Body Building Foods - Tips For Picking The Right Bodybuilding Diet For Maximum Muscle Gains

By Darin Sewell 

The right bodybuilding diet is critical to your success as a weight lifter and bodybuilder. The correct diet not only allows your body to repair the damage done by lifting weights and grow new muscle but also stay lean and muscular at the same time.

The problem with the traditional way of eating to accomplish these goals are that they are normally boring and the food is bland and hard to eat making staying on your nutrition plan difficult, so what is a serious strength athlete to do!

First You Need To Avoid Bland Foods
The first step is you have to make your meals enjoyable and something you can look forward to and not force yourself to eat. Look I do not care what your will power and dedication levels are if you try and live on chicken breast and brown rice you will go nuts and eventually go off your diet.

Realize Boring Foods Hurt Progress
This inconsistency will set you back and the pattern will repeat it self over and over and you will never make serious gains! I know this may seem hard but you need to alter your sources of proteins and carbohydrates and use them to make good anabolic meals!

First off the average bodybuilder and weight lifter goes right to the boring old standbys for protein and carbs without realizing the huge amount of alternatives that work just as well. These standbys are normally chicken breast and eggs with brown rice for carbs

Make Your Meals Exciting Again
Imagine if you will instead of sitting down to chicken and brown rice again tonight you sat down to a bison burger on a whole grain bun! Or what about baked fish with a three bean salad? Sounds a lot better doesn't it! Well lets look at some alternative sources of protein below

Good Sources Of Protein That Are Enjoyable To Eat!

• Bison
• Salmon
• Turkey
• Cornish Hen
• Ground Sirloin
• Lean Cuts Of Red Meat
• Pork Tenderloin
• Veal Cutlet

This is just a short list but as you can see there is quite a bit more available to you then just plain chicken and eggs to get your protein. The nice thing about the variety above is that you can make a lot of different dishes with them. This variety can keep your meals fun to eat and muscle building as well!

But What About Carbohydrates
No protein source will do the job of building muscle by itself, to get the fuels yo need for your workouts you need complex carbohydrates. Without the proper amount of good carbohydrates your body will start using the protein you need for muscle growth as fuel. So what are some good sources of complex carbohydrates?

Good Complex Carbohydrate Sources

• Whole Grain Bread
• High Fiber Breakfast Cereals
• Kidney Beans
• Navy Beans
• Lima Beans
• Wheat Based Pasta
• Oatmeal With Fruit
• Nuts and Edible Seeds
• Wild Rice

Combining These foods In To Delicious Recipes Is Easy
Just telling you what these foods are is good but you need to learn to prepare them into meals that are both delicious and nutritionally balanced. To do this I recommend you grab a good Anabolic Cookbook. On my blog I have reviewed one that has over 200 Easy to prepare delicious meals that will help sky rocket your strength and mass. Check it out at http://www.getmusclemassfast.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darin_Sewell

Bodybuilding Calories: The Numbers You Should Know

 

By David Grisaffi

In order for you to maintain the weight that you currently have, you must know how many calories you need on a daily basis, especially if you are undergoing intense bodybuilding exercises. Through this, you are able to carry out your daily physical routine without the possibility of gaining
unwelcome pounds or losing unnecessary weight. One way to properly determine your required daily calories is through the use of a calorie counter. Here are some calorie figures you can start with in order for you to have a firm grasp with regards to the requisite numbers in weight maintenance relative to your bodybuilding goal.

If you are a male that tips the scale at one hundred pounds and needs to supply for daily activities including jogging, basketball, tennis, carpentry, soccer, swimming, running and digging alongside your everyday routine, you need approximately three thousand four hundred nine calories on a daily basis in order for you to maintain your weight. A female who weighs the same and undergoes the exact daily routine, needed calories serving is three thousand. This calories requirement will of course be leveled up once extensive bodybuilding is something you also require. Females who weigh one hundred eighty pounds and do the same aforementioned activities will need three thousand calories to maintain their weight. But if weight loss is required, of course they can easily cut down on their daily calories serving so as to achieve such purpose. Males who weigh one hundred and eighty pounds on the other hand are required at least four thousand ninety-one calories serving to maintain such weight - that is under the abovementioned physical activities.

