Healthy Food For Weight Loss And Muscle Gain

Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by

Both nutrition and physical activity are critical if you want to gain lean muscle. It’s essential to challenge your body through physical activity but without proper nutritional support, your progress will stall.

High protein foods are very important for gaining muscle, but carbohydrates and fats are also necessary sources of energy.

If your goal is to gain lean muscle, you should focus on exercising regularly and eating more calories each day from muscle building foods.

Healthy Food For Weight Loss And Muscle Gain

10 BEST FOODS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND BUILD MUSCLE

What are the best foods to lose fat and build muscle? Remember, it’s essential to exercise in combination with eating well to reach your goals. Foods that can help you get in the shape you want are listed below: 

1. FULL-FAT DAIRY

You know me, I can never say enough good things about Greek yogurt. On the fat loss side, Greek yogurt contains conjugated linoleic acid, known to burn fat and promote weight loss. As for muscle building, slow-digesting dairy proteins contribute to muscle gain. Cottage cheese is another protein-filled snack that helps to fill you up.  

Overhead view of three eggs in a cast iron pan, cooked and ready to add to Homemade Breakfast Burritos.

2. EGGS

Eggs stay with you and help promote fullness. Additionally, the protein in eggs can increase your metabolic weight for several hours after you eat them. The amino acids in this ultra-nutritional food increase muscle gain. So, eggs are one of the best foods to lose fat and gain muscle.

3. FISH LIKE SALMON, TUNA AND TILAPIA

The mega-3 fatty acids in fish like salmon not only reduce inflammation but are also one of the best foods to help you lose fat. How? Fish helps lessen the production of cortisol ( a stress hormone that can lead to increased fat storage). It’s good for both heart and muscular health.

Straight on view of a large white bottle of whey protein, ready to add to a smoothie as a nutritious source of protein for muscle building.

4. WHEY PROTEIN

Whey protein is thought to protect and conserve muscle in the body when losing weight. That’s a pretty impressive characteristic of this food. Whey protein is easily added to smoothies and other nutritional drinks. It can keep you full and promotes fat burning, too.

5. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of my go-to hunger reducers. Now that I follow an intermittent fasting eating regimen, I drink a lot of water (one of the must-do’s!). I add apple cider vinegar, and doing so helps stave off hunger.

As well, the acetic acid in the vinegar is thought to lessen the accumulation of fat in the stomach and increase the body’s ability to lose fat. To learn more about the weight loss benefits of ACV, watch my video about it.

6. MEATS (LIKE LEAN BEEF AND CHICKEN BREAST)

Vitamins, like B6, in particular, are known to give you the stamina you need during exercise. Lean beef, turkey, and chicken are considered essentials for gaining muscle. These proteins boost the body without a heavy calorie load, and that’s why they are so beneficial. 

Side view of a mason jar with Quinoa Stackers, including apple cider vinegar, feta cheese, red onion, quinoa, and tomato.
7. QUINOA

Quinoa is a carbohydrate that provides the nourishment required to keep your energy up when exercising and throughout the day, in general. Athletes who are ready to run a marathon, for example, will fuel their body with a meal that includes carbs as a way to maintain stamina.

8. BROWN RICE

Brown rice has a bit of protein but, more importantly, is another useful source of carbs. Considered almost as good as whey for muscle building, brown rice is gluten-free, It contains vitamins and minerals key to providing energy when you need it.

9. NUTS LIKE ALMONDS AND PEANUTS

Nuts have a fair amount of calories but also have components like phosphorus, which helps the body build protein and use carbs for energy. Magnesium is found in nuts, too. It regulates muscle function and builds protein.

Side view of summer corn edamame salad, filled with cooked quinoa, sliced red onions, edamame, and fresh corn.

10. BEANS AND LEGUMES

Chickpeas, edamame, and kidney beans are all excellent ways to add protein to the diet. Edamame, in particular, contains the all-important folate that helps with muscle strength. Beans, like black or kidney beans, are packed with iron and phosphorus (aids in protein building.)

AVOID PROCESSED FOODS TO LOSE FAT AND BUILD MUSCLE

Processed foods are really a lot of empty calories that do not provide nutrition at all. Sure, they fill you up and satisfy hunger for the moment, but they do nothing for your body.

The simplest reason for avoiding processed foods is to know exactly what you are putting in your body every time you eat. Look at it this way, the best way to have control over what’s in the calories you eat is to eat food in its natural state.

An orange is an orange, plain and simple and a chicken breast, is well, chicken. Healthy, wholesome foods that are naturally good for you should be the mainstay of your diet.

Foods that have hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, and ingredients you can’t pronounce or even attempt to understand should not be in your grocery cart. There are also a lot of fake healthy foods out there that trick you into thinking you are eating well, when in fact, you aren’t at all.

Remember these tips when avoiding processed foods:

  • Foods that claim to be low sugar or sugar-free will have ingredients like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose
  • Fat-free items are typically fat-reduced but sugar-increased
  • There are lots of names for hidden sugar, like maltodextrin, barley malt, sucralose, glucose-fructose, and corn syrup solids
  • Gluten-free items can contain a lot of sugar, salt, and fat, so read the labels carefully
  • Instead of refined white flour when baking, look to whole wheat flour, cassava flour, chickpea flour, or almond meal

The bottom line

Numerous foods can help you gain lean muscle. Many of them are high in protein and allow your muscles to recover and grow after you have been active.

It is also important to consume carbohydrates and fats to provide fuel for exercise and physical activity.

What’s more, many of the foods on this list contain the vitamins and minerals your body needs to operate at its best.

To reach your goal of gaining lean muscle, focus on exercising regularly and eating more calories each day from nutritious foods like the ones listed in this article.

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