The Most Effective Muscle Building Foods

Eating the right foods will help you build muscle faster and more efficiently than simply working out with weights. There are several foods that should become a major part of your diet when you want to build muscle, and all of these foods are healthy and nutritious so that you will look your best while you train.

Protein Rich Foods

The body needs muscle building foods to help you build more muscle, and the best of all of the foods are those that are rich in protein. You can choose lean meats, such as chicken, fish and steak, or you can opt for beans, legumes and nuts if you are a vegetarian. All of these foods, plus most dairy foods, contain enough protein to help your body build new muscle tissue, and repair the muscle that has been damaged from exercise.

For best results, you will want to have protein rich food right after you exercise, so that the protein begins to work on your muscle tissue immediately. You can take some muscle building foods with you to the gym, so that as soon as you are done with your weight training, you can have your protein.

Carbohydrates

While you may be trying to avoid carbohydrates because of their reported sugar content, muscle building foods like whole wheat and fruit can help the protein in your body work more effectively. While you won’t want to load up on white bread or pasta, the whole wheat version of any food will work great to help you build more muscle. The best foods are easy to carry, so that you can have them right after your workout with the protein food that you have chosen.

You can also choose muscle building foods that contain both protein and carbs, so that you aren’t stuck snacking for fifteen minutes after your weight training. Good choices for getting both protein and carbs include yogurt and natural peanut butter on whole wheat bread.

How Much Do I Need?

Most people need about 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to successfully build new muscle, but your personal needs may be a little higher or lower depending on your personal needs. Muscle building foods, such as carbs, also need to be monitored to make sure that they are effective in helping you build more muscle.

For example, you need about one gram of a protein rich food for each three grams of carbs that you have. Making your food choices ahead of time will help you choose the most effective muscle building foods for your body, so that you aren’t left wondering why you aren’t gaining the muscle that you have worked so hard to get.

Other Foods

All healthy diets need a balance of foods, and the vitamins in fruits and vegetables are an excellent choice for muscle building foods. The main thing that you will want to limit is your intake of fats, but even these have a place in healthy diet.