Eating healthy is a crucial component of fitness. While we most often end up prioritising exercising and going to the gym, the nutrition bit goes for a toss. Whether you are aiming for a shredded look or you are planning to bulk up, physical activity and diet go hand-in-hand in order to accomplish your goals faster.
With age, maintaining a healthy and fit body becomes extremely challenging. It is tougher still to maintain a lean body that has the perfect composition of fat mass and lean body mass. This is because as we reach our forties and fifties, we tend to lose out on precious muscle mass and gain fat mass instead. To prevent this, one needs to think about what foods to eat for a lean body because the type of food you eat determines fat accumulation in the body.
Read on this article to know more about what constitutes a lean body and how to get one with the help of a nutritious diet.
What is Meant by a Lean Body?
Having too much body fat not only increases the risk of cholesterol but also makes you highly vulnerable to heart diseases and diabetes. That is why having a lean body is ideal for a healthier life. So what is a lean body?
A lean body comprises organs, skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, muscle and water minus body fat. Basically, it includes the weight of everything that cannot be shed such as bones or organs. Often, terms such as lean body mass and muscle mass are used interchangeably. As you age, a lean body should be a more desirable fitness goal for the health-conscious and here are a few reasons why:
- It prevents obesity
- Protects you against insulin resistance
- Keeps your bones healthy and strong by minimising pressure
- Puts less pressure on your joints thereby, reducing the chances of developing arthritis and osteoarthritis
- Keeps your heart healthy
In addition to regular workouts, let us delve into what is the best food for a lean body.
Best Foods to Eat for a Lean Body
The secret mantra to building lean muscle is to consume protein low in fat content. However, the trick is to strike the right balance with carbohydrate and fat-rich foods for your daily source of energy to carry physically exerting activities (aside from your strenuous workout sessions). Here are a few foods that fitness enthusiasts (vegetarians and vegans) swear by to build lean muscle:
1. Eggs
Eggs are a wonderful source of riboflavin, folic acid and vitamin A, E, K, B12. Eggs boost your body’s ability to synthesise proteins, especially after an intense workout routine. Consuming hard-boiled eggs aid in muscle recovery due to their amino acid content. Contrary to mass perception, the egg yolk is not laden with fat; it only contains about 5 grams of fat which is referred to as a source of good or healthy fat.
2. Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese, locally known as Paneer in India, is a beloved protein source that features widely in an array of breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. About a cup of cottage cheese (preferably low-fat) has the potential to provide your body with 28 grams of protein intake. Cottage cheese is packed with nutrients such as leucine, an amino acid necessary for fitness enthusiasts and athletes to build muscle and riboflavin, a type of vitamin B-12. Riboflavin is water-soluble and helps to convert proteins, fats and carbohydrates into energy. Men require about 1.3 milligrams of this vital vitamin, while women require about 1.1 milligrams daily. Additionally, cottage cheese is a rich source of phosphorus and calcium which contributes to strong and healthy bones, very important for people looking to commit to a life of fitness. This makes cottage cheese one of the best foods to eat for a lean body.
3. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is another ideal food for a lean body. Not only rich in protein, but it also contains a beneficial balance of casein protein (which is slow digesting) and whey protein (which is fast-digesting). This combination fastens the development of lean mass. Greek yogurt with fruits, honey or oatmeal is a great breakfast option. If you are into snacking from time to time, you can also satisfy your hunger with a bowl of Greek yogurt, which is a much better option as a food for a lean body than traditional yogurt. This is due to the higher protein content.
4. Soya
While soya has all this time been considered as a substitute for milk-based or meat-based dishes for vegetarians and vegans, it doesn’t really have to be that way. Non-vegetarians too can add soya beans to their daily diet if they are looking to achieve a ripped look. Although a plant-based protein, soya contains all types of amino acids making it a ‘complete protein’ source and one of the best foods to eat for a lean body.
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