Ideal Diets for Building Muscle Tone

Regular exercise is the best way to get those flabby muscles in shape. However, that is only half of the whole picture. A balanced diet that is packed with nutritional goodness is also tantamount to achieving the physique that you have always dreamed about. Including the following food items in your diet will help you tone your muscles to perfection.

Chicken

Protein is very important in building muscle and animal products like chicken are full of it. Your muscles will go through some wear and tear during high impact exercise and will need protein to repair faster. Chicken is also a great alternative to red meat since it does not contain excess fat that you might have to burn off.

Egg Whites

One egg contains about 6g of protein. Needless to say consuming them a few times in a week can increase your body’s protein levels significantly. However, the yolks themselves do contain a considerable amount of fat so make sure that you settle for the egg whites themselves instead. This way you will still be able to receive the recommended amount of protein while skipping on the excess calories from the yolks.

Lentils

Vegetables are considered to be a healthier alternative to animal products especially when it comes to achieving optimal efficiency from your workouts. For example a cup of lentils includes 18g of protein and less than one gram of fat while a 6 oz steak includes 38g of protein but 44 g of fat.

Water

Including water in your daily diet goes without saying but is worth mentioning anyway. In fact water is the most essential component of any muscle toning diet and for good reason. Not only does it effectively carry essential nutrients to your body’s extremities it also removes waste. Besides that it is a good source of potassium, chloride, sodium and calcium which help your muscles to grow. Regular water intake also prevents your muscles from cramping up during low and high impact exercise routines.

Soybeans

These are one of the most protein rich vegetables out there. A single cup of soybeans contains a whopping 29g of protein. Soy beans are also a great source of vitamins, fiber and minerals. Plus they are a great source of protein that comes without any additional fat.

Other Toning Foods

Opt for skinless poultry and tuna for lean proteins. If you absolutely have to have dairy products make sure that you go for the nonfat variety. Other sources of lean protein might include oats, wheat, barley and corn.

Fat Burning Foods

Trainers recommend consuming foods that will kick your body’s metabolism into high gear and help you burn fat faster. Foods that contain a considerable of Vitamin C will do just that. To ensure that your body is receiving sufficient amount of the vitamin, eat a grapefruit or orange before or after your workouts as a healthy snack. The water content in the fruits will keep you hydrated and boost your nutrient levels at the same time.

Sticking to foods that make you feel invigorated is a great way to ensure muscular health so make sure that you include such foods in your regular diet as well. Before long your muscle tone will start shaping itself just the way you want.

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