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What foods you must include in a good weight gain diet.

Posted on May 30th, 2010 in Diet Plans

If you are need to gain weight then the key to success in achieving this is to combine a good weight gain diet with resistance workouts. One factor without the other will not yield good results. So while exercise will stimulate muscle breakdown, a diet that contains the correct nutrients will then help grow and repair these damaged muscles making them larger and stronger. So please note that without the proper diet your muscle building goals will not be realized.

Here are a few food choices to help you produce a good quality weight gain diet:

1.Eat plenty of Protein – A staple body building diet includes various sources of protein. Proteins contain amino acids which are the building blocks of your body. Protein rich foods are important because they contain amino acids which help your body grow, repair and maintain muscle tissue. Beef, chicken breast . turkey, salmon, tuna and eggs are all great types of protein . Removing excess fat is important. For optimal muscle building try and aim for between a protein intake of 20%-30% of your total daily calories.

2. Keep eating Carbohydrates-Contrary to some opinion carbohydrates ARE a vital factor of the muscle building diet. A number of bodybuilders seem to think that the only macronutrient responsible for muscle growth is protein. Protein may be chiefly responsible for the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue but it can only carry out this job when the other nutrients are present in the diet. If carbs are scarce in the diet the body will look to convert protein into energy, a process you don’t want to happen when hoping to build muscle. Only through a diet that includes suitable carb intake can a body attain its fullest muscle building potential. For the best results when eating carbs (ie you build muscle without gaining fat) it is important to know which type of carbohydrate to consume . Complex carbs are the best choice to include in a muscle building diet as they break down more slowly in your body and give you a longer lasting release of energy. This means that you can maintainlonger workouts, faster recovery plus better assistance in the muscle building process . Oatmeal, wholegrain breads, vegetables, brown rice/pasta and sweet potatoes are excellent choices for complex carbs to include in your diet. For optimal muscle building try and aim for between a carbohydrate intake of 50%-60% of your total daily calories.

3. Include Healthy Fats– Small amounts of the right fats are good for your health, they help you gain muscle and they help you lose fat more easily . This is because they help keep testosterone levels high that are vital for muscle growth and increases the rate of metabolic reactions in the body resulting in more fat being burned . Good sources of healthy fats are found in most types nuts, oily fish such as sardines and salmon, avocados and oils such as flaxseed and olive. For optimal muscle building try and aim for between a fat intake of 15%-25% of your total daily calories. .

4. Invest in a quality Whey protein supplement– In my opinion the only supplement worth taking when building muscle is a whey protein. Although you can get all your protein requirements from natural sources I feel that using a quality whey supplement in addition to natural protein food sources can be beneficial. Protein rich whey is easily absorbed and hence is an ideal body building food for using just after a workout when the body needs protein quickly.It is typically added to shakes and smoothies using either water, milk or fruit juices . Whey protein supplements can be purchased from health food or body building shop.

A good weight gaining diet therefore must be balanced and should include foods from all types of macronutrients . An suitable exercise program combined with this will aid muscle growth in a very short time.