MUSCLE GROWING FOOD LIST

When thinking about bodybuilding, the first thing that comes to one's mind is weight lifting. Although the workout routine is an essential component in growing muscles, there are people who dedicate their life to physical exercises and they don't achieve the expected results. If you are one of them, you know how frustrating this can be. You exercise a lot, you have completely cut out sweets and junk food, but you are no step closer to the physical shape you desire. This might be because although you have given up junk food and sugar, you are still doing some dietary mistakes.


If your diet is not proper, your effort is totally in vain. I am sure you know which the bodybuilding foods are and that you have to eat protein, good fats and good carbs, but do you know exactly what to pick up from the supermarket in order to provide these nutrients to your body? It is important to choose foods that aren't going to offer bad fats or bad carbs besides the good nutrients because the positive impact will be cancelled by the negative effect.

Here's a list of bodybuilding foods that are going to only provide you what you need to grow your muscles harmonically and to sustain your physical effort.

1. Skinless chicken breast
2. Lean turkey
3. Egg and egg whites
4. Cod
5. Salmon
6. Pollock
7. Canned tuna
8. Lean beef
9. Fruits
10. Vegetables - the green ones are the most beneficial
11. Oatmeal
12. Brown rice
13. Whole wheat
14. Almonds
15. Avocados
16. Olive oil
17. Fish oil

By consuming the above mentioned foods, you will be able to ensure to your body protein from lean sources, good fats and good carbs. The main idea is that you have to stay away from bad fats and to avoid complex carbohydrates. You have notice that lean protein is welcomed, while protein from fatty sources is to be avoided. Fruits and vegetables can be consumed without any restriction because besides nutrients they also contain a high amount of fibers which are helpful in digesting foods and in eliminating toxins.

Stay away from fatty meat, bacon or farmed fish and completely forget about sweets, soda, ice cream, chips or candies. You can also forget about fried food and to start backing or boiling it. Butter and margarine are unhealthy fat sources as well as some oils. Once you truly understand which the bodybuilding foods are, your workout routine will start to produce visible results and your frustration will vanish.

Read More

Bodybuilding Diet Foods

Most important of  bodybuilding is proper diet. It is very important to eat a healthy and nutritious diet to build muscle and to achieve your goal of gaining or losing weight. Bodybuilding diet should contain all the essential ingredients such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins as well as some amount of fats.
Foods rich in fibers like fruits etc should also be included in your diet to keep the system clean .
The  most important thing that you should keep in mind is that the food that you consume should be high in its nutrition content while being low in unsatured fat. 

• Protein- Protein is probably the most important ingredient of a bodybuilder’s diet as it is the building muscles.  Protein shakes help cover up the deficiency of protein in our daily diet.
• Eggs-The white part of the egg is the one of the best natural sources of protein. The yellow part, known as the yolk contains cholesterol and thus should be avoided.
• Carbohydrates- Carbohydrates provide the body with energy and therefore increase its capacity to workout. Oatmeal is a good source of carbohydrates.
• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables as they provide the body essential nutrients as well as fibers that  keeps the system clean and increase metabolism

Read More

How Often Should I Eat

People usually eat three major meals in a day i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner with  couple of snacks in between. But, those who want to gain weight, will have to change their eating plans. The best way to  gain weight is to eat 5-6 small meals in a day with 2 hours break in between each meal.
Eat maximum  fruits and vegetables because they contain vitamins , minerals and fibers and will help in the proper body functioning and  metabolism.
Consuming more calories does not mean that you should start eating junk food. There are plenty of foods that are rich in calories and nutrition which you can eat and stay away from junk foods

Read More

Diet and Nutrition

Diet and Nutrition  the most important part bodybuilding. You have to eat good to look good and if you want extra then eat great. You need protein, and you don’t need fat. Stay away from JUNK foods. Cookies,pizzas, chips, candy, chocolate, cake, fast food, fried food etc.  There is a healthy fat. This fat can be found in meat, nuts,fish and some oils such as flax seed oil.
People looking to build muscles often face problem of gaining weigt  and reducing weight, believe me, gaining weight is equally or even more difficult than loosing weight

Read More

FULL DAY DIET CHART

Without a proper weight training program, the body simply won’t grow big and strong.

You can say that weight training is responsible for lean, muscular growth. However, without a proper diet in place, the body would simply “fail” to grow.

Weight training is that element that gives your body a reason to grow while food is the catalyst that makes muscular growth possible.

