Build Muscle
You are training hard and consistently, but you are not seeing the gains you expect. Without the right nutrition plan to support muscle recovery and growth, your results will fall short.
Understanding Building Muscle
More than just “eat more protein”
You need the right amount of energy, along with strategic protein and carbohydrate timing to build muscle. It’s not just what you eat, it’s how strategically you fuel around your training and across your day.
Common challenges
- Difficulty gaining muscle
- Delayed recovery
- Fatigued legs
- Hungry all the time
- Fasted workouts
- Missing meals
- Gaining fat instead of lean mass
- Plateauing strength
- Growing fast
- Training twice a day
Also working with...
- Performance nutrition
- Gain Muscle and Lose Fat
- Meal Plans
Your dietitian for Building Muscle
Brianna Gorman MSc., RD
Brianna is the Sport Dietitian for the Vancouver Whitecaps, with elite sport experience spanning Premiership Rugby and endurance sport. She leads our 6 Weeks to Gain Muscle Mass for Teen Athletes and works with recreational, competitive and aspiring professional athletes, to support performance, body composition, and sustainable weight gain.
Also Works With:
- Gut health & IBS
- Plant-based nutrition
- Sport & performance
- Body composition
Working With Building Muscle
We don’t guess—we calculate, monitor, and adjust so your meal plan to deliver results.
Before you book
What to expect
- Book your initial assessment
Book a 60minute initial assessment. If you have a smart watch, start wearing it now so you can give your dietitian its data. - Complete your intake and food journal
Before your first appointment, you’ll receive an intake form and a 7 day food journal. This helps your dietitian to assess your usual eating habits and to build you an individualized plan at your first visit. - Get your personalized plan in the first visit
During your initial session, your dietitian will assess your nutrient needs and provide clear, individualized guidance along with a customized plan. This initial plan may include simple adjustments to your current meals and snacks or a more structured meal plan, depending on what approach works best for you. - Follow up to tailor your diet to your lifestyle
You’ll meet with your dietitian every 3-4 weeks to guide you with new meal and snack ideas. You’ll get practical strategies for weekends, eating out and travel. Our goal is to build your food IQ so you can have what you need, in a way that fits with your busy life.
Session Types + Fees
Initial Assessment
Follow-up Appointment
Starter
Includes
- No email support between sessions
- Customized meal plan
- Meal and snack ideas
- Strategies to build new eating habits
- Goal setting + written recommendations
- Restaurant + travel guidance
Initial Consultation
Follow Up
Total Sessions
Format
Direct billing
- Sun Life
- Pacific Blue Cross
- Alberta Blue Cross
- Chamber of Commerce
- CINUP
- ClaimSecure
- Desjardins
- Equitable Life
- First Canadian
- Canada Life
- Industrial Alliance
- Johnson Group
- Johnson Inc.
- Manulife Financial
- Maximum Benefit
- TELUS Adjudicare
- GroupSource
- GroupHealth
- Sunlife
- + more
FAQ
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
Most athletes can use up to 1.8g protein per kg of body weight (or 0.8g protein per pound of body weight). But building muscle also requires eating enough Calories and carbohydrates to fuel your training and avoid burning muscle. We calculate your exact Calorie and macro targets and build you a meal plan to hit them consistently.
I’m training more but not gaining anything, what’s wrong?
You may not be eating often or consistently enough to see muscle gains. If you’re skipping meals or relying on quick options like bars, you’re not eating enough at the right times needed for muscle growth. We identify the gaps and build a customized plan that fits your lifestyle, so you can finally see results.
I don’t want to gain fat while building muscle, is that possible?
Great question. It depends on factors like your age, growth stage, training volume and rate of weight gain. Gaining weight too quickly, often referred to as a “dirty bulk”, can increase body fat. Your sport dietitian will give you a meal plan to maximize muscle mass, while minimizing fat gain. With close monitoring, your sport dietitian will adjust your plan as you progress toward your goal weight, to ensure the best results.
I’m not hungry enough to eat more, what do I do?
We have practical, easy and tasty ways to boost your calories, without having to eat more. This may include smoothies, drinks, extra snacks, and adding spreads or sauces to your core meals. Your dietitian will help you to find foods that feel manageable and fit into your daily routine.
Do I need supplements?
Supplements will not help you to build muscle, if your nutrition foundation isn’t in place. Once your diet is optimized, your sport dietitian may recommend supplements like protein, creatine, or a gainer when they can genuinely support your goals.
I heard about doing a bulk, then a cut
Doing a bulk and cut is a strategy used by bodybuilders preparing for a show, it is not for athletes. The bulk phase can cause too much fat gain and the cut phase will make you lose all your energy and athleticism. We will coach you on how to build muscle like an athlete to keep your athleticism.
Should I consider the 6 Weeks to Gain Muscle Mass Program for Teen Athletes?
If you are a teen athlete and you want to learn how to fuel your body for sport performance and weight gain, the 6 Weeks to Gain Muscle Mass Program for teen athletes is for you. In this program, you will learn about each of the core sport nutrition strategies to fuel your training and to build muscle. You will find strategies to make a bigger breakfast, pack a recovery snack and hear about how others dial in their nutrition on game days. To learn more about this program, book a 10minute free discovery call with one of sport dietitians here: https://elitedietitian.janeapp.com/#/discipline/7/treatment/90
Ready to actually see results from your training?
Let’s build your plan.