From competitive weightlifters and other professional athletes to those who simply enjoy lifting weights in the gym, building stronger muscles and increasing muscle mass is a health goal many can relate to. No matter where you might start your own muscle-building journey, it’s important to stick to your routine, which means staying committed to not only your training but also the quality of their diet. What you eat it plays just as important a role as how you train, and getting the balance right is what will help you achieve your goal.
But when deciding what to include in your daily meal plans, how do you know which eating habits will best position you to make the most strides in your quest for stronger muscles? Jen Bruning, MS, RDN, LDNand spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, believes that the most crucial eating habit for building stronger muscles is consuming a balance of nutrients.
“A combination of foods that contain lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats should do a similarly good job of supporting and maintaining muscle mass,” says Bruning. “Give your body carbohydrates to work your muscles more rigorously, protein to build them, and healthy fats to support body movement and recovery.”
Stronger muscles thanks to the power of proteins
“protein they are one of the most important nutrients for muscle building, because muscles are built from the same amino acids that we get from eating high-protein foods,” says Bruning. “When we eat foods that contain protein, we digest protein into amino acids . “
amino acids are what Cleveland Clinic called “the building blocks of protein”. According to Bruning, our body absorbs amino acids and then puts them to work for your body in a variety of ways, including building and maintaining muscle. He also points out that protein even helps your body recovers after training when you eat within two hours of your exercise session.
“Day to day, using our muscles and eating lots of high-protein foods can build muscle,” says Bruning.
If your goal is to gain muscle, certain high-protein foods can help with muscle synthesis and mass growth. If your goal is to gain muscle, some high-protein foods can help with muscle synthesis. But this doesn’t mean you can go ahead and eat bacon all day, every day under the assumption that it provides you with the quality protein intake you need to increase your strength and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“Foods rich in plant and animal protein can make it easier to build lean muscle,” advises Bruning. “There may be a slight benefit to using animal sources, but plant-based sources will also help build muscle. Lean animal protein has the highest amount of protein per [ounce] food, in general.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
He also points out that it’s important to eat lean protein low in saturated fat when trying to build muscle strength. Examples of quality lean proteins include fish, poultry, and plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh. You can also eat some lean cuts of pork and beef, but always, of course, in moderation.
Lean protein may seem like the star of the show when it comes to building muscle and strength training. But a common misconception is that this nutrient is all you need to eat to gain muscle mass and increase strength. To support the entire body while building muscle, Bruning says balanced diets need enough protein rather than excessive amounts of this nutrient.
“It’s important to note that while protein is essential for building muscle, other nutrients are important to support the body as they do the work that helps build muscle,” explains Bruning.
Relying on protein alone could lead you to a dead end, but a well-balanced diet can provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to function effectively. So when you’re trying to build muscle, don’t forget to include healthy carbohydrates and fats as well.
How the Right Carbs Can Help You Build Stronger Muscles
As much as we weigh carbs with the mindset that they are all bad for youIt is essential to eat them for proper muscle development and add them to a balanced diet.
“While protein should be consumed as part of a balanced diet, allow nutrients like carbohydrates to help provide energy during training,” says Bruning.
carbohydrates are among the faster fuel sources for strength development and weight training. According to the Mayo Clinic“During a workout, carbohydrates fuel the brain and muscles. […] If you’re in good shape and want to fuel a daily light-intensity workout, eat 3 to 5 grams of carbs for every pound of body weight.”
But before you start eating box-full ziti for your workouts, make sure you’re consuming the right kind of carbs. Bruning suggests that whole grains are ideal for increasing muscle strength.
“Whole grains contain some protein, as well as B vitamins and iron,” she says. “B vitamins help build muscle, and iron carries oxygen in the bloodstream to muscle, so having enough iron helps muscles work more efficiently.”
Whole grains can even stress protein in the body. In a study published in Current Developments in Nutrition, researchers found that consuming 50 grams of whole grains per day helped promote greater protein turnover and improved net protein balance in adults. Some nutritious whole grain carbohydrates include whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, millet, and barley.
The role of healthy fats and antioxidants in increasing muscle strength
antioxidants are substances that can help protect your cells against free radicals. Too many free radicals can be difficult for your body to remove. regular, which can have a number of side effects, including protein disruption.
Much like the negative stigma around carbohydrates, fats as a whole are often overlooked and underappreciated when it comes to improving your health. Actually, not all fats are bad for your body. Although “healthy fats” may seem like an oxymoron, they are a good resource for muscle strength. some evidence It even suggests that consuming omega fatty acids could potentially amplify skeletal muscle anabolism, which is when the body naturally builds and repairs muscle tissue, depending on factors like how much protein you eat per day.
“Healthy fats and antioxidants can help with recovery,” says Bruning. “Omega-3s are a type of healthy fat that may play a role in muscle cell efficiency and muscle recovery,” says Bruning.
For some good sources of antioxidants, Bruning suggests consuming plant foods like colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and even coffee. And for healthy fats, try salmon or other fatty fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.