Males undergoing moderate physical activities and are at one hundred and fifty pounds need at least two thousand seven hundred ninety five calories serving on a daily basis. Moderate physical activities may include brisk walking, bicycling, double tennis, lawn mowing, yoga, skating, and dancing alongside regular daily routine. Females under the same weight and physical activities on the other hand, will need two thousand five hundred and twenty three daily servings of calories in order to maintain their weight. Males who go through the same aforementioned physical activities but are at one hundred eighty pounds need at least three thousand three hundred and fifty five daily calories whereas females need at least three thousand and twenty seven.

Suppose you wish to lose some pounds and tip the scale at 120 pounds, still under the abovementioned physical activities, you will be needing at least two thousand two hundred and thirty six calories daily if you are a male, and two thousand and eighteen if you are a female.

Relying on a calorie counter is something that can truly aid you in terms of gaining the weight that you desire. Even if you do massive bodybuilding exercise, if you do not know how much calories you require, you are not going to get your needed results. That said it is important that you maintain consciousness when it comes to calories count.

Maximizing your physical activities will truly depend on your awareness of necessary calories for bodybuilding.

By the way, do you want to learn how to firm and flatten your abs? If so, download my free ebook: "Firm and Flatten Your Abs,"
David Grisaffi is a Sports Conditioning Coach and is the author of the popular selling e book, "Firm and Flatten Your Abs,"

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Grisaffi

Best Tips to Gain Muscle Mass

 

By Chris G Pap 

People, who have no relation to sports at all, are aware that the best way to gain mass is to sit around all day, burn minimum calories and eat all kinds of junk food. This is one way to gain mass and increase your weight. Let's say the easy way. Is this what we want? A body full of fat without exercise following an unhealthy way of living? Of course not.

When it comes to weightlifting, bodybuilding and sports in general, gaining mass means increasing your body-weight and in the same time increase lean muscle percentage. Increasing your muscle mass will make you feel stronger, healthier and more confident since your whole appearance will change dramatically. To avoid any misunderstanding gaining muscle mass doesn't mean you will end up looking like the bodybuilding professionals you see on the magazine covers. You will be witnessing your own improvement day by day and you can regulate the progress you make.

So, I have listed five simple rules to follow, which will help you achieve your goals:

1) Work on Your Strength
Before starting your muscle gain plan, make sure you have spent a couple of months working on strength training routines and cardiovascular exercise. The higher your strength levels are the more you can lift allowing you to add pure muscle mass.

2) Physique
Cardiovascular is also crucial at this phase since you need endurance for the heavy workload that lies ahead of you. Cardio creates new blood vessels allowing more blood inside the muscle cells triggering muscle growth.

3) Weight Gainers
You will need lots of extra quality calories, sourcing from carbohydrates and proteins. This can be provided from a weight gainer. There is a great variety to choose from in the market. Take your time and research in order to find the best weight gainer that suits you.

4) Maximum Weight and Minimum Reps
I will suggest a mass gain workout routine in a next article of mine, but until then you should keep in mind that you must work with maximum weight around 80 percent of your maximum lift and reduce your reps at three to four tops. This way you will pump your muscles and force your body to create new muscle fibers in order to support your workload.

5) Minimize Cardiovascular and Abs Training
Cardiovascular and abs training is not your priority at this phase. Reduce your cardio pace to medium and train your abs no more than twice a week. Don't worry. You will have the opportunity to work on them while you get ripped after the mass gaining period.
Keep those muscles pumping!

Chris G Pap
Since 1993 involved in bodybuilding and fitness area.Visit the following link for more info about bodybuilding, supplementation, workout routines and nutrition. http://www.strengthtrainingmuscle.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_G_Pap

Best Protein Shake Recipes

 By Chris G Pap




Making your own home-made protein shake is very easy and the procedure can also be really entertaining. There is a great variety of recipes to choose from. They are divided into two subcategories: The protein shakes that are based on protein powders in the form of a food supplement and the ones that are based in protein rich foods.

