In a society where tons of women seek diet plans to lose weight, you may feel odd being one who wants to add some. But don’t fret, as you aren’t the only one. Most women fall into the endomorph category, considered the ideal body type. But the majority that seek weight loss have endomorphic bodies, leaving people who seek the opposite mainly belonging to the ectomorph type.
To put it simply, ectomorphs naturally have thinner bodies and less pronounced muscles, making it harder for them to gain weight. But with the proper diet and fitness program, you can beat this fate and develop the ideal body for that dinner dress. And one way to get this done is with this 7-day meal plan to develop muscles in women.
Features
This meal plan combines foods and snacks to impart enough nutrients to promote weight gain. But unlike the unhealthy bulk of fatty tissues gotten from processed carbs and trans-fat foods, this meal plan gives lean, toned muscles, allowing your shape and curves to become more pronounced.
You’ll find this meal plan offering around five to seven daily meals appropriately arranged, so you eat right and hit your weight gain goal better. And the menus comprise main courses and snack periods, both of which use whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats and oils, vegetables, and fruits. Diary is also permitted in the meal plan, and each night is ended with a simple protein shake dessert.
Benefits of the Diet
The goal of the meal plan is, as the name implies, to gain significant muscle mass in seven days. And the diet is specially designed for females, especially the ectomorph types renowned for slower muscle gain. The meal plan encourages healthy, properly spaced eating habits with rich and whole foods, so you don’t clog your body with the wrong materials. And it preaches a slow and steady weight gain process but will give you solid results of one to two pounds weekly.
This muscle gain diet plan also works best with exercises, which further enhances the performances of the food groups in the menus. The diet focuses more on fats and proteins, so the schedule directly influences muscle development without adding extra carbs. And with the help of a professional fitness expert, you can adjust the meal plan to suit your keto, Mediterranean, paleo, and gluten-free needs.
Meal Plan
Day 1
Meal 1
Pro-Oatmeal bowl:
- 1 Scoop Protein Powder
- 1 Tbsp. of Almond Butter and 1 Sliced Banana
- 2/3 Cup Oats (Cooked in Almond or Whole Milk)
Meal 2
- 3 Hard Boiled Eggs
- 1 Whole Wheat Bagel
Meal 3
Pasta with Grilled Chicken:
- 6oz. Grilled Chicken Breast
- 1 Tsp. olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1 Cup of Veggies (Avocado, Tomato, Spinach, Peppers, etc.)
- 1 Cup Whole Wheat Pasta
- 1 Tsp. Minced Garlic
Meal 4
- 1 Cup Carrots
- ½ Cup Hummus
Meal 5
Salmon, Rice, and Veggies:
- 4oz. Grilled Salmon
- ½ Cup Brown Rice
- 1 Cup Mixed Greens Salad
- 1 Tbsp. Vinaigrette
Meal 6
Ice Cream Sundae:
- Banana Ice Cream (1 Serving)
- 1 Large Ripe Banana, Frozen (Place into a food processor and blend away until creamy)
- 1 Tsp. Raw Cacao Nibs (Maybe blended into the banana mixture)
- 1 Tsp. Nut Butter, Unsalted (Maybe blended into the banana mixture)
- 1 Tbsp. Coconut Flakes, Unsweetened
Meal 7 (Before Bed)
- Casein Protein Shake
