LEAN MUSCLE DIET: EAT LIKE AN OLYMPIAN

 

It's no secret that your fitness is directly tied to what you eat. A lean muscle diet consists of quality protein, carbs and essential fats. Protein is used to repair muscle fibers that have been broken down during workouts, carbs are used for energy and essential fats are used to boost testosterone levels. Testosterone is a muscle-building hormone.

 

Here are some foods that support the development of strong, lean, muscle mass.

 

Spinach

 

There is some truth behind Popeye’s love for the green stuff, despite the fact that it decreases to about 1/8 of its original size when it’s cooked. Spinach is a great source of amino acids and glutamine, essential nutrients for the growth of lean muscle.

Beef

 

You can’t go wrong with a good bit of beef. It might have become fairly expensive in recent years but it’s an important lean-muscle building food due to its sky-high protein, zinc, B vitamins and iron content.

 

 

 

Apples

 

It might come as a surprise to many, but apples help to prevent muscle fatigue and increase muscle strength due to the specific polyphenols that they contain. Recent research has also suggested that apples speed up the fat burning process, making them an ideal pre-workout snack.

 

 

Sweet potatoes

 

Although they are full of carbs, sweet potatoes are great for building lean muscle. The carbs contained in sweet potatoes keep your glucose stable, a key element in burning fat and preserving muscle. They are a unique carb that actually aid weight loss due to their high fibre content, but they actually keep you fuller for longer than most other starchy vegetables.

 

 

 

Eggs

 

Often described as ‘the perfect protein’, eggs are your best friend when it comes to boosting lean muscle growth and strength gains, but this isn’t just down to the protein alone; the cholesterol found in the yolk is also a contributing factor.