Want a better sweat session? Find out which fitness foods can help improve your workout. Want to give your routine a boost? Five key ingredients can give your body an extra edge when exercising or recovering from your workout. Here are the ingredients that can help power your next exercise session.

1. PEANUTS

The most protein-rich nut of them all gives you quality protein, which is important for muscle building.

Pre-workout: A little protein staves off hunger without overtaxing digestion.

Post-workout: Protein helps repair muscles and stokes your body’s muscle-building machinery, especially when consumed within a half hour after exercise.

2. OATS

Oats are rich in carbohydrates, the fuel your muscles prefer.

Pre-workout: Fiber-rich oats supply sustained energy.

Post-workout: They provide a healthy amount of carbs to replenish depleted glycogen stores.

3. DRIED BLUEBERRIES

Dried blueberries are a super tasty and antioxidant-rich alternative to raisins.

Pre-workout: The easily digested carbohydrates in blueberries fuel muscles, and their fiber provides staying power.

Post-workout: Polyphenolic compounds in blueberries may help combat oxidative stress in muscles, potentially preventing soreness and inflammation.

4. CHOCOLATE CHIPS

You probably don’t need us to justify why you should snack on a handful of chocolate chips or an energy bar containing them, but there actually are some great health reasons for adding them.

Pre-workout: Antioxidants in dark chocolate help prevent muscle soreness later on. One study of cyclists showed that dark chocolate helped reduce oxidative stress in muscles, a component of soreness. Animal research suggests chocolate’s epicatechins can boost leg strength and endurance capacity.

Post-workout: Dark chocolate provides flavonols, compounds that can help improve blood flow, which brings more oxygen to replenish your hardworking muscles.

5. PUMPKIN SEEDS

Pumpkin seeds are good sources of alpha-linolenic acid, a plant form of omega-3 fatty acids that can help fight inflammation, a factor in muscle soreness. While they’re not as potent as fish-based omega-3s in producing these benefits, they’re also  (like exercise) good for your heart.

Pre-workout: Snack on some pumpkin seeds a few hours before your workout to bolster your energy.

Post-workout: Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc, a key nutrient for recovery that helps repair muscle tissue.

Don’t spend all your energy on the treadmill if you’re trying to drop a pants size. Strength training is an important way to boost your weight loss. Here’s why—and how. Trying to lose a few pounds, but the scale won’t budge? Try adding more weight at the gym. Weight training—using free weights or weight machines to build muscle—is a type of strength training that not can only help you slim down but also offers a ton of other health benefits.

The best part: You don’t have to spend all your time in the weight room. You can even do it at home, without any fancy equipment. Here’s why weight training may be what you need to get the scale moving in the right direction, plus a few tips and exercises to get you started.

Burn More Calories

It’s really pretty simple: Weight training builds muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat—up to three times more, according to some estimates. “Muscles are fat-burning machines.” So the more muscle you have, the more calories you’re going to burn.

It doesn’t end after you leave the gym, either. Your body keeps torching calories for the next 24 to 48 hours as it works to repair stressed muscle tissues. That’s known as the afterburn effect, another name for excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). The more oxygen you use both during and after a workout, the greater the EPOC. And studies show that strength training is one of the best ways to do it.

All of this is very good news if you’re trying to lose weight. Think about it. With weight training, you’re revving up your calorie burn. You’re boosting your metabolism—possibly by up to 5 percent, according to one nine-month study. And since you’re likely already watching what you eat, your exercise routine is now working with your diet to help you shed unwanted pounds.

Obviously, burning more calories throughout your day, combined with a sensible diet, is going to maximize your weight loss. Not only that, but it helps keep the weight off. One study found that less than an hour and a half of resistance training each week helped keep dieters from gaining back weight, especially harmful belly fat. 

The Health Benefits of Strength Training

The benefits go beyond the bathroom scale, too. Weight training improves your posture, helps your endurance, builds strength and reduces your chance of injuries. Research shows it can also boost heart health, improve cholesterol levels and increase bone density. It also slows the inevitable decline in strength as we age, because it keeps our muscles from turning to mush and being replaced with fat as we get older.

Oh, and something weight training doesn’t do: It won’t make you bulk up. If you’re training to be a body builder, you’re going to be eating more. You’re going to be training with heavy weights, doing fewer reps and isolating different muscles. To lose weight, you’re going to monitor your calorie intake and do more reps with lighter weights. The end result: a leaner, stronger, more toned body. Who doesn’t want that?

Getting Started

Where people get into trouble is when they start by lifting too heavy. “They go to the gym, pick up 10 pounds and then try to lunge or squat or curl. And the next day they’re so sore and miserable that they get discouraged and quit.”

Instead, she suggests starting with your own body weight (read on for some suggested moves). Your goal is to do 12 to 15 repetitions—they should feel like a challenge, but you should still be able to keep your form. As you get stronger, you’ll gradually add more weight.

No dumbbells at home? Household items will do. Start with soup cans and slowly work up to lifting milk or laundry detergent jugs (partially filled). Try carrying a full laundry basket while you do a set of walking lunges. You don’t have to have a really heavy weight in the beginning, especially if it’s for weight loss.

Finally, remember to change things up. Do something new every week—even if it’s just a little change—so you’re challenging your body in a different way. “You’ll be using different muscles and expending more calories.” If you always do cardio first, switch the order and start with weights instead. One study suggests weight training first gets your heart rate up, making your cardio workout more efficient.

