Weighty Food: What to Eat When You're Weight Training

I am a huge advocate for weight training. There are so many benefits, including having a more toned body, strengthening your bones, boosting your metabolism and so much more.

But there's no point in training with weights if you don't eat the rights foods to aid your workout.

The main end result that most people want when they train with weights is to build muscle. Unfortunately, muscle needs to be fed the right foods or it will never grow.

Here is a list of some of the things you should be adding to your daily diet to boost your weight training work out.

Protein: As I've mentioned in previous blogs, protein is essential if you are looking to build muscle. In fact, your muscles feed on protein to grow. No protein, no growth. It's that simple. The best source for this is lean meat. If you are a vegetarian, you can replace the meat with commercial protein supplements.

Dairy Products: Dairy is filled with calcium and amino acids which are very important for bone health and muscle rebuilding. Try to choose low-fat dairy, as saturated fat raises blood cholesterol, which could increase the risk of heart disease.

Fish & Seafood: Oily fish such as sardines and salmon, as well as fish oil supplements, are important sources of omega-3 fats. These fat actually lower bodyfat, reduce triglycerides in your blood and aid with weight loss.

Mono and Polysaturated Fats: These fats are found in vegetables, seeds and nuts improve the good high-density cholesterol in your body and protect against heart and artery disease. They also provide essential fats that your body cannot make.

Vegetables: Vegetables are fortified with vitamins and minerals that are great sources of antioxidants and anticancer agents. Antioxidants protect your body from free radical damage produced by high-intensity exercise. Veggies are also fairly low-calorie, which makes them a great staple if you're trying to lose weight along with your weight training.

Fruits: Fruits are a great source of antioxidants. Like vegetables, they are full of carbohydrates which provide your body with energy needed for working out.

Nuts and Beans: Beans provide antioxidants, protein, fiber, iron, potassium and calcium. They are especially important for vegetarian and vegan weight trainers.

Whole Grains: These provide complex carbohydrates needed for energy and also help keep you filling fuller longer.

Adding all of the above foods to your diet will ensure that you're not weight training in vein. And who wants to put in all that work for nothing?