No matter if you’re skinny or big, if you want to build lean muscle by following a muscle building program, you’re going to have to eat. And eat quite a lot at that. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you’re allowed to start eating everything in sight, good or bad. It just means that you will have to get accustomed to eating more good stuff. Here are three foods you can eat more of that will give you an extra boost of protein to keep your muscles strong.
- Nuts and seeds
Walnuts, almonds, macadamias… any sort of lightly salted nut like these is a really easy way to sneak in your protein requirements for the day. Nuts contain a lot of good fats and oils, sort of like fish and omega-3 fatty acids. This is because nuts retain a lot of the fatty storage they kept as seeds to fuel the growth of the plant, which is then passed on to you when you digest them. Olive oil is simply ground up olive seeds. Having a handful of nuts once a day is delicious and simple way to up your protein intake for the day.
- Whey Protein Powder
Again, another easy way to supercharge your protein intake. Muscle builders are mad for this stuff, since it doesn’t require that they eat a lot of food to take it in. If you go to any nutritional fitness shop, they have protein powder in huge tubs, from 1-2 liters big. Take in 40-60 grams, 2 or 3 times a day and combined with some strenuous exercise will protect your body against muscle loss and promote better muscle repair. Mix it in thorougly with your milk before pouring it on your cereal in the morning, or blend it up in a fruit smoothie. It comes in different flavors as well.
- Eggs
Eggs are one of the most versatile legumes that exist today. They can be scambled, boiled, poached, fried, hard-boiled, made into an omelette… the list of ways you could cook them goes on. Although there is some concern with the fat content in the yolk of an egg, it’s an excellent source of raw energy that’s can be burnt readily before a workout. Braver souls might attempt to drink raw eggs for a quicker protein quick, but that takes some skill. Eating just a couple hard-boiled eggs every morning is not only easy to do, it will give you energy for the day and keep your muscles strong with the protein it supplies them.
Choosing to try incorporating one of these things into your diet is more than enough. Doing all three is really doing yourself a favor! No one said you had to eat a lot to get buff. You just have to eat properly.