Taken from StrongLifts.com, Mehdi posted up a solid article on nutrition:
To
build muscle &
lose fat, you need a variety of proteins, veggies, fruits, carbs, and healthy fats. Eating protein helps building & maintaining muscle. But it also helps fat loss: protein has a higher
thermic effect than carbs/fats. Eating fats also helps fat loss: your body holds fat if you don’t eat fats. Fruits & veggies contain vitamins & minerals, necessary for recovery from your workouts. And carbs fuel your muscles so you feel
full of energy at the gym.
Lots of you struggle to get these foods. Sometimes because you’re too busy or sometimes because you just lack information. This list will help you — 20 super foods you need to build muscle & lose fat.
1. Whole Eggs. Cheap & rich source of protein: 7g/egg. The yolk contains most nutrients: half the protein, vitamins A/D/E and cholesterol to naturally increase your testosterone levels.
Don’t worry about cholesterol in eggs. Dietary cholesterol isn’t bound to blood cholesterol. Read
this,
this,
this &
this. If you have bad cholesterol, lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away.
2. Fish Oil. Reduces inflammation (joints/skin), lowers body fat and increases testosterone levels. You need 9000mg
EPA/
DHA per day. Since you’ll probably struggle to get that from eating fatty fish, consider a fish oil
supplement.
3. Wild Salmon. One of the best sources of
omega-3 fatty acids that also gets you 20g protein per 100g serving.
Farm raised salmon is, however, omega-3 deficient: it’s corn/grain fed. Go with wild salmon.
Image credit: wintercove
4. Berries. Strong antioxidants that prevent cancer, heart & eye diseases. Any kind works: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Buy fresh or frozen berries and mix with oatmeal.
5. Yogurt. Contain bacteria that improve your gastrointestinal health. Don’t buy frozen yogurt or yogurt with added sugar and fruits at the bottom. Get plain low fat yogurt. Eat it with berries & flax seeds.
6. Flax Seeds. Source of fiber, protein & omega-3. Grind the flax seeds to get the most out of them. Take 1 tbsp with yogurt & berries before going to bed. Stay away from flax oil: it’s unstable and contains no fiber.
7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 70% monounsaturated fats that protect against heart diseases and cancer. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to your salads. Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil: it contains more
polyphenols and tastes better.
8. Mixed Nuts. Contain mono- & polyunsaturated fats, proteins, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc. Mixed nuts are caloric dense, great if you’re a
skinny guy who wants to gain weight.
Anything works: almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, … Peanut butter also works as long as you buy natural peanut butter without added salts/sugars.
Image credit: Inside_man
9. Red Meat. Protein, vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega-3 if you eat grass-fed beef. Eat steaks & hamburgers from top round or sirloin. Read
Dr. Lonnie Lowery’s article on Meat.
10. Broccoli. High in cancer-fighting
phytochemicals and anti-estrogenic
indoles. Broccoli is also high in soluble fiber and low calorie, helping
fat loss. Eat other
cruciferous vegetables for a change: cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, kale, …
11. Spinach. One of the most
alkaline foods. Spinach prevents muscle & bone loss, but also cancer and heart diseases because of its high nutrient profile. Try one of the
spinach recipes I shared a while back.
12. Turkey. If you don’t believe
saturated fat is good for you, try white turkey. The leanest beef has about 4.5g saturated fat/100g, while white turkey has close to 0g (that why it’s so dry). Eat turkey with spinach & quinoa.
13. Quinoa. South American “king of grains”. Quinoa is higher in fiber & protein than rice or oats, tastes a lot better and is gluten free. Buy the whiter grain, it’s better quality. Eat it post workout with meat & spinach.
14. Oats. Reduce cholesterol, provide you with low-gi carbs for energy, and high in soluble fiber. Try this
post workout shake of whey & oats.
15. Tomatoes. High in
lycopene, which prevents cancer. The lycopene in tomato paste is 4 times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Have pizza or pasta with tomato sauce & olive oil post
strength training.
Image credit: gingerbugjones
16. Oranges. Vitamin C to fight diseases, magnesium to lower blood pressure, anti-oxidant beta-carotenes, etc. Quit drinking processed orange juice which often has added sugars. Eat oranges or make your own orange juice.
17. Apples. Pectin in apples
helps weight loss by increasing satiety. Apples are also the
strongest antioxidiant after cranberries (eat the peels). Unfortunately apples are one of the
most pesticide-contaminated fruits. Go organic.
18. Carrots. Their huge vitamin A content improves eye-health, especially night vision. Carrots are also rich in fiber, low calorie and taste good, even raw.
19. Water. Your body holds water if you don’t drink enough. Drinking prevents water retention, helps muscle recovery and prevents dehydration from
strength training. Get a
brita filter and drink 2 cups of water with each meal.
20. Green Tea. Strong antioxidant and natural diuretic. Green tea also speeds up fat loss, prevents cancer and improves blood sugar & circulation. Drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee. Real green tea, not the teabags.
Putting it All Together. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & fats every 3 hours. 2 cups water with each meal. Carbs post workout only. Junk food 10% of the time.
Get stronger in the meanwhile and you’ll build muscle & lose fat.
20 Super Foods You Need To Build Muscle & Lose Fat