Total Macros For Monday- Calories: 2021 | Fat: 59.3 | Carbs: 167.2 | Protein: 193.7
Day 2
Meal 1
Eggs, Turkey Bacon and Grapefruit:
- 3 Eggs, lightly fried or scrambled in Coconut oil
- 2 Piece Whole Grain or Ezekiel Toast
- 3 Slices Turkey Bacon
- 1 Large Grapefruit
Meal 2
Cottage cheese with veggies and grapes:
- ¾ Cup Cottage Cheese
- 1 Cup Red Grapes
- Cup of Baby Carrots
Meal 3
Turkey Pita Sandwich:
- ½ Cup Avocado
- 1 Whole Wheat Pita Bread
- 1 Slice Low Fat Swiss Cheese
- 3oz. Turkey Breast
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- 1 Tsp. Mustard
Meal 4
Steak and Rice:
- 8oz. Sirloin Steak
- 1 cup Brown Rice
- 1 Sweet Potato
Meal 5
- Apple with Almond Butter:
- 1 Tbs. Almond Butter
- 1 Apple
Meal 6 (Before Bed)
- Casein Protein Shake
Total Macros For Tuesday- Calories: 2136 | Fat: 69.8 | Carbs: 169.6 | Protein: 191
Day 3
Meal 1
Pro-Oatmeal
- 1 Scoop Protein Powder
- 2/3 cup Oats (Cooked in Almond or Whole Milk)
- 1 Tbsp. of Almond Butter and 1 Sliced Banana
Meal 2
Tuna Salad with Crackers
- 1 Can Tuna Fish, Drained
- 1 Tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ Tsp. Mustard Powder
- ½ Tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 Serving of Whole Grain Crackers
Meal 3
Quinoa and Spicy Chicken
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 8 oz. Chicken Breast
- 1 cup Broccoli
- ¼ Onion, Chopped
- Salsa
Meal 4
- 1 Cup Mixed Berries
- ½ Cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 Serving Granola, Unsweetened
Meal 5
White Fish with Potato and Veggie
- 8 oz. Tilapia
- 1 Sweet Potato
- 1 Cup Green Beans
- 2 Slices Avocado
Meal 6 (Before Bed)
- Casein Protein Shake
Total Macros For Monday Wednesday- Calories: 2098 | Fat: 61.8 | Carbs: 201.3 | Protein: 192.4
Day 4
Meal 1
Cheese and Egg Scramble with Fruit
- 3 Eggs Scrambled
- ¼ Cup Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Cup Spinach
- 2 Slices Turkey Bacon, crumbled
- 1 Banana or Apple
Meal 2
PB&J Protein Smoothie
- 8oz. Milk
- 1 Tbsp. Nut Butter
- 1 Tsp. Chia Seeds
- 1 Scoop Protein Powder
- ½ Cup Grapes
Meal 3
Cheeseburger
- 8oz. Burger
- 1 Slice American Cheese
- Lettuce, Tomato, Onion
- 1 Tsp. Mayonnaise
- 1 Tsp. Mustard
- 1 Whole Wheat Bun
Meal 4
- A handful of Raw Nuts
Meal 5
Chicken Taco Bowl
- 8oz. Chicken Breast
- 3oz. Salsa
- 2oz. Sour Cream
- 1oz. Jack Cheese
- ½ Cup Rice
- ¼ Cup Corn
- ¼ Red Onion
Meal 6 (Before Bed)
- Casein Protein Shake
Total Macros For Monday Thursday- Calories: 2214 | Fat: 71.8 | Carbs: 198.2 | Protein: 196.1
Meal Plan
Day 5
Meal 1
Egg White Scramble with Oats and Berries
- ½ Steel Cut Oats Cooked with 2 Teaspoons Unsalted Almond Butter
- 3 Egg Whites, Scrambled
- 1 Cup Mixed Berries
Meal 2
- 1 Cup Carrots
- ½ Cup Hummus
Meal 3
BLT Wrap
- 2 Slices Turkey Bacon
- 2 Large Lettuce Leaves
- Tomato Slices
- 2 oz. Grilled Chicken
- 3 oz. Shredded Cheese
- 2 tsp. Mayonnaise
- 2 Whole Wheat Tortilla Wraps
Meal 4
- Toasted Chickpeas (1 Serving)
Meal 5
Individual Chicken Parmesan
- 1 Grilled Chicken Breast
- 1 Cup Whole Wheat Pasta
- ¼ Cup Marinara Sauce
- 1 Slice Low-Fat Mozzarella Cheese
Meal 6 (Before Bed)
- Casein Protein Shake
Total Macros For Friday- Calories: 2191 | Fat: 64.8 | Carbs: 189 | Protein: 167.8
Day 6
Meal 1
Overnight Chia Oats: Mix the following in a mason jar overnight
- ½ Cup Rolled Oats
- ½ Cup Almond Milk
- 1 Tsp. Chia Seeds
