Building muscle requires time and dedication. Eating the right foods to complement your workout is crucial. If you want to gain muscle, eat foods high in protein and those rich in complex, rather than simple, carbohydrates. Omit or consume in moderation foods high in fat and sodium, the Muscle & Strength website recommends. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise regimen.
Food
If you want to build muscle quickly, eat a balanced, healthy diet. You should combine certain foods: For example, eat complex carbohydrates with protein. Complex carbohydrates are foods such as brown bread, brown rice and whole grains. Your protein should come from lean meat such as chicken and lean beef; fish is also a good source of protein. Vegetarians can eat pulses, nuts, seeds and beans instead of meat, for their source of protein.
Significance
Protein is vital if you want to build muscle. It not only helps the body to metabolize fat, it is also helps you to recover after a heavy workout, according to the American Council on Exercise. The recovery stage is key when it comes to building muscle. It allows the tissues to connect and heal, and this is what builds better muscle strength. Make protein at least 30 percent of your daily calorie intake.
Timing
To build muscle, plan for your daily meals to track your exercise regimen closely. For example, prior to a training session, eat a small meal largely made up of complex carbohydrates. Afterward, consume something that contains plenty of protein --- lean chicken or fish, for example.
Water
Water is vital to muscle-building. If you are dehydrated, your metabolism will slow down, you won't be able to train to your optimum level, and it will make it harder for you to digest food. How much water you should be drinking depends on your body weight, according to the Build Muscle Gain Weight website, which explains that that to calculate how much water you should be drinking, multiply your body weight in by 0.6. Thus, a 160-lb. man should be drinking 96 ounces of water daily.
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