You are training really hard each day, lifting heavy weights, sweating it up with a cardio. Is that all you need? Certainly, not! For you to lose excess fat and build muscle, you need something extra. If you want to build lean muscles, your diet should comprise of foods that can help you lose fat. But, the question is how is it necessary? Well, the next few lines answer this question.
Let us say, you are working out for an hour each day. But, that still leaves you with 23 hours, during which, you can snack up on all the junk. Just one mistake like having a burger in lunch will make all your efforts go down the drain. Diet is a larger part of the equation. In other words, diet and nutrition are the make-or-break factors. Diet makes up around 65% of what it takes to get and be in shape.
Shed fat and at the same time, gain muscles with the following dietary intake:
- Include a gram of protein for every pound of body weight. For example, if you are weighing 90lbs., eat 90 gm of protein. If your protein intake is less, you will lose muscles. If you are controlling your diet and your intake of protein is high, you will be able to preserve lean mass. You can opt for high-quality proteins like poultry, egg whites and even protein supplements. The protein taken through foods eventually gets converted into muscle tissue.
- Eat sufficient calories to provide your body with necessary resources required to build the muscle.
Different foods contain different combinations of amino acids – building blocks of protein. Leucine is regarded as a very important amino acid for muscle building. A normal serving of meat contains around 2 gm of leucine. You can get 1.5 gm of protein from three eggs, a bowl of yogurt, fish and milk.
The following are some muscle-building foods that must be consumed in addition to regular workouts:
Beef:
It has high protein content, zinc, vitamin B and iron. This helps in shedding body fat and building muscles.
Beets:
It is a rich source of betaine – a naturally occurring compound. This nutrient not just helps support health of the liver and joints, but also used to boost muscle strength and power.
Brown Rice:
It is a whole grain that digests slowly and provides energy throughout the day and also while working out.
Oranges:
A great fruit that can be consumed before working out. It enhances muscle growth, endurance and strength.
Cantaloupe:
It can be taken first thing in the morning after a good, long night fast. It is one among the few fruits that can be taken post workout. It has less content of fructose and comprises a carbohydrate that digests fast.
Cottage Cheese:
It has high content of casein protein, so it is a good go-to option before bed. It is a slow-digesting protein, hence helps stave off catabolism while fasting during the night.
Eggs:
This is a no brainer. Eggs are known for their protein content, but it must be noted that it is not just the protein. It is also about the yolk, which contain cholesterol.
Milk (Organic):
Milk contains whey and casein and is rich in amino acid, glutamine. A point to be noted is that organic milk contains 70% more of omega-3 fatty acids as compared to conventional milk.
Quinoa:
It is a complete protein source. Additionally, it has a carbohydrate that digests slowly. Its consumption is associated with increased level of insulin-like growth factor 1. This factor is associated with building muscles and gaining strength.
Spinach:
It is a rich source of glutamine – an amino acid that helps in the growth of muscles.
Apples:
Polyphenols, present in apples, are known to increase the strength of muscles and forbid muscle fatigue, so that you can train harder and for a longer duration. A research has shown that these polyphenols boosts the process of burning of fat. So, it is advisable to have apples before your workout sessions.
Greek Yogurt:
The source of Greek yogurt is milk just like plain yogurt. However, Greek yogurt has more protein and less carbs than regular yogurt. Also, it a good enough source of casein protein.
Wheat Germ:
It is a rich source of iron, zinc, potassium, vitamin B and amino acids. It has a high protein content and contains a slow-digesting carbohydrate. One can have it before workouts.
Ezekiel Bread:
It is made out of organic sprouted grains. It is a complete protein source as it contains amino acids that cannot be produced by the body on its own and are much needed for muscle growth.
