Written By: Priyanka Mittal
M.Sc and MPhil in food and Nutrition

Certificates

Best Diet Plan for Muscles Gain – Every individual wishes to have a muscular body. Having a fit body physique not only enhances your looks and self-confidence but also keeps you safe from all health problems. However, just wishing for the same isn’t enough. One has to work out a lot and consume a well-balanced diet. Here, we present to you the Best Diet Plan for Muscles Gain.

diet plan to gain musclesYour muscle gain depends on your daily calorie intake, your diet and the timings of your diet. To have a strong muscular physique, it is necessary that you take care of all these factors. In our diet plan, we will list the food items you should eat and the ones you should avoid gaining muscles. Also, we will provide the dietary tips that’ll help you accomplish your goal at a faster rate.

Diet Plan for Muscle Gain

In order to gain muscular strength and endurance, having a note of your calorie intake is a must. For losing weight you need to cut down your calorie intake and for gaining weight you need to increase the same. According to the experts, for men aged above 40 daily intakes should be between 3000-3500 calories per day. Here are we listing the food items for muscle gain along with the approx. calories in them.

Meat Products

Meat foods are always enriched with proteins. Also, meats have highly-saturated fats. Ground beef, pork tenderloin, venison, chicken breast, salmon, tilapia, cod, turkey, chicken breast and lean steak are all such foods that help in muscle gain.

Approx. Calories in Beef(164gms) – 407, Chicken breast(200gms) – 344, 1 Turkey– 7200, Cod(180gms) – 200, Salmon(178gms) – 367 and so on.

Dairy foods

All the dairy products serve as the best bulking foods. They supply your body the nutrients, vitamins, and proteins essential for building muscles. Yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat milk, and cheese are all the dairy products that prove to be really beneficial especially for bodybuilders.

Calories in 1 cup of milk – 149, Yogurt – 138, Cottage Cheese – 206, Condensed Milk – 982

Seeds and nuts

Almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds are all such food items that provide you the number of calories your body needs.

Calories in Almonds(95gms) – 546, Cashews(120gms)- 734, Walnuts(80gms)- 523, Sunflower Seeds(140gms) – 818, Chia Seeds(28gms) – 135

Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, leafy salad greens, tomatoes, green beans, cucumber, zucchini, asparagus, peppers, and mushrooms are very helpful in muscle building.

Calories in Broccoli(600gms) – 207, Corns(154gms) – 562, Tomato – 20, Cucumber – 66 and so on.

On the other hand, fruits such as oranges, apples, bananas, grapes, pears, peaches, watermelon and berries also serve the same purpose.

Calories in orange – 62, apple – 95, banana – 111, Watermelon – 86, Pear – 101 and so on.

Beans, Legumes, and Oils

The beans and legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and the food oils such as the olive oil, flaxseed oil, and avocado oil yield great results in building muscles.

Calories in 1 cup Kidney beans – 620, Lentils – 678, 1tbsp Black beans – 41, 1tbsp Avocado Oil – 120, 1tbsp Olive oil – 133, 1bsp Flaxseed oil – 124 and so on.

Foods to Avoid

To be assured of a speedy muscle gain it is necessary that you say no to the deeply fried junk foods. These foods inhibit muscle growth and promote fat accumulation. Foods with excess sugars such as candies, ice creams, doughnuts are high in calories but lessen down the muscle gain rate. Most importantly, avoid smoking and consumption of alcohol as it leads to loss of body fats and muscles.

Conclusion

In the end, it is always important that you manage your diet and the time at which you have it. For individuals who wish to gain muscles, it is advised that you eat your meals at regular intervals. Rather than consuming it as a whole, try to have it after short time intervals. Avoid all foods that are harmful. Work hard in gyms, exercise regularly and consult an expert dietician who’ll guide you.