Weight-Training Exercises to Try

Try the strength-building moves below. Be sure to warm up first. Watch your form, and keep a slow tempo. If you feel pain, stop.

FLOOR BRIDGE Lie face-up on the floor, with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep arms at your sides with palms down. Lift hips off the ground, squeezing your glutes and core until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Hold for three seconds at the top, then lower back down to starting position.

HIP THRUST Start in a seated position with your knees and feet flat on the floor and your shoulder blades (not your neck!) against a bench. Add weight to your hip crease using a pad, if needed. Squeeze your glutes and core and lift your hips until your back is parallel to the floor.

BODYWEIGHT SQUAT Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out, arms at your sides, palms in. Squeeze your core and keep your chest lifted and back flat as you shift your weight into your heels, push your hips back, and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Bend your elbows and bring your palms together in front of your chest. (You can also just hold your hands in front of your chest the entire time.) Push through your heels to stand back up, and squeeze your glutes at the top for one rep. 

This calcium superstar’s bone-health benefits have been called into question. Here’s what you need to know. Milk has been billed as a mighty bone-bolsterer since well before the days of the celebrity milk mustache. Bones are made up mostly of calcium, and research shows that getting plenty of this nutrient early in life builds bone mass. “So of course you’d think, keep eating calcium as an adult for strong bones—and in turn, prevent fractures,” The specialists say so.

However, recent research has turned this conventional wisdom on its head—at least when it comes to adults—and caused a lot of public confusion. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that every serving of milk increased the risk of a bone fracture by 9 percent. And a 2017 meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that calcium supplements did nothing to reduce the risk of breaking a bone. What gives?

First, the BMJ study showed only that people who drank more milk had more fractures. What it didn’t prove? That the dairy product, rather than some other factor, caused those fractures. Even the researchers say that women who have osteoporosis— which means they already have an increased risk of fractures—may be seeking out more milk for its bone health reputation, not that the milk itself weakened their bones.

If drinking milk doesn’t cause fractures, will it help prevent them? “That’s a little complicated,” says the specialists so. “The calcium you get from dairy is essential  for building bone mass through your early 20s. It also helps prevent bone loss later in life. But the association between dairy consumption and a lower risk of fracture isn’t well established. There haven’t been enough studies.” And some studies show it can reduce breaks, while others say it can’t. The research has been just as inconclusive about calcium supplements. In 2018, an independent panel of experts, reviewed all the data and concluded that there’s not enough evidence to recommend women take calcium supplements to stave off bone breaks.

So how can calcium help prevent bone loss but possibly have no influence on fracture risk? Again: It’s complicated. Your personal risk of breaks involves a lot more than just one mineral. “Hormonal changes after menopause, low physical activity, low muscle mass, balance issues—all of these factors greatly influence your odds of fracture,” says the specialists, think about it like this: If you have osteoporosis, your goal is fracture prevention. If you don’t, then you want to prevent osteoporosis—and to do that you should, among other things, consume calcium.

It'srecommended  that most adults get 1,000 milligrams of the mineral a day. Aside from dairy, good sources include soybeans, salmon and leafy greens. The bulk of your calcium should be coming from your diet, because when you focus on food, you garner other benefits.“Lean protein, vitamin C, carotenoids, magnesium and other nutrients are all needed for bone health. A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that people following a Mediterranean-style diet, filled with produce, nuts, fish and whole grains, had a 21 percent lower risk of hip fracture than those who ate a lot of sugar, refined grains and red meat. So consume a variety of calcium-rich foods. If you want to talk to your doctor about a supplement, that’s fine—just think of it as a safety net, not a primary calcium source. Also, make vitamin D a priority—it helps your body absorb calcium.

Although calcium gets much of the attention when it comes to bone health, it’s far from the only solution. Regular exercise may be even more important, and there’s no controversy there. The proof is amazingly consistent: Physical activity, like resistance training and weight-bearing exercise, is very good for preventing fractures. “It’s probably the most important thing you can do to keep your bones healthy.

We need more. We need less. Beef is best. Beans are better. Fed up with your friends’ conflicting Facebook posts? Here’s how you can power up your plate for real. Protein is crucial to nearly every bodily function. We need it to have energy, to feel full, to build and repair muscle to process nutrients and boost immunity, to send chemical signals—basically, to stay alive. And with so much new research pointing to the nutrient’s power as a hunger buster and super sculptor, it’s easy to think the more protein, the better. Many women I see are making a conscious effort to get more protein in their diet. But is that wise? Ahead, the most evolved advice.

How Much Do You Really Need?

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA), which is the minimum amount you need to be healthy, is 0.8 grams per kilogram (0.36 grams per pound)  of body weight per day—46 grams for an average woman. That equals as little as 10 percent of your daily calories. If you’re not super active, that’s likely adequate, and you’ll hit the target effortlessly if you follow a typical Western diet. In fact, American women already eat about 68 grams of protein a day, according to the latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. “There’s no reason to go out of your way to get protein,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, dean of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy. “Just eat a variety of fish, nuts, beans, seeds and dairy, including yogurt.”

However, increasing your protein well above the RDA may make sense if...

You're very active. That means you get at least 35 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise four or five days a week, including resistance training two or more times a week. Consider eating 1.2 to 2 grams of dietary protein per kilogram (or about 0.5 to 0.9 grams per pound) of your body weight each day, says Nancy Rodriguez, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Connecticut. That amount is best for rebuilding muscle tissue, especially if you do a lot of high-intensity workouts, research suggests.