So, a good question would be what kind of protein shake recipes to search for. Although protein shakes based on protein rich foods are a great option, I would recommend the ones, which are based on actual protein powder.

Another question that might come up is why bother fixing a shake in the first place since we can get all the protein we need from an existing protein brand? Well, the answer is quite simple. Fixing your own protein shake gives you the opportunity to add the ingredients you desire and therefore have the taste you like best. Protein powders might have a large variety of tastes to offer, but sometimes we all need a new taste. Here are some easy to make protein shake recipes:

1) Whey Protein (Chocolate)
Two Scoops Whey Protein Chocolate
Ten oz low-fat skimmed milk
Two tablespoons low-fat yogurt or low-fat ice cream
One tablespoon instant coffee
Ten ice cubes
You mix all the ingredients into a shaker and your protein shake is ready!

2) Orange Shake
Two scoops Whey Protein Vanilla
Six to eight oz orange juice
Natural Sweetener
Two or three strawberries
One banana
Five ice cubes

3) The Creatine Shake
Two scoops Whey Protein Powder Vanilla or Chocolate
One small tablespoon Creatine Mono-hydrate
One banana or two apples
Five oz skimmed low-fat milk
Five ice cubes

4) The Honey Shake
Two scoops Vanilla Whey Protein
One cup of water or banana juice
Half a cup of low-fat yogurt
Two tablespoons honey
One spoon flax-seed oil
This one will boost you with energy and I promise you its taste will drive you insane!

5) The Peanut Butter Shake
Two scoops Chocolate Whey Protein
One or two spoons peanut butter
Ten oz low-fat milk
Half a cup vanilla ice cream
Five ice cubes
As you can see fixing a protein shake is pretty easy. All you need is a blender, imagination and of course common sense in order to avoid in taking too many calories. Also keep in mind that you should never use these shakes as a substitute to your normal supplementation.

Keep those muscles pumping!

Chris G Pap

Since 1993 involved in bodybuilding and fitness area. Visit the following link for more info about bodybuilding, supplementation, workout routines and nutrition.
http://www.strengthtrainingmuscle.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_G_Pap

Natural Ways To Gain Weight - Two Simple Ways To Gain More Weight

By Rob Domarkas 


In this article I would like to share with you two natural ways to gain weight quickly and easily. The fact is that to gain weight you don't need supplements, you don't need pills or powders, all you need to focus on are proven and tested principles and without wasting too much of your time let me share them with you.

Change your eating habits
It does not matter whether you want to gain or lose weight - nutrition is the single most important thing. You see, both fat loss and weight gain is all about energy in and energy out. When you are trying to lose weight you want to make sure that your daily energy output is greater than your daily energy input, whereas when you are trying to gain weight you by all means want to make sure that your daily energy input is greater than your daily energy output.

To gain weight, to make your body grow you need to give your body way more energy (calories) than it actually needs. I know that this probably sounds a little bit confusing, but all you need to do is to simply use one of the thousands of caloric calculators that are available online, figure out your caloric needs and then add extra three to five hundred calories on top of your actual caloric needs.

Start lifting weights to gain high quality lean muscle mass
When trying to gain weight you need to be really careful because if you will fail to exercise all of the extra energy that you will get from your new diet will be quickly converted into fat and instead of gaining high quality lean muscle mass you will be gaining useless body fat.

To prevent this from happening I highly recommend for you to start lifting weights. Simply start slowly and start training at least three times per week. Here are some tips for you to get started.

• Follow a body split workout plan and train large muscle groups on different days.
• During your workouts focus on big compound exercises such as barbell squats, bent over rows, deadlifts, military press and so on.
• Do no more than twelve repetition per set and never do more than four sets per exercise.
• Do no more than four exercises for large muscle groups like chest, back or legs and do no more than two exercises for smaller muscle groups like biceps or triceps.

