A well-rounded diet is essential when trying to gain muscle. It helps ensure you get the nutrients your body needs, enhances muscle building, and supports post-workout recovery.

Protein is the most important nutrient for gaining muscle. Other foods, like complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, also play essential roles in muscle health.

A muscle-building diet plan involves eating a balance of foods rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to help you reach your body composition goals.

Protein-Rich Foods

Protein is the most important macronutrient for muscle building. Protein-rich foods provide the amino acids your body needs to grow and repair muscle tissue. Your muscles are made up of 80% protein, which is why a protein-rich diet can increase muscle mass and strength.

The current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (0.36 grams of protein per pound). However, research shows that people trying to build muscle need to consume more protein.

Study findings suggest that eating 1.6-3.1 grams per kilogram (0.7-1.4 grams per pound) of protein daily and practicing resistance training is the most effective way for most people to gain muscle. That equates to around 105-210 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person.

To reach your protein goals, you can include a mix of animal- and plant-based protein in your diet.

Here are some of the best sources of protein you can eat:

• Chicken breast: 31 grams per small skinless chicken breast 
• Whey protein isolate: 25 grams per ounce 
• Pea protein: 24 grams per ounce
• Cottage cheese: 23.5 grams per cup
• Shrimp: 20.4 grams per 3-ounce serving 
• Greek yogurt: 19.9 grams per 7-ounce serving 
• Tempeh: 19.9 grams per 100-gram serving 
• Canned salmon: 19.6 grams per 3-ounce serving
• Lentils: 17.9 grams per cup
• Eggs: 6.28 grams per large egg

It’s best to include at least one protein-rich food at every meal and snack to hit your daily protein goals. 

Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important for muscle building as they provide glucose, your body’s primary energy source. Consuming complex carbohydrates at meals and snacks can help you maintain your energy levels throughout the day, including during workouts.

Eating carbohydrates can speed muscle growth and muscle recovery. Carbohydrates help replenish muscle stores of glycogen—the form of glucose your body uses as an energy source during intense workouts.

Complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, beans, vegetables, and whole grains, are largely unprocessed and contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support overall health. Complex carbohydrates are better for health than refined carbohydrates, which are less nutritious and more greatly impact blood sugar levels.

Here are some nutritious sources of complex carbohydrates:

• Legumes: Black beans, lentils, chickpeas, and kidney beans
• Whole grains: Oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley, and buckwheat
• Fruits: Apples, bananas, peaches, berries, and pears
• Starchy vegetables: Sweet potatoes, potatoes, butternut squash, and acorn squash 

Some evidence suggests that eating carbohydrates and protein after a workout may be more effective for stimulating glycogen synthesis during the recovery period than eating carbohydrates alone. So, pairing a carbohydrate-rich food with a protein-rich food for a post-workout snack is a smart choice for muscle building.

Healthy Fats

While fats aren’t as important as protein and carbohydrates for muscle building, they are essential to overall health.

Dietary fats provide energy and are necessary for the absorption of nutrients that play important roles in muscle health, such as vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for maintaining muscle health, and studies show that low vitamin D status is associated with reduced muscle strength.

Fats are also necessary to produce hormones that play important roles in muscle building, like testosterone.

There are plenty of healthy fats to choose from, such as:

• Olive oil
• Avocados 
• Nuts and seeds
• Full-fat dairy products
• Egg yolks

Experts generally recommend avoiding high-fat meals before workouts as fats slow digestion and could trigger gastrointestinal distress during the workout.

While you don’t have to avoid any foods while trying to build muscle, limiting certain foods and drinks may help support your overall health goals.

A diet high in added sugar may negatively affect your blood sugar control and increase the risk of health conditions like fatty liver and heart disease. A diet high in saturated and trans fats can raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

In general, it’s best to limit your intake of the following foods and drinks:

• Sugary foods and drinks like cupcakes, ice cream, candy, and soda
• Processed meats like bacon and salami
• Ultra-processed foods like fast food and packaged snack foods
• Fried foods

It’s also important to limit your intake of alcohol and caffeinated energy drinks; consuming too much of either could harm your health. Heavy alcohol use is linked to health issues like liver disease, and it can also impact athletic performance.

Overconsumption of energy drinks may increase blood pressure levels, harm heart health, and trigger feelings of anxiousness.

If you’re trying to gain muscle, it’s best to fuel your body with well-rounded meals and snacks regularly. Ideally, your meals and snacks should be rich in protein and balanced with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Here is a three-day meal plan for muscle gain:

Day 1

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt topped with chopped apples, sliced almonds, and granola
• Lunch: A large salad topped with grilled salmon, hard-boiled eggs, and grilled vegetables served with lentil and sweet potato soup
• Post-workout: Pea protein shake with berries
• Dinner: Brown rice, grilled chicken, and roasted cauliflower

Day 2

• Breakfast: An omelet made with cheddar cheese, spinach, and mushrooms served with a slice of whole-grain sourdough bread
• Lunch: Mexican quinoa bowl with grilled shrimp, black beans, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, and queso fresco
• Post-workout: Whey protein shake 
• Dinner: Whole-grain pasta with chicken meatballs and a large salad 

Day 3

• Breakfast: Overnight oats made with collagen, berries, and almond butter
• Lunch: Greek chicken bowl made with grilled chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce over brown rice 
• Post-workout: Hummus with whole-grain pita bread
• Dinner: Turkey and bean chili served with salad

When creating a muscle-building meal plan, it’s important to understand your nutrition needs. If you’re unsure how many calories you should consume or how much protein you need daily, it’s best to work with a healthcare provider, like a registered dietitian. 

They can help you develop a meal plan that covers all your nutritional bases while keeping your dietary needs and preferences in mind. 

When trying to change your body composition and build muscle, it’s important to do so in a healthy and sustainable way. This means avoiding overly restrictive diets and regularly fueling your body by eating consistently throughout the day.

Some supplements, such as protein powders and creatine, are safe and effective for building muscle, but it’s best to get advice from a qualified healthcare provider if you’re interested in trying dietary supplements.

A healthcare provider can help you identify safe supplement options that best suit your needs and goals. 

When trying to build muscle and improve your body composition, following a diet high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats can help you reach your goals. 

Protein is the most important nutrient for building muscle, but carbohydrates and healthy fats are also important for muscle health.

To enhance muscle growth, it’s best to pair a nutritious and balanced diet with resistance training.