To build muscle mass, you have to train right. Training alone won't do the trick though, you also need to watch your diet. 

Nutrition and muscle building depend on each other. We can only successfully build up muscles if we train correctly. The right nutrients have a huge impact on muscle growth. The most important nutrients are protein and high-quality carbohydrates.

Body Weight & Protein Intake

Deciding how much protein you need depends on your body weight. We need to eat between 0.8 and 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day so that we really build muscle. The more intensely you exercise, the higher the protein requirement our body has.

On days that we train, we can cover our increased protein requirements with a protein-rich breakfast and protein-rich snacks. This has the advantage that we do not really need to deviate from a carbohydrate-rich and fat-limited diet. This helps us keep up our protein levels throughout the day.

After exercising, you should have a snack within the first hour after you finish. At this stage, the muscles need high-quality nutrients. A combination of protein and carbohydrates is ideal for fast muscle growth.

Eat the Right Foods

Here we have a small selection of protein-rich foods, which, apart from meat and fish, help us to naturally build muscle.

Quinoa

The seeds of this plant come from South America. They are rich in high-quality proteins and contain magnesium and lysine. The latter is an amino acid, which is a basic building block of the muscles. Quinoa can be cooked like rice.

Eggs

The classic! Apart from a lot of protein, other healthy ingredients are also contained in eggs. This makes them an optimal food for muscle building.

Broccoli

What? Broccoli?? This vegetable is rich in potassium and vitamin C. The former is beneficial to the muscles, the latter catches free radicals, which can adversely affect the muscles health.

Cocoa

Enjoy cocoa with low-fat milk before training. It is rich in protein and carbohydrates, so it has everything our muscles need to regenerate.

Pistachios

Often referred to as nuts, pistachios are actually fruit. They are rich in protein and potassium. They also make a great snack! Of course, normal nuts are also good for the muscles and contain a lot of protein.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are great foods for athletes! They contain a lot of copper, potassium and magnesium and keep our muscles healthy.

In addition to the foods mentioned here, there are many others that benefit our muscles. These include: low-fat cheeses, kidney and soybeans, fresh cheese or natural yoghurts. Our tip: keep your food varied and enjoy!