For more information about how to gain weight check out my latest Squidoo lens about the easiest way to gain weight at http://www.squidoo.com/easiest-way-to-gain-weight

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Domarkas

The Importance of Bodybuilding Nutrition

By Chris Kennelly 


The focus upon bodybuilding nutrition is an absolute must, regardless of your level of involvement, in other words if you are a serious bodybuilder or just starting out. Some even mention that this is more important than the actual physical activities that bodybuilders do at the gym. The modern day supplement market furthermore offers a wide range of products, which can certainly add to the confusion in terms of which may be right for your specific goals and circumstances. This is where it is often times best to consult either a nutritional specialist or personal trainer at the gym, as to which specific product or products would be best in line with your objectives.

In line with specific supplements is the frequency of meals, which are recommended to be smaller portions and a number of meals spread across the day. The main benefit of this type of 'eating plan' is that helps in boosting the metabolism of the body, a key chemical reaction within the body.

The intake of protein within the bodybuilding nutrition plan is also of critical importance, based upon the fact that the protein is a source of amino acid, which for all intensive purposes are the building blocks of muscle in the body. There are a variety of sources that can be accessed in getting protein to the body, and include the likes of meat, eggs, and poultry. One of the most popular nowadays is that of the protein powders and supplements, and more specifically the whey protein supplements which have been proven to be one of the most pure and effective sources or forms of protein. Additionally these supplements have also been proven to offer the fastest rate of digestion of the protein, which make it ideal for use both prior and after workout and exercise routines.

Hydration is another key concept of bodybuilding nutrition, something which is often overlooked by the newcomer to the body and muscle building scene. This issue is important in keeping the body from dehydrating especially during those intense workouts. Additionally when drinking water specifically, this aids in the detox the process, which from an overall health and wellbeing perspective is essential.

Many of the supplements and nutrients that are specifically formulated for a solid approach to bodybuilding nutrition and the benefit of aiding within this building process are unfortunately not known for their grand taste and flavor. However this should not be the deciding factor when looking to increase mass, and eat according to your exercise routine. Consider the benefits of the nutrients and the supplements and how these will help in your goals and objectives within the training phase.

There are a number of products that are available to help with bodybuilding nutrition, such as Optimum Whey Protein, which offer one of the fastest digestible products available. Sport and Supplements offers the entire range of this brand at value added prices and great customer service.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Kennelly

Bodybuilding Meal Plan

 By Chris G Pap 


Bodybuilding is a very demanding sport. Your goal to build pure muscle is a strict combination of training, resting and above all proper nutrition. That's the reason why you need a bodybuilding meal plan.

Many experts say that proper nutrition gives us 70 and training only 30 percent of what we need to develop muscles. Others claim that it is better to lose a workout than one single meal. Well, they can't be wrong. You can train as much and as hard you want, but if you don't supply your body with the nutrition elements that are necessary your muscle growth will stay limited up to a certain point. There is an even worse scenario where your body starts to metabolize muscle tissue. That is what happens if you don't follow a bodybuilding meal plan. Here is an example of a bodybuilding meal plan for a person of 160 pounds of bodyweight:

• 8: am:
• 1 Cup Oat flakes with skimmed milk
• 1/2 o.z. Honey
• 5 egg whites hardboiled or raw
• 1 Banana
• 11:am:
• 1 Cup Plain Yogurt
• 1 Scoop Protein Shake
• 1 Slice whole meal bread with 2 slices of turkey meat
• 2:00pm:
• 1 Fillet of white fish or beef or with rice
• 1 Salad with 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Tablespoon Tomato Sauce
• 1 Slice cottage cheese
• 1 Fruit
• 17:30pm:
• 1 chicken breast sandwich
• 1-2 boiled potatoes
• 8:00pm:
Same as 2 pm
• 22:00pm:
1 scoop Protein shake

This bodybuilding meal plan is just an example of the time gaps between the meals and how you should divide your meals daily in order to intake the protein and the carbohydrates you need. You can alter it if you have certain preferences to some foods, but you have to keep in mind that you should intake 1 gram of protein for each pound of bodyweight and 50 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates. You must also try to keep your fat consume limited. You can always add olive oil. Furthermore, remember never to consume carbohydrates (bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.) after 18.00 or the most 19.00 because it will probably get stored in your body as fat.

