When you want to build muscle, you usually have two major items at the top of your to-do list: Lift weights. Eat protein. And repeat.

But if you really want to know how to increase muscle growth, you’re going to need to focus on some of the less obvious steps to take that often get bumped farther down that list—if they even make it on at all. You might not realize that factors like sleep, stress, and eating enough carbs affect your ability to build and maintain muscle mass. So if you’re not noticing the strength gains you’re aiming for, it might be time to reprioritize those to-dos.

Below, check out all the other things that make a notable impact on your muscle growth, besides strength training and getting plenty of protein.

How to Increase Muscle Growth (Besides Lifting Weights and Eating Protein)

Don’t get us wrong: You have to stay consistent with your strength workouts and protein intake if you want to see noticeable increases in muscle size. 

But you’re more likely to get the results you’re looking for if you also incorporate these additional helpful habits:

1. Make Sure You’re Eating Enough Total Calories

When you’re exercising a lot with a focus on building muscle, you need to fuel your efforts with nutrient-dense foods—and plenty of them. That way you’re “giving your body all the nutritional tools it needs to repair and grow muscle tissue,” says sports dietitian Claire Shorenstein, RD. 

If you’re not eating enough, you might still be able to build strength, but you’re less likely to be able to build noticeable muscle mass, according to one 2021 meta-analysis, for example.

“To build muscle, you generally need to consume slightly more calories than your body burns. This ‘calorie surplus’ provides the extra energy your body needs to repair and build muscle tissue after your workouts,” says Kalyn True, RDN, a registered dietitian with Memorial Hermann Health System. “The key is to find a moderate surplus. Too large of a surplus can lead to excessive fat gain, while a small surplus is better for sustainable muscle growth.”

Of course, it’s always a good idea to reach out to your doctor or a registered dietitian for personalized guidance to find the fueling strategy that’s best for you.

2. Focus on High-Quality Protein

Getting enough total calories and plenty of protein is a good start, but eating certain kinds of protein will earn you muscle-building bonus points. Try to ensure you eat plenty “complete proteins,” which include all nine essential amino acids, a group of muscle-building compounds your body can’t make on its own, Shorenstein says.

“Leucine, for instance, is an essential amino acid and one of the amino acids that is an integral part of muscle protein synthesis, and thus needed for the recovery and growth process,” she adds.

Some examples of complete proteins to enjoy include:

That said, don’t worry too much if your diet relies on lots of incomplete protein sources, such as legumes or whole grains. Experts say that as long as you eat a variety of protein sources and eat enough total protein every day, you should still cover your amino-acid bases.

3. Don’t Underestimate Carbs

Obviously, eating enough protein is key for increasing muscle growth. But that doesn’t mean other macronutrients should fall by the wayside. In particular, carbohydrates remain a crucial part of a balanced diet, including when you’re trying to build strength.

According to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, carbohydrates should make up 45–65 percent of your daily calorie intake—but athletes may want to aim for closer to the 55–65 percent range, per UCSF Health. 

“Carbs provide the energy that you need to fuel your workouts and other things you do in life,” Shorenstein says. “Carbs convert to glucose, and are stored as glycogen in muscles,” which gives you the energy to power through moderate- and high-intensity workouts. And without enough energy, you’re more likely to coast through your strength workouts—or skip them entirely.

Plus, when we don’t eat enough carbs, our bodies eventually turn to protein for energy rather than for muscle growth and repair—not ideal, especially when your goal is strength gains.

4. Get Enough Sleep

Easier said than done, we know. But prioritizing sleep is key for building muscle.

“Research shows muscle mass is more likely to decrease if someone is not getting adequate sleep,” says exercise physiologist and registered dietitian Kara Mitchell, RDN, wellness manager at Duke Health and Fitness Center. “Lack of adequate sleep alters the hormonal balance that supports muscle growth and maintenance.”  

You could also plateau without enough rest. “Sleep is an important time for the body to recover, repair, and grow,” Shorenstein says. And you’re more likely to stick to your strength training routine and hit your targets if you’re well-rested. “You need adequate sleep to perform optimally during exercise,” she explains.

Struggling to get quality rest? Give your sleep hygiene a makeover: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet; create a calming wind-down routine with relaxing activities like journaling or reading; and stop your doomscrolling (at least) an hour before bed. 

5. Stay Consistent

Hey, one strength workout every once in a while is better than nothing. But it isn’t likely to deliver substantial results.

Instead, make sure you’re crafting a fitness plan that includes at least two or three muscle strengthening workouts each week. More effective still would be working each major muscle group every 48–72 hours, experts say. That could look like doing upper body strength workouts on Mondays and Wednesdays and lower body on Tuesdays and Fridays, for example. 

“The consistent time putting stress on the muscles to fatigue provides the stimulus needed for muscles to adapt and get stronger in reaction,” Mitchell says. “If exercise isn’t consistent, the body won’t adapt to the stimulus as effectively.”

Not sure how to make a fitness plan you’ll stick to? There are tons of great strength  workouts you can follow along with on the Peloton App to keep you motivated and on track. Plus, the Personalized Plans feature makes it extra easy, providing you with a weekly customized workout plan tailored to your goals. 

6. Check In With Your Micronutrients

Carbs, protein, and fats are the three major macronutrients everyone needs for fuel. But micronutrients—aka vitamins and minerals—are essential for supporting the processes that build muscle and give you the energy to strength train day after day. 

“So many micronutrients work together and support a large number of body functions and processes, which is why it’s so important to eat enough, and to eat a diet with a variety of foods,” Shorenstein says. 

Many of those nutrients are involved in muscle function and contraction. Others, like zinc, are involved in making new muscle and repairing existing muscle, she says.

For the most part, if you’re eating enough overall and trying to eat a range of different foods, you’re probably covering your bases. “If someone is eating adequate calories from a variety of food groups, they will easily meet the needs of their micronutrient demands,” Mitchell says. “These vitamins and minerals are found in protein foods (both animal and plant sources), whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.”

If you’re not sure if your diet is cutting it, consider working with a healthcare professional. A doctor can recommend bloodwork to test you for certain deficiencies if you’re experiencing any related symptoms, and a registered dietitian can help make recommendations for a more balanced approach to eating.

7. Manage Your Stress

Stress is increasingly recognized as a major player in how successful you are at reaching fitness goals. For starters, if you’re overwhelmed and overbooked, you might have a harder time actually making it to the gym consistently.

But there’s also a physiological element at play. Not only can stress hormones negatively impact muscle metabolism (aka how your muscles convert nutrients into energy), Mitchell says, but they also “have been shown in research to increase the pace of muscle decline.” 

While some stress in life is unavoidable, do your best to manage what you can with relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, journaling, spending time in nature, and seeking professional mental health support as needed.

So, How Long Will It Take to Build Muscle?

When the stars align—as in, you’re attentive to all of the factors above—you’ve primed yourself for muscle growth. And you’re probably eager to see the results. Generally, experts say you’ll start to see visible changes in muscle size within four to 12 weeks of committing to a strength training routine. That can vary depending on a number of different factors, including your age, your past fitness experience, and the intensity of your workouts, not to mention how committed you are to everything else listed above.

The Takeaway

Strength training and getting plenty of protein are the bedrocks of increasing muscle growth. But they’re not the only pieces of the puzzle. To see and maintain visible muscle gains, you also need to eat enough total calories (including from carbs), manage your stress, get enough sleep, and stay consistent with all your healthy habits. When you do, you can expect to build muscle within the next three months.