For the hard working weight trainer, food serves to maintain and sustain the body during and after weight training sessions

Read More

10 Best diet rules for gaining muscles or burning fat

Rule #1: Consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily

Protein provides amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle protein. Although mainstream nutritional guidelines recommend less than half a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight for the average guy, research shows that athletes – especially those concerned with adding muscle mass and strength – need to roughly double that amount. Beginners should try to get in about 1.5 grams per pound per day for the first six months of training, since this is when your muscles will respond most rapidly. For the 180-pounder, this means 270 grams per day at the outset and a bare minimum of 180 grams daily thereafter.
Your protein choices should be mainly animal proteins such as beef, chicken, dairy, eggs, fish and turkey. These are the most complete protein sources, meaning they provide your body with the essential amino acids it can’t manufacture on its own.

Rule #2: Get 20%-30% of daily calories from fat

Get this in your head: Fat is not your enemy, especially if you train seriously Research shows that diets higher in fat (particularly monounsaturated and saturated) appear to maintain testosterone levels better than low-fat diets. Maintaining optimal test levels is paramount for building muscle mass and strength, and avoiding fat gain. And unlike the sedentary general population who are advised to reduce their saturated fat intake, 5%-10% of your fat calories should be from sat fat.
Choose red meats such as ground beef and steak for saturated fat (these also provide quality protein); avocados, flaxseed oil, mixed nuts, olives, olive oil and peanut butter for monounsaturated fats; and fatty fish (catfish, salmon, trout) and walnuts as good sources of essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fats.

Rule #3: Consume 20 calories per pound of bodyweight daily

To gain quality mass, you must stay in a positive calorie balance (taking in more calories than you burn). If you burn more calories than you consume, your body will go into conservation mode and won’t support new muscle growth. Consuming 20 calories per pound means roughly 3,600 calories daily for a 180-pounder. At least 20% and up to 30% of these calories should come from protein, 40%-60% from carbohydrates and the rest from fat.

Rule #4: Consume the right amount of carbs for your goals

While protein is the most critical macronutrient for hypertrophy, carbs are a close second. They’re stored in your muscles as glycogen, keep them full and large, and fuel them during workouts. If you’re trying to seriously bulk up, consume 2-3 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight, or 360-540 grams per day for the 180-pound man. To maintain your size but fuel intense workouts and improve conditioning, take in 1-2 grams per pound. For fat loss, eat 0.5-1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight.
For most meals, stick with slow-digesting carbs such as beans, fruit, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, vegetables and whole grains. (For other times of day, see Rule # 5.)

Rule #5: Eat the right carbs around workouts

As stated in Rule # 4, most meals should contain slower-burning carbs. This rule also pertains to your preworkout meal. Research shows that when athletes eat slower-digesting carbs, they not only have more energy and less fatigue during exercise but also burn more fat during training and experience less hunger throughout the day. In the 30-minute preworkout window, eat slow carbs in the form of fruit, oatmeal or whole-grain bread along with your protein shake.
The meal you have immediately postworkout, however, should consist mainly of fast-digesting carbs such as a plain bagel, baked potato, sports drink (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.) or white bread along with some protein. This will spike levels of the anabolic hormone insulin, which drives carbs into muscle cells to be stored as glycogen and used during your next workout. Insulin also helps amino acids get to muscles to build muscle protein. Normally, you want to keep insulin levels in check for a variety of health reasons, but immediately following a hard training session is one time when an insulin spike is desirable.

Rule #6: Drink a shake pre-and postworkout

Protein shakes are often considered supplements, but we like to think of them as important meals to be consumed at critical times of day. While your diet should consist mostly of unprocessed, whole foods, a protein shake can sometimes be a better option. One such time is 30 minutes before your workout. To prepare your muscles for the ensuing training session as well as get a head start on the muscle-recovery process, drink a shake with 20 grams of protein (either whey or a mix of whey and casein) along with about 40 grams of a slower-digesting carbohydrate (see Rule # 5). Then, in the 30-minute postworkout window, drink another 20-40 grams of liquid protein (mix in water for convenience) and 60-100 grams of faster-digesting carbs.

Rule #7: Eat every 2-3 hours

Eating throughout the day helps you both gain mass and stay lean by ensuring there’s a steady supply of energy and amino acids fueling your muscles. The key is to keep every meal about the same size. If you pig out with a 1,200-calorie lunch, you’ll be less likely to eat 2-3 hours later and could gain the wrong kind of weight, since excess calories are often stored as bodyfat. Aim for at least six meals per day and up to eight, which for the 180-pounder would mean roughly 500-600 calories per meal.

