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You want to get serious about this muscle game? You can’t make up your diet as you go along.

You’re going to need a structured meal plan (by the way I can design one for you here if you would like me to do the hard work for you).

Once designed, just eat, train correctly (as with my free THT Training workout) and the gains will come. And that’s a certainty!

So here are 10 foods that should be appearing on your meal plan for building muscle.

(1) EGGS

 

A whole egg contains 6g protein and has the highest bio-availability score of any real food (a score of 100 – only whey protein is higher). So there is simply no better real-food protein on the planet. Eat your eggs. And unless you’re in the process of  getting shredded, keep the yolks.

(2) WATER

 

Surprised? Muscle is over 70% water. In fact, apart from some trace carbs (glycogen) and fat, muscle tissue is basically water and protein – but mostly water. It’s therefore hard for your body to build new muscle if your internal environment is dehydrated. How much water per day?

Body weight (lbs) X 0.6 = Water Intake in ounces

So a 160lb person needs 96 ounces of water daily. That’s around 12 x 8 ounce cups.

To build muscle drink body weight x 0.6oz water per day Share on X

 

(3) CHICKEN BREAST

 

A pretty fundamental bodybuilding food. High bio-availability score, complete amino acid profile. Fairly inexpensive. It’s also about 25% protein by weight – 100g = ~25g protein. In fact, most meat and fish is roughly 1/4 protein. Always keep that in mind. So if you wanted 50g protein, weigh out 200g of chicken or other meat.

(4) WHEY PROTEIN

 

Not just the best protein on earth in terms of its vastly superior bioavailability and amino acid profile, but the fast-acting nature of whey makes it the perfect protein source for that important after-training period when you are at your most catabolic.

For a high-quality whey that has been independently verified to actually contain the amount of protein it states on the label, choose MyProtein.

This is MyProtein in UK/Europe.  And this is the US MyProtein site. I also recommend to US readers Optimum Nutrition whey (and here’s a low-carb whey).

 

(5) CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES

 

I recently weighed out all my veggies that I ate during the day to see how many portions I was getting (out of the recommended 5/day). I got 9! So every day I get almost double the recommended amount of vegetables.

Now, while there are many many reasons to eat your veggies, you may not know that the DIM (3, 3’-diindolylmethane) created when these veggies are metabolized helps your body metabolize estrogen. Great for those of us trying to build muscle. Cruciferous veggies include:

• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Turnip
• Watercress

(6) RED MEAT

 

Don’t neglect red meat. A complete protein that comes with the added benefits of B vitamins,  CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) and helping optimize testosterone production.

(7) TUNA

 

It’s cheap, complete, high-quality protein. It works with any diet in any phase. The tin sizes are good for 1 serving, so it’s convenient too. For an interesting take on tuna, try my free Tuna Burger Patty recipe for a potent anabolic meal.

(8) COTTAGE CHEESE

 

Another cheap high-quality protein, but high in slow-releasing casein protein. It therefore makes a great choice at bedtime. It’s also featured in many bodybuilding recipes, from breakfasts to desserts. I include it in some of my recipes (including pancakes) in my newly re-released and updated Buff Baking 2 Anabolic Cookbook.

For max gains, get your bedtime nutrition right. I have a short guide for you that will tell you exactly how to eat before bed. Just input your details below. You don’t need to go to your email, the info you require will appear immediately. Enjoy!

 

(9) QUINOA

 

Quinoa is one of the best carb sources out there. But it’s also rich in protein – and it’s a complete protein. Furthermore, it’s been linked with increases in IGF-1, Insulin Like Growth Factor-1 – a hormone known to promote muscle growth.

(10) NUTS & NUT BUTTERS

 

Great fats. Great protein. But don’t just stick to peanut butter. Almond Butter is amazing! I use it to make my low-carb homemade protein bars. High in protein and also magnesium!

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So make sure you include all of these during the course of a week when designing your meal plan for gains.

Want to add to the list? Tell me below.

Or if you need help, ask below, on the forum, or on facebook. I’ll be happy to help.

Mark McManus