The Best Muscle Building Diet Plan for Beginners

How long have you been training in the gym and working out hard and sweating, but your muscles are stuck with you and not growing? The problem is probably with your plate, not the dumbbells in the gym! What I mean is that you need to use the best muscle building diet plan for beginners so that your muscles are forced to grow!

Today, in this article from Max Muscle Science, I am going to present to you, dear athletes, the best diet that can help you grow muscles very easily and effortlessly.

You are going to learn what foods to eat, how much and when to eat to start your body’s muscle building engine! So stay with me until the end.

What should I eat to build muscle?

The first question that may come to the mind of many bodybuilders (especially beginners) is what should I eat to build muscle? Let me explain the answer to this question first in general terms and then in more detail.

In general, to build muscle you should consume protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, and always drink enough water to stay hydrated.

Best sources of protein:

• Chicken breast 🍗 (low fat and high in pure protein)
• Lean red meat 🥩 (rich source of natural creatine)
• Salmon 🐟 (high quality protein + omega-3 fatty acids)
• Whole eggs 🥚 (great source of biotin and healthy fats)
• Greek yogurt 🍦 (high protein + probiotics)
• Low-fat cheese 🧀 (contains casein, a slow-digesting protein)

Best sources of carbohydrates:

• Oatmeal 🥣 (sustained energy + fiber)
• Brown rice 🍚 (slow-digesting carbs for sustained energy)
• Sweet potatoes 🍠 (high potassium + healthy carbs)
• Whole grain bread 🍞 (more fiber + long-lasting energy)
• Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans) 🥜 (high in protein and complex carbs)
• Starchy vegetables 🥦 (like carrots, beets, corn)

The best sources of healthy fats:

• Olive oil 🫒 (high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory)
• Nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts) 🌰 (rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids)
• Chia seeds and flaxseeds 🌱 (vegetable omega-3 + high fiber)
• Avocado 🥑 (healthy fat + fiber)
• Egg yolks 🥚 (good cholesterol for testosterone production)
• Peanut butter 🥜 (healthy fat + high protein)
• Whole milk 🥛 (contains healthy fat for muscle growth)
• Coconut oil 🥥 (fast energy source)

By following these nutritional principles, your muscles will have the best conditions for growth!

For a detailed list of the best muscle-building foods, check out this guide on top foods for muscle growth, which covers essential nutrients to fuel your workouts and support recovery.

How much of each food should we eat in a muscle building diet plan?

It is clear that there is no single answer to this question, because each person has their own physical condition and the amount of food they should consume is determined by their physical condition.

But don’t worry! I want to tell you a simple and completely practical formula so that you can calculate for yourself how much of each food you should eat so that your body starts building muscle!

The first step: You need to calculate the calories you need to build muscle according to your physical condition. So let’s learn how to calculate the calories you need!

The Golden Formula for Calculating Calories Needed for Muscle Building

Step 1: Calculate BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

First, you need to calculate your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to function at rest). To do this, use one of the following formulas, based on your gender:

• Men: BMR=(10×weight in kg)+(6.25×height in cm)−(5×age in years)+5
• Women: BMR=(10×weight in kg)+(6.25×height in cm)−(5×age in years)−161

Step 2: Consider Your Daily Activity

After calculating your BMR, you need to consider your daily activity level. To do this, multiply your BMR by your appropriate activity factor (according to the table below):

Activity Level	Multiplier	Description
Sedentary (Little to No Exercise)	BMR × 1.2	Minimal physical activity, mostly sitting throughout the day.
Lightly Active (1-3 Days of Exercise per Week)	BMR × 1.375	Light exercise a few days a week.
Moderately Active (3-5 Days of Exercise per Week)	BMR × 1.55	Moderate exercise several times a week.
Very Active (6-7 Days of Exercise per Week)	BMR × 1.725	Intense exercise almost every day.
Super Active (Professional Athletes, Heavy Workouts Daily)	BMR × 1.9	Extremely high physical activity level, intense training or physically demanding job.

The result you get is the number of calories you need to maintain your current body weight.

Step 3: Add calories to build muscle

But your goal is to build muscle, which means you need to consume more calories! To do this, add 300 to 500 calories to the previous number so that your body can use these extra calories to build muscle.

