My Five Go-To Foods to Build Muscle
Whether trying to build muscle or lose weight, there usually is a lot of conflicting noise about what you should be cooking and eating to achieve your goals. I have found that for my clients and me, keeping it simple has led to the most success.
The key is of course finding that balance between macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Having good staple foods in your diet makes monitoring and keeping that balance even easier. These are my five go-to foods that I recommend people incorporate into their eating to gain muscle.
- Chicken
For starters, who doesn’t like chicken? Chicken tends to be very lean and high in protein. It is considered a “complete protein” which means that it contains a decent amount of all nine essential amino acids necessary in the human diet. It is also quite easy to season and cook chicken differently which is always helpful to keep meals feel not so repetitive. A fair and similar substitute option would be lean turkey meat.
2. Eggs
What came first: the chicken or the egg? Doesn’t matter, they are both always on my grocery list! Eggs are high in protein and also are considered a “complete protein”. While eggs are high in cholesterol, this does not adversely affect cholesterol in most people’s blood. They also offer great calorie return for the weight of the food, being a great “go-to” food.
3. Beans
Here’s a statement you don’t hear everyday: beans are kind of awesome. I recommend all my clients incorporate them into their diets as they are a great way of hitting all of those macronutrients; high in protein and a good source of carbohydrates and fats. Beans are super high in fiber which is important in maintaining a proper insulin response. This helps your body absorb and use various nutrients which is crucial to build muscle.
4. Cottage Cheese
I know it is not everybody’s favorite but I encourage all of my clients to learn to love it. Cottage cheese is packed with slow-digesting protein, also known as casein, which helps aid muscle recovery long after you are finished eating. For those super serious about building muscle, it is a great thing to eat before going to sleep each night because of its casein can help reduce muscle breakdown. Cottage cheese is also full of riboflavin which helps metabolize all the protein within it. Your body cannot store riboflavin very long so replenishing it each day with foods high in it like cottage cheese is critical to build muscle.
5. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are an awesome source of carbohydrates and fiber. They offer both necessary complex and simple carbohydrates and have a small amount of protein in them as well. Sweet potatoes are also a lower glycemic-index food, which means they should sustain your energy as the food digests slower. They are full of potassium too which is crucial for those intensely training. On a day that you may have already consumed more fats than carbs and protein, sweet potatoes have no fat and are a fantastic way to hit your calorie goal.
…And that’s your grocery list! I am kidding, of course you should eat more than just these five items. However, when it comes to preparing food to reach fitness goals, it can be daunting so it is helpful to have staple foods that you can lean on and use to maintain that balance of macronutrients. There are plenty of creative ways to incorporate these foods into your diet too and if there are nutrients you still are lacking, there are some great supplement products available too.