You're trying to lose weight. Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, helping you feel full, and it also pushes your body to secrete the gut hormone peptide YY, which reduces hunger. “When you bring protein to about 30 percent of your daily calories, you’ll naturally eat less,” says Lauren Slayton, RD, founder of Foodtrainers, a nutrition practice in New York City, and author of The Little Book of Thin. “Protein decreases appetite and also, in my experience, helps you manage cravings.”

While research is mixed about whether consuming more protein leads to weight loss, it’s pretty clear that protein can help you retain more lean muscle as you lose fat. A studies suggests amping up protein to as much as 1.8 to 2 grams per kilogram (roughly 0.8 to 0.9 grams per pound) of body weight per day to stave off muscle loss when restricting calories. Cut back on refined carbs to balance out the extra calories from adding protein.

You're in middle age. Eating more protein as you get older may help you maintain muscle and ward off osteoporosis, “so you can stay stronger and more functional,” says Rodriguez. In a study, adults over the age of 50 who roughly doubled the RDA (eating 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram, or 0.68 grams per pound, of body weight per day) were better able to rebuild and retain muscle after only four days, compared with control groups eating the RDA.

Doubling the RDA gives you “optimal protein,” a concept that Rodriguez and more than 40 nutrition scientists advanced at a recent Protein Summit, the findings from which were published in 2015 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Optimal protein works out to be about 15 to 25 percent of your daily calories, still below the level recommended by many popular high-protein diets. Over a day, that could look like 20 to 30 grams per meal and 12 to 15 grams per snack, for a total of 90 to 105 grams daily.

The Dangers of Loading Up

When experts decry protein-heavy diets, the issue is usually not quantity but quality. “It’s not protein per se that’s a problem, but the ‘passengers’ it brings with it,” explains Tom Rifai, MD, regional medical director of metabolic health and weight management for the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. “You can’t compare egg whites, fish or beans to fatty porterhouse steak.” Eating a lot of meat means getting a ton of calories and saturated fat as well as a digestive by-product called TMAO, all of which can contribute to higher risks of certain cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Indeed, a  study showed a hike in cancer mortality risk for people who ate more animal protein in midlife. On the flip side, a new study found that adults who ate a plant-based diet and dropped one or two servings of animal-based foods (to four or fewer servings a day) cut their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 20 percent. The takeaway: If you want to bump up your protein, grab  those extra grams from plant sources or even fish (both of which offer additional beneficial nutrients on top of protein) rather than red meat.

Eat Early, Eat Often

Folks who ate 35 grams of protein at breakfast consumed 400 fewer calories throughout the day and lost more body fat than those who ate a breakfast with 13 grams or skipped an a.m. meal entirely. I’ve seen many women who, after shifting more of their daily protein to breakfast and lunch, stay more satiated, preventing overeating in the late afternoon and evening. A sample high-protein breakfast: 6 ounces of nonfat Greek yogurt (17 grams of protein) with ¼ cup of almonds (8 grams), 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds (4 grams) and ½ cup of mixed berries (1 gram).

More incentive to add protein earlier in the day: Other research suggests that it does the best job of keeping your muscles in rebuilding mode if you spread your intake over the day’s meals and snacks rather than cramming in most of it at dinner. Eating all your protein at one sitting also backfires because your system can process only so much at once—about 25 to 40 grams, for most people. “If you can’t use the extra protein, your body just turns it into carbs,” explains Dr. Rifai.

Go Complete

“Complete protein” is a term often used for foods that contain, in the right proportion for our dietary needs, all nine of the essential amino acids our bodies can’t manufacture themselves. (We can make the 11 other amino acids from scratch.) Think of your amino acid requirements like a Scrabble game: Some letters you need over and over again, like E, and some you don’t need as many of, like Z. Animal products, such as chicken, fish and eggs, provide the right letters (amino acids) in close to the right proportion that we need to spell words (build proteins in the body). Certain plant-based foods (quinoa, soybeans, amaranth, buckwheat) also provide roughly the proper proportion of amino acids.

Other plants contain all the essential amino acids, but not in the optimal proportion—usually there’s not enough of one or more of them, which is why the classic advice for vegetarians and vegans has been to pair complementary foods, like rice and beans, in order to make a complete protein. The good news is, it doesn’t need to be that complicated. As long as your weekly diet includes a reasonable variety and amount of beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds (for example, lentils, chickpeas, oats, brown rice, walnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds), it’s likely that you’re getting what you need.

Workout Wisdom

Ideally, you should get 20 grams of protein within 30 to 40 minutes post-workout for optimal muscle recovery and growth. That said, you can’t chug a protein shake after spin class and skimp on protein the rest of the time. You still need a healthy total amount spread out through your day. 

Power Trip

Here are the steps protein takes in your body, from first bite to final exit.

Step 1: You eat some grilled chicken or a plate of beans.

Step 2: Stomach acids and gut enzymes break down the proteins in the chicken or beans into amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

Step 3: Amino acids are absorbed through the walls of your small intestine and enter the bloodstream. In addition to helping build muscle, these amino acids help produce, maintain and repair numerous proteins throughout your body, including antibodies, hormones and neurotransmitters.

