In order to build quality lean muscle, nutrition is vital. Many
people will put in a lot of hours at the gym only to not get the results they
want due to a poor diet. Your diet plays such an important role in the muscle
building process that bodybuilder’s believe it is the 80-20 rule, 80% diet and
20% exercise.
A diet designed for muscle growth should contain a mixture
high protein sources, complex carbohydrates and good fats such as omegas.
Protein plays the primary role in the muscle building process as it provides
the amino acids necessary to build muscle. Amino acids are the building blocks
of protein, which are essential to muscle growth.
I have put together a short list of my top three muscle
building foods that are affordable as well as being tried and tested.
Peanut Butter
That’s right, as delicious as peanut butter is, it can
provide you with the nutrition to build muscle. Peanut butter is an ideal
choice for bodybuilders in the off-season where most of the muscle is gained
for competition. This is because peanut butter is very calorie dense, contains
lots of goods fats and contains proteins. Nuts in general are very calorie dense
and help to provide the calories to fuel workouts and promote recovery. Many
people make the mistake of the thinking that all fats are bad for you. Most of
the fats in peanut butter are unsaturated and are essential to help with natural
testosterone production, which goes hand in hand with muscle development.
Oatmeal or porridge
Although
oats do not contain much in the way of protein, I have added them to the list
as they are the number one choice for breakfast by bodybuilders and athletes.
Carbohydrates can be broken down in to two categories, slow digesting and fast
digesting. If you are aiming to build a lean muscular physique, then you should
be staying away from fast digesting carbs. These are typically simple sugars
from things such as, candy, honey, soft drinks, sugary cereals, chocolate and
so on. These fast digesting carbs create an insulin spike, which in turns leads
to weight gain. Complex carbohydrates digest much slower and provide the body
with constant energy rather than a rush of energy like simple sugars. When fuelling
workouts it is important to consume complex carbohydrates, especially in the morning,
as this will put you in good stead for the day and your workout. Another bonus
of oats is the price, you can pay as little as £1.99 for a 2kg bag. A
bodybuilders diet can get very expensive so it good to save money when you can.
Eat a bowl for breakfast or mix them in with your post workout shake. It is
often said that oats for breakfast is the cornerstone of a muscle building
diet.
Protein Shakes
This
may be a bit of an obvious choice but a protein shake, in particular a Whey protein shake
can
help yield fantastic results for muscle growth. When we train a muscle group
for growth, we are actually breaking down the muscle fibres. After this the
muscle fibres repair themselves, becoming bigger and stronger providing that
the correct nutrition is in place. During the hour after exercise is when fuelling
your muscles with amino acids is particularly important for the best results.
Whey protein is one of the fastest digesting proteins there is, which is why it
is an ideal choice for your post workout shake. Taking a protein shake straight
after a workout allows the muscles to be flushed with muscle building amino
acids and will kick start muscle growth.
These three foods are a stable part of my diet. I also
include various other meats and fish. Remember, diet is the key to getting
results so take the time to prepare your food and the results will follow.
