Gaining lean muscle takes two things. Physical activity and nutrition. You need strength training workouts that build muscle, and proper food sources that include high-protein foods, as well as carbohydrates and healthy fats. The great thing about adding lean muscle is that you’re going to increase your metabolism, which burns body fat. And, muscle takes up less room than fat, while toning your body. But without proper nutrition, your muscle building progress will stall. Here are some foods that are great nutritional sources for gaining lean muscle.
Eggs – Eggs contain high-quality protein, healthy fats and other important nutrients like B vitamins and choline. And the proteins in eggs are made up of amino acids, including leucine, which is particularly important for muscle gain. If you want to avoid extra cholesterol, you may want to go with just egg whites, rather than whole eggs.
Chicken Breasts – One thing to look for is high-quality protein sources, and chicken breasts are one of the best. Loaded with protein, you get about 25 grams of protein with each 3 oz. serving. And, some research suggests that using chicken breasts as a protein source can help aid fat loss.
Salmon – Salmon is also a great source of lean, healthy protein. You get roughly 17 grams of protein per 3 oz. serving, plus 2 grams of healthy, omega-3 fatty acids, and a healthy dose of B Vitamins.
Greek Yogurt – Most yogurt you may be familiar with contains a huge dose of unhealthy sugar. But plain Greek yogurt not only avoids that, you also get a great mixture of fast-digesting whey protein, and slow-digesting casein protein. And, research is indicating that combining fast-and=slow digesting proteins can add lean muscle mass. And, Greek yogurt contains almost twice the protein as regular yogurt!
Cottage Cheese – One cup (which is about 225 grams) of cottage cheese has about 28 grams of protein. And, you also get a healthy dose of the muscle building amino acid leucine. This is a great muscle-building snack!
Beans – Popular varieties, such as black, pinto and kidney beans, contain around 15 grams of protein per cup (about 172 grams) of cooked beans. And, beans are an excellent fiber source, provide plenty of B vitamins, plus a good dose of important minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus and iron.
Lean Beef Jerky – Looking for a great, high-protein snack that’s great for when you’re on the go? Look at adding beef jerky to your diet plan. As most fat is removed from jerky during processing, you’re left with a high protein snack that can aid muscle growth.
And, diet alone won’t add muscle – you need strength training equipment for those muscle building workouts. At Fitness 4 Home Superstore, we carry a full range of strength training equipment that’s perfect for your home gym. Stop into any of our three Phoenix-area stores today!