✅ If you have a hard time gaining weight (ectomorph body type), it is better to add 700 calories.

Pro Tips for Optimizing Muscle Building

• If you haven’t seen any weight change after 2 weeks, add another 200 calories.
• If you notice that your body is gaining fat, cut back by 200 calories.
• Aim for 1.5 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

With this simple formula, you can set the exact amount of calories you need and ensure that your muscles grow!

How much protein, how much carbs, and how much fat? (Simple and easy formula)

Now that you know how many calories you need to consume daily to get your body into the muscle building phase, the next question is how to divide these calories between protein, carbs, and fat to make a diet that is completely suitable for muscle building?

Protein – the main factor in muscle building

Recommended amount of protein intake:

• 1.5 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
• If you are lean and building muscle hard (ectomorph) → 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight
• If you are overweight and need to burn fat, consume 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

📌 Example:

A 75 kg athlete needs about 2 × 75 = 150 grams of protein per day.

• Each 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
• Therefore, this athlete gets 150 × 4 = 600 calories from protein.

Carbohydrates – the body’s fuel for training and physical activity

The amount of carbohydrates needed is determined based on the intensity of training and physical condition:

• 4 to 5 grams per kilogram of body weight → for dry and quality muscle building
• 5 to 6 grams per kilogram of body weight → for rapid weight gain with heavy training

📌 Example:

If a 75 kg athlete consumes 5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of his weight:

• 75 × 5 = 375 grams of carbohydrates per day
• Each 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories
• Therefore, 375 × 4 = 1500 calories are provided by carbohydrates.

Fats – hormone-producing and anti-inflammatory

Healthy fats are essential for regulating hormones and reducing inflammation in the body. Recommended amount:

• 0.8 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight
• If you have a high metabolism and are struggling to gain weight → 1.2 grams per kilogram
• If your body fat is high → 0.8 grams per kilogram is enough

📌 Example:

If a 75 kg athlete consumes 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight:

• 75 × 1 = 75 grams of fat per day
• Each 1 gram of fat = 9 calories
• Therefore, 75 × 9 = 675 calories come from fat.

✅ With this simple formula, you now know how to maintain the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in your diet to maximize muscle building!

How to know if a muscle-building diet is working?

A diet is only great when it produces real results! That is, even if you calculate everything carefully, you still need to check these 5 important signs to make sure your diet is effective.

1. Increase in strength in sports

If your strength has increased, you can train with heavier weights, do more repetitions and your muscles recover faster, then everything is going great!

But if your strength has remained the same or has decreased, then something is wrong and you are probably not getting enough calories or protein.

2. Gain quality, lean weight

If you gain 200 to 500 grams of weight per week, then your diet is great!

If you gain more than this amount, your body is probably storing fat and you should reduce your calorie intake a little.

If it is less than this amount, your diet is not enough and you need to consume more calories.

📌 How to adjust?

• No change in weight after 2 weeks? → Add 200 to 300 calories.
• If your body is gaining fat? → Reduce 200 calories.

Tip: Weigh yourself only once a week in the morning, after waking up, after taking a bath and before breakfast.

3. More muscle mass, clearer muscle lines!

The mirror is the best measure of progress! If your muscles have become more voluminous and their lines have become clearer, it means that your diet is effective.

You can also notice this increase in volume by changing your clothing size.

But be careful! If your stomach and hips have become larger, it means that you are gaining fat, not muscle! In this case, you need to correct your diet.

4. Feeling more energetic and focused throughout the day

A proper muscle building diet should make you energetic and refreshed.

If you feel constantly tired, bored or crave sweets, it means that your diet is wrong and needs to be corrected.

5. Deeper and better quality sleep

With a proper muscle building diet, your sleep will be better and deeper.

If you wake up in the morning with energy and do not have severe muscle pain, it means that everything is going well.

If you have trouble sleeping, your diet probably does not have enough healthy fats or carbohydrates.

If you have these 5 signs, congratulations! 🎉 Your diet is effective and muscle building is on the right track.

But if you do not have these signs, it is time to correct your diet.

What time should we eat meals to build muscle?

