Building muscle requires an ongoing effort. Some people are under the mistaken belief that they can just go to the gym, lift weights, and call it a day. But, in order to see truly great results, you need to be focusing on what you’re doing 24/7. This means sleeping well, using appropriate supplements, resting after your workout sessions, and eating the right foods.

The foods you eat will supply the building blocks that muscle is made from so it really pays to have the right ones on hand.

Which foods are best? Let’s walk you through four of the top foods to eat if your goal is mass building.

Chicken Breast

As far as a protein source goes, you can’t really beat chicken. It’s lean, it’s easy to cook, and it’s relatively cost-effective. Most bodybuilders and fitness competitors alike eat a lot of chicken in their day.

Protein is essential for rebuilding and repairing the muscle tissue after it’s been damaged, so not something that you want to do without.

Steak

Second on the list of good foods to consume to help build muscle tissue is steak. Rich in protein, steak also offers up iron and vitamin B12, which are critical in the muscle formation process. Iron is also what helps ensure you have sufficient energy to get through each workout session you plan to complete.

Just do watch with steak that you are choosing leaner varieties. The type of steak you eat will make a big difference in the results you see.

Sweet Potatoes

Carbohydrates are not to be neglected! Many people are now on their low carb diet plans and while these may be good for those who are looking to lose fat, they are definitely not ideal for anyone who is hoping to build muscle.

Sweet potatoes are not going to spike blood glucose levels as much as regular potatoes are, so this means they’ll help keep energy levels more stable, which is always a great thing for those partaking in activity.

Sweet potatoes are also fat-free, so ideal for immediately following a workout session and can be cooked in a number of different ways.

As gluten-containing foods (bread, pasta, bagels, cereals, etc.) can lead to inflammation in the body, these are foods you will want to avoid. Try sweet potatoes instead throughout the day as your primary energy source.

Nuts

Finally, last but not least, don’t overlook nuts. Nuts are great for anyone on a muscle building diet plan because they are going to provide a nice balanced mix of proteins, carbs, and fats and keep blood glucose levels very stable.

They’re also very calorie dense, so this can help you get your total calorie intake up to the level it needs to be to put on that lean muscle mass tissue. Failing to get in enough calories is one of the biggest reasons why some people don’t see results on their muscle building plan, so any calorie dense food that will help you do that can be beneficial.

So there you have the top four foods to eat for putting on lean muscle mass. Are you missing out on any of these?

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