If you’re looking for the best bodybuilding foods, this article is for you. I’ll show you the top 10 bodybuilding foods and provide a list of my favorite foods that I eat to build lean muscle.
[Updated February 2019]
The quality of food you eat is directly proportional to the quality of your physique.
Without proper nutrition you won’t make any progress in the gym.
You need to eat right to build lean muscle, get strong and keep your body trim.
Nutrition is the most important factor of fitness.
Your body’s cells are constantly dying and being replaced. You MUST eat whole foods to ensure you GROW rather than decay.
Your muscles breakdown when training, and you need proper nutrition to repair damaged muscles.
Food is the brick and mortar that that builds your body.
The 10 Best Foods for Bodybuilding
Beef and Steak
Nothing tops beef when if comes to building muscle.
In fact, nothing tops beef when it comes to human health.
Humans were meant to eat meat. No bones about it.
Eat leaves and you get frail and weak.
Eat meat and you get strong. (As long as you workout.)
Fresh beef from grass-fed pasture raised cows is HANDS DOWN the best food you can eat.
A nice slab of ribeye steak has every vitamin and mineral you need. Beef contains loads of protein, and healthy fat. Including saturated fat and cholesterol which is necessary for building natural testosterone.
Whole Eggs
Eggs are natures perfect protein source. The incredible egg is packed with protein and healthy fats. It’s also full of cholesterol and saturate fat which is covered into natural testosterone.
Eggs contain everything needed to produce life. If you’re serious about building lean mass, you should eat at least 12 fresh whole eggs every day.
Wild Caught Fish
The healthiest cultures in the world eat seafood as the bulk of their diet.
Fish contains the same great nutrition as beef and eggs. It also contains vitamins and minerals that are more concentrated in the water.
So eating land animals and fish is a good idea to ensure you get all your vitamins and minerals.
All life on Earth originated from the sea. It only makes sense that we nourish ourselves with what the water provides us.
Fowl
Chicken, turkey, and duck are excellent sources of lean protein.
They have fatty bits too you can eat. But fowl provides lean meat, especially the breast meat, making it a perfect food for cutting.
Cottage Cheese and Greek Yogurt
Plain is the best here in both cases. Dairy contains a lot of natural sugars, and sugar intake should be minimized.
Dairy by nature is very fattening because it’s meant to fatten up young calfs.
So eat the full-fat cottage cheese and yogurt if you are bulking up. But opt for non-fat dairy if you want to lose fat or stay lean.
Potatoes
Everyone loves potatoes in some shape or form.
Baked sweet potatoes are best for bodybuilding. Other types of potatoes are fine if you are trying to bulk up.
Rice
I love rice. But I don’t eat it very much. Too many carbs for me. But rice is without a doubt a great bodybuilding food.
It’s a ‘clean’ carb and won’t mess with your stomach like pasta or bread will.
As for choosing between white or brown rice, pick whichever one you like best. They are essentially the same.
Quinoa is a great alternative to rice if you want to try something with a little different flavor and texture.
Broccoli
I put broccoli here but any green vegetable would be acceptable.
Broccoli has an edge over other veggies because it has protein. Every green vegetable has fiber and a little bit of protein.
Asparagus and spinach are both appropriate substitutes.
Nuts
Nuts contain a lot of minerals like magnesium, Vitamin E, copper and B vitamins.
Almonds are the best. Mixed nuts are great too. Peanuts, walnuts, pecans and pistachios are all good.
It’s personal preference really, just aim to get a handful of almonds a day.
Beans
Beans contain quality protein and fiber, plus beans are super cheap and filling. They are also very versatile. You can mix beans with rice for a substantial side dish.
I drink nothing but distilled water and black coffee.
Drink AT LEAST one gallon of fresh water every single day.
1.5-2 gallons is best, especially if you are active.
The Ultimate Bodybuilding Shopping List
The fitness battle begins at the grocery store.
The food you buy can be your greatest ally, or your worst enemy. Consider your shopping trip your first line of defense against bad decisions.
I only have two rules when it comes to grocery shopping:
#1. I eat well
#2. I don’t buy anything that derails my diet.
I realize that eating the same 10 foods all the time gets old. Verity in my meals is important.
For that reason, I put together the shopping list below to help you out. All of these foods are perfect for any bodybuilding meal plan.
I take this list to the store and I buy enough food to meal prep for the week.
I usually buy whatever I want, but if money is tight buy what’s on sale. Sales tend to rotate, so next week you can buy the other food items that will be one sale.
Meat & Animal Protein
- Steaks (ribeye, new york strip, T-bone are best)
- Roasts (big chunks of meat that I cook in the crockpot)
- Ground beef (85, 90, or 95% lean)
- Ground Turkey
- Chicken Breast
- Chicken thigh
- Pork Loin
- Fish – Cod, tilapia, walleye, salmon, sardines and tuna. Definitely stock up on tuna when it’s on sale. Get the tuna in water. vegetable oil is disgusting.
- Lunch meat – Sliced Chicken, turkey, roast beef, and ham.
EGGS
Eggs are a staple of my diet. I eat 3-5 dozen a week. Stock up when you go to the store. Free range eggs from chickens raised on natural feed is the best quality.
- Whole eggs
- Egg whites in a carton. I buy boxes of egg whites from Costco and drink a 16oz carton every night.
Learn to love eggs. They are the single best muscle building food on God’s green Earth.
Vegetables
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Kale
- Romain Lettuce
- Onions
- Potatoes – Red, sweet and Yukon Gold (Yukons are rich and buttery. They taste great mashed).
- Bell peppers – Green, yellow, orange, and red.