Step 4: Extra amino acids aren’t stored for much longer than 24 hours (that’s why you have to eat protein every day), so once the body has used what it needs, the leftovers go to the liver. There, some are converted into glucose and used as a fuel source. Nitrogen by-products from amino acid breakdown are excreted in urine.

10 Real-Food Boosts

Powders have their place (assuming you’re picking one with superclean ingredients), but they’re not the only way to amp up your intake. Try these easy hacks to add whole-food protein to a meal or snack.

1. Prepare ½ cup oatmeal with 1 cup milk (8g) instead of water.

2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chia seeds (6g) onto 2 slices avocado toast.

3. Blend ½ cup silken tofu (6g) into soup or a smoothie.

4. Toss ¼ cup cashews (5g) into a stir-fry.

5. Blend 3 tablespoons hemp seeds (9g) into salad dressing (try one made with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs).

6. Add 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (5g) to granola.

7. Scatter 1 cup green peas (8g) over pasta.

8. Top pancakes or waffles with 2 tablespoons almond butter (7g) instead of maple syrup.

9. Add ½ cup canned black beans (7g), drained and rinsed, to salsa.

10. Trade cream cheese for ¼ cup cottage cheese (6g) on a toasted bagel.

Keeping your body strong means more than just being able to do pull-ups or carry groceries with ease. From metabolism to hormonal health, here are some ways muscles matter.

When we think about muscles, our minds quickly go to abs, quads, biceps and triceps—but of course we have hundreds more. Muscles make up roughly 30 percent of a woman’s body mass. (For men, the percentage hovers at around 40 percent.) The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

And some good news: Despite what you may have heard, it’s not inevitable that your muscles will wither as you age. There are simple and straightforward ways you can outsmart the clock and keep your metabolism cranked Here are three research-backed reasons you should focus on building strong muscles, plus advice that will help you get stronger all over. 

More Muscle Ups Your Metabolism

It’s a cruel reality of weight loss: When people drop pounds, their metabolism often takes a dive. Fat cells make leptin, a chemical that tells your brain you’re full. When leptin levels dip (which can happen if you’re on a diet), your body slows its metabolism to conserve energy. But you can boost your burn by pumping iron. People who did resistance training for nine months had a roughly 5 percent increase in their resting metabolic rate. Getting more protein is key as well. While the recommended dietary allowance is 0.8 grams per kilogram (0.36 grams per pound) of body weight per day. To prevent muscle loss while losing weight, you need to almost double that.

Menopause Isn’t Kind to Muscles

Estrogen appears to be related to muscle strength, which means that as your estrogen levels decline, your muscles may get weaker. One thing that might help: a vitamin D supplement. Postmenopausal women who took 1,000 IU of D₃ per day for nine months had a 25 percent increase in their muscle strength; the women taking a placebo had a 7 percent drop in muscle mass. But popping a pill isn’t enough to fight the decline, stresses JoAnn Pinkerton, MD, executive director of the North American Menopause Society and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Virginia Health System. Strength training is also needed —ideally, you should do two or three workouts a week.

Inflammation May Help Heal Muscles

After a gym session, you may be tempted to pop an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory to ward off soreness. But post-workout inflammation—which is temporary, as opposed to chronic inflammation—might be a good thing. After exercise, pro-inflammatory T cells infiltrate damaged muscle fibers, possibly to help repair the tissue; after a repeat round of exercise, inflammation increases. One of our theories is that this inflammation is a healthy process your body uses to heal muscles. What’s more, inflammation and post-exercise soreness didn’t actually seem to be linked. In fact, folks experienced less soreness after their second round of exercise, when inflammation was higher. Try easing aches with ice or moist heat instead of meds.

From plant-based proteins to lean meats, these healthy superfoods are loaded with good-for-you nutrients that help increase energy, build stronger muscles and ease workout ailments.

Eggs

Eggs are a high-protein choice with versatility for every meal. Whether for breakfast in a frittata or mixed into a dinner salad, they can help build and maintain muscle. One large egg contains several B vitamins, which have been shown to be critically important for energy production. Eggs also contain large amounts of the amino acid leucine, which aids muscle growth. However, the majority of the nutrients can be found in the yolk; the egg white contains only protein. Additionally, eggs can help you feel satiated for longer, women who ate eggs for breakfast felt fuller longer and ate fewer calories throughout the day, which could contribute to fat loss.

Salmon

Salmon is one of the most plentiful sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which could improve muscular  health and muscle gain. One 3-ounce portion of salmon, for example, contains 2 grams of omega3s, almost twice the recommended daily value for adults. That same portion also contains 17 grams of protein and half of the recommended daily value of selenium, a metabolism-boosting mineral that comes from food. Additionally, salmon is rich in energy-producing B vitamins, similar to eggs. These nutrients all help repair muscles, so a piece of salmon at dinner could keep muscles healthy after a tough workout.

Greek Yogurt

Dairy products that are packed with protein could have an impact on building lasting lean muscle. People who consume a combination of fast- and slow-digesting dairy proteins might experience increases in lean mass. However, star probiotic Greek yogurt stands out among other dairy proteins. Greek yogurt contains nearly double the amount of protein as regular yogurt. This high level could help boost metabolism and keep you satiated longer than regular yogurt can.  College-age men who consumed nonfat Greek yogurt after resistance training “increased most measures of strength, biceps muscle thickness and fat-free mass.” 

