Ten foods that "macho men" must eat

1. Salmon

A 6-ounce (170-gram) serving of salmon provides 34 grams of protein, 4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat that reduces pain and helps muscle repair, and it helps suppress cortisol. When cortisol levels drop, testosterone levels gradually rise, helping muscle growth. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids also allows most of the absorbed glucose to enter the muscles instead of being converted into fat.

2. Lean beef

Many people who have trouble building muscle mistakenly discard fat, thinking that doing so will increase body fat. However, the saturated fat in beef, in synergy with the omega-3 in fish, can actually help muscle growth. Too little saturated fat intake can compromise levels of testosterone and insulin-like growth factor, hormones that help build muscle. Beef is also a source of cholesterol, the main raw material for the body's own synthesis of testosterone. Of course, beef is also rich in creatine, vitamin B, and zinc...

3. Eggs

Nutritionists rate the growth-promoting abilities of various protein foods in a variety of ways. In almost every category, eggs rank near the top. That's because they're the easiest to absorb -- the body can easily break them down into amino acids, the building blocks of muscle growth. Whole eggs are also high in healthy fats, saturated fats, and lecithin, all of which help muscle growth. Egg yolks may not be ideal during the sculpting phase, but don't forget them when you're bulking up in the off-season.

4. Whole milk

If you really have a hard time gaining weight but are eager to gain weight, don't drink skim or reduced-fat milk! Those are for people who are losing weight. 16 ounces of whole milk provides 16 grams of protein and 16 grams of fat. Compared with other foods, the fat in milk is generally short-chain. Short-chain fats are more anabolic, preventing muscle breakdown, and they are less likely to be stored as body fat than other fats. The fat in milk can help the body absorb vitamin D and reduce the risk of cancer. It's no coincidence that the big guys in the 60s and 70s - Arnold and Franco drank so much whole milk.

5. Apple juice

The irony is that going to the gym like crazy is actually about tearing your muscles apart. You'll reap the rewards later, when your body starts to repair, and it's super-recovery. Drinking 12-16 ounces of apple juice before going to the gym will provide 45-60 grams of carbohydrates and give you energy quickly (because of the glucose in the juice) and continuously (because it also contains fructose). This helps suppress cortisol, reduces muscle damage, and allows you to train more sets.

6. White Bread

You know the rule - eat less refined carbohydrates because they have less fiber, less nutrients, and raise insulin levels than whole grains. That's true a lot of the time. However, white bread is actually very good for you after a workout. Because you need easily digestible carbohydrates to restore your depleted muscle glycogen levels and raise insulin secretion to help muscle growth and suppress cortisol after training. 4 slices of white bread can provide about 50 grams of easily digestible carbohydrates.

7. Pasta

(pasta) Muscle growth requires a lot of carbohydrates as raw materials. More importantly, carbohydrates fundamentally enhance the efficiency of protein metabolism, allowing the ingested protein to enter the muscle to help growth. In other words, without carbohydrates, the protein you absorb will not be well used for muscle growth. A cup of cooked macaroni has about 45 grams of carbohydrates, which is the minimum amount a person who has difficulty gaining weight needs per meal to gain weight.

8. Garlic

How can a plant that contains virtually no calories, carbohydrates, protein, or fat help you grow? The answer is that it significantly increases hormone levels in your body. Growing is all about taking in the right nutrients at the right time - carbohydrates, protein, and fat. But it also requires the right hormonal environment to stimulate growth. Animal studies have shown that eating large amounts of garlic and consuming high protein intakes increases testosterone and reduces muscle breakdown. This is a growth-promoting state.

9. Yogurt

Natural yogurt, either low-fat or full-fat, can be purchased at health food stores. The best choice is yogurt that contains active "good bacteria". These probiotic bacteria travel to the gastrointestinal tract and help the body maintain a healthy balance. These good bacteria boost the immune system and increase the absorption of nutrients. Another benefit is calcium, which controls muscle contraction and can also reduce fat storage...

10. Olive Oil

Studies have shown that olive oil inhibits inflammation in the body, and less inflammation means better recovery. Olive oil also provides hormone-like substances to increase testosterone, and like any lipid, it provides a lot of calories to help the body enter a growth-promoting state. It is also rich in healthy fats.