When I wanted to build muscle, I knew I had to lift weights in the gym and practice anabolic exercises. Yet, I wasn’t seeing the results that I wanted and I didn’t know why.
Then it hit me. There was one problem; I wasn’t eating the right foods to build muscle. After all, they say abs are made in the kitchen. I didn’t realize how true this saying was.
I’ve put together this list of the best foods for lean muscle building so that you don’t make the same mistakes as I did on your muscle building journey.
Best Food Sources to Build Lean Muscle
There’s a lot of food for lean muscle building out there that you can choose from. But I’ve taken the time to find you some of the best food sources, so you can achieve your fitness goals. Let’s have a look at some of them.
1
Eggs
I eat a lot of eggs. They’re affordable to buy, full of protein and a good source of minerals. It’s a versatile food; you can have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can even have them as a snack after workouts.
In particular, the amino acids in eggs may help you to build muscle. They contain all nine essential amino acids. In addition, there are B vitamins in eggs, which might help support energy production to ace your workouts.
2
Chicken
We all know that protein is key to building muscle. Well, the good news is that chicken can be an excellent source of quality protein. This is going to help your body repair and build muscle after a workout.
There are so many ways you can cook chicken to make it delicious, and the B vitamins it contains may be helpful for energy production. It’s also great for weight management, which will be important for lean muscle building.
One study found that a diet which includes eating chicken leads to fat loss. This may help your lean muscles to show.
3
Cottage Cheese
I know cottage cheese is maybe an acquired taste, but it’s definitely a good source of protein. There are around 28 grams in one cup, which can deliver the amino acids that your body needs to build muscle.
But what makes cottage cheese great is that it has casein protein, which is a slow-digesting protein. This means that it can be eaten before you go to bed, to help your muscles recover while you sleep, with the delivery of amino acids. It can also help to prevent catabolism, or muscle breakdown, during the night.
4
Organic Milk
Next up we have organic milk. This is going to deliver a good mixture of carbohydrates for an energy boost and protein for muscle building.
It’s said that organic milk has around 70 percent more omega 3 fatty acids than ordinary milk. These omega 3 fatty acids may help promote cardiovascular health, as well as muscle growth.
In particular, milk contains whey and casein protein. This means that you have fast digesting proteins and slow digesting proteins getting to work to fuel your muscles and help them repair.
One study found that drinking milk after you have completed resistance training can help you to build lean muscle. In fact, it may be even better than soy protein.
5
Apples
Sometimes it can be hard to choose the right snack to eat before you hit the gym. Well, you can quit worrying: grab an apple before you go.
This is a great choice to have since it’s got a lower glycemic index, which is the relative increase of the blood sugar level two hours after consumption of that food, than a lot of other fruits out there. This may help give you some energy to help with your training.
What’s more, the ursolic acid that’s found in apple peel may help to increase fat burning and allow your muscles to show. It may even help fight against muscle atrophy and promote muscle growth. It’s suggested that the polyphenols contained in apples can help to increase muscle strength too.
6
Watermelon
Training with high volume is an essential key to build muscle. Watermelon is known to have high levels of citrulline; which is a major pumping agent. So having a slice of watermelon before your training will increase the muscle pump during your workout. This, in turn, will help you push through higher volume of sets and repetitions.
Watermelon is also low in calories and high in vitamin A; which is an antioxidant that helps fighting cell damage.
7
Beef
To build lean muscle, you’ve got to get enough protein into your diet. So, a good way to do this is by eating beef from grass-fed cattle. When you consume lean beef and practice weight training, research shows you can increase lean mass.
Beef is known to be a source of lots of good B vitamins, as well as creatine. This is a substance that is linked to improving training adaptations and your performance in the gym. This is definitely something that you would want, right?
8
Brown Rice
When it comes to building lean muscle, you still need to have enough carbohydrates for the energy to work out and practice anabolic exercises in the gym too.
One of the best foods for sustainable energy is brown rice. This is a slow-digesting whole grain that’s going to give you energy throughout the day.
It’s been recommended to eat brown rice before your workout in order to benefit from this energy boost. This may help you to work harder in the gym and gain better results from your training.
9
Greek Yogurt
Do you want to increase your protein intake to help build lean muscle? Well, I recommended digging into some Greek yogurt. This is a better source of protein than normal yogurt, with about 17 grams of protein in one 170-gram tub.
It contains whey protein for some fast-hitting protein, as well as slow-digesting casein for a sustained protein source for some hours afterward. One study found that consuming whey and casein proteins may help you build more lean muscle combined with a resistance workout regime.
10
Quinoa
In order to build lean muscle, you’ve got to consume fuel for your workouts. A good way of doing this is to include quinoa in your meals. You can enjoy around 40 grams of carbohydrates in one cup, which is going to give you sustainable energy for the gym.
Quinoa also delivers protein, which can help your muscles repair. Don’t forget that this delicious food contains a great amount of magnesium too. This is a nutrient that’s important for regulating your muscle function and bones.
Takeaway
Once I started to incorporate a variety of food for lean muscle building into my diet, I soon noticed changes in my body. Finally, I started to see the lean muscle I’d been working so hard for in the gym over the last few months.
You may be surprised how much food can help to fuel your workout and help with recovery and building muscle. But it’s true food really can help you with lean muscle building. One of the best things you can do right now is think about your diet and how you can adapt it to suit your fitness goals. Just small changes can make a difference.
If you want to gain lean muscle, try combining some of the sources of carbohydrates I’ve mentioned with protein. For example, enjoy some lean beef with brown rice, or chicken with quinoa. Remember to fuel your body before and after the gym with healthy snacks, too.
Of course, don’t forget that food on its own won’t build lean muscle. You’ve got to work hard in the gym too.