Rule #8: Eat before bedtime

When you sleep, you essentially fast for 7-9 hours. With no food available, the body turns to your muscle fibers for amino acids, which isn’t a good thing for the guy looking to get bigger and leaner. The answer isn’t to sleep less but rather eat the proper foods right before bed.
Slow-digesting proteins and healthy fats are your best bet because they help slow digestion and provide a steady supply of amino acids, thereby minimizing the body’s tendency to break down muscle. Casein, the major protein in milk, is a good option – either from a protein shake or cottage cheese. Before bed every night, consume 30-40 grams of casein protein in a shake (look for micellar casein) or 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese plus 2-3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil or peanut butter, or 2 ounces of mixed nuts.

Rule #9: Add 5-10 grams of BCAAs to your protein shakes

Branched-chain amino acids include isoleucine, leucine and valine. While leucine is the MVP for instigating muscle growth, all three work as a team to provide more energy, strength and muscle size, and even curtail fat gain. BCAAs boost energy levels during workouts because they’re used directly by muscles for energy and they prevent the brain from recognizing fatigue.

Rule # 10: Add 2-5 grams of creatine to your pre-and postworkout shakes

One of the most effective supplements you can purchase is creatine. Many scientists, doctors and nutritionists agree that creatine works very well for most athletes, regardless of age, gender or race. Hundreds of studies show that creatine is not only highly effective but also completely safe. Taking it can help you gain up to 10 pounds of lean muscle and boost your strength in the gym by 10% in just a few weeks with zero side effects.

Read More

How Much Protein Should I Eat in a Day?

Hardcore bodybuilders, powerlifters, and other weightlifters eat a ton of protein in a day. OK, they don’t eat a “ton”, but they do eat more than the average person.
Just now much protein do they eat?
How much protein do you eat?
How much protein is appropriate?
Can we eat too much protein?
If so, what are the side effects?
The ultimate question is: how much protein should I eat in a day?
As with how much fat to eat in a day and how many carbs to eat in a day, it all depends on a couple factors:

• age
• body size
• diet
• activity level
• lifestyle

The recommended amount of protein for a healthy adult is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Since a kilogram is roughly equal to 2.2 pounds, that translates into .36 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
An exception to this rule is the recommended levels for pregnant women, which say that pregnant women should eat 10 grams more each day than the recommended amount. Lactating women require an additional 15 grams of protein during the first six months of nursing, and an additional 12 grams after that.
I firmly believe that this recommendation is grossly inadequate. In fact I wouldn’t recommend any less than .8 grams of protein per pound (rather than per kilogram) of body weight, for people looking to maintain a healthy body composition, and I wouldn’t recommend any less than 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight for people looking to gain muscle.
Males who participate in regular vigorous exercise typically will eat from 1 to 1.5 gram of protein per pound of body weight. This can be both positive and negative for the body. The additional protein will assist in muscle recovery and fat loss, but the effects of digesting the protein will place additional stress on the body.

Why Should I Limit My Protein Intake?

While protein is as vital to cellular metabolism as oxygen, there certainly lies a threshold for healthy and unhealthy consumption levels especially for those in poorer health. Processing protein requires a lot from kidneys and liver which is why those with problems with either of those organs are often ordered by their physicians to eat a lower protein diet.
An indirect drawback from excessive animal protein consumption is its effect on the cardiovascular system. Since many meats contain a fair amount of saturated fat, this can lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, as well as obesity.
For example, only 25% of a T-bone steak’s calories come from protein while the rest comes from saturated fat. Even a leaner cut of beef like a flank steak is still roughly 50% fat. The same holds true for eggs. Only 31% of eggs’ calories come from protein. Fish and chicken are certainly better sources of protein.
Remember when eating a diet higher in protein to drink plenty of water in order to replenish the considerable amount lost during protein metabolism. Try and stay on the safe side by avoiding extreme high-protein diets full of saturated fats like the ketogenic diets (Atkins) and you will be in much better physical standing.

To Gain Muscle:

I recommend 1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass for males and females who exercise at least 3 times per week and are trying to gain muscle mass.
A 200 lb man with 10% bodyfat would aim to consume about 180 grams of protein in a day. That’s 6 meals with an average of 30 grams of protein per meal, and THAT, my friends, is quite doable.

et Some!

