Losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time can make you feel energized and healthy. This article will cover 10 of the best foods to lose weight fast and build muscle. We will also discuss some other ways to prevent muscle loss.
We all know that muscles are a very important tissue. They have the ability to contract and therefore move other parts of the body.
In addition, muscles are the main organs for the body to generate heat.
Heat production, to maintain body temperature, is an important by-product of muscle metabolism. Nearly 85 percent of the heat produced in the body is the result of muscle contraction.
Therefore, people with strong muscles tend to have a high metabolism.
However, many people who lose weight also experience significant muscle loss.
This is because when your body loses fat, it also breaks down muscles which lead to a decline in metabolic levels.
Although it seems impossible to achieve both goals at the same time, it is feasible.
Today, we are going to discuss some of the best foods that can help you build muscle while reducing fat.
10 Best Foods to Lose Body Fat and Gain Muscle
Physical activity is essential if you want to gain lean muscle and lose weight. However, without proper nutritional support, your progress will stall.
Here are 10 of the top foods that can help you achieve your goals.
1. Fatty Fish
Fish such as tuna, tilapia and salmon, are rich in protein and healthy fatty acids (Omega 3), which not only help build muscle mass but also increase metabolism and help reduce fat.
In addition, studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids exert anti-inflammatory properties through different mechanisms. As a result, these Omega-3 fatty acids help prevent many diseases caused by inflammation, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers.
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2. Eggs
Eggs are one of the best foods to lose fat and gain muscle.
They are a great source of high-quality protein, healthy fats and other important nutrients like B vitamins and choline [*].
Protein is the foundation of muscles. Therefore, eating adequate amounts of protein can help you maintain muscle mass and promote muscle growth.
Additionally, eggs can not only help promote fullness but also increase your metabolism.
3. Lean Beef
Lean beef is perfect for muscle gain because it contains almost all the nutrients you need to build muscle. Those nutrients include minerals, B vitamins, creatine and protein.
Beef contains more than any ordinary protein. It has an impressive collection of nine essential amino acids. [*]
This collection has a high biological value, which means that it can be easily digested and utilized by your body.
In addition, micronutrients (vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6 and B12) found in lean beef are related to energy metabolism and can help your body use carbohydrates and fats for fuel.
4. Chicken Breast
Like beef, chicken is also rich in high-quality protein. The only difference is that chicken skin is high in fat. Therefore, you should try to remember to remove the skin when using chicken as a protein source.
The chicken breast, in particular, is lean and has the most protein by weight, which makes it ideal for people who want to lose weight, maintain muscle mass and improve recovery.
Additionally, chicken breast is fairly low in calories, which is beneficial when you’re trying to shed pounds.
5. Full-fat Dairy
You may not realize that dairy products are also a great tool for building muscle.
For instance, there are no other natural sources that contain as much casein as cheese.
Casein is a slowly digested milk protein. It releases amino acids slowly, so people often take it before going to bed to help restore health and reduce muscle loss during sleep.
Casein has been shown to increase muscle growth and strength when combined with resistance training. It may also help reduce fat.
Another example is Greek yogurt. It contains conjugated linoleic acid which is known to burn fat and promote weight loss. [*]
6. Whey Protein Powder
Whey protein powder is one of the best choices for fitness. It can quickly replenish the ingredients you need to build muscle after training.
In addition, protein powder is also one of the best substitutes when you don’t have time to eat “real food”.
There are other options for protein powder online or in-store. Some of these products use soy, pea, beef or chicken protein. If you are a vegetarian or vegan you can find perfect products that can suit your needs.
7. Whole Grains
Whole grains such as oats, buckwheat, barley and quinoa contain more nutrients than processed foods.
For example, brown rice is better for promoting growth hormone which is one of the hormones most needed for muscle growth.
Another good thing about whole grains is that they are rich in dietary fiber, low in calories and low in glycemic index. This makes them fill your stomach more easily.
8. Nuts
Nuts are rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They can help with weight loss and burn belly fat.
A variety of nuts are also used as bodybuilding snacks including almonds, peanuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts and cashews.
Coupled with the results you get from your workout, nuts can benefit you because they are a good dietary staple and can help you become stronger and healthier.
9. Legumes and Beans
Legumes and beans can add rich nutrition to your healthy diet.
These foods are a natural mixture of protein and carbohydrates. Your body needs carbohydrates to replenish your muscles and needs protein to build and repair your muscles.
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, beans and their products such as tofu, are a good substitute for protein and a good source for calcium.
Beans have a low glycemic index. This means they digest slowly and provide continuous energy.
Their high fiber content can help you feel satiety for a long time, which promotes weight loss.
10. Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide carbohydrates and a lot of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Many of them are also high in fiber. Some of these include kale, spinach, broccoli, sweet potato, berries and avocado.
Due to their low-calorie content, fruits and vegetables are great foods to add to your calorie-controlled diet to help support weight loss.
Many leafy vegetables are packed with phytosterols and antioxidants, which can help you build muscle and reduce fat.
Sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin A, copper, potassium, riboflavin, folic acid and pantothenic acid. All of these help to replenish energy and promote the muscle-building process. [*]
Exercise for Preventing Muscle Loss
While a healthy and well-balanced diet can help you lose fat more quickly and build muscle mass, regular movement or exercise is still necessary.
The great thing about exercising is that a good workout can burn fat and build muscle at the same time.
If you want to gain muscles fast, strength training and HIIT are the best approaches.
Strength training is one of the best ways to permanently change your body composition. In short, this is a type of exercise that focuses on using resistance to build strength and lean muscle.
HIIT is a training technique that alternates between vigorous anaerobic exercise and short rest.
Both of these types of training will increase your heart rate in a short period of time, which means that both of these activities are medium to high-intensity training that can burn fat effectively.
Therefore, eating nutritious foods, combined with the right type of exercise, can help you lose weight fast and build muscle mass at the same time.
