Want to build muscle? Eat! Which foods? Click on this story. Why? We give you a list of 10 best muscle building foods you have to start eating this year. A better you can be achieved.
Getting the most out of your fitness routine and gaining muscle is more than hitting the gym a few times a week. It’s planning a diet that gives your body the carbohydrates, protein, and fat that it needs.
The Basics: What You Need For A Healthy Workout
Carbs are the main source of energy. They kick in during training and keep things moving. Eating more of them on workout days gives you the strength to break down muscles.
Proteins are equally as important.
Why?
They’re the building blocks that let your muscles regroup.
Fats also provide energy. Eating the right foods that contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids is essential. The acids absorb crucial vitamins needed for you to remain healthy and gain muscle mass.
The Right Stuff: Muscle Building Foods That Pack A Punch
To help you plan a diet that’s both healthy and makes mealtime an event worth headed home for, what follows are 10 ten foods that are making waves because of their nutritional value and taste. Use them for your 2017 muscle diet https://gymjunkies.com/the-10-best-foods-for-bodybuilding/. These foods pack in the flavor and give your body the fuel it needs to keep up with your routine.
Pairing the different ingredients together packs a one-two punch giving you a variety of tasty foods to choose from that strengthen your body. Some of the foods listed are old standbys. Others made the grade for their combo of nutrients that make eating for the gym easier. What sets them apart is that they’re natural foods that are rich in what you need to stay fit and enjoy your meals during times at rest.
#1 Quinoa – Nature’s Power Food
Quinoa is a super food. It has significant levels of protein and carbs. Quinoa is found in everything from soup to bread and is used by chefs across the country for its flavor and versatility.
It contains high levels of magnesium, which helps with blood circulation. In addition to protein to help build muscles, quinoa contains all nine of the amino acids needed to build lean muscle. These include lysine, an amino acid that helps the body repair tissue.
In the kitchen, it’s a great substitute for rice with dinner. It also works well as a crust for meat or fish, and is great with berries and yogurt for breakfast. Try coating shrimp with quinoa and light frying them in sunflower oil for a tasty twist on an old favorite. It’s also a go-to food for those on the run, takes less than 10 minutes to make and is found in packaged mixes in supermarkets around the country.
#2 Oysters and Mussels – A Great Source Of Protein
Adding oysters to your diet gives you a boost by providing high levels of protein and is one of the best bodybuilding foods. They’re great for workout and rest days to help rebuild muscles. The mollusks also have an abundance of zinc, an essential nutrient for a healthy diet.
Mussels are high in protein and low in fat. They also contain vitamin B12, which helps to metabolize protein. As well, they’re quick and easy to make. In total, it takes less than five minutes to make and serve.
In the kitchen, oysters on the half shell give you protein after a workout to help your muscles reboot during rest days. For lunch, try an oyster po’boy sandwich. Sautéed mussels with white wine are a great go-to dish for a simple gourmet meal that packs a punch.
#3 Nuts and Seeds – A Healthy Source Of Essential Fat
Snacking on nuts or adding them to salads and wraps is an easy way to stay ahead of the game when it comes to healthy fats. Almonds, peanuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts and walnuts all are high in protein and one of the best foods for lean muscle. They’re just what the doctor ordered for an alternative to meat that packs the right punch for a healthy workout routine.
Seeds such as flaxseeds and sunflower seeds are another source of healthy fats. They also contain high levels of fiber, a necessary part of a diet that helps to satiate the appetite. When eaten in moderation, flaxseeds give you the right amount of fiber without the high calories found in breads and flours.
#4 Fortified Eggs – Give Yourself A Boost
Fortified eggs are eggs from hens that have been fed a diet of flaxseeds. Eggs are a go-to source of protein. With the addition of flaxseeds, fortified eggs are a great way to add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.
If that’s not enough, the feed also contains high amounts of vitamin E. When combined with the fats that are needed to absorb the vitamin, this gives fortified eggs an edge that helps you build muscle and get the nutrients you need. If you are eating a large number of eggs for your daily protein, don’t forget that eating only the whites give you the nutrients you need and not the cholesterol that’s detrimental in high levels.
#5 Turkey – The Other Lean, White Meat
Turkey often takes a backseat to chicken when it comes to muscle-building food. While lean chicken is still a source of high levels of protein that build clean muscles, turkey can also give you the protein needed to rebuild muscle so it makes it one of the best foods for bodybuilding. It’s low in calories, making it a good choice if you are trying to lose weight while gaining muscle.
Turkey breasts, in particular, are high in protein and low in fat and calories. In the kitchen, sub turkey for chicken in wraps or shredded in tacos. For dinner, try making a turkey chowder or hearty soup with kale, potatoes, and purple carrots for a satisfying meal that gives you the protein you need.
#6 Avocados – An Easy Way To Get The Most Bang For Your Workout
Avocados, like quinoa, are packed with essential nutrients needed for a healthy muscle building diet. These include potassium, healthy fats, calcium, and magnesium.
This inexpensive food is an easy addition to an omelet, salad, sandwich or wrap. When used in dishes like guacamole or a hearty soup, avocados make eating for both pleasure and nutrition a breeze.
#7 Beets and Purple Foods – Add Some Color To Your Diet
Beets are a natural way to boost the amount of nitrates in your body for a stronger workout. Nitrates are converted into nitrate acid. This, in turn, helps to increase blood circulation. How’s that helpful? Blood reaches muscles easier, helping to decrease the odds of cramps, and giving you an advantage when it comes to working out longer and harder.
In the kitchen, beets are highly versatile. They’re an interesting addition to soups, easily baked or steamed as side dishes and add an earthy flavor to salads.
