If you want to gain new muscle mass, then protein is the name of the game! Protein allows your muscles to recover from tough workouts and rebuild bigger, thicker and stronger. For decades, bodybuilders have grown more and more keenly aware of protein's role in muscle
recovery and growth, and thus worked harder and harder to ensure they're consuming adequate amounts in order to deliver growth. When new trainers enter the gym, they will grow no matter what they eat. However, as lifters move from beginner to intemediate status, the need for a steady supply of the macronutrient protein becomes more and more clear, if they wish to continue growing bigger and stronger from their training. The average 200-pound,
steroid-free athlete can make use of 30 to 40 grams of protein per meal. At a clip of 5 to 7 meals a day, one can quickly note a few things. First off, dining in this manner can get boring. Secondly, it can get expensive buying all that protein! Let's check out the top ten affordable sources of good quality protein to help you pack on the pounds of muscle mass!
Eggs What costs two bucks, contains 12 servings of 6 g protein, 5 g fat, and zero carbs? That's right, a dozen eggs! If you want to pack on serious muscle, then you need to stack up your dollars in the dairy section and buy eggs - lots of them. Use blood panel tests to keep an eye on your cholesterol. Unless you have a family history of high
cholesterol, you'll be fine consuming a handful of yolks each day. Eggs digest quickly and can be prepared poached, boiled, fried, over easy, and many other ways. Mix it up!
Beef At 5 bucks a pound, you'll enjoy over five of the 3oz servings of muscle building beef, delivering 22 grams of protein, 10 grams fat, and once again, zero carbs! Keep your leafy green intake high when consuming a lot of beef, since digestion and circulatory issues can occur if you're eating pounds of beef each day, as some famous bodybuilders have tried. Stick with 1-2 servings of lean beef each day for optimal results.
Chicken Chicken is by far the #1 staple for bulk meals for most bodybuilders, whether they're in off-season bulk mode, or pre-contest dieting mode. Three bucks per pound will get you 5+ servings of protein, tipping the scales at 27 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, and once again, zero carbs. Broil up a few pounds, and you have enough protein for most of your meals for three days, provided you know how to use Tupperware and a microwave!
Tuna If you're a
dieting bodybuilder, then tuna should become your new best friend for the next 6 to 12 weeks. Portable and cheap, you can devour 1-2 cans a day for 2 to 3 bucks each. Your standard 3 ounce can of tuna will provide 3oz can with 20 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 carbohydrates. You'll get lean with tuna - you just have to get used to the smell!
Ground Turkey Many bodybuilders, stuck in love with chicken and beef, often walk right past the turkey section in their local supermarket. This means they are missing out on a quickly digestible, low fat and delicious protein sources which can also help them sleep great! At 21 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat and no carbs per each 3.5 oz serving, and at just under $4 a pound, turkey is a great late night meal or dinner option for the lean bodybuilder!
Whey Protein If you're looking for convenience and value, then whey protein absolutely cannot be beat! Priced at about 50 cents per 20 to 25 gram serving of protein, when can be cooked, blended, or just plain shook up in a shaker cup at a water fountain for high protein goodness any time, day or night. Most lifters consume a shake after lifting, and other will use them in the morning, late at night, or even in the middle of the night. Fast, highly digestible protein with minimal fats or carbs - whey can't be beat!