Quinoa

The popular grain is a good high-protein choice—24 grams per cup—for a post-workout side dish. This superfood is also rich in magnesium, with one cup providing nearly one third of the recommended daily value, which helps promote protein synthesis. The same serving of quinoa is also packed with all nine amino acids that can be found in food, which is essential for building muscle. Because quinoa is high in carbohydrates, containing more than 39 grams per cooked cup, eat it right after a workout to aid muscle recovery.

Milk

While milk is often associated with building healthy bones, science shows that it can also be a strong choice for muscle building. According to the American College of Sports Medicine in 2016, “milkbased protein after resistance exercise is effective in increasing muscle strength and favorable changes in body composition. Drinking milk promotes greater lean muscle gains  of the amino acid leucine, which aids in muscle protein synthesis. Dairy milk is also a strong source of calcium, and that assists muscle contraction, which helps build muscle during exercise.

Bison

A lean alternative to other red meats, bison contains several essential nutrients that aid in muscle health. One 4-ounce serving contains 68 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B6, as well as 19 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B₆, which can aid energy production. It also contains nearly one third of the daily recommended value of selenium, which can boost metabolism. This low-calorie choice—just 124 calories per 4-ounce serving—also has a mild taste, which makes it a lean swap for beef or other red meats.

Avocados

Touted as an all-encompassing superfood, avocados are packed with 20 essential vitamins and minerals that can help keep muscles healthy. Avocados are rich in vitamins B₅, B₆, C, E and K, as well as potassium and folate. They contain about 20 percent of the recommended daily value of folate, a B vitamin that helps convert carbohydrates into energy, which makes them an essential pre- and post-workout pick. They also contain about 14 percent of the daily recommended value of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate fluid balance and muscle contractions. Additionally, avocados are rich in fiber, which helps the body stay satiated for longer, supporting weight loss.

Bananas

Bananas are an easy and convenient snack. Because they are rich in water and carbs—27 grams in one medium banana— they can improve exercise performance and recovery. While they don’t contain as much potassium as avocados, they still have about 10 to 14 percent of the recommended daily value. Consuming potassium helps to avoid muscle cramps while exercising, so eating a banana before a workout. Additionally, since potassium is excreted through sweat, consuming bananas can help replete electrolytes to further boost workouts. However, eating bananas after a workout can also prove beneficial, for example, a combination of water and a banana is likely more effective for exercise recovery than sports drinks.

Nuts

Many types of nuts can be used in a variety of satiating snacks and meals, and many varieties strongly benefit muscle health. One serving of pistachios, for example, provides as much protein as one egg. Pistachios also have a higher ratio of essential amino acids than most other kinds of nuts. Additionally, peanuts are a prominent source of biotin, a vitamin that helps convert food into energy, which can help with overall workout performance and muscle building. For a lowcarb, workout-friendly option, almonds contain just 2.5 grams of digestible carbs and only 161 calories in a small handful.

Chickpeas

Whether tossed in a salad or blended into hummus, chickpeas are a versatile legume that can act as a meat replacement in any meal. They’re also high in plant-based protein, with 14.5 grams per 1-cup cooked serving. The same serving contains 71 percent of the recommended daily value of folate, which helps convert carbohydrates into energy. Chickpeas contain nearly every essential amino acid that can be obtained from food, minus methionine. Pairing it with a grain that contains methionine, such as quinoa, can help you get a complete protein–based meal. 

It’s no secret that interest in plant-based diets is booming. More than half of Americans are looking to curb their meat and dairy consumption and eat more produce, according to a survey from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Yet many active people are concerned that going meatless (or almost meatless) won’t give them enough of the complete protein they need to build muscle and recover from their workouts.

The good news: Research suggests that plant-forward diets can be as eff ective—if not more so—at building strength and helping you get the best results from your eff orts. Follow these tips to ensure you fuel your body right.

MIX UP YOUR PROTEIN SOURCES

Our bodies need protein to help repair and build muscle. And it’s true that animal proteins are the most effi cient sources—they have more protein per gram and contain all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts. But you can still meet your needs with plant-based proteins. The key is variety, because plant proteins vary in their amino acid content, Asche recommends including lots of diff erent nutritious sources—such as nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains—in your diet for the best recovery.

This doesn’t mean you need more protein than meat eaters, though, notes Rizzo. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that active people aim for at least half a gram of protein per pound of body weight a day but sets the top of the range at 0.8 grams per pound. That’s 75 to 120 grams if you weigh 150 pounds, which adds up quickly, considering that ½ cup chickpeas and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter each contain about 7 grams of protein.

BALANCE YOUR RECOVERY WITH CARBS

After a tough workout, your body goes into recuperation mode for around 24 hours, replenishing stored carbohydrates and rebuilding muscles so you’re ready for your next session. Since your body can only use so much carbohydrate and protein at a time, the goal is to eat modest amounts of both at each meal and snack to aid in recovery. That could mean a post-run nibble of a piece of fruit with some nut butter or a grain bowl filled with protein-rich bulgur wheat and veggies for lunch.

MIND THE GAPS

As you swap animal food sources for plants, there are a few important nutrients to be aware of. Regular workouts can deplete your stores of  iron and lead to fatigue. Many plants contain non-heme iron, but it’s not absorbed as well as the heme variety found in animals. Adding vitamin-C-rich foods such as bell peppers and broccoli to your meals can improve iron uptake. Other nutrients you may fall short on include vitamin B12—it’s only found in animal foods, so you may consider taking a supplement—and calcium, which is in plants like soy, fortifi ed cereals and green vegetables (think kale, bok choy and spinach). Your muscles—heck, your whole body—will thank you.

