Best Foods
for Muscle Building
The perfectly balanced diet for gaining weight and muscle is
a mix of 50% proteins, 30% carbs, and 20% fats. Most
people know to avoid junk foods with high fat and sugar
content, but they don’t always know what foods they should be
eating. Here is a list of ideas for the next time you are
at the grocery store.
Best Sources for Protein
- Grilled Chicken Breast (The #1 Staple – Learn to Spice It
Several Ways)
- Lean Ground Turkey (Use for Burgers, Tacos and Even Meat
sauce)
- Turkey Breast (Available in Deli or Refrigerated Meats)
- Turkey Bacon
- Deer Meat (Comparatively Low in Calories, Fat and
Cholesterol)
- Lean Cuts of Beef (Round Steak, Shoulder Pot Roast, Round
Tips)
- Extra Lean Ground Beef (90% Lean or Better)
- Grilled Fish (Tuna, Salmon, Cod, Halibut)
- Scallops (High in Protein and Omega 3)
- Lean Ham (Check Label to Make Sure it is Lean)
- Trimmed Pork Tenderloin
- Low Fat Milk (1% or Skim)
- Low Fat Yogurt
- Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- Reduced Fat Cheese (In Moderation)
- Unsalted Nuts (Peanuts, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds)
- Egg Whites
- Nuts - peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds - unsalted and
raw.
- Turkey bacon - instead of bacon
Best Sources for Carbohydrates
- Whole Wheat Bread and Bagels
- Fruits (Apples, Bananas, Peaches, Strawberries)
- Vegetables (Beets, Cabbage, Cucumbers, Zucchini)
- More Vegetables (Mushrooms, Peppers, Spinach, Broccoli)
- Oatmeal
- Cream of Wheat
- English Muffins
- Mushrooms
- Whole Wheat Tortillas
- Whole Wheat Pita Bread
- Bran Muffins
- Granola Bars (Quaker Chewy 90 Calorie Granola Bars)
- Rye Bread
- Blueberries
- Baked Potatoes (No Butter or Sour Cream)
- Whole Grain Cereals
- Sweet Potatoes
- Whole Wheat Pastas
- Rice
- Beans (Also Some Pork and Beans – Check Label)
- Lentils
- Grain Cereals (Low Sugar and High Fiber – Check Labels)
Print this list off and take it with you when you shop for
food. Sometimes it can seem like your diet options are
limited during weight training. The truth is there are
millions of possibilities if you know where to look. A
great website for checking the nutritional information of brand
name products is Calorie Count. Use it find out which
foods are helping you and which ones are working against
you.
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