If you’re making salads, the best dressing is olive oil and apple cider vinegar with a little salt and better. It’s incredible. Add some feta cheese, avocado, and blueberries on top for some added flavor.
Nuts, Beans and Peanut Butter
I don’t eat beans as much as I used to because I’ve been low-carb. But beans were a big part of my diet for a long time.
I do eat a lot of nuts, especially almonds. Almonds are a great snack between meals and a lifesaver when you can’t get a meal in.
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Pinto Beans
- Peanuts
- Peanut Butter
- Almonds
- Walnuts
All nuts should be raw and plain. No added salt or flavor if you are trying to cut weight.
Dairy
I don’t eat dairy much anymore.
I might have yogurt a few times a month. Plain greek yogurt with honey and chia seeds is a delightful snack.
I love the Icelandic Skyr yogurt. The Key Lime and Raspberry flavors are my favorite and I eat them for dessert after dinner.
Noosa yogurt is insanely tasty. I only buy two at a time because I can’t stop eating them once I start.
- Cottage Cheese – I eat it with fresh pineapple for a snack.
- Cheese – Your favorite NON PROCESSED cheeses are fine to eat
- Milk – I rarely drink milk. But if you want milk, get milk.
- Greek yogurt – lost of protein and tons of flavor options
Bottom line with dairy is – if you want to gain weight, eat as much dairy as you want. But if you want to lose weight, eat it only once in a while.
Grains, Rice and Pasta
I don’t eat grains any more. Every time I do I get sick. My stomach gets upset, my tummy gargles and I feel like shit.
It’s just not worth it to me.
If you’re bulking up, eat as much grains, pasta and rice as you want. If you’re trying to burn fat, cut them out completely.
- Whole Grain Bread
- Pasta
- Oatmeal
- Quinoa
- Granola
- Rice – White or brown, it doesn’t matter. I like the flavored rice packets. They’re a quick and easy side dish. Try the Spanish Fiesta rice or the broccoli cheese.
- Cereal – I rarely eat cereal anymore and when I do it’s as a snack. I don’t I have to say this but I’m going to anyway. No Fruit Loops or Fruttie Pebbles. In fact, stay away from anything with chocolate or more than 2 colors in it. I like Honey Bunches of Oats.
Fruit
I now only eat fresh fruit. The canned fruit is too sweet. It tastes like it’s candy more than food.
I go on kicks with fruit. Some times I’ll eat 3 mangos a day for a week straight, then I won’t eat fruit for months. You’ll have to find out what works for you.
If you’re trying to lose weight, limit yourself to one fruit per day. Eat it before/after a workout or for dessert before bed.
- Bananas
- Apples
- Pineapple
- Mangos
Note – Canned fruit might as well be ‘candied fruit’. Too much syrup. Choose fresh fruit.
Health Fats
- Olive Oil – Lasts forever and a little bit goes a long way. Make sure you get PURE olive oil a lot of companies cut it with inferior seed oils.
- Grass fed butter – Use real butter not margarine or vegetable oil based stuff. I like Challenge butter and I buy two or three boxes (4 sticks per box) when it goes on sale. I cook my steak and eggs in butter.
- Avocado – Great to spread on salads, sandwiches, burgers, or just as is. I’ve been known to eat a whole avocado right out of the shell.
Spices
Spices are medicine. They heal you and give you energy. They also, obviously, enhance the flavor of your food.
- Himalayan Pink Salt or coarse Celtic Sea salt for flavor and texture
- Pepper – Get a peppercorn grinder. Fresh ground pepper is the best
- Fresh Garlic – Bad for your breath, good for your heart.
Healthy Snacks
Ok, so calling these snacks healthy might be a stretch. They aren’t exactly the best foods for health and fitness but hey, you gotta live a little.
I like to try new things, and these are my favorite snacks.
CLIF Builder Bars – loaded with added sugar, but so is every other candy, I mean, protein bar out there.
Lenny and Larry’s protein cookie. I could eat ten of these in one sitting. I don’t eat more than one though because they mess with my stomach. They are good so the suffering is worth it.
Larabars – Simple, clean and tasty.
Saltine Crackers
Rice Cakes – Good for when I want something starchy. I usually slather peanut butter on top as a pre-workout snack.
And this…
Wild Friend’s Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter It’s like Nutella for adults. Not as sweet but savory, creamy and delicious. Spread a thick layer a rice cake for a tasty snack. Or add some to your oatmeal. Nom nom.
Bodybuilding Shopping Tips
I have have a shopping list of 40-50 food items. This is a running list that I add to periodically.
When I’m shopping I buy only what’s on sale and stock up. 15-30 items from my list will usually be on sale any given week.
I buy enough to have at least a 2-4 week supply of food.
If it’s a great deal on can or dry goods that are non perishable I will stock up big time. Example – I saw tuna on sale for 50 cents a can. I bought 20+ cans and it lasted me a long time, saving me money and keeping my belly ful
Condiments and Miscellaneous Food Items
This is stuff to add flavor or that you can eat in a pinch.
Ketchup, mustard, marinades, stir fry sauces, pasta sauces. Vodka sauce is top notch for pasta dishes. Creme of mushroom soup is great with ground beef and noodles. Kind of like Hamburger Helper. These items have a long shelf life and are great to add flavor.
Granola bars, soup, frozen meals. I don’t eat these often but once in a while they are ok if you’re tired or on the go.
Additional Bodybuilding Diet Tip
Then Pick 3 other things you want to try. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it’s on sale. If you like it and it’s healthy add it to your shopping list. This will keep things fresh moving forward. There you have it, the best foods for bodybuilding, getting lean and building muscle.
Not sure if it’s healthy? leave a comment below and I’ll let you know.
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