In addition to this bodybuilding meal plan, you must stay focused to your supplementation. No matter how discipline you are with your daily nutrition plan, supplementation is obligatory if you wish to build muscle fast and permanent. Take your protein shake, one dosage directly after workout and one or two more during the day, amino acids, also directly after training and throughout the day. If you can afford it, you can take multivitamins, creatine, glutamine and nitric oxide.

However, all these products are just supplements, which mean that you mainly have to focus on your bodybuilding meal plan in order to supply your muscles with all the essential nutrition elements.
Keep those muscles pumping!

Chris G Pap
Since 1993 involved in bodybuilding and fitness area. Visit the following link for more interesting articles, videos, photos e.t.c. about bodybuilding and fitness. http://www.strengthtrainingmuscle.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_G_Pap

Understanding The Importance Of An Efficient Bodybuilding Nutrition Diet Plan

 By Darren Lintern

In order to accelerate the growth of body muscles all bodybuilders will need to indulge in an efficient bodybuilding nutrition diet plan. And what are the staples of a muscle building good nutrition program? Here we can explain some of the elements that indicate a useful dietary program for each bodybuilder.

Bodybuilding nutrition diet programs are necessary to generate new energy for emergence and recovery of tired muscles, as without a fine food plan, the muscles might find it difficult to build-up.
These are the characteristics of an efficacious muscle building nutritional schedule:

1) Meals ought to be in small servings but taken more frequent on a daily basis and not the common larger servings in infrequent fashion. This system allows the body to step-up its metabolism as you're feeding it more frequently in a day and therefore the body can burn fat quicker.

2) Each bodybuilding recipe ought to offer ample carbohydrates, fat and protein served in the ideal rations. One of the basics of an efficient bodybuilding nutrition diet plan is to consume meals that at least consist of approximately 20% fat, 40% carbohydrate, and 40% Protein in order to circulate nutrients equally around the body.

3) When preparing meals make certain that the calories are cycled appropriately. Body builders that follow a strict nutritional routine ought to learn that if they long for more muscle mass, then if will be necessary to consume high calorie amounts in five days and two days of consuming meals that are low in calories during a weekly period.

These are only a few of the starter points that someone exercising ought to realize in relation to suitable bodybuilding nutrition diet program. Remember to take in plenty of water daily as it will energize and adds good movement to the body system. Make sure that you aren't simply working hard at the gym but also consuming the ideal foods.

If you're Interesting in Learning the Honest Truth about Research Proven step-by-step how to's for Full Body Workouts, Nutrition Plans, Fat Loss & gaining Defined Abdominals for Good, take a look at [http://www.bodybuildingnstuff.com/]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Lintern

Bodybuilding Diet - 9 Step Checklist to Build Muscle Fast

By Alex Vaughn 

Creating an effective bodybuilding diet is the most essential aspect of any muscle building plan. Even if you have the best weight lifting routine known to mankind, you can forget about putting on size, you can absolutely forget about adding muscle mass if you fail to consistently follow a high quality diet plan. So hit the back button now if you're not serious about eating to gain muscle...
...Still here? Good.

Now I'll continue by laying out the 9 steps you must follow to guarantee your bodybuilding diet plan is on on-point. No extras. No frivolous BS. Just integrate these simple steps into you muscle building plan, forget about all the distracting details that you can find on the vast abyss that is the Internet; then simply add water and watch your muscles blow up like balloons.

