Good Nutrition = BIG Muscles

[buckman]

Hey guys, I was just wondering if anyone has any advice for someone who wants to get a bit bigger...i know nutrition is a big part of growing muscle, so if anyone has any tips for foods and snacks that will help muscle growth, i'd really appreciate it!

I know that turkey and chicken (mainly turkey) is a real good source of protein without much fat, and that hard-boiled eggs make a good snack (or at least the egg whites do). I'm not looking for a detailed diet from anyone, but any suggestions as to what is good to eat and what will make any muscle development great would really be appreciated.

Thanks!

[inflated]

Drew is right, stay away from high fructose corn syrup, in fact stay away from the middle aisles of your grocery store there is not much real food there. The perimeter is where the meat, the eggs, the fish, the fresh vegetables are that is the food worth eating. Most of the other junk is processed, sugary, starchy junk. Eat the entire egg, buy a whole chicken and roast it--delicious, in order to eat healthy it has to be enjoyable as well or you will find yourself eating junk. The organic whole milk is better, although its more expensive, but it does not go bad as easily. Most of the yogurts are loaded with sugar and crap---buy a larger tub of non-flavored yogurt and flavor it yourself with fresh fruit. It has become increasingly difficult to find real food in a grocery store and not everyone can shop at whole foods. One simple rule---the less processed it is the better it is--its almost always true with very few exceptions. The only exception I know are that cooked carrots have more nutrition than raw carrots.

[buckman]

awesome, thanks! I have been basically eating healthy for a couple of years now, so i already stay away from processed foods as much as i can..but all the info is great, thanks!! Of course ill still appreciate any more help! lol, my biggest problem is that i dunno what to eat to gain muscle mass, but this is all a good start, thanks!

Your body's nutritional needs change throughout your life. Includes a variety of foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats in your daily routine.

[Seng Stewart]

I heard of something called a caveman diet or what is known as the Paleolithic diet where it consist of what prehistoric caveman would eat such as meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits and nuts. Apparently, it has shown results to reduce total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, small sized LDL, triglycerides and large HDL. Do give it some consideration.

[FRNKPBDY]

I've found the best thing to do when you want to bulk up is eating a diet that's got the right balance of good carbs--oats, whole wheat--carbs that break down slowly and making sure the calories you're consuming are balanced by the energy you're expending. Otherwise, you'll also be building fat stores. Cardio is a dirty word in my book because I hate doing it, but it keeps your metabolism primed. You also want to make sure you're taking in enough fluids--water is best--to keep well hydrated. Remember, our bodies are almost 98 percent water. If you want muscle, you'll want and need water.

Next, protein, protein, protein. You can't build quality muscle without a good source of protein. That means you'll want protein from a variety of sources, beef, chicken, fish, dairy and nuts. When you shop for food, not only do you want to go to the meat counter--make sure the meat you buy is lean, but you'll also want to pick up yogurt, milk and cottage cheese--sounds disgusting, but it's LOADED with protein! Finally, be sure to stop in for some nuts. Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts. Some times you feel like a nut and if you're a bodybuilder you will. It's best to get unsalted nuts but definitely don't get a can of honey roasted peanuts and think that's the ticket! A quarter cup of unsalted peanuts has nine grams of muscle building protein!! Let's not forget eggs!! There are 13 grams of protein per 100 grams per serving. If you don't like eggs, you can always buy frozen egg whites. You can mix the whites into all sorts of other foods or make them into shakes!! MMMMM protein!

Next trick is upping your portion sizes. If you want muscle, you need to eat like you do. When you plan your meals, if you usually have one chicken breast, make it two! If you think skipping a meal or two or three will be OK, DON'T. Trust me it'll only mean your body will start cannibalizing itself. Who wants that? You'll also want to eat seven to eight small meals throughout the day. You have to remember also that right after you work out, you're muscles are screaming at you to feed them, so go ahead and do just that.
Lot's of people time taking a protein powder shake right after they hit the weights. This is because their muscles are all set to consume that muscle building protein to get big and strong, so don't disappoint them!!

These are just a few tips. Hope you found them helpful and somewhat entertaining.

Frank