If you are currently looking to build muscle, it is without a doubt going to make a difference what types of foods you eat.
If you think you can gain pounds of muscle to your frame with a diet consisting of egg whites, vegetables, oatmeal, and fish oil caps, you are strongly mistaken.
While that may work great for those who are looking to lose fat mass, as far as muscle building is concerned, you will need a different protocol.
Focusing on foods that are higher in calories and aren’t entirely ‘clean’, is usually the best way to go if you want to experience noticeable results in a shorter time frame.
The reason I say not to eat entirely clean food is because it can get hard to pack in the calories necessary for weight gain if you only eat these types of foods.
That said, overall nutrition is still definitely important because regardless of whether or not you put on muscle, you still want to be healthy and have this muscle look good.
Therefore, the following foods are ‘musts’ when it comes to your diet program.
Raw, Mixed Nuts
Try not to focus on just a single type of nut as the nutritional profile will vary slightly from nut to nut. Overall though, nuts are a terrific source of high density energy, which will then mean more weight gain for you.
Fresh Berries
When it comes to choosing fruits, you really can’t be berries. Loaded with antioxidants, they are going to really help keep your immune system fully functional, which then means you will not have to worry about missing gym time due to illness.
Avocados
In order to gain weight that’s good quality, you’ll need to be eating your share of healthy fat. Avocados help make this possible and are great used in a variety of ways from being chopped into salads, added to veggie dishes, or created into a condiment.
Salmon
Getting in at least two servings of salmon is important because first, it will give your body the amino acids it needs to assemble new muscle tissue and secondly, because it has a high omega-3 fatty acid profile.
Lean Beef
While beef is normally avoided by those who are more focused on losing weight, it should be a mainstay in the diet of those who are trying to gain. Not only does it contain iron, which is necessary to transport oxygen to the muscle tissue, but it’s also a higher calorie source of protein than egg whites or chicken.
Broccoli
Yes, even when trying to gain weight you should still be eating your vegetables. Broccoli has a good amount of vitamin C in it, helping to further improve your immune system, along with many other essential vitamins and minerals.
So, be sure that your diet includes these items. You can be a little more creative when it comes to meals while trying to build muscle in comparison to losing fat, so definitely take advantage of this fact.
Source by Shannon Clark