The next important question is what times of day should we eat so that our body moves towards building muscle and gaining weight.

The most important times to eat a proper meal are:

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Before workout
• After workout
• Dinner
• Snacks during the day

Sample Muscle Building Diet for a Full Week

🎯 Goal: Build Muscle Without Gaining Fat

🔥 Daily Calories: Around 3000 Calories (Adjustable Based on Needs)

📊 Macronutrients:

• Protein: 150-180 grams
• Carbohydrates: 370-400 grams
• Fat: 75-85 grams

This is a sample plan written for athletes who train 4-5 days a week and want to build muscle!

✅ Breakfast (8:00 AM) – Energy to start the day

• Option 1: 3 whole eggs + 2 egg whites + 60 grams of oatmeal + 1 tablespoon of honey + 1 banana
• Option 2: 100 grams of lentils + 2 slices of whole grain bread + 10 almonds
• Option 3: 1 cup of Greek yogurt + 30 grams of almonds or walnuts + 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

✅ Snack 1 (11:00 AM) – Fuel for the rest of the day

• Option 1: 1 apple + 20 grams of almonds + 1 glass of low-fat milk
• Option 2: 100 grams of low-fat cheese + 1 cucumber + 1 tomato + 5 walnuts
• Option 3: 1 cup of whey protein smoothie + 1 medium banana + peanut butter

✅ Lunch (2:00 PM) – Muscle-building main meal

• Option 1: 150 grams of grilled chicken breast + 200 grams of rice + 100 grams of steamed vegetables
• Option 2: 150 grams Lean red meat + 200g potatoes + 100g salad with olive oil
• Option 3: 200g salmon + 150g quinoa + 5g olive oil

✅ Second snack (4:30 PM) – Pre-workout energy

• Option 1: 100g potatoes + 150g tuna
• Option 2: 1 cup Greek yogurt + 30g nuts (almonds, walnuts or other)
• Option 3: 2 slices whole grain bread + 2 tablespoons peanut butter

✅ After workout (7:00 PM) – Muscle repair and growth

• Option 1: 1 cup whey protein + 1 banana
• Option 2: 150g lean beef + 200g rice
• Option 3: 4-5 dates + 1 glass low-fat milk + 5g creatine

✅ Dinner (9:00 PM)

• Option 1: 150g grilled chicken + 200g Cooked chickpeas + 100 grams of salad with olive oil
• Option 2: 200 grams of salmon + 200 grams of steamed vegetables
• Option 3: 150 grams of lean red meat + 200 grams of quinoa + 5 grams of olive oil

✅ Before bed (11:00 PM)

• Option 1: 100 grams of low-fat cheese + 2 walnuts + 1 slice of whole grain bread
• Option 2: 150 grams of Greek yogurt + chopped fruit
• Option 3: 1 glass of low-fat milk + 20 grams of almonds

💡 Other important points in the muscle building diet

• Water intake: at least 3 liters per day
• Consume easily digestible carbohydrates + protein before and after training.
• Don’t neglect healthy fats such as olive oil and sesame.
• Use vegetables in meals to help the digestive system.

Golden Tips for Faster Results

There are a few practical tips that, if you follow them correctly in your muscle building diet, will make you get much better and faster results.

1. Personalize your diet

Your muscle building diet plan should be completely tailored to your physical condition and nutritional needs.

2. Avoid these mistakes ❌:

• Focusing too much on heavy weights
• Eating too much protein
• Guessing calories and not counting accurately
• Relying on supplements and ignoring food
• Not eating properly before and after training
• Not drinking enough water and not delivering enough water to the muscles
• Severely reducing fat consumption and resulting in a drop in testosterone
• Being hasty and expecting to become Arnold after 1 month!

✅ By following these tips, the path to muscle building will be faster and more effective!

Summary – Beginner Muscle Building Diet

In this article from Max Muscle Science, I taught you how to set up a beginner muscle building diet plan for yourself.

I explained things like how many calories you need to build muscle and how much of each macronutrient (protein, carbs, fat) you should consume.

Finally, remember that building muscle doesn’t just happen in the gym!

You need a combination of proper exercise, a diet that’s tailored to you, and of course, enough sleep to get the most out of your muscles.