Lean red meat like beef, pork, lamb, venison, bison, etc. Fish like tuna, salmon, swordfish, bass, trout, mackerel, etc. Poultry breast, from chicken, turkey, duck, etc. Eggs (including the yolks) Dairy like milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.

Soy Quinoa Buckwheat Chia Hempseed Beans or legumes with rice

1. 00: egg, whey, casein, soy protein 0. 9: beef, soybeans 0. 7: chickpeas, fruits, black beans, vegetables, other legumes 0. 5: cereals and derivatives, peanuts 0. 4: whole wheat

Carbs get an unfairly bad reputation from dieting guides. Because complex carbs are broken down slowly and have a low-glycemic index (not as much sugar), they are acceptable to eat after a workout, and especially in the morning at breakfast. Try to select carbohydrates low on the Glycemic Index, which are healthier and release their energy more slowly. Good examples are: Brown Basmati Rice Quinoa Rolled Oats Sweet Potato Wholemeal Rye Bread Wholemeal Spaghetti

Olive, peanut, sunflower, canola, and avocado oils Fish Nuts Flaxseed and pumpkin seeds Soy products such as tofu or soy milk

Ice cream, candy bars, and packaged snack foods High-fat cuts of meat Lard, stick margarine, and vegetable shortening Fried foods

Research suggests that replacing regular salt with potassium or magnesium salts can reduce sodium intake and may even lower blood pressure in those with high to normal blood pressure. [10] X Research source

Breakfast: whole egg omelet with turkey, whole grain toast, banana Pre-lunch snack: mixed nuts, apple Lunch: tuna salad with olive oil, onions and capers; sautéed kale Pre-workout snack: cottage cheese with blueberries Post-workout snack: protein shake (blend in greens like kale or spinach) Dinner: orange-soy chicken breast with quinoa; stir-fried carrots, onions, peas, and peppers

Breakfast: whole egg omelet with turkey, whole grain toast, banana Pre-lunch snack: mixed nuts, apple Lunch: tuna salad with olive oil, onions and capers; sautéed kale Pre-workout snack: cottage cheese with blueberries Post-workout snack: protein shake (blend in greens like kale or spinach) Dinner: orange-soy chicken breast with quinoa; stir-fried carrots, onions, peas, and peppers

Your maintenance calorie count is the number of calories you need to consume in an average day, with an average amount of energy output, to maintain your current body-weight. For most people with a healthy body-weight, this is around 2,000 calories. Men should surplus about 250 calories a day (bringing the total to 2,250), while women should surplus about 150 calories a day (bringing the total to 2,150). Over the course of a given week of muscle-building exercise and proper nutrition, this calorie increase should translate into roughly . 25 – . 5 pounds of muscle gained per week.

Get protein into your breakfast. Omelets, shakes (or smoothies) and cottage cheese are great sources of protein. Eat complex carbohydrates for breakfast. While simple carbohydrates such as sugar and donuts are broken down easily and cause a spike in your sugar levels, complex carbs (oatmeal, bran, beans, whole grains) are broken down over longer periods of time and don’t cause spikes in blood sugar.

Try eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, post workout, before bed (at least an hour before going to sleep) and slip in two snacks in between. Snacks can include everything from nuts and seeds to sides of veggies or fruit. If you’re trying to gain muscle and lose weight, skip the before-bed meal. Eating right before you go to bed will cause the body to convert any unmetabolized food into fat instead of energy or muscle. Your body’s metabolism shuts down right before bedtime.

If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, get a water filter for your sink. Buying a water filter is an economical way of converting your tap water into healthy, great-tasting water. Buy one and see your water consumption grow. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Keep a steady supply of water going into your body, so you won’t have to gulp or binge on water when you’re dehydrated, which risks upsetting your stomach during workouts.

To start, take whey before and after your workouts. Whey powder is the easiest, safest, and most effective way to start using muscle-building supplements. Available widely, whey powder is available in large quantities and easy to use. You can mix it into a shake that’s often available in a variety of flavors, and drink it before and after your workouts. Base the amount of powder you use on your daily protein requirements. Read the instructions on the supplement you’re experimenting with and tweak the formula accordingly.

If you do take the creatine, be sure to drink plenty of water, because the creatine dehydrates your muscles while regenerating and also imbalances your electrolyte levels. Talk to your doctor about your muscle-building regimen to learn more about whether or not supplements might be right for you, given your history and your health.