If you have trouble consuming that much protein with food alone, I highly suggest you pick up some Optimum Nutrition Protein Powders, a source of inexpensive, high quality protein. One extra protein shake a day could make all the difference in the world.

To Lose Fat:

I recommend .8 grams of protein per lb of lean body mass for males and females who exercise at least 3 times per week and are trying to lose body fat.
A 150 lb woman with 25% bodyfat would aim to consume about 90 grams of protein in a day. That’s 3 meals with 20 grams of protein per meal and 3 snacks with 10 grams of protein, and THAT, my friends, is also very doable.
More importantly, keeping your unhealthy fat consumption and processed carbohydrate consumption low, will go a long way to preserve your health for the long haul

Read More

20 Foods you can Mix With your Protein Powder for better taste

Athletes always need more protein. If you aren’t sure how much you need, read about how much protein you should eat. Or maybe you would rather skip straight to protein shake recipes. If not, read on…

Optimum Nutrition

The problem with most protein powders is that they taste like cardboard. I found a company called Optimum Nutrition that puts out some great inexpensive protein powder. I haven’t really bought anything else in several years now. Optimum Nutrition protein powder tastes pretty good, but we can still realize a ton of benefits by learning to mix it with some of the other healthiest foods.

My Top 21 Favorite Foods to Mix with Protein Powder

1. Milk - Just use milk instead of water for more flavor, more thickness, and more calories. Try goat’s milk for an extra health kick.
2. Cream - Use instead of milk or water for way more flavor and calories.
3. Fruit - Blend it up and it’s called a fruit smoothie. Try strawberries and bananas. Add fruit to just about all of these other recipes. Fruit adds vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants so don’t hesitate to add it to anything.
4. Nuts - Mix or blend with walnuts, almonds, pecans, and sunflower seeds. Adds healthy fats and a nutty aftertaste to everything. You could probably use peanuts too, but honestly peanuts aren’t that great for you.
5. All Natural Peanut Butter – Use peanut butter to make Peanut Butter Protein Balls using this recipe. These are so good.
6. Oatmeal - Make strawberry or chocolate protein oatmeal for a high fiber breakfast. I have also added 1/4 cup of raw oatmeal to a plain chocolate protein shake.
7. Cereal - Cereal is generally not too good for you unless you’re eating something like Total or Special K, Grapenuts, or Kashi; and that’s exactly what I’m recommending here. Add a scoop or two of protein powder to your healthy cereal… it’s perfect because it already has milk!
8. Cottage Cheese – Just use 1/4 cup of protein powder at the most and add a few drops of water if it gets too thick. Read a post all about cottage cheese recipes. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
9. Pancakes - Everyone that’s been reading this blog for a while knows about protein pancakes. Just add 1/2 a scoop to the mix and a little water to thin it out. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
10. Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt – Blend together for a weight gainer treat. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
11. Dessert Mix – For more junk food, mix the protein powder with brownie mix, cookie mix, or any sort of dessert bread or loaf.
12. Pudding Mix – You can make protein pudding with just about any flavor of pudding or protein. You can choose low fat pudding or regular. Check out The Hulk Protein Shake for a swell pistachio flavored snack.
13. Apple Juice and Caramel Flavoring – Mix it with vanilla protein for a caramel apple dessert. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
14. Other Juices – You can also use pretty much any other juice or even Gatorade. Try orange juice, cranberry juice, and someone one recommended green Gatorade but I don’t know anything about it.
15. Yogurt - Particularly low-fat or non-fat yogurt mixed with fruit or vanilla flavored protein powder. Blend it with fruit for an even thicker fruit smoothie. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
16. Pasta Sauce – Or any other thick heavily flavored sauce. The catch is that it has to be unflavored protein powder.
17. Eggs and Egg Whites – Mix unflavored protein powder into any recipe that is primarily made with eggs. From what I understand, cooking the protein powder somewhat denatures the protein, making it less useful to your body, but it’s better than no protein at all. Fact: nearly all macronutrient enzymes are in some way compromised at heats in excess of 160 degrees C.
18. Mashed Potatoes – Once again you’ll need to use unflavored protein powder, but it will make you feel so much better about eating your mashed potatoes. Add a splash of milk or cream if the potatoes become too thick.
19. Sweeteners - Add any type of syrup if you don’t care about carbs, and add any type of artificial sweetener (I prefer Splenda) if you want to avoid sweetening your protein with sugar.
20. Coffee – The secret is to mix up a scoop of protein with milk, then add the milk concoction to your coffee

Read More