“T-N-T” – favourite meal #2
There’s a lot of info out there regarding training. You can pretty much hit up any site and find a free workout (including mine —> HERE). Some work. Some suck. But the info’s out there.
Where many of us run into problems is finding nutritional info that makes sense, works, and is tasty. There are thousands of conflicting books and articles out there when it comes to nutrition. Some say low carb is the best way to go for fat loss, while some say low calories will get you the best results for fat loss.
When it comes to putting on lean mass, some will say eat everything in sight. Others will say only whole foods. Some will say that you need to be eating a certain amount of calories to pack on lean muscle mass without getting fat, while others say that you need to eat certain calories at certain times, and others at other times of the day.
Here’s what I’ve realized with my own body – lot’s of trial and error – through research, and from training hundreds of different clients – online and offline – of all shapes and sizes to build their ideal physiques: one diet doesn’t work for everyone.
For some of us it’s easier to eat lower carb and higher fat meals. Other’s like lower calories, and others would prefer to fast in order to have the sweets that they crave so badly.
With all of that said, there are some truths about dieting:
1. You need carbohydrates around your workout if you want to build/maintain muscle.
2. Fast carbs (sugars, white flour, starches) and trans fats lead to fat gains and diminished health.
3. Fats early in the morning and late at night boost testosterone levels.
So, have a high protein, low fat, and high carbohydrate shake or meal after your workout. During your workout give your body a fuel source to burn rather than muscle. I take BCAAs before and after my workouts as well as have a high sugar drunk during my training, like gatorade for example (buy the powder Gatorade and mix it yourself. You end up saying a ton of money by doing this rather than buying it per bottle).
Now that we have those “rules” behind us. Let’s get into my favourite muscle-building, fat losing, tasty as tasty can be meals. I eat each of these on a very regular basis.
1. Steak
There’s nothing like a steak for repairing that muscle that you just broke down during training. I use a brush to cover it with olive oil. Place it on the grill, then cook it until it’s about a rare. Then take it off, cover the plate with tin foil and let it tent for 10 minutes. The “tenting” is allowing the juices to further cook the steak to a medium rare – which is my desired steak. If you can, buy grass fed beef.
Carbs: You need carbs, but they don’t need to be high on the glycemic index. My choice would be asparagus and yams.
2. TNT (Taco-No-Taco)
The name says it all. It’s basically a taco without the taco. I like ground beef, but you can use chicken or turkey, it’s all the same. Mix your already cooked ground beef with some brown rice, salsa, cheese, plain Greek yogurt, mixed veggies, and enjoy.
It takes awesome, and it’s great for you. This is my go-to meal when I’m in a rush.
3. French Toast
This is, more often than not, my post-workout meal. It’s high in protein, carbs, and low in fat.
What you need:
– 2-4 slices of bread
– Egg whites
– Cinnamon
– All natural Maple Syrup
– Vanilla extract
Cover the pan with either butter or cooking oil while soaking the bread in the eggs whites (with a drop of vanilla in there as well). When you put the soaked bread onto the pan, cover one side with cinnamon. Let it sit for a couple minutes, then flip.
Remember, after a workout you want carbs. So go nuts. The bread will soak up enough of the egg whites to make the meal very high in protein. That being said, if you want more, just scramble the remaining egg whites and eat them as well.
4. Eggs
Except for the post workout French toast, always eat the whole egg. I love eggs. I have them every morning.
Eggs are packed full of nutrients – especially in the yolk. And recent studies have shown that our bodies don’t process the cholesterol in eggs as cholesterol in our own bodies. I’ll have 4-6 eggs most mornings by themselves or accompanies by a slice of toast with some almond butter or peanut butter.
Try sprinkling some cheese on them, or some hot sauce.
5. My favourite Shake
My favourite shake is probably the best tasting thing in the world. Not bragging, just a fact.
Here’s what to do:
Have 1-2 shots of espresso ready. Dump them, 3-4 ice cubes, 2 scoops of chocolate protein, 1 big scoop of all-natural peanut butter, and 2% milk into a blender. Mix that shit up and pour it into a cup. It tastes amazing!
What’s your favourite muscle-building meal?
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