The level of testosterone, the male hormone than aids muscle growth, is different in each person, just like the metabolism rate. Some bodybuilders innately have higher levels of testosterone, just like some people can metabolize fast. So if you want to increase your body mass, then you need to ensure that your testosterone levels don’t decrease. Your muscles should be roused completely for growth, but they also need time to recover, because the expansion is a part of the healing. And don’t forget to take supplements like Vitamin C and PS. If you want to grow as fast as a small plant, then heed the following suggestions.
1. Don’t Decrease Consumption of Meat
Studies have found that vegetarians have lower testosterone levels, so you should eat as much meat as possible if you want to grow. Also, a fat rich diet induces more release of testosterone than low fat diets. So, if you take meat, you will also be taking in cholesterol, which induces release of many hormones including testosterone. Another mineral which aids testosterone stimulation is zinc, and it can be found plentiful in red meat. If you take five or six meals a day, then at least two of them should contain steak, lean ground beef or roast beef, if you want to maintain a good testosterone level.
2. Eat Refined Carbohydrates Following Workout
Contrary to what most people might tell you, you need about .5 to .6 grams per pound of body weight of carbohydrate after working out. This induces the release of insulin, which triggers your metabolism to build muscles. Another great reason for taking sugar after training is that insulin restrains cortisol, a hormone that triggers muscles destruction. If the level of cortisol is too high, it will both destroy muscles tissue and suppress testosterone release. So consume enough carbs after training so that your cortisol level remains low and your testosterone level remains high.
3. Take Whey Protein and Glutamine Before Workout
Whey proteins can be easily digested and if taken before strenuous physical activity it helps maintain to testosterone. So you should take about 20g of whey along with 5g of glutamine which controls cortisol and testosterone. Take some slow burning carbohydrates like oatmeal or Cream of Rye cereal along with the whey and glutamine. Or you can just mix the whey and glutamine with water and combine it with yams, rye bread or red potatoes. This meal should be taken about 40 minutes before workout.
4. Don’t Forget PS
Physphatidylserine (PS) helps control increase of cortisol during training, aids homeostasis in the body and the proteins that control membrane function. PS is mainly derived from soybeans and should be taken in 800mg quantities daily. If this is too expensive, then try to make sure that you can fit this in your diet during heavy training days. This is important because you should try to take as many things as you can that reduces cortisol levels and aids increasing testosterone levels.
5. Take more Vitamin C
Bodybuilders should take more orange juice after training because it contains simple carbs and plenty of Vitamin C. You can also take Vitamin C as supplement, because these reduce cortisol levels in bodybuilders. You probably have memorized by now that more cortisol means less testosterone. So try to take a minimum of 500 mg of Vitamin C in your breakfast and 500mg in the third of fourth meal of the day.
6. Refrain from Overtraining
If you are maintaining a daily high calorie diet that contains a minimum of 1 g of protein for each pound you weigh, but still you aren’t growing, then you can be sure that you are overtraining. If your training is too frequent or if you push up the number of sets of exercises then you will trigger more release of cortisol. As mentioned so many times, this will decrease testosterone level, and have the opposite effect of not increasing mass on your body. So bodybuilders should rest some times and cut down on the number of sets of exercises for each body part.
7. Don’t Do Aerobics
Aerobics exercises decrease levels of testosterone. If a bodybuilder needs to reduce body fat, then aerobics is the right way to go, but for increasing mass this isn’t the best idea. Aerobics can cause exhaustion and overtraining even if done in smaller amounts. And both these conditions raise cortisol levels which in turn decreases testosterone levels. So if you want to gain mass, then skip the Aerobics.