Food for Energy and Strength/Protein

Protein is the bodybuilding material that helps us grow, they build muscle for physical power and strength.

Everybody needs protein but professional athletes and especially bodybuilders need lots more than others, as they work out the muscles get little tears in them and the body uses the protein stored by our body to repair the damage but makes it a little thicker, as a result over time and with sufficient protein intake we get bigger.

Nuts, meat, fish, seafood and seeds are excellent at giving high concentrations of protein which we need to be able to use our muscles effectively throughout the day.

Meat products are some of the best protein sources available, which can pose a challenge for vegetarians. However, options such as pork can give excellent protein levels despite being lean meat. Cooking pork stir fry with vegetables is a great low-fat, high-protein option.

Simple fish dishes without added sauces can be low-fat options with high protein, especially from fish like tuna, which can contain up to 50 grams of protein per meal – more than some protein shakes additionally, grain-based products like rice, pasta, and bread contain high protein levels and can be mixed with meat and fish for a high-protein meal that helps the body repair muscle after a hard workout.

The recommended protein intake for hard muscle training is approximately 1.3-1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, someone weighing 70 kg would require 128 grams of protein daily to aid muscle growth during training.

Many people find it challenging to consume this much protein through food alone, which is why protein shakes and bars are popular options for easier and faster high-quality protein intake.

Most of the best foods for high protein are meat-based so if you're a vegetarian it is going to be quite hard to get the quality protein you need.

Pork: Pork is often overlooked but is usually one of the leanest meats you can get and as such has a high protein level, a brilliant meal to cook is pork stir fry as it is low in fat but high in protein as well as getting in all your vegetables.

Fish: If you stick to cooking this fish as simply as possible without giving into the urge to add sauces etc then this really can be a very low-fat option and if your having fish such as tuna then the protein can be as high as 50 grammes in one meal, that's more than your protein shakes.

Grains: Rice, pasta, bread and other such grainy products are also high in protein and if you mix these into a dish with your meat and fish, then you really will have a high-protein meal, everything your body needs to repair itself after a hard session at the gym.