Purple food, including purple cauliflower, broccoli, and kale, give you the benefit of high levels of carbs, fiber and vitamins while inhibiting the carcinogenic effects of processed meat. The purple color of these veggies comes from anthocyanins. These are an antioxidant that fights disease, boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation in muscles.
Kale is a protein packed veggie that also contains vitamin K and iron. Vitamin K lessens muscle stiffness. It’s also worth noting that iron is needed, along with protein, to build muscles.
Broccoli and cauliflower are cruciferous veggies. They’re high in fiber and low in calories. These veggies are also sources of vitamin C, making them great ingredients to a muscle building diet that gives you nutrients needed to build muscles, lose weight and stay healthy.
#8 Greek Yogurt – A Flavor That Fortifies
Yogurt is a great source of protein that’s a versatile, tasty ingredient for breakfast, sauces, and dips. It contains ample amounts of calcium and vitamin D, which strengthens the bones. Eating Greek yogurt regularly gives you the protein you need to add muscle, and the bone fortification needed to support the growth.
For breakfast, yogurt with fruit, quinoa and even in place of grits, packs the right amount of protein into your diet to help put on muscle. For lunch, try it as a dip with fresh veggies or pita bread. For dinner, use it as a savory sauce for meats and fish.
Greek yogurt, in particular, gives you more proteins and less sugar than the regular variety. It also contains milk proteins that satisfy the appetite for longer, making it a great addition to a workout diet that’s created to build muscle and lose weight.
#9 Salmon – A Taste Of The Sea That’s High In Protein
Salmon is rich in protein, vitamin D, B12 and healthy omega-3 fats. As opposed to tuna, which can contain high levels of mercury because it’s a bottom feeder, wild salmon gives you the protein you need without the risk.
In the kitchen, try salmon on salads as a starter and poached as a main dish. It also makes a tasty spread for a sandwich at lunch and is good with eggs for breakfast. For a different twist on a traditional recipe, sub it for bacon with eggs Benedict.
Consider adding salmon to your diet twice a week.
Why?
Salmon gives you both the benefits of its anti-inflammatory properties and the proteins you need on heavy workout days. One word of caution: Processed salmon contains chemicals. They make your body work harder to get rid of them. Canned wild salmon is found in supermarkets and natural food stores for slightly more than the processed type.
#10 Oatmeal – A Better Way To Get Fiber
High in carbs and fiber, oatmeal is a must for those who want a boost on workout days. It gives you the long-lasting energy you need and fills you up at the same time, making it ideal for those who want to gain muscle while losing weight. Oatmeal is high in fiber and low in sugar, putting it ahead of the other sources of carbs like processed bread.
In the kitchen, oatmeal is a great way to start the day with ample portions of eggs. When paired with fresh fruits, you get the fiber and carbs you need to keep you going through a workout, and the vitamins that your body craves to stay strong and healthy.
Look for steel cut oats in restaurants, and whole rolled oats in the store to avoid the unwanted addition of chemicals found in the processed options.
Conclusion
Like a good workout routine, a muscle diet menu needs to change constantly to adapt to your needs. Try different combos of the ingredients on the list. Sub different dishes on different days to keep things fresh and out of the routine.
Plan to eat snacks. Don’t forget to also give yourself a few meals each week that break the rules. It’s not always possible to find healthy foods when on the go, at work or out on the town. Eating a set number of meals that don’t include your daily allowance of each nutrient is allowed, as long as the muscle diet is the majority of what you eat.
To take your 2017 muscle diet a step further, try using a micronutrient calculator. This handy resource takes a number of factors and gives you the percentages of what types of food to eat on both your workout days and days at rest.
Using the right combos of protein, fat and carbs on each day and creating a menu that pairs ingredients that are flavorful and healthy gives you an edge. Knowing what you should eat each day to build muscle, bulk up or lose weight keeps your routine moving forward and yields better results if used in tandem with a solid workout plan.
The key to any diet is variety and creativity. Food not only feeds the body. It gives you the energy you need for a hearty workout. It satisfies the tastes and nourishes the senses.
Using the foods on this list as a starting point, find a diet that works for you, one that lets you enjoy eating. Try these tips and move past the hard to follow diets found on the shelves of the bookstore or online that promise results without merit.
By Jon Jared
Terry
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Very good article. I added oatmeal to my supper and it helped me lessen the swelling and improved my digestion.
Rafael,
Thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed the article! Thanks for sharing your personal experience.
-Terry Asher
Thanks Terry, for presenting such a good and informative article about muscle building foods.I really enjoyed the whole article from top to bottom. AWESOME!!
Saidur,
Pleasure was all mine! Glad you enjoyed it…
Terry Asher
It’s true that “Getting the most out of your fitness routine and gaining muscle is more than hitting the gym a few times a week. It’s planning a diet that gives your body the carbohydrates, protein, and fat that it needs.” Very informative post.
Thank you for stopping by!
-Terry Asher
Ohmy! Seeing these foods made me starving. Great article! Gonna include these to my meal plans.
Great advice Terry, thanks for sharing! I also like to include tuna from time to time – you get your proteins and it’s packed with B vitamins and selenium.
Thank you! Yes, I love tuna 🙂
-Terry Asher
I started strength training 2 years ago – improved quick & started competing in powerlifting competitions & set some records – it was super awesome. I have an injury that is keeping me from lifting right now but I am continuing with body weight exercises & then added boxing as something new to learn. I ended up with about 10 extra lbs of fat & I’m not sure what I should be doing nutritionally – I kind of kept eating like when I was lifting trying to maintain muscle & now I’m not sure if I should base my calorie reduction on what I was eating or what iifym calculates & should I include the calories burned from boxing in my calculations.