1. Choose Your Goal. More specifically, decide on your short-term goal. Many of you reading this may want to lose fat while gaining muscle, but you will see significantly more rapid results if you focus on one goal at a time. From this point on, I am assuming your goal is to gain muscle mass.
2. Calculate Your Caloric Needs. If you remember one fact from this bodybuilding diet article, then make sure you remember this: You must consume more calories than your body burns per day if you want to gain muscle. As a starting point, consume 18 calories per pound of your bodyweight (i.e. total calories = 18 x bodyweight in lbs). You may very well need to eat more or less than this, but remember it's an estimate.
3. Calculate Protein Intake. Your muscles need protein to physically increase your muscle mass. Consume 1.0 - 1.5 grams of protein per pound of your bodyweight (i.e. grams of protein = 1.0 x bodyweight in lbs). To figure out how many calories this is, multiply your daily protein intake (in grams) by 4.
4. Calculate Fat Intake. Dietary fat plays a vital role in a laundry list of body functions, related to both general health, energy and muscle building. So don't skimp on it - And FYI, eating fatty foods does not equate to being fat. Start by eating 30% of your calories from fat. To convert calories of fat into grams of fat, divide your daily fat intake (in calories) by 9.
5. Calculate Carb Intake. Carbohydrates give you energy, but technically, your body doesn't even need them to survive (which is why we calculate carb intake last). But just because your body doesn't need carbs, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't have any. Okay, so now to calculating: You know how many total calories you need per day; and you also know how many of those calories will come from protein as well as how many will come from fat. So, to find the number of calories from carbs that you should eat per day, simply subtract protein calories and fat calories from total calories. In mathematical terms, that's: Calories from carbs = total calories - (protein calories + fat calories). To convert calories of carbs into grams of carbs, divide your daily carb intake (in calories) by 4.
6. Eat Pre- & Post-Workout. Be sure to eat meals before and after your workout. Pre-workout nutrition fuels your muscles and provides your body with energy for the ensuing workout. In simple terms, post-workout nutrition halts catabolism (the breakdown of muscle caused by weight training) and triggers anabolism (the building/re-building of muscle). For pre-workout nutrition, eat 0.25 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight as well as 0.25 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. For post-workout nutrition, eat 0.25 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight and between 0.25-0.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. Fats are optional for both meals. These meals can be solid, "regular" meals; or they can be liquid meals, using weight lifting supplements such as whey protein and dextrose.
7. Foods to Eat. I am a proponent of flexible dieting. It's much more productive to eat foods that you enjoy eating; restricting so-called "unhealthy" foods from your diet will make you less successful in the long term, and you'll constantly be grumpy. That said, you can't eat candy and junk food all day long without expecting to gain some hefty lard rolls on your pouch. Eating too much junk and greasy foods makes you fat because it produces a surplus of calories. So what to eat then? A large portion of your food should be common sense "healthy" foods, but never deprive yourself of a food you crave - Assuming you follow this one condition: Make sure you still hit your caloric requirements (step 2), protein intake (step 3), fat intake (step 4) and carbohydrate intake (step 5).
8. Drink Water. Water is a true life force. Everything and everyone needs it. And you, in your muscle building pursuits, need a lot of it. Although it varies between people, and there are many factors that can influence your optimal water intake requirements, most people should try to drink about 1 gallon per day of high quality H20.
9. Test & Modify. Put it into practice. Don't expect for your bodybuilding diet plan to work like a charm the first time around. You'll likely have to adjust the total calories up or down until you strike a balance. Aim for a steady rate of lean weight gain. On average, pure beginners can expect about 1-2 pounds per week (although a portion of this will be water weight). Check the mirror or take pictures; drop the calories if you start to resemble the Michelin Man. More experienced lifters will be should aim for a slower rate of weight gain (unless you want to be a fat blob) since it is more difficult to build muscle after the beginner stage.

Now take the relatively little time needed now to implement these directions and create a bodybuilding diet that actually works! Seriously. It takes a maximum of 20 minutes, but it will guarantee success in the years to come. It's the best time investment you can make.

