Want to gain more muscle strength? While some people set out with the goal to get as large as possible, building up more lean muscle mass so they increase their overall body size, for others, it’s strength they’re after.

Their primary mission is to get stronger, so they begin putting more focus and devotion into hoisting heavier and heavier weights.

But, if you aren’t eating properly, it could all be for nothing. Let’s take a closer peek into what you must be doing in order to get stronger diet-wise so that you can make sure you’re on the path to success.

The Calorie Surplus

First, you will need to aim to be in at least calorie balance or in a calorie surplus. While to get larger, you definitely do need to eat more calories over and above your body maintenance requirements because you can’t build tissue out of nothing.

But, to get stronger, you simply need to eat as much as you burn. If you don’t want to gain size, keep your calorie intake a little more moderate. You’ll still see strength gains.

Note though you won’t see as much strength improvement as quickly as you would if you were eating a higher calorie diet however.

The Carbohydrate Intake

Next, you also must make sure that you are taking in sufficient carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide the muscular fuel you need to get through those intense workouts and if they’re low, you can rest assured you won’t be performing optimally.

Make sure that you are aiming for around 150 grams of carbohydrates per day or more. Low carb diets are generally not the best route to gaining strength for just about everyone.

Nutrient Timing

Finally, you also must make sure to be mindful of your nutrient timing as well. This means that you’re fueling your body as well as possible around the workout period. This is the point when your body needs the nourishment most, so if you fail to eat what you should here, you will see a decline in performance. This decline in performance then means slower strength improvements, thus moving you further from your goals rather than closer.

So keep these points in mind. If you want to build strength, you can definitely do so if you follow the right protocol and you don’t always have to get larger to do so. The choice is up to you whether you just want strength gains or strength and muscle size gains.