Imagine you have a brick wall in your backyard. It’s functional enough, but you’ve got your sights set on replacing it with a larger, stronger one. Before you grab your sledgehammer and start knocking down the bricks, you need to make a plan. You know that to build a stronger wall, you’ll have to tear down the old one first, but that’s only part of the process. You’ll also need the right tools to rebuild a bigger, better and stronger wall in its place.

Building muscle is a similar process,challenging your muscles with resistance training can cause your muscle fibers to break down and rebuild, a process called hypertrophy. But resistance training is only one part of the equation. You also need to give your body the tools it needs to power through that workout, to effectively rebuild muscle after it and to recover after your hard work.

You may already know that building strength has plenty of health benefits. Resistance training can improve bone density, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels and cognitive ability along with decreasing body fat, blood pressure, low-back pain and depression.

While many types of strength training can increase muscle size, one form stands above the rest if you want to get stronger, too. Researchers found that people who lifted higher loads with more frequency improved their strength more than people who didn’t. In other words, frequency and intensity both play a role in building strength. 

If you’re lifting light weights a few times a week, you likely don’t need to change your nutritional approach, much like you don’t need to guzzle down a protein drink every time you go on a 30-minute walk. But those who do more intense daily or neardaily strength work can increase their results by considering evidence-backed principles of nutrition for building and sustaining muscle.

As beneficial as strength building can be, strengthening muscles (and reaping the health benefits of doing so) takes time and strategy. Doing more intense weight training triggers important metabolic changes in the body.

They’re breaking down and damaging muscles, and those muscles need repair, but they’re also producing more energy, circulating oxygen, putting stress on their bones and connective tissue, and demanding more from their brain. To assist the body in all this activity—not to mention building bigger, stronger, muscles—requires incorporating the right nutrients into your routine as well. Someone can have the most immaculate weight-lifting routine, but that’s only part of the process.

Here’s what you need to know about streamlining your nutrition for strength training, according to researchers and nutritionists. 

First, Work Out Often

Before you drastically switch up your diet, commit to your exercise regimen. While many factors can make weight lifting more effective, spending time working your muscles is the most important ingredient. No amount of nutrition or supplements will ever make up for not going to the gym, that’s going to drive about 80 to 90 percent of what you see in terms of strength and muscle mass gains and fat loss. You just can’t get around that.

Hypertrophy, the tearing and rebuilding of muscle tissue, only happens when you continually challenge yourself. Your body will adapt to what you’re lifting, so you must consistently increase the weight,  growing muscle tissue requires disrupting homeostasis. If you want to keep making progress over time, you have to lift heavier weights. If you’re not doing that, there’s no muscle protein breakdown, and there’s no reason to emphasize nutrition.

Consider Your Calorie Intake

Once you’ve committed to a challenging, consistent weight-training program, it’s time to make a few key changes to your diet. If you’re looking to lose weight, strength training is a great way to burn fat and encourage your body to burn more calories throughout the day. Women who lose weight when they strength train are more likely to lose fat mass versus muscle mass, which is beneficial for overall health.

To lose weight, you’ll need to be in a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories per day than you need, burning more calories through exercise than you eat or a combination of both. You may wind up eating more than you did before to fuel yourself for exercise, but as long as you’re in a deficit, you should still shed pounds.

If your goal is to build larger, stronger muscles, you’ll definitely need to eat more. You’ll only grow so much if you don’t consume more energy, so plan to be in a calorie surplus. There’s no specific formula for calorie intake. The important thing, he says, is to make sure you’re eating enough to slowly gain weight. Start by tracking what you’re eating in a calorie app. If you aren’t gaining weight, try increasing your intake by 100 to 200 calories a day until you reach a level of weight gain you’re satisfied with.

The only caveat to boosting your calorie intake: If you’re just starting a serious resistance training routine and you want to lose weight, your body can use the fat you already have for energy during workouts. For example, if you’re 20 pounds heavier than you want to be, you can make progress losing those 20 pounds and building muscle without eating more. That’s because when you start lifting weights, there’s a much lower threshold for adaptation. Once you lose the weight, though, you may struggle to keep putting on muscle—so you’ll need to boost your calorie intake.

After you land on the calorie excess that works best for you, you can focus on incorporating the right macronutrients into your diet.

Energize with Carbohydrates

In order to do exercises that build strength— or engage in any workout, for that matter—you’ll need energy in the form of carbohydrates. Resistance training requires energy, lifting heavy weights, can quickly deplete stored glycogen, or stored carbohydrates. When we eat carbohydrates, they get broken down into glucose, which gets stored in your muscles as glycogen. So if you’re lifting weights, you’ll need a little more of that fuel.

Any fruit, vegetable or grain can be an effective source of muscle fuel, but as you know, junk food won’t improve your overall health. For instance, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup could effectively fuel your muscles for a resistance training workout, but a banana with peanut butter on it offers carbohydrates, plus the fat, protein and micronutrients you need to build muscle and improve your health in general.

Exactly how many carbs should someone who takes strength training seriously be consuming? While you probably won’t need as much carb fuel as a track athlete,  we suggests aiming for about 200 to 300 grams of complex carbohydrates each day. Focusing on increasing calories while boosting your overall nutrient intake. Whole grains, such as whole grain bread, oatmeal, quinoa, barley, beans and sweet potatoes, contain plenty of carbs along with other nutrients to boost your overall health.

