200 best muscle building foods: wondering what to eat and when to add mass or lose fat? We answer those questions here, as well as identify the best muscle morsels and offer up six expert-designed meal plans

Muscle & Fitness, April, 2008 by Ian Logan

In case you haven't noticed, training is the easy part of the physique-changing equation. Yes, you need to hit the weights--hard--with a solid combination of exercises, sets and reps to see results, but that's only about 90 minutes of your day. What about the other 22 1/2 hours, when a wrong morsel (or two) of food at the wrong time can derail your progress? At most, there are perhaps 100 good exercises. Meanwhile, there are thousands of food choices. What do you eat? When do you eat it? Which meal combos work best for getting peeled, or getting huge? It's no wonder our annual nutrition issue proves to be so popular. [??] Of course, we're here to give you exactly the information you need. In the following pages, you'll find a compendium of the top 200 body building-friendly foods, a pullout card that provides six full days' worth of meal plans and, starting below, our best advice on mass gain and fat loss, thanks in part to Chris Aceto, author of Championship Bodybuilding and Everything You Need to Know About Fat Loss (nutramedia.com).

MASS-GAIN ADVICE

Gaining size isn't a quick-fix process

Although results vary a bit by individual, you can add 1/2-2 pounds per week of muscle while on an appropriate mass-gain diet. The key word is "muscle"--to keep tabs on fat gain, don't just depend on your scale to gauge progress. Instead, rely on what you see in the mirror and use a tape measure twice a month: Measure your chest, quads and arms for gains, and your waist and hips for maintenance or loss.

Don't become discouraged if gains don't come evenly, because chances are they won't. You may gain a half-pound one week, 2 pounds the next, and none the third week but overall still be right on track. "Expecting uniform gains ignores the intricate makeup of the body and the way it gains mass or loses fat, which is by no means in linear fashion," Aceto adds.

Increase your calories, but don't go overboard

Wanting to get huge doesn't mean it's time for a no-holds-barred eating binge. "Rebuilding muscle tissue that is broken down by training requires energy--calories," Aceto says. "But many people, including many nutritionists, overestimate the energy needs for gaining mass, encouraging extreme high-calorie intakes. This often leads to an increase in bodyfat, making you bigger, for sure, but also leaving you fat." Instead of an all-out quest for calories, aim for 300-500 more every day than your body burns through exercise and normal functioning. To figure out this number, multiply your bodyweight by 17.

Protein Is your friend

If you're a regular reader of M & F, you've heard this before, but it can't be emphasized enough: Protein is vital for mass gains because it's the only nutrient capable of stimulating muscle growth. The minimum intake is 1 gram of protein per pound of body-weight per day, and up to 2 grams per pound is good. Having protein as part of a meal about every three hours helps ensure that your body gets the amino acids it needs to support muscle growth (get roughly one-sixth of your daily protein at each meal). Finally, focus on quality protein sources such as skinless chicken breast, lean cuts of beef, fish, fat-free dairy products, egg whites and protein powders.

Never skip your postworkout meal

Breakfast is important, but arguably the most essential feeding of the day for a bodybuilder is right after training. A carb- and protein-rich meal immediately following a weight session works in concert for muscle gain--the amino acids of protein are the building blocks of muscle, while carbs boost levels of insulin, an anabolic hormone that drives nutrients such as aminos into the muscle cells. At no other time of day is the body so primed for this type of reaction.

Drink plenty of water

Regular doses of [H.sub.2]O, especially in the hours leading up to a workout, can help you feel full and reduce hunger pangs. During training, drink about 8 ounces every 15-20 minutes, and more when it's hot and humid, as your performance quickly begins to suffer when the body is dehydrated as little as 1%-2%. (If you wait until you feel thirsty, you've waited too long.) If you're one of those people who just doesn't like water all that much, a low-calorie sports drink is a great way to hydrate; also, try drinking fluids stored at cooler temperatures, as research indicates that people consume more when a liquid is colder.

Take extra steps if you find you're a hardgainer

If you follow a consistent diet but still can't add lean mass, increase the carbs at both your first meal of the day and your post-training meal by another 40-50 grams. These two feedings are the primary windows in which a hardgainer needs extra energy to coax the body into an anabolic state, Aceto says. "In general, when you eat more at your first meal, it helps drive up your metabolism, which is conducive to muscle growth." For these extra grams, aim for faster-digesting carbohydrates such as cream of rice cereal, fat-free muffins, bagels, honey or white rice.

GET-LEAN ADVICE

No cutting at all costs