Along with regimented workouts, a key aspect  of bodybuilding lies in your diet. What you consume during meals is just as important as the actual workout itself. There are a lot of options to supplement a diet, but some can hit a couple of targets at the same time. When combined effectively with a workout, eating right can help build and retain muscle.  Proteins are a key factor in this process.  Not only do proteins help with muscle building and retention, they are also a good source of antioxidants which protect the body by supporting the immune system.  Here are a few great foods that help support the bodybuilding lifestyle.

Almonds

They don’t seem like much, but almonds are a fantastic source of protein. Almonds are also a source of vitamins E and B which help with metabolism – a key component of muscle building and everyday health.

Egg Whites

A go to for most bodybuilders, egg whites are a great source of protein and cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol helps with regulating growth and is known to not impact cholesterol in blood. The proteins in egg whites are a great addition to a diet for muscle growth.

Chicken

Obviously we aren’t talking about unhealthy chicken like fried chicken, but grilled or baked chicken is a great source of protein. Chicken is less fatty than most other types of meat and there are a multitude of options to prepare it.

Sweet Potatoes

Compared to regular potatoes, sweet potatoes have fewer carbohydrates which help with re-energizing the body, but with too much in a diet it can hurt more than help. Sweet potatoes are able to produce complex carbs which is essential to the body after a workout.

Whey

This is an easy one. Whey protein is the staple of most bodybuilding diets.  It’s an easy whey (pun intended) for the body to get the protein it needs for a workout.

Fish

Fish are high in fatty acids like Omega-3 which is very helpful for building and maintaining muscle.  Salmon is a great choice, but if your diet calls for a higher protein intake, canned fish can get the job done.

These options are useful when trying to supplement a diet, but these options alone will not give you a complete diet for bodybuilding. Watching what you eat and how much of each category you take in is still the key to creating a healthy diet for building muscle.