Top 10 Bodybuilding Foods

Bodybuilding Foods

Are you a bodybuilder, fitness competitor, power-lifter, athlete, or MMA fighter?
All of these activities, recreational or competitive, have different physical demands and different nutritional requirements, which is why there is no such thing as a one size fits all nutrition plan.
For bodybuilders it is all about building lean muscle mass and maintaining or reducing body-fat depending on the training season.
Every successful bodybuilder would agree that whole foods form the foundation for a solid nutrition plan. As bodybuilders, we eat foods for what it does, the results it produces, and then how it tastes.
Once in a while we may go for taste first, but during competition season we don’t have that luxury.
In this post, let’s review the top ten bodybuilding foods that are protein-packed and carbohydrate-rich. These foods help pack on the muscle while staying lean in the process.



1.Almonds – Almonds are a great filling snack food for bodybuilders containing many vital nutrients, including protein and healthy unsaturated fats. About 1 oz of almonds contains 6 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of fat and 163 calories.

1. 2.Asparagus – While it’s not my favorite vegetable for taste, you can’t ignore the natural diuretic properties of asparagus. Asparagus helps your body maintain a balance of electrolytes, namely sodium and potassium. Bodybuilders turn to asparagus during a pre contest diet to help them get extra tight for the stage.

1. 3.Egg Whites – A single egg white contains about six grams of high quality protein which is optimal for muscle recovery. For a bodybuilder it’s not uncommon to eat 8-10 egg whites during a single meal. Six egg whites and two yolks will provide your body with 26.5 grams of protein, o carbs, and 5.23 grams of fat and only 153 calories. Personally, I prefer to nuke my eggs in the microwave because it’s fast and convenient.

1. 4.Chicken –A single 6 ounce chicken breast has close to 35 grams of protein and only 4 grams of fat. It’s a great bodybuilding food not only for its nutritional value but because it can be prepared in so many different ways.  Personally, I like to cook my chicken with crushed red peppers and dip it in barbecue sauce for a better taste.

1. 5.Cottage Cheese – Definitely not my favorite for taste but it is a great source of casein protein. As a bodybuilder you need slowly released protein (casein) throughout the day especially when you might be without food for a long period of time.

1. 6.Fish – Fish is the staple of most bodybuilding diets, especially during pre contest prep. Fish is high in protein and contains no carbs, low fat and low calories. Some favorites are mahi-mahi, tuna, orange roughy, and tilapia.

1. 7.Lean Beef – Nothing tastes better to me than a nice juicy steak. Steak is an awesome type of protein and you got to love the pure creatine you get from it too!

1. 8.Oatmeal – Oatmeal is a favorite bodybuilding food because of its slow burning sustainable source of carbs. Personally, I like to cut up some bananas and mix it in my oatmeal so it tastes better.

1. 9.Sweet Potato – Slow-burning carbs such as sweet potatoes are an excellent source to fuel and sustain your muscles. Personally, I like to add cinnamon to mine.

10.Turkey – Turkey is another must have food because of its high quality protein and low fat amount.