A high-fiber snack will take longer to digest and draw blood to your digestive system, which can make you feel full and slow down your workout. So before you you exercise, aim to eat carbs that aren’t extremely high in fiber, such as pasta, crackers, cereal or bread that’s not enriched with fiber. If your primary goal is weight loss, you’ll still need the same fuel as someone who wants to build muscle—just pay attention to portion size so you don’t end up with a calorie excess. Eat to the point of mild satiety rather than the point where you’re so full you can’t move.

When you eat your carbohydrates matters, too. If you’re looking for an extra edge,it's recommended consuming a carb-rich meal about three or so hours before you do your workout, then grabbing a carb-rich snack—such as a granola bar with 8 to 10 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbs, or a piece of toast with peanut butter on it—about an hour before.

It's uggested incorporating a similar carbohydrate-rich food in your post-workout protein snack. Studies show that eating carbs after resistance exercise can help the body restore its supply of muscle glycogen, which could facilitate faster recovery, and, in the long run, a greater training volume.

Rebuild with Protein

Working your muscles tears them apart, so to build them, you’ll need to eat nutrients that help your muscle fibers repair themselves—think of protein as the mortar you’d use to rebuild the brick wall you had knocked down. Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids, which help repair and rebuild broken-down muscle tissue after a workout. Eating protein throughout the day helps repair that muscle tissue and get it ready for the next strengthtraining workout.

If you’re lifting weights several times a week, you’ll need to consume more protein, even if you want to lose weight. In addition to helping build muscle (so you can burn fat), protein is more satiating, so it’ll keep you feeling full more than other nutrients. Ultimately, how much protein you should eat depends on how much you weigh. The Dietary Reference Intake suggests 0.36 grams of protein per day per pound of body fat— for a 140-pound person, that comes to 150 grams of protein each day, but anyone who strength trains seriously might need more than that.

Throughout the day, you want to get the most bang for your buck, so if your goal is to lose weight, choose high-protein foods that are lower in calories. Its recommended, for example, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, chicken, lean pork and tuna.

If you want to add muscle bulk, Helms suggests eating 0.7 to 1 grams of protein per pound of your current body weight. If you weigh 170 pounds, you would want to aim for a daily amount of about 119 to 170 grams of protein.

Try to spread your protein throughout the day, incorporating lean meats, eggs, legumes, nuts and dairy into your meals and snacks. It's suggested three larger servings of protein spread out through your three meals, along with one or two proteinrich snacks, to reach your target. Or you could plan to consume protein every three to five hours (not counting overnight, since you are not eating then).

For an added boost, consume protein around the time you train as a way to encourage muscle recovery—plan a protein-heavy snack for one or two hours before and after your workout. It's suggested packing a quick and convenient snack for the gym, such as a handful of nuts or slices of cheese. Another alternative might be a homemade shake with protein powder, Greek yogurt, almond milk, and a banana. Choose protein powders that have gone through third-party testing to ensure the product is what the manufacturer says it is.

When it comes to protein sources, keep quality in mind. If your primary goal is to gain muscle, you can technically do that with any type of protein. But if you don’t want to put on body mass, consider your protein sources carefully. For example, a fast-food burger can boost both your calories and protein, but you’ll ultimately end up eating more calories than you need to reach your protein intake, which could throw off your weight-loss goals. Instead, go for lean protein paired with complex carbohydrates.

If you’re serious about lifting and struggling to eat enough protein to make a difference, supplementing can help,  supplementing protein above the normally recommended amount can enhance strength and muscle-mass gain. For building muscle, look for a protein powder that’s easy for your body to absorb and use, such as whey protein or whey isolates. 

Recover with Healthy Fats

It may seem counterproductive to consume fat if you’re hoping to lose fat and gain muscle, but fat is an important part of a nutritious diet. The body  needs it for energy, to form cell walls and absorb vitamins, and to protect your organs, fats should make up between 20 and 35 percent of your total calorie intake. If you’re eating more calories, you’ll need more fat. If you’re eating fewer calories to lose weight, you’ll need less fat.

People fear fat because they worry they’ll gain fat on their body, but it definitely helps in the accumulation of lean muscle mass, you’ll only gain fat if you’re consuming a lot more calories than you’re burning in your training.

Of course, not all fats are created equal. The best type of fat for muscle building—and overall health—is polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon, nuts, nut butter, seeds and oils.

Ensuring ample fat intake can also help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins—essential nutrients that are absorbed with fat—such as vitamin D,  which is important for bone and immune system health, mood, and insulin regulation. And if you’re struggling to eat enough calories for any musclebuilding goals, consuming more fat, which tends to be higher in calories, can help you get there.

Just avoid too much fat before a workout. Because fat can slow digestion, it can make you uncomfortable and compromise athletic performance.

Don’t Neglect Micronutrients

If you’re focusing on building muscle, finding the right balance of the macronutrients protein, fat, and carbs can help you reach your goals. But micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals play an important role in priming your body for muscle growth and overall health. For example, your body needs ample iron (found in meat, beans and many breakfast cereals) to move oxygen through your system, magnesium (found in spinach and many seeds and nuts) to de-stress after an intense workout and  vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries and broccoli, to name a few) to boost bone health. Healthy vitamin D levels ensure you have the hormones you need to grow and maintain muscles. You can find vitamin D in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, along with egg yolks, cheese and some mushrooms. If you’re deficient in micronutrients that can help build muscle, then you’re probably not going to get the most optimal return on your investment at the gym.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is one way to make sure you get all the nutrients your body needs to function optimally, Andrews adds. Focus on adding color to your meals to ensure a variety of fruits and vegetables, and when you can, eat as many whole-food sources as possible.

