FOODS YOU NEED TO GAIN MUSCLES AND LOSE FAT

To build muscle and lose fat, you need a variety of quality proteins, vegetables, fruits, carbs and also healthy fats. Eating protein helps building and maintaining muscle. But it also helps fat loss since protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs/fats.
Believe it or not, eating fats in a controlled manner also helps fat loss (or at least not gaining extra), because your body will hold on every piece of fat you eventually put in if you don’t eat fats at all. The lack of necessary fats tells your body to store them when you rarely eat them (“Hey, I don’t get this nutrient too often, maybe I should make supply depots”). Of course this happens only if you have a normal to good metabolism. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, necessary for recovery from your workouts.
Carbohydrates fuel your muscles so you feel full of energy at the gym. It’s pretty hard to get all these nutrients, as lots of people don’t have the time for eating the necessary foods. The below list helps you acquire all these quality substances
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, but nevertheless don’t make excesses. If you have bad cholesterol, lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away.

Wild Salmon. (and fish in general) 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/fish. 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.

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.

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 sugars.

Red Meat. Protein, vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega-3 if you eat grass-fed beef. 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, cauliflower, kale.

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.

Turkey. If you don’t believe saturated fat is good for you, try white turkey. The leanest beef has about 4.5 g saturated fat/100g, while white turkey has close to 0 g (that why it’s so dry).

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.

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.

Oats. Reduce cholesterol, provide you with low-gi carbs for energy, and high in soluble fiber. Try this post workout shake of whey & oats.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. Good quality whey protein also helps a lot and depending on the results you want to achieve, it may be more than necessary. This is because in many cases a person can’t possibly eat enough to gain the nutrients and proteins needed for a heavy muscular body. These supplements are safe, but it is imperative to stay on the recipe and not abuse, or they will take their toll on your liver.