By, Angela Williams
When it comes to knowing what foods you should and shouldn’t eat, it can be a bit confusing. Knowing whether something is considered healthy or good for a muscle-building diet can be difficult with all of the different diets and articles out there. Now although this article is about the best foods to eat to lose weight and gain muscle, it’s important to understand that working out goes hand in hand. Without the help of a daily workout, the process will become a lot longer.
Majority of the issue when trying to lose weight is based on the foods that you eat, but physical activity is essential for the process. One thing that we want to mention when you are beginning your weight loss journey is to immediately forget the scale. At least for a bit of time, don’t even think about getting on the scale to watch your weight. Since muscle weighs more than fat, you might become shocked when you see that your numbers have increased. But yet, your favorite pair of jeans suddenly fit better and that’s because the fat is shedding off.
Now, let’s get to everyone’s favorite topic, food. Creating good nutrition habits early on is the best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but we understand that not everyone starts off like this. Training yourself to eat healthy unprocessed foods is something that can definitely be done and taught over time. Fueling your body with nutritious foods is the key to any well-balanced diet.
What are the best foods to eat to lose weight and gain muscle?
Eating the proper amount of fats and proteins is the most important part of being sure that you are gaining muscle rather than fat. Any time that you overindulge in one item, you may be causing your body to create fat and not muscle. When it comes to dieting, balance is everything. Rather than restricting yourself and going into deprivation mode, just balancing your foods will do the trick. Being sure to get proper amounts of protein, healthy fats, and fiber carbohydrates is vital. Depending on your goals and your current weight, your caloric needs will vary. There are plenty of amazing apps that you can use to track your food and workouts to be sure you are meeting your daily needs. You should be aiming to have protein and veggies with every meal and minimal carbs. Some healthy examples are:
Tip 1: Eat protein with every meal
- Eggs
- Chicken and turkey
- Beef, Pork and Lamb
- Tuna, Salmon and Sardines
- Whole Milk, Cheese, Greek Yogurt and Whey Protein
Tip 2: Eat veggies with every meal
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Bell Pepper
- Cabbage
Tip 2: Eat carbs one time per day, preferably early in your day
- Quinoa
- Oatmeal
- Bread
- Brown Rice
- Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes
What diets can I do to lose fat and gain muscle quickly?
A lot of times when people are looking to lose fat they immediately turn to extreme diets and try to lose an excessive amount of weight quickly. The key is to not lose weight fast, but rather slow and steady. When you drop weight too fast, chances are you will put it back on just as quickly. Not only will the weight go back on faster, but while you are losing weight, you are not just losing fat, but rather you are losing muscle. This would solely defeat your ultimate purpose. Also, women and men are very different when it comes to dropping weight fast.
Women have other parts of their bodies to be cautious of when dropping excessive weight. Losing large increments of weight leads to saggy skin, decreased breast tissue and loss of muscle definition. In fact, the foods that we have listed will not only help increase muscle and decrease fat, but also keep your body including your breasts toned and firm. Ladies, you will want to keep that in mind when thinking about the next fad diet you are following.
Should I do excessive amounts of cardio?
If you are looking to simply lose weight and you are not too concerned about gaining muscle, then sure, cardio is probably for you. If you are trying to gain muscle definition, then excessive cardio is going to be a no. When your main goal is to gain muscle, you will be better off focussing on high-intensity interval exercises. This is the best way to get rid of belly fat and lean out. When you do HIIT workouts you are actually burning calories for hours after your workout is completed. Which if you’re following along you will know that the more calories you burn, the more fat you lose.
What foods should I eat before and after my workout?
Not feeding your body before and after a workout will hinder the weight loss, muscle gain process. Your body needs energy to fuel off of before a workout and your body will get that from food. Eating a small portion of carbohydrates before a workout is a great way to get the most from your gym session. Timing is everything when it comes to eating, eating your meal about 2-3 hours before you exercise is best. If you don’t have much time, you can eat a piece of toast with honey to give your body the proper amount of fuel beforehand. Now when you finish your workout, it is essential to feed your muscles. The best foods to eat after a workout would be something with dairy protein, eggs, carbohydrates or omega 3 fatty acids. These foods will have you on the way to recovery in no time.
The conclusion
Losing weight and gaining muscle is not as complicated as most would make it seem. As long as you are staying consistent with your workouts, eating proper foods and watching your caloric intake then the process will be smooth. The important thing to remember is to never deprive yourself of anything and do everything in moderation. Focus on more strength training and a little less cardio if your ultimate goal is to gain muscle and burn fat. Lastly, remember that patience is key and getting to your goals will take some time but if done the right way, you won’t have to worry about it coming back quickly.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.
