Muscle Building and Weight Training

7 Muscle-Building Mistakes to Avoid

Are you sabotaging your muscle-building efforts? Discover the surprising habits that could be holding you back
By Myatt Muprhy menshealth
 

Starvation

You need to eat after your workout. Right after a session, your body is hustling to convert glucose into glycogen so your muscles can repair themselves and grow. "If you don't eat after exercise, your body breaks down muscle into amino acids to convert into glucose," says John Ivy, Ph.D., chairman of kinesiology at the University of Texas.

Fix it: After you work out, eat a high-carbohydrate meal—and don't forget the protein. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that a four-to-one carbohydrate-to-protein ratio can provide 128 percent greater muscle-glycogen storage than a high-carbohydrate drink alone. (They used Endurox R Recovery Drink in the study.) For even greater results, have a sports drink before and during exercise.

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