Top 6 Mass-Building Meals For Amazing Muscle Growth!

By now, most men understand the importance of protein in building muscle. When working out, the stress of weight lifting damages muscle fibers. This damage activates a special repair process that eventually forces individual muscle cells to grow. All of this growth requires loads of amino acids, the basic building blocks of life.

But the process of muscle growth requires more than just protein. Weight lifting burns fat and energy in the form of muscle glycogen, so your diet also needs to include a healthy serving of carbs to both replenish muscle glycogen stores and to boost insulin, a hormone that helps shuttle amino acids into the muscles. This means you should not only focus on incorporating protein into your diet, but also pay just as much attention to avoiding unhealthy foods – this combination of attention to your diet will be a winning combo.

Here are 6 mass-building meals that can give you the carbohydrates for the energy to train, along with adequate proteins to supply the amino acids you need to recover.
 

 Fish

When it comes to building muscle, fish really crushes the competition. Take salmon, for example. Not only is salmon a protein powerhouse yielding around 25 grams of protein per 100-gram serving, but it’s also packed with so many other healthy nutrients that you’d be a fool to avoid it. Salmon is loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin D, a current media darling. All in all, fish, such as tuna or salmon, are simply the best.

Beef & Potatoes

This plain ol’ American staple is very popular for a very good reason – it works! The protein is delivered with a bit of fat, ensuring slow digestion over a period of hours, and the potatoes release energy for hours to come. This is a slow meal, one that you should consume if you’re going to be working or on the road for a period of time. Eat and relax!

Chicken

What can we say about chicken that hasn’t already been said? Chicken is the staple muscle-building food. A nice, lean 100-gram slab of this white meat will fill you with a hearty serving of 31 grams of protein with only -- wait for it -- four grams of fat. So, as far as protein-to-fat ratio is concerned, you’re looking at a superstar. Combine chicken’s great taste and its meal versatility and there’s really no arguing that chicken belongs among the top muscle-building foods.

Eggs + Oatmeal

If you have the time and energy to cook your breakfast in the morning, then eggs and oatmeal will be the bodybuilding breakfast for you! Add mass to your body and fuel your entire day with the meal Ronnie Coleman chose for breakfast on his own training DVD. There’s a reason this meal is so popular – fast digestion with all the macronutrients you need to be wrecking the weights 1 or 1.5 hours later in the gym!

Whey Protein + Oatmeal

If time is short when your day begins (and for many people, this is the case!) you can also opt for a shaker cup containing a half cup of oats along with 2 scoops of your favorite whey protein. The texture and taste will take a few days to get used to, but the results you see will speak for themselves!

Chinese Buffet

Actually, any buffet will suffice, but the unlimited portions of chicken and rice available at Chinese buffets seem to be particularly popular with bodybuilder looking to deliver some amazing muscle growth with an infusion of carbs and protein. Be careful not to consume too many fatty portions, and keep an eye out for the high sodium content, particularly if you suffer from hypertension. Drink plenty of water to ensure proper digestion.