If you’re eating for muscle maintenance and growth, you’ll want to consider these pointers to give your body the fuel it needs:
1. Seek High-Quality Protein Powders
Eating whole foods is still one of the best ways to meet your protein needs, but protein powders and supplements help some people reach higher protein goals. Powders like whey, egg white, pea, and brown rice can be beneficial, but make sure to look into the quality of your supplements.
Note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness, so it’s important to talk to your healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your health, as well as about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.
2. Keep Sauces on the Side
If you go out to eat, asking for dressing or sauce on the side is a great way to stay on the mesomorph diet, Manaker says. Many sauces contain added sugar and fat that you might not have accounted for.
When sauces are on the side, you can use as much or as little as you’d like.
3. Stay Hydrated
Because roughly 30 percent of its calories come from protein, the mesomorph diet is technically high protein. Research suggests that it’s easier to become dehydrated when eating a lot of protein.
No official recommendation exists for how much water you’ll need to drink on a higher protein diet, but the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends at least 9 cups of water per day for women and 13 cups per day for men. If your urine is still dark yellow, add more from there.
4. Focus on Healthy Fats
The mesomorph diet recommends getting around 30 percent of your calories from fat, but the type of fat matters.
Saturated fat remains controversial, but many experts recommend limiting how much you eat to keep your cholesterol in check and help prevent heart disease. Foods with unsaturated fats are healthier. Fatty meats and butter contain high levels of saturated fat while olive oil, nuts, and fish contain unsaturated fats.
It’s also a good idea to avoid trans fats, which are common in many processed foods and may contribute to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
5. Make Carbs Complex
While mesomorphs may tolerate carbohydrates well, it’s still a good idea to eat foods that keep blood sugar stable. Opt for complex carbs like whole grains and starchy vegetables like potatoes over simple carbs like white rice and refined bread.
While simple carbs are often processed and contain less fiber, complex carbs contain more fiber so they take longer to digest, leading to fewer blood sugar spikes.
