Don't be alarmed. Good muscle building nutrition isn't that hard to follow. Just make sure you know these nutrition basics, and you'll build muscle fast and add inches to your frame in no time.

Muscle Building Nutrition Tip #1: Meal Timing for Building Muscle

It's important to never, ever let your body get hungry. Why? When your body is hungry, your metabolism slows down and it stops burning fat for fuel. Instead, it breaks down your own muscle for extra energy. Not good for a muscle builder! Make sure you're eating every 3-4 hours and 5 or 6 smaller meals a day.

Muscle Building Nutrition Tip # 2: The Important Food and Nutrient Groups

* Protein

A brick layer can't build without bricks. Your body can't build muscle without protein. It's the stuff muscle is made of. If you weight train without consuming enough protein, your muscles will actually shrink in size!

Depending on the amount of muscle and how fast you want to build that muscle, you should consume AT LEAST 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight a day. So a 150 pound person should eat 120-150 grams a day. The more aggressive your muscle building goals, the higher this number will be.

Foods high in high quality protein include...

- Grilled Chicken and Turkey

- Egg Whites

- Tuna and other fish

- Milk and other low-fat dairy products

- Lean Beef

*Carbs

Carbs are the main source of energy for your muscles. So if you're not consuming enough carbs, you're going to feel sluggish and not lift very well.

Foods high in good carbs include...

- Oatmeal and non-sugary cereals

- Whole-grain breads

- Brown Rice

- Beans

- Potatoes

*Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables supply your body with minerals and nutrients not found in other foods. Some of these nutrients include potassium, zinc, iron, vitamins, and fiber. Every nutrient supplied in these foods help your body function as it should. If you're not getting enough essential nutrients, you'll only slow down your body's ability to build muscle.

High nutrient fruits include...

- Apples

- Berries

- Watermelon

- Kiwi

- Oranges

Vegetables...

- Spinach

- Beets

- Tomatoes

- Carrots

- Peppers

*Fats

Good fats are important so your body functions properly. Try to eat more mono- and polyunsaturated fats and less saturated and trans fats. Good sources include...

- Olive oil

- Nuts and nut butters

- Fatty fish like salmon

*Water

Pure water has no calories, nutrients, or protein. But it's the most important "food" in your muscle building pantry. Water makes up 70% of your body. It lubricates joints and transports nutrients through your body. Without water, every other food and nutrient is useless. Try to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day, more when you do cardiovascular exercise.

Muscle Building Nutrition Tip # 3:

Easy to follow nutrition habits you as a muscle builder should be doing

- Prepare food in advance and always have something on hand. You never know when you might have to bolt out the door for an unexpected event. If you know you have an appointment or meeting to be to, prepare food in advance so you can eat it as soon as you get home or whenever you have time.

- Take food with you wherever you go. You can't always be sure if food will be available. Remember, you don't want to miss a meal. It counter acts you weight lifting efforts.

- Eat food before you go somewhere. Then you won't have to eat on the run (even though you do have a back-up meal packed just in case!).

- Buy more food than you think you need. It can save money and it means you'll never run out of nutritious food when you're in a pinch.

- Eat a variety of foods. If you eat the same foods every day, you're missing out on some vital nutrients.

- Try to eat a calorie ratio of 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fat. So a person eating 2000 calories a day should eat about 800 calories from protein, 800 calories from carbs, and 400 calories from fat.