Muscle Building Diet

 

When it comes to packing on size, you need to consume plenty of quality carbs, protein & healthy fats. Carbohydrates should make up the bulk of a mass plan because they create an environment for growth by stimulating insulin release. The 9 foods listed below are good high-carb choices that bodybuilders can use to enhance muscle recovery and to pack on muscle mass. Keep in mind, that these foods are for hulking & are not considered to be foundational carbohydrates for pre-contest bodybuilders.

Benefit: Convenient high-calorie Food:
Breakfast cereals with at least two grams of fiber per serving can be converted into good off-season bodybuilding foods. Fiber slows digestion, making cereal a good source of energy that can be eaten at any time. Double the serving size and mix in one rounded scoop of whey protein & enough milk to bring the carbs content to about 60 grams & the protein content to 30 grams.

Benefit: Versatile:
Bagels are a concentrated source of carbohydrates (a medium one has 40-50 g) They also make off-season mass nutrition easy -- no cooking or serious food-prep time needed. For added benefits, choose varieties with more whole grains, such as pumpernickel and rye.

Benefit: A Mass Builder With Fiber:
You can determine a quality bran muffin by reading the label, but your best bet may be to make your own. Purchase any high-fibre cereal that has a muffin recipe on the side of the box. Substitute honey for sugar, add two or three scoops of whey protein to the mix, and you have a high-carb protein-rich muffin. The fiber in the cereal ingredient makes the resultant muffins low glycemic or Slow burning, which is ideal for bodybuilders who struggle to stay relatively lean while bulking up.

Benefit: Extremely Easy To Digest:
Cream of Rice is easily digested, and it makes an excellent off-season food for packing in the carbs. Two-thirds of a cup mixed with water yields 65 g of easy-to-digest carbs.

Benefit: Strong Insulinogenic Carb:
When you're trying to grow, you. need fast-digesting carbs in your post-workout meal. Fast-acting carbs generate a greater insulin surge than slower-acting ones, and the fast variety is superior at rapidly restoring glycogen levels. At 42 grams of carbs per cup, you can eat two or three cups of mashed potatoes without feeling overly stuffed or bloated.
 
Mashed potatoes are also good for eating at other times of the day. They're one of the least fillings of all carbohydrate foods, so they're an excellent choice for hard gainers or those who don't have a large appetite.

Benefit: Nonfilling High-Glycemic Carbs:
Two cups of white rice mixed with a handful of raisins provide 115 grams of carbohydrates an ideal post-workout combo to help synthesise size muscle glycogen. As with mashed potatoes, you can also use white rice with raisins as a side dish with meals. Add white rice with raisins to a meat-vegetable nut stir-fry for a great meal that's also good for muscle building.

Benefit:
Condensed source of carbs For bumping up carbs intake, pasta has always been a great way to go. Four ounces (dry measure) yield 90 grams of carbs that are easy to eat and won't fill you up, so you'll be ready to eat again within three hours. Adding meat & vegetables to pasta makes a complete meal that is high in carbohydrates, protein, and calories.

Benefit: Portability:
Fat-free Pop-Tarts might not be the first food you think of when you're considering a bodybuilding diet, but they can play a role in a mass-gaining diet. You can carry these quick-digesting carbs in your gym bag and eat them immediately after training to kick-start recovery. They have approximately 40 grams of carbs no fat & they're fortified with B vitamins.

Benefit: High In Carbs And Fiber:
Desserts as a rule are off-limits for bodybuilders. But some desserts are better than others. Newtons yield about 14 grams of moderate-burning carbohydrates per cookie. Moderate-burning carbs make a good penetrating snack and are also somewhat high in fiber content. Eat these cookies after a food meal early in the day or with a protein drink between meals.