In this blog post you’ll learn the best foods you should eat to build muscle.

I’m sure you’ve been there before. You want to bulk up. BUT…whenever you have done so in the past the only thing that seemed to bulk up was your belly line.

So stick around here to learn the exact foods you should eat to build solid muscle without putting on a lot of fat.

 

You can also watch the video about foods to build muscle here:

 

 

The Lean Bulk

To build muscle it’s best to be eating more calories than you’re burning.

That’s because you have to have the raw materials coming in to lean bulk.

If you’re trying to build a house you have to have the raw materials of concrete, wood and metal to do so.

The same thing with your body, you need to have the calories coming in to build muscle.

 

However, a mistake guys make when bulking is they overstuff themselves and eat in a 1,000 calorie surplus.

They may add muscle but they’re going to be also adding a lot of fat with it.

 

That’s where a lean bulk is best.

You only need to be in a small surplus of 300 to 500 calories to bulk up.

Going back to the house analogy. You don’t need enough raw materials to build a stadium if you’re only trying to build a house.

 

That’s why you have to know how many calories you’re consuming in a day.

Because if you don’t know how many calories you eat in a day you may end up eating wildly below or above what you need. In which case you may not gain muscle or gain too much fat, respectively.

So if you really want to do it right you have to be tracking your calories.

You can so with MyFitnessPal or what I use: LoseIt

Once you get into the rhythm of tracking, you’ll start to feel more confident in what you’re eating. Because it won’t be a guessing game anymore.

And you don’t have to track your calories forever. Keep it up if you’re committed to gaining muscle but do it at LEAST for two weeks so you get an understanding of how many calories you eat.

 

Top Food Groups To Help You Build Muscle

The top food group to help you build muscle is protein.

You have to be getting in enough protein to build muscle because that’s what muscle is…it’s proteins.

Studies show that 1 gram of protein per pound in body weight is more than enough.

I did a long scientific breakdown video of how much protein you need to build muscle; you can check that out here: https://youtu.be/LPCEKJQn2Wg

For example, if you weigh 180 pounds then 180 grams of protein is good.

 

The next food group you need to be getting plenty of is carbohydrates (carbs).

Carbs fuel you to kick ass in your workouts.

If you’re not getting enough carbs then you won’t feel energized to workout.

 

Next up: Veggies!

Guys often neglect veggies because they don’t see them as necessary but that’s a huge mistake. Because they come packed with micronutrients you need to help build muscle.

Building muscle requires enzymatic reactions. To make those reactions happen you need micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. Veggies are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

It’s like trying to build a house by yourself versus having multiple people help you.

 

Top List of Foods To Help You Build Muscle

Protein

The best sources of protein are going to be from complete protein sources.

Complete protein sources have all the essential amino acids your body needs to build muscle effectively.

Specifically foods like:

  • chicken breast
  • chicken thighs
  • chicken drumsticks
  • ground turkey
  • turkey breast
  • ground beef
  • steak
  • tilapia
  • salmon
  • shrimp
  • scallops
  • tuna
  • mahi-mahi

 

Carbs

The best sources of carbs are going to be from whole food grown from the earth with minimal to no processing. The main groups for carbs are fruits and starchy carbs.

Fruits like:

  • bananas
  • blueberries
  • raspberries
  • strawberries
  • apples
  • kiwis
  • pineapple
  • watermelon
  • mangos

Fruits are quick digesting carb sources so they’re best used before you do a workout. Or when you want a sweet sugar hit.

Starchy Carbs

Another great source of carbs are starchy carbs.

These are foods like:

  • potatoes
  • rice
  • sweet potatoes
  • oatmeal
  • bread
  • wraps

These foods get a bad reputation because most people in America don’t exercise. And if you don’t exercise then yes these foods can make you fat.

But that’s not you because if you’re lean bulking you’ll have to be working out and weight lifting as well.

So eat up and enjoy!

 

Wrapping Up

If you want to feel more confident and masculine in your body then one way of doing that is through adding muscle.

To add muscle you have to bulk up. If you want to bulk without adding too much fat then you have to lean bulk.

To lean bulk you have to be in a small surplus, don’t overdo it or else you’ll add too much fat.

 

If you’re struggling to put on muscle and feel confident in your body then reach out to me now to schedule your call to learn more about my coaching program.

 

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