that form the building blocks of muscle. When intense weightlifting breaks down muscle protein synthesis provides the proteins needed to repair that muscle and spur it to grow bigger.

2. Your body also looks to proteins to supply amino acids for producing hormones like insulin and human growth hormone, which can further drain protein reserves. A higher protein diet ensures you have more than enough to go around and shifts your body into an anabolic mode, one that builds tissues rather than breaking them down.

While the recommended daily allowance for protein is less than half a gram per pound of bodyweight, you should double that to a gram per pound of bodyweight to build muscle. That’s the maximum amount your body can use in a day, according to a landmark study in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

So, for example, a 160-pound man should try to consume 160 grams of protein a day in order to fuel muscle growth. One hundred sixty grams of protein looks like this: 8 ounces of chicken breast, 1 cup of cottage cheese, a roast beef sandwich, two eggs, a glass of milk, and 2 ounces of peanuts.

2. Consume More Calories

If you’re weight training to bulk up, don’t eat like a guy who’s trying to lose weight. Growing a pound of muscle requires about 2,800 calories. That means you may have to overeat to consume enough calories to build size.

In fact, in some studies, researchers found that lifters with the greatest gains in muscle were the men who were the biggest eaters. White’s plan calls for boosting your calories to 3,000 a day. That’s a lot of food to consume in three squares, so White recommends you . . .

Eat Every 3 Hours (roughly)

By spreading your calories out over, say, six meals spaced about 3 hours apart, you’ll avoid that full-belly feeling that can make you sluggish, and you’ll ensure your muscles get consistently stoked with protein and carbs. Your body needs a constant supply of macronutrients and micronutrients to operate properly, especially when it is being taxed by intense exercise.

Shoot for about 30 grams of protein per meal. That’ll get most people into the proper range for muscle growth.

Get the Right Mix of Macros

Protein is critical, but it shouldn’t be a soloist when you’re orchestrating a plan for building mass. The other macronutrients, namely carbohydrates and healthy fats, influence muscle growth, too. By getting your macro ratio right, you can expect to see your gains skyrocket and avoid adding body fat even with the increase in calories, says White. Best Meals for Muscle makes hitting that holy grail ratio of 50 percent carbs, 25 percent protein, and 25 percent fat easy by translating it into ideal meal examples (and recipes) you can use to fuel your day.

Hydrate for More T

Exercise-induced dehydration slows your motor neurons. Not only will you feel fatigue sooner during a workout than you otherwise would, but your performance slips as well.

What’s more, a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that dehydrated weight lifters produced more of the stress hormone cortisol, while reducing the release of testosterone, the body’s best muscle builder.

Find Your Whey

Right after your workout, drink a whey protein shake that delivers about 25 grams of protein per serving. Whey digests more quickly than other types of protein, so it hits your muscles faster. Whey protein also has the highest concentration of the branched-chain amino acid leucine, which is required for protein synthesis.

Have a Banana Before a Workout

Or some Greek yogurt. Or a low-sugar sports drink. All are rich in electrolytes, which help your muscles contract. Exercise depletes electrolytes fast. Be sure you don’t run short and cramp up.

Time Your Meals

If you’re serious about packing on more muscle, get serious about being more disciplined about when you eat. You can start by creating a meal plan and sticking to strict meal times. Begin refueling shortly after you wake up and stop eating three hours before going to bed. Remember, your body repairs and builds muscles as you sleep. Eating just before bed can disrupt your sleep and throw a monkey wrench into that crucial repair process.

Men’s Health Best Meals for Muscle is full of ready-to-serve meal plans and recipes that take the guesswork out of feeding your muscles the right amounts at the right times.