Top 8 Foods To Gain Muscle Mass

What if I told you that you could retain or even gain more muscle mass and strength with less training? The secret lies in your nutrition.

As an online trainer, most of my clients exhibit similar behaviour: they train hard, but they don’t give a damn about nutrition. So the time and effort they spend on training are wasted. Why do they sabotage their own success? Because they think nutrition is complicated and want to avoid the topic.

But ignoring nutrition isn't an option. Knowing how nutrition works will help you utilize it for your fitness and strength gains. This works for anyone and everyone, for general fitness maintenance or muscle mass gain.

 

To get you started, here is my list of the top ten foods to help you gain more muscle mass and strength.

1.Chicken

Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is important for muscle maintenance and repair, bone health, and weight maintenance. And of course, there are so many ways you can cook and prepare chicken. Go down to the store and you can easily find chicken meat cut into single serving sizes that can be seasoned and quickly cooked.

 

2.Cottage Cheese

Not many people know this, but cottage cheese is the almost entirely pure casein protein. Casein is a slow-digesting protein, which means it is perfect for muscle maintenance. This is useful especially for people who have no choice but to go long periods without eating. Cottage cheese is also an excellent source of vitamin B12, calcium, and other important nutrients.

3.Eggs

Eggs contain high-quality protein, nine essential amino acids, choline, the right kind of fat, and vitamin D. They provide the most value for your money. And eggs are not harmful to your health, as numerous studies have already shown.

4.Tuna and Other Fish

Fish are high in protein, low in fat, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3s are essential because they aid in fat loss and ensure the proper function of your body processes, such as your metabolism

5.Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great source of carbohydrates due to both its low glycemic index (GI) value and the fact it is minimally processed. The benefits of a low-GI diet include:

 

• Better micronutrient profile and more fibre
• Increased satiety
• Decreased hunger
• Lower subsequent energy intake (second meal effect)
• Fat loss
• 

In short, low-GI foods can enhance fat loss for those looking to lose weight, and provide a constant source of carbs for muscle preservation.

6.Whole Grains

Whole grains digest more efficiently and provide more nutrients than refined grains. This promotes sustained energy levels and overall health. In particular, brown rice can help boost your growth hormone levels, which are critical for encouraging lean muscle growth, fat loss, and strength gains.

7.Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are a rich source of antioxidants, which are essential for the healthy functioning of your immune system. They also provide tons of other nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. Finally, your body requires the fibre of these fruits and vegetables provide to aid in proper digestion and nutrient uptake.

8.Healthy Fats

I know the thought of consuming fat makes some of you shudder, but good fats are essential for muscle growth. In fact, they play an essential role in hormone production (testosterone and growth hormones), which helps drive muscle growth and strength gains. In addition, fats are needed for many important maintenance functions.

 

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are good fats. You can find them in salmon, other fishes, nuts, leafy veggies, oils such as flaxseed, avocados, and seeds. They are also all rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

That covers what to eat. Eat clean, eat healthily.