Muscle Building Foods That Assist You Gain Muscle and Lose Body Fat

I am not someone who necessarily believes in making a top 10 muscle building foods list. I will say, though, that there ARE certain foods you should be eating, and certain TIMES you should do so. It isn’t simply just the food you eat that adds to building muscle, it is when you eat those foods as well. Also, building muscle isn’t just about getting high quality protein sources, carbs and fats play into the muscle building equation as well.

For starters, let’s examine a few musclebuilding foods you’ll want in your home.

Yogurt: This is a dairy product that many people eat and enjoy. Yogurt has many benefits. It’s a food that allows the body’s digestive system to work properly and efficiently. But it is also a tremendous source of protein for your body. If I were making a must-have list of muscle building foods, this would definitely be on my list. Whether with fresh blueberries, strawberries, or such, it’s GREAT for breakfast. It even makes a healthy snack alternative if you “just gotta have” something late at night. Love ice cream? Yogurt has that same cool temperature and smooth texture.

Eggs: Eggs have the highest protein digestion rating of any natural protein source. Eggs are simply one of those muscle building foods you NEED! Get tired of cooking up protein meals? Omelets are a quick and simple way to infuse more protein into your diet. Take half a dozen eggs and slip them into a bowl. Whisk them into a frenzy. Throw in some sweet or hot peppers, onions, or even some broccoli is good. Eggs are packed with protein and not much fat at all. They’re a great building block for the rest of your diet. Eggs provide just enough fat so that you can stave off your hunger and keep those nasty blood sugar spikes away.

Chicken Breasts: I could put steak here or any other meat, but chicken is the best in the meat category of muscle building foods. For one thing, boneless skinless chicken can be incorporated into SO MANY different meals, you really can’t afford NOT to have it on hand. One of my favorite things to make is chicken fajitas. For all-around muscle building foods, this Mexican favorite has EVERYTHING you need.

Rice, Potatoes, and Yams: Surprised to see these listed here? Lots of people have thrown carbs under the bus in the news recently. What people forget is that carbs such as these have a protein sparring effect. Your body will burn protein for energy instead of building muscle if you don’t eat carbs. This means you’re spending WAY more money on protein just for daily energy, when that’s the carb’s job! Carbs are especially crucial for naturally skinny hard gainers. I always recommend that guys who fit this description to increase their carb intake dramatically when they are trying to gain muscle.

Eat Simple Carbs and Fat Free Meals Right After Training

Basically, post-workout is the time for carbs that break down quickly. Avoid anything containing fat in the food or drink you ingest right after training. You want the muscle to quickly absorb the nutrients during this period of time and fat will slow down this process.

Add Fat to All Other Meals or Snacks

Consume moderate amounts of fat throughout the day, NOT following your workout. With the swift breakdown of nutrients from nonfat foods, however, there is one downfall to be mindful of. Your system can take in more nutrient than can be processed. So then your blood sugar rises and drops. This isn’t good for your dieting efforts overall. Proper fat intake at proper times of the day can help you avoid this. This fat will help you slow your absorption rate and you won’t have that spike and crash you will get otherwise.

Of course, WAY too many musclebuilding foods – really GOOD ones – exist to list them all, but this will certainly get you off on the right path!