Supplement Strength Training With These Best Foods
Five Best Foods for Strength Training and Weight Lifting
Strength training is an excellent way of increasing lean muscle mass, reducing body fat, and effectively burning calories. For anyone enthusiastic about maintaining overall body health, strength training should be a key component in your fitness regime.
If you want to gain maximum benefits from your strength training, proper nutrition and diet is a must. Although supplements and drinks can also help you tremendously in achieving your fitness goals, foods readily available in your kitchen can be just as good.
Protein, fats, and carbohydrates are crucial in strength training. Incorporate these ingredients into your diet for maximum results.
Here is a list of food that is packed with excellent nutrition to accompany your strength training.
Milk
Why: Milk is a super source of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, which are all very beneficial. It is also full of vitamins, calcium, and minerals.
If you are looking to build your muscles, the high protein content in milk makes it a superb choice. If you want to try something with a little more flavor, then chocolate milk is not only delicious but possesses a lot of good for your health as well.
Along with vitamin d, calcium, and protein from the milk, chocolate milk also contains electrolytes, which will keep you hydrated. They also make an excellent after-workout snack.
When: Milk can be added to your diet throughout your exercise sessions. You can consume it post and pre-workout or even as a part of your morning ritual.
Bananas
Why: Bananas are not only ideal for strength training, but many fitness enthusiasts and professionals prefer them as a source of fuel for any workout. They have a very high concentration of glucose, which will provide you with quick energy. Not just that, their high potassium concentration also keeps muscle cramps in check.
The low glycemic index of bananas allows gradual release of carbs into your body system, suppressing sugar crashes, and stimulating muscle recovery process.
When: You can incorporate bananas in your diet in any way you like. Mixing bananas with milk is an easy yet tasty and healthy option. You can also grab a few bananas on your way to the gym. They can be an excellent pre or post-workout snack. They are readily available, affordable, and are also very nutritious.
Red Meat
Why: Consumption of red meat is highly beneficial for building muscles and gaining weight. Steak is a potent source of creatine and leucine, which plays a remarkable role in amplifying muscle mass. Additionally, steak and other red meats also contain a very high concentration of fats and proteins which are essential in strength training.
When: It can be an excellent dinner meal. However, it is recommended to keep your dosage of red meat under moderation. High consumption of red meat is not advisable. Opt for thinner cuts of red meat which are not only healthier for your heart but will also aid your strength training. They can be accommodating for gaining weight or building muscle mass.
Chicken
Why: Anyone familiar with fitness knows that chicken is a very favored food for strength training, and there is a reason behind it. Chicken has a very high concentration of protein and chicken breast is an excellent source of leucine, which increases protein synthesis and helps in muscle building.
A diet rich in leucine not only helps in losing weight and body fat but can also help you maintain a leaner body mass.
If you want to avoid fat at any cost, boiled chicken is the ideal choice over any other form of cooking. Additionally, chicken breast is more abundant in nutrients and is healthier than other parts of the chicken. It is recommended that you consume only chicken breast as part of your training.
When: Even though Chicken is suitable for pre and post-workout sessions, it is better suited as a pre-workout food and should be consumed at least 90 minutes before your sessions.
Organic Beef
Why: This meat contains a high dose of protein, saturated fat, and cholesterol, all of which promote testosterone levels. This meat also contains a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) in comparison to conventionally raised cattle.
Additionally, CLA is also very advantageous in helping to reduce body fat while boosting strength and muscle mass at the same time. Organic beef can be a great addition to your strength training diet thanks to its high concentration of protein and omega-3.
When: You can incorporate organic beef in your diet as a part of your lunch or dinner. Cooking it with healthy and organic vegetables can be a very healthy combination.
Final Verdict
Strength training is an excellent form of exercise to help you achieve your body goals, and diet forms a fundamental aspect. Maintaining a balance between training and nutritious food should help you achieve your dream body in no time.