For those looking to build muscle, most know that diet will play a huge factor, just as important as pushing yourself in the gym. This involves finding the right foods to have the right building blocks for your body to repair and grow after workouts. If you can get sufficient calories and source high-quality foods to include in your diet, you’ll be on your way to a stronger and leaner physique.
Information regarding meal timing, what foods you should eat, and what things might halt progress can be very contradictory. Everyone is different and will respond to food differently and have personal preferences. Instead of overcomplicating things, just stick to the basics and ensure you’re eating the right amounts of quality foods.
One strategy to tackle this is snacking during the day; we might often feel hungry at inconvenient times and lose momentum in our eating habits. The proper foods can help curve cravings and ensure you get enough nutrients. In this article, we will outline some foods and ways we can snack that will aid in building muscle.
Look For High-Protein Options
In the fitness community, everyone talks about how vital it is to eat protein, but few know exactly why and what benefits are involved. Aside from providing you with the building blocks necessary to help build muscle and burn fat, protein has some additional benefits.
Eating high-protein snacks can increase satiation and make you feel much fuller for longer than carbohydrate-loaded or sugary options. This is because the range of amino acids in protein sends signals to the brain that activate satiation, making it an excellent choice for those wanting to curb midday hunger cravings.
Many high-protein options are available when looking for something to snack on during the day. One of the most convenient options is beef jerky, as these come dried and don’t require storage. Depending on preference, you can search for the best beef jerky online and have it delivered to your doorstep.
Purchase Low-Preparation Snacks
When hunger strikes, you generally don’t have the patience to sit down and cook a meal or wait too long to eat. This is where most people fail and reach for low-quality foods because they are much easier and more accessible to eat. If you can source foods that are ready to eat and don’t require preparation, you’re better positioned to maintain your eating schedule.
Looking for these foods shouldn’t be too difficult as many foods can be dried or preserved, including fruits, meats, and even dairy products. An excellent option to snack on throughout the day is nuts. Cashew nuts or almonds have high protein and fat ratios giving you the feeling of fullness for longer and being easily stored.
Snack Post-Workout
Timing is another essential consideration when you’re snacking throughout the day. Aside from between meals, if you consume calories post-workout, you will have a better chance of your body absorbing these essential nutrients for recovery. This will help you curve hunger craving 1-2 hours after working out and fulfill the post-workout anabolic window.
The best snacks to eat post-workout usually include anything high-protein and easily digestible. These options include protein bars, protein shakes, eggs, and even some greek yogurt with fruits or nuts. It depends on preference, but if you ensure it’s high-protein and relatively high-quality, you can’t go wrong.
Takeaway
Working out and dieting are very individual, and there is never a one size fits all approach. That being said, if you follow these principles and make them work within your routine, you should manage to increase your healthy macro intake and curb hunger cravings throughout the day.
Photo by Sven Mieke on Unsplash
