Bodybuilders are fully aware that working out does not build muscle. In fact, it does the opposite – breaking down muscle tissue and making you weaker. It is only when you put the right nutrients into your body after you leave the gym that the muscle growth will begin. Here are 4 of the most powerful mass building foods and supplements that bodybuilders nourish their muscles with in order to get as big and strong as possible.
Eggs
Eggs are a near perfect form of protein, which is why bodybuilders love to eat them. They are also easy to cook and to eat. This is especially so in their hard boiled form. With an average of 6 grams of protein in an average egg, hard boiling three of them the night before your workout and then downing them after your training will put 18 grams of much needed protein into your system with hardly any digestive effort at all.
In addition to the six grams of eggs that you get from a standard egg, there is also a whole lot of other nutrition value packed inside that shell. It is a great way to get your essential vitamins, especially A, E K, and the B vitamins. Eggs provide you with all of the essential amino acids, along with calcium, zinc and iron.
Eggs are among the most bioavailable forms of protein that exist, which means that more of it actually gets into your muscle cells than the majority of other protein sources.
Chicken
Bodybuilders are big on chicken. Chicken breast is especially popular due to its high protein and low fat content. The average chicken breast will supply you with 19 grams of protein and just a single gram of fat. That makes it among the highest protein containing meats that exist. What’s more, the bioavailability of chicken breast is almost as high as eggs.
Chicken meat contains all of the essential amino acids. It is especially high in tryptophan, which plays an essential role in protein synthesis. Another benefit of chicken is that it is among the least expensive meats on the marketplace. In order to keep your body fat levels in check, we recommend avoiding fast food chicken outlets and sticking with the skinless, low fat variety.
L Carnitine Tartrate
Carnitine is one of those compounds that it is difficult to categorize. Though often considered to be an amino acid, it is actually more vitamin than amino acid. Formed in the liver and kidneys, it helps the body to create the amino acids methionine and lysine. In the diet, it is mainly found in red meat.
Carnitine is available in both D and L forms. L Carnitine is the most biologically available. L-Carnitine Tartrate is a popular form of carnitine that has been shown to have potent fat burning and muscle supporting benefits. It transports fat cells into the mitochondria of cells to be used for energy. When you exercise intensely, such as training in the gym with weights, the actions of carnitine are maximized.
Bodybuilders will take L Carnitine Tartrate while they are bulking up to add muscle mass so that they don’t put on fat along with the muscle. In addition to helping you lose fat, L Carnitine Tartrate helps to reduce muscle soreness post workout. It will also reduce workout fatigue, allowing you to train harder for longer. A final muscle growth benefit of carnitine is that it helps to speed up blood flow to your working muscles. As well as producing an awesome training pump, this will bring more nutrients and oxygen to the muscle cell.
Fish
Fish represents an excellent source of protein for muscle building. It also delivers benefits that you cannot get with chicken and red meat. For a start, fish represents the leanest protein meat source that exists, with among the lowest total calorie counts. Fish is also an extremely easy meat to digest. That is important when you are eating the quantities of food that goes into a bodybuilding mass building diet.
Fish is also rich in healthy fats that support muscle growth and overall health. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in fish, have a glutamine sparing effect. This helps to prevent muscle breakdown. The fat found in fish also helps to transport glycogen into the muscle cell. Fish is also high in mineral content. And, while some varieties are quite expensive, you can get your fish at a budget friendly price. You can pick up a 6 oz can of tuna or sardines for around a dollar. That will give you 40 grams of quick digesting protein.
Summary
The three foods and one supplement that we have covered here should form the foundation of your muscle building nutrition. Consume 20-30 grams of protein from these sources every 3-4 hours to keep your muscles nourished for growth. When it comes to carbs, stick to a low glycemic index, slow burning varieties such as sweet potatoes and oatmeal to keep your muscle cells filled with glycogen.