Exactly What You Should Eat if You’re Trying to Build Muscle

Exactly What You Should Eat if You’re Trying to Build Muscle

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How to Use Food as Fuel

Rule number one: Don't skimp on calories. When you strength train, you're burning cals during and after your workout. (Post-sesh, your body is working hard to repair and rebuild the muscle fibers broken down during your lifts, says Cohn.) In order for your body to recover, build muscle, and power through future workouts (and, you know, your work day) you'll need plenty of fuel. That's why Cohn recommends aiming for between 2,000 to 2,200 calories per day, depending on your age, height, and weight.

You’ll also need to be sure you’re eating the right proportion of macronutrients, with about 50 percent of your calories coming from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein, and 20 percent from fat, says Cohn.

“In terms of the breakdown of protein, fats, and carbs, there’s no research that shows you need more than 20 to 30 percent protein. Our muscles prefer to use energy from complex carbs to build muscle,” she says. “The protein that we consume breaks down and is recycled to build actual muscle tissue, but the fuel that actually gets us there is carbohydrates.”

Fueling before and after your workout is also key, says Cohn, which means you may have to do some planning to be sure you aren’t working out on a totally empty stomach in the morning, or going too long before eating after a workout.

Your Muscle-Building Menu

Want to set yourself up for a week of success? With this plan, you’ll get to repeat meals and use leftovers—you won't be meal prepping non-stop.

“Hitting the gym, and keeping up with a diet is time consuming enough,” says Cohn. “Making extra and having leftovers will spare you extra time so you can dedicate that to a few extra muscle-building sets at the gym.” Since everybody's calorie needs will be different, adjust portions and serving sizes based on what works best for you.

Check out your menu:

Amanda Becker

Monday

Breakfast #1

Two to three slices whole-grain toast

Plain Greek yogurt topped with strawberries and sunflower seeds

Lunch #1

Spinach salad with canned tuna, corn, low-fat shredded cheese, tomato, dried cranberries, olive oil, and balsamic

Dinner #1

Pan-cooked shrimp with brown rice, pine nuts, and broccoli

Grapefruit on the side

Brown rice is a high-fiber complex carb, which helps provide the energy your body needs to build muscle, says Cohn. Pine nuts are filled with antioxidants, which absorb the free radicals that are released when the body breaks down tissue. They also contain mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which help build muscle back up again.

Tuesday

Breakfast #2

One-and-a-half whole-grain English muffins with spreadable cheese and apple slices

Almonds on the side

Repeat Lunch #1

Repeat Dinner #1

Wednesday

Breakfast #3

Mini bagel with butter

Turkey sausage links

Cantaloupe

Lunch #2

Chicken salad lettuce wraps (hummus, avocado, chicken breast, carrot)

Sliced cucumber

Cantaloupe

Dinner #2

Baked potato with turkey, sour cream, and onion

Orange on the side

Avocados are full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help build lean muscle. Plus, having a hearty portion of chicken and turkey at each meal will help keep you full, says Cohn.

Thursday

Repeat Breakfast #1

Repeat Lunch #2

Dinner #3

Egg scramble with two full eggs plus four egg whites, black beans, spinach, tomato, topped with avocado

Two kiwi

Beans are full of fiber, which keeps you regular. And that's important when you're eating more protein than normal, says Cohn. (Translation: All that protein can plug you up.) “Aim for free-range organic eggs," she adds. "Not only is it more humane, but the yolks are more nutritious. Some research shows that the yolks are higher in vitamin A and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and beta-carotene, and lower in cholesterol and saturated fat.”

Friday

Repeat Breakfast #2

Lunch #3

Free-range organic beef or bison burger on rye bread with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion

Grapes on the side

Repeat Dinner #3

Lean beef and bison are low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids, iron, B vitamins, zinc, and phosphorus. These are all nutrients that will aid in muscle growth and help support circulation, says Cohn.

Saturday

Repeat Breakfast #3

Lunch #4

Pasta with tofu, edamame, olive oil, mixed veggies

Fruit salad on the side

Dinner #4

Baked chicken with quinoa, raisins, steamed kale, carrots

Quinoa is high in fiber and is also a complete protein, which makes this dinner a protein powerhouse, says Cohn. Plus, it will keep you full longer. “There’s some research that supports the benefits of soy for muscle-building, which make the tofu and edamame combo a winner,” she says. “If you don’t like tofu, simply switch it out for any other lean protein source such as poultry, eggs, or even a lean beef.”

Sunday

Repeat Breakfast #1

Repeat Lunch #4

Repeat Dinner #4

Seven days, done! Now score the muscle-sculpting moves you need in the gym with Women's Health's Lift to Get Lean by Holly Perkins.

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