Alex Vaughn invites you to visit http://www.myweightlifting.com, where you'll find the complete guide to creating a perfect bodybuilding diet. The site is absolutely free, and you will also be able to access a growing database of detailed weight lifting exercise tutorials, a complete guide to training, as well as supplement reviews, anatomy lessons and other valuable resources.
Are you tired of the utter BS, straight-up lies, and contradictory strength training & bodybuilding information that plagues the web? Yes? Well lucky for you, MyWeightLifting.com is here to save your day - If you're truly ready to get serious about improving your body, then visit the site and learn how to build muscle and gain strength the right way. As you begin to dwarf everyone in the gym, you'll laugh as they scratch their heads in confused amazement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Vaughn

The Best Foods For Muscle Gain

 By Jason T Boyd

Looking to pack on more lean muscle mass? If so, one thing that you absolutely must do is look at your diet program. If you don't provide the raw materials that your body needs to rebuild up this lean muscle mass tissue, you won't be seeing results. It's really that simple.

You can't build something out of nothing, so diet must be there. So which foods are going to be most optimal for reaching your muscle building goals? Let's give you a brief run-down of the best foods for muscle gain.

Steak
When building muscle, steak is a terrific protein source to eat. Choose grass fed varieties for a healthier nutritional profile and you'll get high quality protein, healthy fats, as well as iron, which is required to sustain your energy level.

Salmon
Another good source of protein is salmon. Salmon is going to provide the amino acids your muscles need along with the essential fatty acids that will foster a leaner body composition and overall health. You should be aiming to eat salmon at least twice, if not more often, each week.

Cottage Cheese
The final protein source that's a must-have muscle building food is cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is a form of protein known as casein, which digests much more slowly in the body. For this reason, it's a great option to have before you turn in to bed for the evening. By eating this, you ensure your body gets a steady flow of nutrients.

Dry Oats
On the carb side of things, you can't go wrong with dry oats. When building muscle, since you do have higher calorie requirements, avoid cooking the oats as they'll take up too much space in the stomach, making it difficult to get in enough calories. Instead, serve them raw like cold cereal or consider mixing them in with your protein shakes.

Bagels
Another good carb source that is classified as one of the best foods for muscle gain is the bagel. Bagels are more calorie dense than bread and make for the perfect post-workout food choices. Eat these to immediately boost your calorie intake by 300-350 calories.

Nuts and Nut Butter
Finally, make sure you get your healthy fats in. Nuts and nut butter are perfect for this and will provide a small dose of fiber as well. Almonds, pecans pistachios, walnuts, and natural peanut butter are all terrific sources of healthy fats.

So keep these best foods for muscle gain in mind. If they aren't part of your diet, start making them a part of it today.

Need eating advice to build muscle? Many articles at my site http://www.myhealthandfitness.net.au/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_T_Boyd

How to Build Muscle Fast for Skinny Guys: Methods That Are Tried and Tested

 By Arkin Kaman 

Men with a skinny appearance don't usually get much attention from the crowd. Most skinny guys are often ignored and are noted as sickly or weak. If you are among them who feel unwanted, neglected, or bullied, don't despair. The best idea is to find tried and proven methods on how to build muscle quickly for lean people.

In reality, skinny people are not at all weak and sickly. Most of them have the body system similar to most men with only few key differences. Genetically, their bodies are finding it difficult to build up muscles and their body reacts differently compared to most men. Though this maybe the case, it doesn't mean that they can't grow their muscles and continue to remain skinny. There are muscle development methods that can make you see the results fast.

First, let us take a look on the food intake level of most skinny guys. They usually eat a lot but their rate of metabolism is much higher that all the food they eat are being processed quickly by their system until there is only a little or no more nutrients left for the body to sustain muscle growth. Since your metabolic rate is higher, you have to increase the amounts of food that you eat. This way, you can supply your body with much higher food sources to burn and give your body the supply of nutrients that can be used for muscle growth.