Stay Hydrated

While you’re at it, drink plenty of water throughout the day; studies have found that low fluid intake can impact the effectiveness of resistancetraining workouts. But dehydration can also negatively impact your overall health. Your body needs water for many functions, from keeping your joints lubricated and regulating body temperature to preventing infections and delivering nutrients to your cells. You’ll also sleep better and feel better when you’re well hydrated, which means you’ll have more energy to exercise when you want to.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how much water you should consume. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has determined that most men need about 15.5 cups of fluids a day, while women need about 11.5 cups daily. (Keep in mind that you also get fluids from other beverages and food.) As a general rule, if you don’t feel thirsty and your urine is light or clear, you’re probably well hydrated.

To be sure you’re getting enough fluids, fill a water bottle and sip on it throughout the day, and refill it when it’s empty. You may need more water if you’re exercising, so pay attention to when you’re feeling thirsty

Create Sustainable Routines

As with any goal, building stronger, healthier muscles depends on your routines. The more you strength train and incorporate nutritional principles that help your body build and retain muscle, the better results you’ll see. If you get stuck in the process or need encouragement, enlist an expert. You can get some good information from a nutritionist about what will help you most and work together to put together a plan that supports your goals.

That said, being too strict with your routines can take a toll on your mental health and have the opposite effect on your muscle gain and fat loss process than you intended. Instead of fussing with complicated grocery lists and obsessive macronutrient tracking, Andrews suggests building a small menu of nutrient-dense go-to meals and snacks you enjoy and can easily prepare, then rotating through them and swapping them out when you want a change.

And while  generally healthier to eat minimally processed, single-item food ingredients, that doesn’t mean you can never have dessert or go out to eat. Strategy is important in promoting any positive health outcome—but stress and rigidity won’t encourage you to stick to the routine that will help you improve your health.

Think you haven't got time for a health kick? All it takes is a few minutes...

LIFT WEIGHTS FOR... 10 SECONDS

Try lifting and lowering weights for 10 seconds, rather than the usual couple of seconds to boost strenth. A US study found people who used a slow technique of resitance training showed 50% increase in strength compared to those lifting at the normal, faster speed. Slowing down the movements lifts momentum  and creates more tension in the muscles.

EXERCISE FOR... 3X20-SECOND BURSTS

Sprint Interval Training (SIT) on the stairs can boost your heart health in a big way. Researchers form a Canadian university found that you don't need hours at the gym to get fit. In one study, they discovered that sprinting upstairs in short bursts, three times a week, in three 20-second bursts, with two-minute recovery periods improves cardiorespiratory fitness. So leave the lift and spend a little getting breathless on the stairs. Simple!

MASSAGE MUSCLES FOR... 10 MINUTES

Pummelling your muscles for this length of time after tough exercise does more than simply relieving tension and pain. Research form McMaster University, in Canada, looked inside a muscle as it was massaged and found that 10 minutes of kneading switches on sensors that reduce inflammation in muscle cells and helped build more mitochondrias, which help muscles repair and grow. Try using a foam roller on your achy bits.

CHEW GUM FOR... 10 MINUTES

Chewing sugar-free gum for 10 minutes helps remove 100 million bacteria form the mouth - making it as effective as flossing, according to researcheers form the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands. But chew it for longer and some of the bacteria is released back into the mouth - presumably because the gum becomes less sticky after prolonged exposure to saliva. So set a stopwatch, then stop chewing!

POWER NAP FOR... 20 MINUTES

That's the max time for a power nap. It can help lower stress levels and leave you feeling more aleert - you should drift off and brain activity should slow down. Don't nap for longer, though, as you want to avoid going into deep sleep, which can leave you feeling groggy.

STRECH FOR... 30 SECONDS

That's  the ideal amount of time to hold a stretch to keep you flexible after moderate exercise, such as running. Anything less won't lengthen your muscle and tissues enough, but you don't gain much from doing more.

WALK FOR... 30 MINUTES PER DAY

Studies show that walking can cut diabetes risk by up to 60%, and three 30-minute walks a week could protect against demetia. This is because it causes areas of the brain associated with momory to increase in size shich slows down the ageing process.

READ A BOOK FOR... AT LEAST HALF AN HOUR

Reading this long every day could help extend your life. People who read for up to three and a half hours a week were 17% less likely to die than non-readers during a 12-year follow-up period. Those who read for longer cut their chances of dying early by 23%, according to research. Reading helps keep your mind active and reduces stress.

AND TWO TO AVOID...

TOSSING AND TURNING FOR... 20 MINUTES

Get out of bed if you've been unable to fall asleep, after this time, as lying there awake worrying leads you to associate your bed with being awake and frustrated. Sit quietly in a different room, then only return to bed when you feel you're about to nod off.

VIGOROUS EXERCISE FOR... 90 MINUTES

While exercise can boost the immune system, overdoing it can have the opposite effect. Research shows 90 minutes of high-intensity exercise elevates production of stress hormones and suppresses our disease-fighting white blodd cells, making us prone to infections. Keep exercise down to 45 minutes of moderate intensity.