Smart nutrition plays a key role in a woman’s muscular development. Aim at nourishing your body with the right nutrients that it needs to grow strong and get desired results. A diet rich in whole grains,protein, low-fat dairy, and fruits and vegetables will meet a woman’s muscular needs.
While training, the stress of weight lifting causes wear and tear of muscle fibers. This damage activates a special repair process that eventually forces individual muscle cells to grow. All of this growth requires loads of amino acids, the basic building blocks of life, carbohydrates and some fat.
WF nutritional experts have compiled Top 10 snack options, after a blasting workout:
Banana Muesli: Served with toasted almonds and sunflower seeds, oats serve as a complete energy food. With honey, bananas, grapes and orange and lemon rind it will nourish your body with minerals & vitamins- E and B3, iron, magnesium, zinc and dietary fiber. A wealth of research shows that wholegrains can help you feel fuller for longer, mainly because they are high infibre and starchy carbohydrates. Oats are a good source of a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which helps to slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. They also have a low glycemic index so can help to keep blood sugar levels steady, preventing those dips that leave us tired, hungry and reaching for the biscuits.
Peanut Butter Balls: This healthy snack could not be any easier to make. The recipe requires no baking; simply measure, mix, roll and chill. The mixture may seem a little dry at first, but as you continue to mix it comes together (or add a little more honey or peanut butter to moisten the mixture to a consistency that works for you). Rolling the balls in a coating as optional. It makes the balls a little less sticky on the fingers, and also is a fun way to vary the flavors, but it is not necessary. Healthy Peanut Butter Balls are a healthy and delicious snack, or even a quickbreakfast on-the-go.
Swiss Cheese with green apple: Try a few slices of low fat swiss cheese and sliced green apple and you have a very healthy and satisfying snack. The apple will bring in Vitamin C and fiber which will help you meet your fruit quota for the day. Cheese is a great source of protein and calcium and packs much more vitamins/minerals than say a cookie or chocolate.
Whole Wheat Pasta with Orange – Bodybuilders may find whole-grain foods helpful in providing steady energy for hard training. Whole-grain foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and essential fatty acids. Pasta is incredibly high in calories and carbs, so it makes a great muscle building meal. I like to stick with the whole wheat pasta as it’s a bit healthier for you than the white starch kind. Oranges are 86 percent water compared to bananas which are just 75 percent water – and research shows that foods with a high water content can help to improve our satiety because it increases the portion size without adding calories. Plus, oranges have a lowerglycemic index than bananas.
Nutty Trail Mix: Looking for a snack that you can carry anywhere, nothing beats trail mix. Mix together almonds, pecans, and dried fruit with whole-wheat pretzels and sunflower seeds. Store in a Tupperware container for when your energy lags between meals. Nuts are a very rich source of nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, vegetable proteins, fiber, vitamin E, potassium, folate, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, phosphorous, phytosterols, antioxidants, and arginine. Some healthful choices for the bodybuilder include almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, and pistachios. But remember, eating too much of a good thing can really increase your caloric intake, which could lead to an increase in bodyfat. A good guideline may be to eat one or two servings per day. A serving is one ounce (24 almonds).
Bell Pepper & Corn Pancake: Yes, they are great from time to time. Try to get yourself one of those griddles that you don’t need to add fat too. That way you’ll be able to eat these pancakes more often. To cut down on calories (and that’s what you want), instead of using butter and syrup, put fresh fruit on yours. Packed with corn, egg yolk, cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper it can serve your muscles well.
Tuna and Corn Cakes: Tuna is always a great grab-and-go protein source. Make good use of it in your quest for lean mass. To prepare this muscle-building snack, open and drain a can of tuna. Combine with ¼ cup salsa, ½ cup kernel corn, and chopped mushrooms, peppers, and carrots. Mix mashed potato in a bowl and stir in the tuna fish, sweetcorn and chopped parsley, then shape into eight patty shapes with your hands. Press the fish cakes into the breadcrumbs to coat lightly, then place on a baking sheet. Cook the fish cakes under a moderately hot grill until crisp and golden brown, turning once. Eat with lemon wedges and fresh vegetables. For simple variations which are just as nutritious, try using canned sardines, red or pink salmon, or smoked mackerel in place of the tuna.
Flaxo-Protein Shake: Short of time, toss a scoop of protein powder into a shaker cup along with ½ cup of raw oats and a few tablespoons of flaxseeds. Made with milk/water it will provide you with all three essential nutrients-proteins, carbs, and fats-and takes all of 30 seconds to consume. When you’re trying to up those calories to build muscle faster, this is a great choice.
Beef Sate with Lemon: Beef is particularly effective at increasing strength and promoting muscle growth because it has a higher creatine content that any other food. Creatine is a muscle’s source of fuel for the first few seconds during training. And it allows you to train harder for longer periods by replenishing adenosine tripphosphate (ATP). Iron is a blood-building mineral that is plentiful in beef, quite a contrast to the paltry amount of iron in chicken, and turkey. The higher your protein requirements, the more B6 you should add to your diet. There’s enough vitamin B6 in red meat to beef up the immune system, which helps improve recovery from strenuous workouts while promoting protein metabolism and synthesis.
To make, cut beef into very thin 3-inch strips. Thread 1 or 2 strips on each prepared skewer and arrange in shallow dish. Pour the mixture of combined soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, cumin, and turmeric over beef and let it stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Grill or broil 30 to 40 seconds per side for medium-rare. Sweet Spicy Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seed is one of the most nutritious and flavorful seeds, it has a delicately sweet and chewy texture. Boiled, baked, or even raw, pumpkin seeds are packed full of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Just one serving (about 1/4 cup) gives you almost half the recommended daily amounts of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, vitamin K, and zinc. They are a good source of protein and monounsaturated fats.
Hope you enjoy and try these 10 healthy snacks to help you build lean muscle mass.
