So the time has come where you have decided to bulk up that body you have been ignoring up to now. A logical question to consider prior to beginning any weight training regimen is, What do I eat ? You want foods to build muscle.
For the most part weight lifters need a higher calorie intake then the average person. This being said, these must for the most part, be nutritional calories. Not those found in your typical peanut butter cup.
First of all you need to realize the different organic and biochemical compounds found in food. Primarily these are protein and carbohydrates commonly referred to as “Carbs”.
Protein interacts directly with muscles. Protein needs to be consumed all during the day, but especially right before and after your workouts. It is also normally suggested that you ingest it prior to going to sleep for the night. Good sources of protein allowing food to build muscle are, chicken, fish, beef, turkey, pork, eggs and dairy items. You should also look into certain beans, nuts, lentils and seeds as many of these have a high protein count. You may also be interested in Whey protein since this can also be a very beneficial source as well. However this is somewhat off the point of foods to build muscle, being that Whey is found in protein supplements and not part of the natural food chain per se. There is a variety of opinions when it comes to the amount of protein to be taken each day. These vary from one to two grams.
Carbohydrates is the other area one must consider when choosing muscle building foods. Carbs are all about energy. They also produce insulin that in turn promotes protein synthesis. So you can see how these two items interact within the body building process. Insulin is almost steroid like in its effect on muscle. It is safe to say carbohydrates are a mandatory commodity when adding muscle mass. Sources of carbohydrates are, cereals, bran, rice, beans, potato, bread, pastas, beans and rice. It is recommended you get a minimum of fifty per cent up to seventy five per cent of your energy from carbohydrates each day.
When considering foods to build muscle you must consider of course the quantities and the calories consumed to balance your diet.
Body builders usually prefer eating five to seven meals a day. These should be at regular intervals ( every two to three hours ). This will serve two purposes. Not eating too much during the ” cutting ” phase and allowing for a higher caloric intake of foods while in the ” bulking” period.
Other specific foods to build muscle not previously listed includes as “Popeye” will tell you, spinach and speaking of “Popeye”, olive oil is another. These along with sun flower seeds, venison, natural yogurt and wheat germ all will benefit muscle growth.
Lastly, don’t forget along with the foods to build muscle you drink plenty of water during the course of the day. Even a small amount of coffee, especially prior to your workout is said to improve endurance and ease muscle pain.