Another thing to focus on building muscle for skinny individuals is to plan on the correct sets of exercises. Since you already have the idea on your ideal food intake, it's now time to seek on the suitable set of exercises for you. It is recommended to all types of men, whether skinny or not, to have the combination of weight lifting exercises and cardiovascular exercises. Weight lifting exercises are grouped in the number of muscles they are trying to develop in one repetition and can either be compound or isolation exercises.

First, you must perform compound exercises as these exercise focuses on development of two or more muscle groups. Due to the fact that it targets multiple muscles at the same time, Compound exercises actually speeds up muscle growth. These types of exercises seek to achieve the development of your ideal muscle mass. Once you have achieved your ideal muscle mass, you can now add isolation exercises on your workout routine. As compound exercises quickens muscle development, isolation exercises typically develops your muscles to become sturdy, bulky and structured.

Moving on to cardio exercises, these exercises are useful to improve the circulation of blood in your body, promote your body's overall endurance and facilitate immediate fat loss. You can do at least 15-30 minutes of cardio exercises before moving on to working on your muscle building routines.
You should also allow your muscles to rest. It doesn't mean that you are skinny you have to undergo extensive workout trainings. Doing so might lead to permanent damage to your body. You have to perform the exercises based on a standard schedule and time. Rest well and earn at least 8 hours of sleep daily.

Skinny men have nothing to worry on building their bodies. With the proven tips on how to build muscle fast for skinny guys, you will earn your ultimate desire on muscle development and acquiring a well-built body!

These tips guarantee results as you seek to gain fast muscle build-up how to build muscle fast. Questions will cease as you find the answers to your questions on how to build muscle fast for skinny guys. Realize these tips and commit to a new you! See awesome and realistic results on how to build muscle faster.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arkin_Kaman

The Guide to a Healthy Body Building Diet

 By Mark O Johnson

Here's one big question that people usually ask once they start hitting the gym: What is a healthy body building diet? It is actually a normal question for someone who is trying to get healthy and lean. It is unfortunate, however, that you cannot eat just about anything. There are bodybuilding experts who believe in eating foods that make you feel good, so they do not count calories and they are not huge fans of "the right diet". Many of these bodybuilding experts find it ridiculous that a lot of people are making eating good way too complicated.

There are many bodybuilders who have been in the industry for quite some time now and they have their own rules when it comes to eating the right food. They are not dietitians and nutritionists, but many of them have managed to build and maintain a ripped condition for years. Here are some few rules that you can observe when it comes to a healthy body building diet:

a. Drink as much water as you can. This is probably the best advice that you can get. Water is crucial to the body's functions. It flushes out nasty chemicals from the body. The first thing that you have to do when you wake up in the morning is to drink a glass of water. Hydrate yourself immediately after sleeping. Can you drink something else aside from water? Unsweetened tea is a good drink. You can also enjoy dark coffee every now and then, but stay away from soft drinks, fruit juices and alcohol.
b. Learn to enjoy protein shakes. Typically, people who are building muscles need to take supplements like vitamin C, oat bran, vitamin E, phosphatidyl choline, cayenne, selenium, B-complex and niacin. You can wash them all down with a glass of protein shake.

c. Get your carbs from fruits and veggies. Avoid white bread, noodles, cereal, potato, rice and pasta. You can eat as much fruits and veggies as you want. If you want to be lean, you need to eat green. Include veggie salad in your meal at all times. Lettuce, for one, is a really good source of vitamins. Do not eat carbs after 8 pm.

d. Know where to get your proteins. Get your protein from eggs, chicken, fish, turkey and beef. Do not overdo it, however, with the beef. You can also get your protein from beans and legumes, but the protein you will get from these vegetables is not as complete as the protein you would get from meat.

A healthy body building diet need not be bland. You can still enjoy your beef and a cup of dark coffee. You just have to make sure that you observe your portions and you choose the right foods when it comes to your carbs and proteins.

Building muscles requires a healthy bodybuilding diet. Grab great tips on bodybuilding nutrition and diet from the expert! Know the right diet that can help you build your muscles fast!

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