- Dash Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tsp. Pure Maple Syrup
- Sprinkle of Cinnamon
And top with
- 1 Tsp. Nut Butter
- ½ Banana
- 2 Sliced Strawberries
Meal 2
- 3 Hard Boiled Eggs
- 1 Whole Wheat Bagel
Meal 3
Quesadilla
- 1 Whole Wheat Tortilla
- ½ Cup Black Beans
- 4 Oz. Shredded Chicken
- ¼ Cup Jack Cheese
- 2 Tbs. Salsa
- ½ Avocado
Meal 4
Ice-Cream Sundae
- 1 Serving Banana Ice Cream
- 1 Large Ripe Banana, Frozen (Place into a food processor and blend away until creamy)
- 1 Tsp. Raw Cacao Nibs (Maybe blended into the banana mixture)
- 1 Tsp. Nut Butter, Unsalted (Maybe blended into the banana mixture)
- 1 Tbsp. Coconut Flakes, Unsweetened
Meal 5
Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato
- 1 Turkey Patty
- Lettuce, Tomato, Onion
- 1 Oz. Guacamole
- 1 Whole Wheat Bun
- 1 Sweet Potato, Baked
Meal 6 (Before Bed)
- Casein Protein Shake
Total Macros For Monday Saturday- Calories: 2282 | Fat: 72.1 | Carbs: 201.2 | Protein: 158.3
Day 7
Meal 1
- 3 Egg Whites (Scrambled), ½ Cup Spinach, Diced Onion & 1 Tbs. Feta Cheese
- Ezekiel Bread (one slice)
- ½ Banana
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Meal 2
Rice Cakes And Peanut Butter
- 2 Tsp. Peanut Butter
- Sprinkle of Cinnamon
- 2 Rice Cakes
Meal 3
Chicken, Rice + Greens
- Mixed Greens Salad With 2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
- ½ Cup Brown Rice
- 1 Grilled Chicken Breast
Meal 4
- 8oz. Cottage Cheese
- 1 Tbsp. Almond Butter
Meal 5
Salad with Steak
- 8oz. Steak
- 2 Cups Mixed Tuna Salad
- ½ Avocado
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbs. olive oil, extra-virgin
Meal 6 (Before Bed)
- Casein Protein Shake
Total Macros For Sunday- Calories: 2049 | Fat: 62 | Carbs: 198.3 | Protein: 161.9
Extra Tips
- It helps determine how much muscle mass you hope to gain, so calculate the required number of calories you’ll have to consume daily. This way, you can plan your meals to your specific needs without adding any extra weight. For example, a professional dietician can help you determine this calorie number, so seek their advice.
- Focus on short and intense exercises during this meal plan. Your workout routines should build larger body muscles, focusing more on weight training than cardio. Examples include cable pulldowns, deadlifts, pull-ups, squats, and bench presses. Also, consider a weekly cardio session of two to three times.
- Avoid sugary foods, fast foods menus, and processed foods during this meal plan. Instead, focus on whole foods and calorie-dense options. But ensure that your protein sources are moderate and of high quality and include them in a moderate number in your diet. Also, ensure that your menu is high in healthy carbs.
- Stick to the approved number of meals, spacing them appropriately throughout the day so you don’t fall for the trap of binge-eating.
- As an ectomorph, your focus should be on strength and endurance. So, keep your sessions’ difficulty high but remember to take longer breaks between reps. This allows your body to get used to the workouts, and the muscles gradually develop.
Conclusion
With this 7-day meal plan for muscle gain, you can hit that desired weight class without eating unhealthy carbs or fats. Instead, you’ll stock your body with lean proteins, minerals, and fiber-rich foods, ensuring pure muscular growth and the perfect body weight.
