• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

You Have to Eat to Grow Muscles

Here are the top 5 foods for gaining muscle mass.

Written by Emily Beers Last updated on Jun 5, 2023

Female: “I’m scared lifting weights will make me bulky.”

Male: “How do I gain mass already?”

We love to rip on stereotypes, but sometimes they’re quite accurate. In 10 years of being a fitness coach at MadLab School of Fitness in Vancouver, the stereotype that says women are scared to bulk up and men want to gain muscle mass has proven itself to be true over and over.

Female: “I’m scared lifting weights will make me bulky.”

Male: “How do I gain mass already?”

We love to rip on stereotypes, but sometimes they’re quite accurate. In 10 years of being a fitness coach at MadLab School of Fitness in Vancouver, the stereotype that says women are scared to bulk up and men want to gain muscle mass has proven itself to be true over and over.

Truth is, lifting weight can help gain muscle mass. But food, in conjunction with lifting, helps way more. Top 10 foods to gain muscle mass is a perennial favorite of visitors to Breaking Muscle.

While many women don’t understand how much they’d actually have to eat to “bulk up,” men often think they’re already eating enough and wonder why it’s not helping them gain mass.

I once had a male client tell me he was eating so much and wasn’t gaining mass. I asked him what he had that morning for breakfast—what he considered “so much.” He said: Two eggs, two pieces of bacon, half an avocado, and some orange juice. There are a number of rules for hard gainers but in most cases, it comes down to something very simple.

Growing muscle mass and “bulk” takes a conscious food consumption effort.

Here are five top foods for growing muscle mass (sorry vegans, you can sit this one out):

The Top 5 Foods to Get Your Mass: 1. Animal Meat

It’s really hard to gain mass without getting enough protein. Two tried and true ways are beef and chicken.

Beef is filled with iron, zinc, B-vitamins, and creatine, which help with growing muscle. It also has high levels of amino acids, which also promotes muscle growth. This 2014 study found a correlation between consuming lean beef and lifting weights. The result: lean muscle mass gains—20oz steak anyone?

Chicken is another great high-quality protein source and plays a role in repairing and maintaining muscle.

The Top 5 Foods to Get Your Mass: 2. Creatures From the Sea

While many have an aversion to seafood, we’re not asking you to swallow a dozen raw oysters here. Start with a gateway fish, like tuna, which is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3s are particularly useful for making sure your metabolism functions optimally.

Shrimp is another great one, as it’s almost pure protein. Every 3-ounce serving has 18 grams of protein and zero carbs. It has a lot of amino acids, specifically leucine, which is important for muscle growth.

The Top 5 Foods to Get Your Mass: 3. Eggs

Forget what your mom told you about eggs and cholesterol. That theory has long been debunked as a myth. Eggs are a great source of protein and have all nine essential amino acids, as well as healthy fats, vitamin D, and choline. If there’s a 4-egg omelet on the menu, order it.

The Top 5 Foods to Get Your Mass: 4. Protein Supplements

If a 20oz steak and 6 eggs for breakfast seems like an unreasonable amount of food, consider supplementing with protein powder. It’s useful for increasing muscle mass and preventing the breakdown of muscle and promoting muscle recovery. Just make sure there’s no added sugar, so use a good resource to find something suitable for you.

 

The Top 5 Foods to Get Your Mass: 5. Mmmm Fat

As we now know, fat isn’t the devil, sugar is. Fat is also important if you’re looking to gain muscle mass. It’s also important for the production of hormones like testosterone and growth hormone, which are needed for gaining muscle.

 

Some great ways to get healthy fat include fatty fish, nuts, and oils like coconut oil and olive oil, as well as flaxseeds and avocados.

 

Mass Doesn’t Just Happen

On the other hand, for those of you hoping to lean up without bulking up and gaining muscle mass (cough ** women), the truth is that unless you’re eating three times as much meat and healthy fats as you are now, and unless you’re downing five eggs for breakfast and two protein shakes a day, chances are you won’t see those muscles grow in size too much.

About Emily Beers

Emily Beers is a freelance health, fitness and nutrition writer and a strength and conditioning coach at MadLab School of Fitness in Vancouver, B.C.

A former college basketball player and rower, Emily became heavily involved in CrossFit after finishing her Masters degree in journalism in 2009. She competed as an individual at the 2014 CrossFit Games. Emily's work can be found at CrossFit.com, as well as at various health-related companies, including Precision Nutrition, The Whole Life Challenge, the MadLab Group, and OPEX Fitness.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Fergus Crawley 5K Run Tips Photo
Fergus Crawley Shares 5 Tips For Running a Better 5K
Actor Chris Hemsworth in gym performing dumbbell row
Chris Hemsworth Diagrams a Killer Upper Body Workout Fit For an Action Star
Three packages of whey protein powder on a red background
Best Whey Proteins for Packing on Muscle, Shredding Down, Meal Replacement, and More
Muscular person drinking protein shake in gym
4 BCAA Benefits: Muscle Growth, Better Recovery, and More

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About