Category Archives: Nutrition

Muscle Development Foods

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Muscle-Development-Foods

Chicken

Chicken is the poster for muscle-building food. A nice, lean 100-gram slab of this white meat will fill you with a hearty serving of 31 grams of protein with only 4 grams of fat.

Fish

Yielding around 25 grams of protein per 100-gram serving. Salmon is loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin D, fish, such as tuna or salmon, are simply the best.

Soy

As one of the few plant sources that provide complete protein, soy packs its protein in style. Just one cup of cooked soybeans contains over 20 grams of amino acids. Soy is also stacked with other important vitamins and minerals, making this meat alternative one of the healthiest muscle-building foods around.

Cottage Cheese

Just 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese packs a whopping 14 grams of protein in only 80 calories with less than 2 grams of fat.

Quinoa

It contains all nine of the essential amino acids. This gluten-free food is also easy to digest and is high in fibre magnesium and iron.

Almonds

1/4 cup of almonds contains nearly 8 grams of protein. Almonds are also an excellent source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and magnesium. Magnesium is an abundant mineral that’s used in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body and is specifically known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Oysters

100 grams of cooked Pacific oysters yield upward of 20 grams of protein with only 5 grams of fat. Oysters also provide more zinc than any other food. Like magnesium, zinc is another mineral that’s essential for protein synthesis, making oysters a top food for muscle growth.

Lean ground beef

100 grams of lean ground beef contain upward of 27 grams of protein. Although such a serving also contains 11 grams of fat and around 200-plus calories, what separates beef from its other meat competitors are all the additional vitamins and minerals it contains. Beef is teeming with vitamin B12, zinc and iron all of which are important for muscle growth and development.

Eggs

Each egg comes loaded with around 5 to 6 grams of protein at the very low caloric cost of only 60 calories. Egg protein is considered to be the most readily utilizable protein with the highest biological value of any whole food. This means that the protein in eggs is used most efficiently for muscular growth.

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Great Pre-Workout Meals

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Pre-Workout-Meals

Pasta

Although many have written off pasta due to the anti-carb trend, it remains a great source of complex carbs, which help increase stored energy (glycogen) in the muscles. When your glycogen stores are depleted, your body starts relying on anaerobic metabolism for energy, which makes your workout much more difficult. Stick to whole-wheat pasta and keep your portions small or allow two to three hours for digestion before your workout.

Almonds

The monounsaturated fats found in almonds and other nuts provide energy-boosting essential fatty acids such as omega-3s and omega-6s. The fats you should be avoiding before exercising are saturated ones like cheese and butter, which will make you tired and lethargic.

Lentils

Lentils are a great source of carbs, protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, and copper. They will provide you with a great pre-workout energy boost and they’re also low in fat and calories, so they make for a great all-around snack.

Yogurt

The magnesium in yogurt can give you an energy kick for your workout as it activates enzymes that are involved in the metabolism of protein and carbs. It also provides the explosive source of energy used for lifting weights. Therefore, yogurt is a good choice before both cardio and weightlifting sessions.

Oatmeal

Since oats are full of fiber, they are low on the glycemic index. Therefore, the carbs are released into your bloodstream gradually, keeping your energy levels constant during your workout. They also contain B vitamins, which are energizing, stress-lowering, and help to convert carbs into energy.

Carbohydrate Energy Gels

These convenient little gel packets provide a dose of concentrated carbs, roughly equivalent to half a bagel. As they don’t contain any protein, fat or fiber, energy gels are absorbed into your bloodstream faster and are much easier to digest than solid food. They are ideal for runners, and any other athletes that require quick bursts of energy to make it through high-intensity workouts.

Energy Bars

There are many types of energy bars out there. Some contain mostly protein, whereas others are composed largely of carbohydrates. In order to boost your energy before a workout, choose a bar that leans more toward carbs. Although bars may be a little more difficult to digest than gels, they have the added advantage of being packed with a balance of essential nutrients.

Bananas and other fruits

Bananas are a very digestible form of carbohydrate. Furthermore, bananas are packed with potassium, which aids in maintaining proper nerve and muscle function. Since your body doesn’t store this nutrient for long periods, an intense workout is enough to make your potassium level drop. Apples, peaches, pineapples, and grapes are also good choices for an energizing snack.

*Note*

Pre-exercise meals should be mainly composed of “slow-burning” complex carbs, such as fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread, rice, pasta, and cereals. Given that they are your body’s main source of energy, 65% to 70% of the total calories of your pre-workout meal should come from carbs. Complex carbs take longer to convert to glucose, which will keep your blood sugar level consistent and prevent you from having an energy crash in the middle of your workout.

In addition, 15% of the total calories of your meal should come from protein. Because fat takes longer to digest, and therefore uses more energy than protein and carbs, it should be kept to a minimum immediately before a workout.

Avoid simple sugars, such as candy, in the hour before your workout. They can send your blood sugar level shooting down, leading to a severe drop in energy.

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Great Post Workout Meals

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Post-Workout-Meal

Here is a list of great post work out meals:

Toasted whole wheat bagel with almond butter

Whole-wheat bagels are dense in calories and complex carbs, while almond butter is chalk-full of essential minerals like potassium, an electrolyte responsible for maintaining muscle contractions. Although fats should generally be avoided following exercise (since they slow absorption of other nutrients), monounsaturated fats like those found in almond butter are helpful in maintaining testosterone, a hormone essential to protein synthesis.

Hummus on a whole-grain pita

Made from chickpeas, hummus is an excellent source of both protein and carbs. Combine with a whole-grain pita for a complete post-workout punch.

Fruit smoothie

Liquid meals are easily digested, quickly absorbed and, most of all, convenient. To get the most out of your smoothie, blend together some whey protein, yogurt, skim or soy milk, a few high-GI fruits, like mangos and melons, and some bananas for their plentiful potassium.

Cereal and skim milk

Whole-grain cereals are now loaded with protein, carbs, and other important vitamins and minerals while milk is an easily digestible and complete source of both casein and whey protein.

Tuna and whole-wheat crackers

Tuna and whole wheat crackers are another great post-workout snack for men on the move. Tuna is low in fat but packed with protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. On the flip side, crackers are a crunchy source of energizing carbs. If you can, skip the mayo and opt for some fresh lemon juice, olive oil and a little mustard instead.

Chicken stir-fry

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein and other important nutrients like niacin, a B vitamin essential to carbohydrate metabolism. And although brown rice is generally a healthier option than white, after a workout, you actually want to switch to foods with a high glycemic index (GI). These foods will replenish your muscles with glucose more rapidly, so try pairing your stir-fry with white rice instead of brown. Add steamed veggies for additional flavor and nutrients.

Egg white and spinach omelet

Egg protein is considered to be the most readily utilizable protein with the highest biological value of all whole foods. This means that the protein in eggs is used most efficiently for growth by the body. As one of the most alkaline foods, spinach is loaded with iron and phytoecdysteroids, a form of plant steroids which have recently been shown to speed human muscle growth. So mix up some egg whites, milk and spinach, and make yourself an omelet.

Salmon, mashed potatoes and salad

Like tuna, salmon is another nutritionally powerful fish packed full of protein and omega-3s. Pairing salmon with a side of mashed potatoes, which are high on the GI, will balance your fish with a hearty serving of glucose-giving carbs.

Dried fruits and nuts

You’ll get a healthy dose of protein from your nuts, plus you’ll get a quick injection of simple carbohydrates from your dried fruits. Simple carbs are easy to digest and will replenish your muscle glycogen quicker than complex carbs, making this simple snack a top post-workout food.

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