Julia asks, “I’m finding it harder and harder to maintain muscle mass and healthy weight. What type of things can I do to regain muscle through nutrition?”
Thanks, Julia! I get this question a lot. Listen, if you want to be stronger and leaner, and lose body fat, you’ll need to fuel your body smarter.
Ask yourself, what weighs more, a pound of bricks or a pound of feathers? The answer is that both weigh a pound. The difference is that muscle is denser and smaller than a pound of fat. The fat mass takes up more space and is “fluffier”, like the pound of feathers.
To lose fat, you need to consume fewer calories and fuel yourself with smarter choices by cutting down on refined carbs, measuring healthy fats a bit more precisely, and getting adequate protein.
In order to build muscle, you need to consume high-protein foods, healthy fats and nutrient-dense, fiber-rich carbohydrates. Below are a few suggestions of high-protein foods that are nutrient dense and helpful for building lean muscle:
Cottage cheese
Eggs
Greek yogurt (plain)
Tofu, soy beans, edamame
Lean beef, chicken/turkey breasts, pork tenderloin
Shrimp, salmon, scallops, tilapia, tuna
Beans (pinto, black, kidney beans)
Chickpeas
Nuts and nut butters (no sugar added)
Quinoa
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Milk
And, don’t forget to hydrate with water throughout the day!
--- Susan