The 10 Worst Foods to avoid when building muscle

You can gain muscle mass by eating, lifting weights, and sleeping. That's basically what most people do, and they gain more muscles. However, some people find it challenging to put on muscle mass despite how hard they lift weights. The problem is their nutrition; they have no nutrition plan, and they eat as they like.

To gain muscle mass, you need to have a proper nutrition plan and keep your diet in check.
In this article, you'll learn what to consider when making a meal plan for muscle gain and the foods you should avoid when building muscles.

What to consider when making a meal plan for muscle gain​

For your muscles to benefit from your diet, here are some things you should consider:

Determine your body type​

Your body type plays a vital role in determining how best your diet work on your muscle. In weight training, there are three body types:

The ectomorph body type​

(Hard gainer): A petite body with long limbs, low percent body fat, and slow weight gain.

The endomorph body type​

(Soft gainer): A round physique, fats gather quickly around the waist, hips, and thighs. Wide hips, primarily in women. Slow metabolism but fast muscle gains and fat deposits.

The mesomorph body type:​

Athletic body with broad shoulders, strong arms, and legs with a slim waist. High muscle mass with an athletic build. Fast results when building muscles.

The body types are different in terms of muscle mass, probability of putting on weight, and general structure. However, not everyone can be specifically typified - these types are mixed.

Proper nutrition and training for your body type ​

The ectomorph body type/hard gainer​

Training: You should focus more on weight training because endurance training makes you burn more calories. Naturally, this body type should focus on increasing muscle mass and flexibility. It would help if you were careful because ectomorphs quickly become over-exercised.
Nutrition: Carbohydrate-heavy nutrition. An extra calorie is needed to build mass. The diet should include plenty of protein, good fats, and ole ty fruits and vegetables.

The mesomorph body type​

Training: You should focus more on flexibility training for the muscles. This body type gets strong quickly, but its muscles and tendons are usually shorter than other body types.

Nutrition: Increase carbohydrate intake during the day, and reduce carbohydrate consumption in the evening. The diet should include plenty of protein, good fats, and fruits and vegetables. Also, ensure to drink plenty of water.

The endomorph body type/soft gainer​

Training: A mixture of weight training for building muscle and endurance training to combat excess weight and fats on the body. The endomorph body type rejuvenates quickly from exertion.
Strict nutrition: (a diet low in carbohydrates and fat) is essential. This body type, on the other hand, requires a lot of protein for muscle building, as well as a lot of fruits and vegetables. Also, ensure to drink enough water too.

Ten foods to avoid when building muscle​

Bagels​

One bag of bagels contains about 400 calories, all of which are refined carbohydrates. When you add cream cheese, you get nothing less than saturated fat. Neither the bagel nor the cream cheese will contribute to building muscles. Instead of bagels, eat one slice of wool grain bread and add natural peanut butter.

Pretzels​

Pretzels don't contribute to building muscle nor provide any nutrients for the muscles. They're just plain old carbs that lack any muscle-building protein. If you must have pretzels, take whole grain and add peanut almond butter for protein and a bit of healthy fat.

Alcohol​

Regular intake of alcoholic drinks can wear out your body and increase antioxidant demands. The antioxidants that help the muscles recover are used instead to metabolize the alcohol. Instead of taking too much alcohol, you can limit your alcohol intake to not more than two servings in one day. One serving of alcohol is equivalent to 12 fluid ounces of beer, five fluid ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

All-Purpose Flour​

Most cookies, cakes, and bread are made of all-purpose flour that does not provide calories. If you want to indulge, some recipes use fiber flours or mixture of flours, including an appropriate mix of all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour. Instead, you can bake your goods whenever you crave pastries.

Sausages​

This processed meat has lots of calories, sodium, and saturated fats. It also contains nitrites which can cause the formation of chemicals called nitrosamines linked to cancer. Instead of sausages, you can choose lean cuts of meats and if you have to eat sausage, eat the ones free of nitrites.

Pre-Made Smoothies​

Taking smoothies where you're trying to build muscle may not be the smartest choice. Most pre-made smoothies are full of calories (between 600 to 1000 on average) and contain too much sugar. Instead of smoothies, you can have fresh fruit or make your smoothie at home to monitor the ingredients.

Doughnuts​

Abstain from these pastries made from flour and contain no healthy ingredients to help build your muscles. Instead, you can have protein-packed nonflat plain Greek yogurt with a bit of honey.

Ice Cream​

One serving of ice cream contains 137 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat, 7 grams of total fat, and 2 grams of protein. One serving of ice cream contains 22 percent of the daily accepted max. Most people consume more than 2 or 3 cups of ice cream at once, increasing their saturated fat beyond the average recommendation. And this won't help you build muscles.

Cured Ham​

Hams are usually mixed with sodium-rich sauces, which can increase sodium levels. Too much sodium can cause too much fat, thereby hiding all the muscles you've been working hard to build. Instead of cured ham, you can have a lean cut of pork.

Processed Cheese​

All cheese contains sodium and fat, but they also contain essential elements for muscle growth. However, processed cheese has more protein per ounce than unprocessed cheese. Instead of processed cheese, you can have one ounce of unprocessed cheese.

Conclusion​

You can improve muscle growth by having a strict diet rich in whole foods. Protein is essential for muscle growth, as well as healthy carbs and fats. Also, avoid low-nutrient foods and drinks, alcohol, and sugar-filled drinks when you're on a muscle-building diet.