Gains, the topic that turns the body-building industry into a zoo. Both men and women, obsessed with the size of their muscles, are as if they all believe in a “bigger is better” mentality. We can’t knock out that bigger might be better when it comes to bodybuilding. But again, that might not be the case for others. It’s obvious that people who are into bodybuilding or the gym, in general, are obsessed with muscle growth and definition. But that’s a good thing, because only the obsessed succeed.

The main problem is this, even people able to afford gym memberships and diet plans still lack the necessary education for better gains. They go to the gym, eat well and that is it. They do a bunch of negative things on a daily basis while there are still a good number of positive habits they don’t observe. Spending time, money, and resources but seeing little or no progress.

Habits every gym lover should adopt if they’re looking for better gains

Sleep well, ideally 8-10 hours a day

Sleep is important, crucial, and vital. No matter who you are, you need some good quality sleep for you to recover from all the rigorous activities you indulged in throughout the day. Your muscles require rest for proper recovery and formation. Muscles aren’t built in the gym, so spending hours in the gym and doing some more work after that would be devastating to your body. You’re damaging and tearing your muscles during workouts, then the cells around your muscle fibres tend to replicate and recover fusing up with your muscle fibres, and then eventually creating new protein strands. Which occurs during sleep. Not only good sleep can help with recovery and muscle growth, but bad sleep can also lead to poor recovery and muscle loss.

Consume a high protein diet

Building muscle and protein powders or supplements have become a myth. Most people new to bodybuilding, weightlifting, or just gym culture adopt the imaginary mindset sets you need lots of protein supplements if you want to build muscle and stay in good shape. So, they go in and spend their salaries and several supplements that might even be harmful to the body. Just because they heard the word “protein”, so, they go all in and buy every new product they can find in a workout video. Whatever people consume, they consume. Just like honest humble followers. Yes, you need protein to build muscle, but if you are just a normal individual and not a bodybuilder, it’s better to get your proteins from natural foods. They can be both animal-based and plant-based proteins, depending on your lifestyle and preferences. There is another myth regarding plant-based proteins. Some people still hold the belief that plant-based proteins can’t help increase muscle mass, but there are numerous studies proving such belief to be wrong. Muscles are made of protein, so as long as it’s an adequate amount of natural proteins, you’re on the right path to building natural and strong muscles.

It's also important to note that the time and amount of consumption are also very important. It’s advised to consume 1-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight and also evenly distributed through a well-balanced diet. We did mention that strong, big, and healthy muscles are built when at rest or sleep, so, it would be wise to consume a larger proportion of your proteins during your last meal. Foods like Chicken breast, tuna, tofu, lentils, eggs, and many others not mentioned are very good sources of protein. Just choose what fits your lifestyle and growth with it.

Lift weights 3-4 days a week

I bet you read that point and started wondering if you read the correct thing. Yes, you did! Nobody said building muscle depends on how many days you hit the gym every week, and even if you showed up to the gym 7 days a week for 10 years, it would make no difference than you being constantly tired. Well, you might get used to that system, yet, it makes no difference. It’s all about the method, and how you train. Training right in a short period is better than doing the wrong thing over a long period. You’ve got to be nice and accurate, just hit the right muscles. Exercise scientists suggest 30 to 45 minutes a day, 3 to 4 days a week. And yes, you can go twice a day if you’re a bodybuilder or an athlete. Get in, concentrate, and be done in 45 minutes. But other than that, just getting the right training combined with the right diet and lifestyle would give you a “godly” physique.

Here are some simple takeaways for a better workout session; workout to stimulate multiple muscles at once with exercises like squats, pull-ups, bench presses, and death lifts. Do not concentrate on heavier weights, you need total control for accurate movement. And try pushing to failure for every last set of an exercise.

Eat foods dense in micronutrients

This is a no-brainer. People rarely mention micronutrients in the fitness or exercise world. It’ s all about counting your macros and nobody talks about micros and how important they are for better recovery and building muscle. It’s important to note that the majority of the world’s population runs from mineral and vitamin deficiency, but these are hardly mentioned, especially in the fitness world. Where everybody just focuses on macronutrients and forgets about the little soldiers helping in maintaining their overall health, recovery, energy levels, performance, endurance, injury, and so on.

Most fitness fanatics, even athletes, have no clue on how and when to take their micronutrients. Experts point out the following as the most efficient micronutrients for athletes and fitness lovers; Vitamin D, E, B12, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium.

Drink adequate or enough amount of water daily

Drinking water daily is another myth polluting the lifestyle of the majority of the population. Some people drink too little, while others drink too much. All because of one reason, people don’t know the right amount to be consumed. So, they just operate on generalities and feelings.

The right amount of water recommended by health specialists is 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day. That would vary depending on the individual, some require more, while others are satisfied with less. This leads to the topic surrounding the daily amount of water intake becoming a myth because it seems there’s no accurate number. The best advice given is just to know your body.

Water doesn't directly increase muscle gain, but it helps in muscle gain, and it’s a very crucial element. Since it aids in the movement of nutrients and materials required for protein and glycogen construction, which are the body’s main source of energy. Because water also helps with muscle flexibility, it’s advised to drink enough water before and throughout your exercise session.

The body is made up of water, so when you’re dehydrated you become tired. There are many suggestions on the amount of water you should consume before, during, and after your workout. Just make sure you’re not dehydrated, because when you’re dehydrated, you become fatigued, and it becomes harder for your body to produce enough energy. The bottom line, your muscles are made up of water, so get used to consuming adequate amounts of water, especially during intense workouts.

Building muscle doesn’t depend on how hard you train, it’s all about a balanced lifestyle. Sleep well, eat a high-protein balanced diet, train with purpose, and stay hydrated at all times.