It is easy to feel defeated if you’ve been hitting the gym five days a week with a consistent program and you don’t see muscle growth. Is something wrong with your plan? You are working hard to build your biceps, calves, lats, glutes, and pectorals, but you don’t see a difference. This begs the question, “What are you eating?”

Certain foods can help build muscle, but some foods actually hinder muscle growth. Sculpting your physique requires drive, sweat, and, of course, the right food. You may be getting your daily pump in, but if you are pumping your body full of the following foods, you may be depriving your muscles of the nutrients they need to grow.

A Six-Pack Of Beer

You won’t achieve your six-pack if you drink six-packs. Not only does alcohol mess with your body’s ability to process protein, but it may also prevent muscle recovery. All the extra carbohydrates from beer make it more difficult for muscle growth. If you are after a six-pack, put the bottles down and focus on fueling your body with whole grains, asparagus, almonds, Greek yogurt, and green tea. Additionally, stay away from hydrogenated oils and ultra-processed foods.

Diet Soda

The zero-calorie aspect of diet soda attracts a lot of people who want to lose weight and build muscle. Although diet soda doesn’t have calories, sugar, or fat, it has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes in several studies. The empty calories from diet soda add up in other ways, according to recent research. When people consume artificial sweeteners, they end up eating more calories throughout the day. That excess caloric intake can lead to weight gain, and that gain doesn’t show up in your biceps or lats. 

Doughnuts

Any food or beverage that is high in fat and low in protein is a problem if your aim is to build muscle. The reason for this is because you are eating way too many calories with very little protein. Say goodbye to the doughnuts and other sweets or fried treats because they don’t contain the nutrients that your growing muscles crave. Instead, feed your sweet tooth with protein-rich plain Greek yogurt topped with fresh fruit and a little drizzle of raw organic honey.

High-Sugar Breakfast Cereals

If you are running low on time in the morning and need to eat something in a pinch, cereal is a popular choice. Pour cereal in a bowl, add milk of choice, and enjoy. The problem with cereal is that some appear healthy, but in reality contain much more sugar than you realize. If you find sugar (or another name for sugar) in the top three ingredients on the nutritional label, skip it. If there are more than five grams of sugar per serving, toss it out. There are healthier cereal options, but you have to do your research. Choose options with at least three grams of fiber per serving and fewer than five grams of sugar per serving. Alternatively, start eating overnight oats or chia pudding because they are more nutrient-dense breakfast options.

Bagels

Did you know that your average store bought bagel contains about 400 calories? Add cream cheese to your bagel and you are consuming a breakfast full of refined carbohydrates and saturated fat. Neither the bagel nor the cream cheese aids your muscle gains. It is better to skip the bagel and opt for a slice of whole grain bread topped with all-natural peanut butter or almond butter. 

Sausages

Seemingly harmless and undeniably tasty, sausages are brimming with saturated fat, excess calories, and sodium. Additionally, sausages contain nitrites, which are preservatives that help prevent bacterial growth and maintain the appealing red colors in meat. Nitrites can lead to the formation of nitrosamines, which are chemicals that have been linked to cancer. It is healthier, and better for your muscle growth, to choose lean cuts of meat whenever you can. If you have a craving for sausage, choose nitrite-free options.

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A lot of people see vegan dessert options and look down on them. This is a strange way to view some of the most tastiest desserts you’ll ever find. Vegan desserts often boast incredible flavor and don’t leave you feeling stuffed or bloated. You may not be able to enjoy them 100% guilt-free, but you can feel better about consuming better ingredients.

These vegan chocolate chip cookies take almost no time to come together. The recipe is very simple and makes a small batch of cookies. Simply mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until you form cookie dough. You may need to add some more oat milk as you mix if you see that the dough is too dry. Add a tablespoon or so at a time and continue mixing until you reach your desired consistency. It should be slightly sticky to the touch. Once this happens, it’s time to cover the cookie dough and allow it to cook in the freezer or fridge.

When it comes time to bake the cookies, you may need to adjust the baking time depending on your oven. Start with the suggested baking time in the recipe instructions, but keep an eye on them after that. They may need more time, depending on your oven. Ideally, the cookies should be slightly crisp on the bottom and soft on the top. They will harden during the cooling process, but you still want that gooey, pull-apart center. Happy baking!

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We don’t feel awful about saying that these falafels are out of this world. You might be thinking, “Chick, please, how can those falafels be the best?” Too many puns within the intro of this recipe? Good! These falafels are crunchy, herbaceous, and come together in a matter of minutes. You just need the power of a food processor and the heat of an oven and you can create an authentic falafel!

There are people who only make falafels from dry chickpeas, and then there are some who use canned chickpeas. The main difference is that you have to soak dry chickpeas for about 24 hours in order to soften them enough for blending. Canned chickpeas are already cooked, so you just need to pat them dry before blending. The drying step is integral to the success of your falafel dough. Falafel dough that is too moist will not crisp well or lose shape in the oven. As you’ll see in the ingredient list, there is very little liquid for that reason. The lemon juice is more for flavor than a blending agent.

If you feel that your falafel dough is too moist, you can add a tablespoon of flour at a time, mixing it into the dough to bind and thicken it. Lastly, you want to make sure that you don’t over-bake the falafels. Nobody wants dry, crumbly falafels, so keep an eye on them during the baking process. A little more softness in the center is what you want, so just keep that in mind.

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First thing’s first, this dough is not for baking. This recipe caters to anyone who loves taking a spoon to raw cookie dough and just going to town, but this recipe is much healthier than the processed, chemical-rich, high-sugar cookie doughs in stores. This is all about simple ingredients that are delicious.

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Photo Credit: Betty Rawker

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