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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