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Face it. Bodybuilders around the world are food drones. More to the point, they are predominantly chicken, brown rice and tuna drones. While those foods are excellent muscle chow, bodybuilders are too often stuck in their ways, relying on the same grub day in, day out. “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” seems to be the bodybuilder’s motto. There is, however, one problem. Serving up the same foods every day can lead to serious diet burnout and too many golden-arches binges, leaving you a few cans short of a six-pack.
To save yourself from such a ghastly dietary collapse, consider giving your shopping list a little creative boost. Grocery and health food stores, along with local farmer’s markets, are bursting at the seams with alternative muscle-building foods that will give your palate a much-needed breather from chicken and rice. Here, we’ve put together some hip substitutions for trusty stand-bys that will transform your diet and your body. Bon Appétit!.
INSTEAD OF: Salmon
TRY: Arctic Char
Long a protein staple of the Inuit, there are ample reasons why you should persuade your local fishmonger to carry this northern cold-water fish. Like its more beloved cousin, salmon, char is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which promote fat burning, reduce undesirable blood fats, boost mood, fight heart disease and reduce inflammation, meaning it may soothe sore joints and stiff muscles after a workout. Arctic char is also swimming with top-notch protein, iron, zinc and the crucial antioxidant selenium, which mops up cell-damaging free radicals. Need more incentive? It tastes less “fishy” than most choices at the fish counter.
Make it Tonight
Once hard to find outside snooty specialty stores, arctic char is now widely available at well-stocked seafood markets. You can use it in any recipe that calls for salmon, and it lends itself to just about any cooking method. To prepare it properly, cook char on medium-high heat until one side is slightly brown, flip, repeat on the other side and then reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until it turns light pink on the inside. |
INSTEAD OF: Brown Rice
TRY: Quinoa
 Native to South America, ancient quinoa (pronounced "KEEN-wah") is definitely deserving of its recently appointed superfood designation. Unlike most grains, this great-tasting whole grain ponies up good amounts of all the essential amino acids. This means that, like meat, eggs and chicken, quinoa is a “complete” protein that gives your muscles everything they need to grow. And that’s not all this light, nutty grain delivers. Quinoa is also an excellent source of fiber, magnesium, zinc and copper, and it even has a few healthy fats thrown in for good measure. More importantly, its low glycemic-index rating means more balanced sugar levels. It therefore helps to combat high blood sugar, which sets off a surge of insulin, instructing your body to store fat. It seems the Inca were really on to something.
Make it Tonight
Before sending quinoa to the stovetop, make sure to give it a good rinse to remove any remains of its bitter coating. Prepare it like rice: Add one part quinoa to two parts boiling water, reduce the heat, simmer and wait for the water to be soaked up (about 10 minutes). Yes, its cooking time is way faster than that of brown rice. To add flavor, try toasting quinoa in a skillet first or add spices like curry or chili powder to the cooking medium. |
INSTEAD OF: Beef
TRY: Bison
 While fatty beef can lead to gridlock in your arteries, protein-rich bison (a.k.a. buffalo) is a very low-fat red meat (just four measly grams in a six-ounce cut) that’s bursting with good-for-you nutrients such as zinc, vitamin B12 and iron. Remember that iron delivers precious oxygen to your working muscles. In fact, bison has more iron and protein than regular beef. Since most of the bison raised for the purpose of becoming dinner are grass-fed, the fat they do have tends to be the healthy kind, such as omega-3s and conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), rather than the artery clogging saturated type. Adding more CLA to your diet may result in greater cancer protection and a boost to your chances of maintaining lean body mass
Make it Tonight
You no longer have to live on the range to get buffalo since many well-stocked meat departments now sell this sweet and tender meat. You can use buffalo in recipes that call for beef, but make sure you prepare it carefully. Because of its leanness, overcooking will turn it into a hockey puck. |
NEXT: More lip-smackin’ bites guaranteed to build muscle!
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