The 5 Best Protein Foods for Weight Loss & Muscle Growth
5 Protein-Packed Foods That Will Help You Lose Weight and Build Muscle
I won’t lie that one of the best ways to stay lean is working on building your muscle.
Muscle has the potential to fire up the metabolism and change your body shape and health while regulating your blood sugar.
Protein is, therefore, an essential nutrient that not only helps to build and maintain muscle but it also increases your chances of losing weight.
There is no need to resort to shakes for this. Good quality, wholesome REAL foods are what I want to discuss with you.
Protein shakes serve a purpose when we are time-poor and need a filler before we eat. But protein from food is the most powerful health and body composition tool to lead a healthy lifestyle.
The importance of food and muscle
Although the key way to build muscle is via lifting weights, you must also add the necessary protein to help build and maintain that growth.
A good muscle-building diet must also be balanced with lots of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
Having a balance diet helps your muscles repair and rebuild after your workouts. They also increase satiety, which eliminates snacking and helps us attain our weight loss goals.
But how much protein do we need?
Eating 0.7 to 0.8 grams of protein and 1.8 to 3.2 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight each day.
Having a balanced diet helps your muscles repair and rebuild after your workouts.
So keep that in mind when it comes to your total amount.
Calories are important because when the muscles become torn from lifting weights, we need the right fuel to repair and strengthen that muscle tissue.
What you eat and how much rest you allow for recovery are important too.
Do I know the right balance?
I don’t think anyone does, but you can get a better idea through trial and error. This is because so many factors determine our ability to build and repair muscle — including genetics.
Here are four accessible, highly nutritious protein sources you should add for muscle growth and weight loss.
1. Eat all kinds of fish
Fish is fantastic because it’s not only high in protein but lower in calories than red meat and better for your health.
In addition, you can expect to get a great source of omega-three, which helps to diminish inflammation and improve muscle performance, as well as prevent any muscle loss.
Fish is also great for maintaining a lean physique while keeping you full.
2. Use olive oil in your salads
You probably didn’t think olive oil should get a mention for foods that help build muscle and lean you up.
Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats, which help quench inflammation and slow muscle breakdown.
These are key elements when it comes to helping your body become stronger.
3. Quinoa as your carb source
Quinoa is a superfood because it contains many things we need, such as protein, fibre, carbs and lots of vitamins and minerals.
So quinoa not only helps you power through workouts, but it’s also the perfect food to add for weight loss since it’s high in fibre and low in calories.
4. Don’t forget to add eggs with that
I talk about eggs a lot, and the reason for doing so is their high nutritional profile. Eggs are a powerful, low fat and incredibly rich source of nutrients.
Leucine is a particularly important nutrient in eggs since it helps build muscle.
When it comes to staying lean, eggs give you a high appetite satisfaction rating. In addition, one egg can give you much more filling leverage than your standard breakfasts.
Key takeaways
- These four low-caloric nutrient-dense foods are perfect for muscle building and weight loss.
- Leucine is a particularly important nutrient in eggs since it helps build muscle.
- Muscle building and weight loss take time, and staying consistent with your food and training is important.
- When you combine a balance of good quality protein with all your other essential nutrients and, of course, exercise — you attain your goals and overall health along the way.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions about a medical condition or health objectives.
