bodybuilding diet meal plan

5 Essential Foods on a Meal Plan to Gain Muscle

If you’re trying to gain muscle, you probably know that diet is just as important, if not more important, than hard weight training.  What you may be struggling with, though, is figuring out exactly what foods you should be eating to maximize your lean muscle gains.  A meal plan to gain muscle can be difficult to plan when there are so many different diets that self-proclaimed experts are telling you to try.

You can learn right now exactly how you should be eating, training, and supplementing for maximum muscle growth  and strength, or you can read on to learn 5 foods you need to be eating on a meal plan to gain muscle.

1. Lean Red Meat

That’s right, even if you’re a health nut trying to be healthy, strong, and muscular, you should definitely be eating red meat on your meal plan to gain muscle!  It really does not make sense for nutritionists to vilify all red meat the way they do.  If you stick to lean cuts like sirloin and round, you’ll be getting tons of protein, iron, and vitamins and a moderate amount of fats.

2. Sweet Potatoes

You might have read that it’s important to eat complex carbohydrates on a meal plan to gain muscle.  Most people stick to grains like oats, wheat, and rice, but I prefer sweet potatoes when I have the time to cook them.  They are chock full of vitamins and minerals, have slow-digesting carbs, and are not as processed as even some whole grains are.

3. Olive Oil

In case you haven’t been paying attention for the last few years, the world is done with the low-fat diet nonsense!  Sure, you shouldn’t eat too much fat, but there are plenty of healthy fats out there that can boost your immune system, help you build muscle, and regulate hormone levels.  Include olive oil in your meal plan to gain muscle for a healthy burst of monounsaturated fats.

4. Green Veggies

It’s true that the total amounts of protein, carbs, and fat you eat in your meal plan to gain muscle are most important in determining your weight gain and body composition, but don’t neglect your fresh produce!  Green veggies are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that people trying to build muscle often miss out on but certainly need.

5. Protein Powder

You may think of protein powder as a supplement, not a part of your diet plan to gain muscle, but it really is just food!  If you eat more whole food protein sources, you’ll obviously need less protein powder, but most people just can’t cook and eat often enough to eat nothing but meats and other whole foods.  To get the protein you need in your diet plan to gain muscle, pick up a reasonably priced and decent-tasting protein powder.

About the Author

If you want to learn more about what foods, what portions, and how often to eat in your diet plan to gain muscle, or if you need a comprehensive plan to help guide you in your training, nutrition, and supplementation, take a look at the expert information and tips at IntelligentMuscleBuilding.com.

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I just started bodybuilding, my trainer says that I need to gain some weight with alot of food, he says not to eat big meals but in intervals is the best way to gain weight
can anyone recommend me any food to eat with names.
also if u have any diet plan like the time of day to eat and what food

etc.turkey, chicken
MANY THANKS!!!

I would advise you to not make the mistake of gorging yourself nonstop and eating nothing but protein, because both routes are mistakes. Remember, trainers are working fast because their services are expensive and people expect to see results fast. That’s why so many urge their clients to eat-eat-eat when building muscle and starve-starve-starve to lose weight. I’ve never been a fan of either.

If you really want to start putting on weight, increase your daily protein intake by about 5% (that’s assuming you already take in the correct amount, which is around 15% or so), hit the weights hard but within reason (4 days minimum), and adjust the rest of your diet to hit all the necessary vitamins and minerals. That means get your many servings of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and try to incorporate good fats in place of saturated and trans fats as much as possible. You’ll see initial results, but the best results will take a little bit of time.

I hope you look (or at least feel like) a big, buff dude in time. Good luck in meeting your goals.

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