Serious muscle builders treat their diet in an almost scientific, equation-like manner. What is the scientifically proven, most effective way to build more muscles?

It takes a lot of discipline to follow the rigid guidelines for developing your body in the absolute fastest manner. But if you’re really serious, that’s what it’ll take to get results the fastest.

Here are three dietary tips for serious muscle builders.

 40% Carbohydrates, 20% Fats, 40% Proteins

The 40:20:40 rule has been tested again and again to be the optimal balance of nutrients for losing fat and gaining muscle.

Keep in mind that many foods contain both fats and proteins in them without explicitly being a fatty or protein food. For example, when you’re buying your meats, make sure to read the labels and see what percentage of the meat is actually fat and what percentage is protein.

Also avoid eating carbohydrates close to bedtime.

In the beginning, you’ll likely have to record all the foods you eat in order to get a good sense for how much fat, carbs and proteins you’re taking in. After you get more experience, you’ll be able to estimate your intake with a high degree of accuracy.

Eat in 2.5 Hour Intervals

Don’t binge. Don’t eat big meals. Big meals cause your body to spike up in blood sugar levels and then crash. It also causes food build-up in the digestive system, which is detrimental to muscle growth.

To maintain a steady energy level and to facilitate the fastest growth possible, aim to eat smaller meals every two and a half hours.

That’ll come out to six small meals a day instead of three large meals. If you need snacks in between meals, go for something healthy like mixed nuts.

Cycle Your Caloric Intake

To keep your body from adapting to a certain caloric intake level, regularly cycle your caloric intake.

Consider alternating low calorie days with high calorie days. If you’re trying to gain weight and muscle mass, you can put in more high calorie days, while doing the opposite if you’re trying to drop weight.

This process doesn’t necessarily have to be rigid or planned, but you should still keep track of your calories and consciously decide the night before whether you’re going to have a high or low calorie day tomorrow. Track your high and low calorie days so you can make sure you’re getting a good balance.

These are three diet tips geared specifically towards serious muscle builders. If muscle building is just a hobby, these tips might not be for you. On the other hand, if you’re really dedicated to building the body of your dreams, these tips can help take you to the next level.