When you’re on a muscle-building path, you need to consider all the nourishment aspects of your body. Fats, protein and carbohydrates are all part of a solid muscle-building campaign.
Figuring out how much protein you need isn’t complicated. Figure on 1 to 1.5 grams per day, per pound of body weight. You can get a nice variety of protein from chicken, extra lean beef and whey isolate.
Carbs are only slightly more difficult to calculate. If you’re trying to shed fat, 1 gram per pound of body weight of a slow-digesting carbohydrate, such as oatmeal, brown rice or yams should do the trick. If your goal is to add muscle, make it 2 grams. Adjust as necessary to get the results you want.
Fats vary in type – mono- or polyunsaturated or hydrogenated – and each will affect you differently. Here are four muscle-building fat sources to keep you on the right track.
Macadamia Nuts
One cup of raw macadamia nuts delivers 101 grams of total fat, 19 grams of complex carbohydrates, 11 grams of protein, and all the essential amino acids. For skinny guys trying to pack on the pounds, as well as for muscle growth, energy level and general health, macadamias are hard to beat.
These tasty nuts provide you with a healthy amount of fiber and can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, as well. They’re also loaded with iron, copper, potassium, niacin, magnesium, calcium, zinc and a host of other nutrients, all of which your body needs.
While macadamias contain more fat than most nuts, it’s a healthy, monounsaturated fat – even more so than olive oil.
Avocados
Avocados have a lot more going for them than just being delicious. They contain up to 20 times the fat of any other fruit, and it’s mostly monounsaturated, so it’s healthy for your heart. One medium avocado also contains three times as much potassium as a medium banana, as well as three times the calories.
Half a medium avocado delivers 160 calories, along with 2 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbohydrate and 15 grams of fat - a combination of both saturated and polyunsaturated fat.
Avocados will also help you control your insulin levels and burn more fat, unlike carbohydrates which prompt the secretion of more insulin.
Pumpkin Seeds
What gives you 190 calories, with 16 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber in just a ¼ cup serving? You guessed it! Pumpkin seeds! They’ll also boost your testosterone production. Eat them by the handful or sprinkle them on a salad… they’re a tasty and effective addition to your diet.
The bonus of pumpkin seeds is that they contain leucine, an amino acid that promotes fat-burn. These little nuggets should be part of any muscle-builders diet.
Almond Butter
One tablespoon of almond butter provides 101 calories, with 79 of them coming from fat. Almond butter is much healthier that peanut butter, since it contains 2 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbohydrate and 9 grams of total fat (2 grams of which is saturated fat). It also contains no extra salt, sugar, oils or preservatives.
Almond butter is high in protein, fiber and fat content, and leaves you satisfied, while helping to stabilize your glucose and insulin levels.
It also provides vitamin E, for protection against free radicals, as well as preventing blood sugar spikes after a high-carb meal. Add it to celery, apples, oatmeal or a protein shake for a tasty change.
Conclusion
There are four new healthy fat sources to give your diet some variety, while boosting your performance and muscle growth and protecting you against diabetes and heart disease. The fact that they’re all delicious is a bonus – no extra charge!
Author Resource:
Vince Del Monte is the skinny guy savior. A former skinny guy myself, I developed the No Nonsense Muscle Building techniques that turned me from a skinny guy to a national champion fitness model. I share my muscle growth programs, diets and inspirations on my blog, Vince Del Monte Fitness, and on sites such as AskMen.com and BodyBuilding.Com.
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