If you are an active person who exercises frequently, and you continue doing it during these days of quarantine, we tell you what foods you should continue consuming to preserve muscle mass.
To gain muscle mass and tone your body, you need to practice sport regularly but also take care of your diet. In these gray days of confinement and waiting inside our houses, many people continue to exercise in a confined space with the help of their bodies, a yoga mat, weights or an exercise bike.
How about food? Its link with the musculature is invaluable: it is essential to eat enough protein -up to 1.6 grams (g) of protein per kilogram of body weight-, avoid low-calorie diets, disregard ultra-processed foods and junk food and have fuel in the body in a healthy way. Carbohydrates, preferably complex or slow release.
Today we review some of the foods that will help you preserve muscle mass or gain muscle …
Foods to maintain muscle during quarantine
Remember that it is essential to continue having regular physical activity and a healthy lifestyle, in addition to adequate hydration.
Lean Proteins
Consuming protein is essential for building muscle because the amino acids in protein, along with weightlifting or strength exercises, allow your muscles to grow and tissues to repair. Eating lean proteins such as fish, shellfish, chicken, lean meat, beans, legumes, eggs, and dairy products is recommended, limiting red meat.
For vegetarians, they can combine plant-based protein sources with dairy and eggs, while vegans will need to combine different resources such as lentils, walnuts, chickpeas, whole grains, and soy-based products like tofu, tempeh and edamame.
Healthy carbohydrates
Many diets with inadvisable effects like keto or paleo reduce to the maximum or practically eliminate carbohydrates, but your body needs them, since it is one of the three main macronutrients. Get your carbohydrates from fruits, assorted vegetables, green leafy vegetables, tubers like sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes, and whole grains like quinoa or brown rice, rich in fiber and slow to digest.
Water
Muscles need the right amount of water to stay hydrated and continue to function properly. Consuming enough water is particularly important before, during, and after exercise, although the amount varies with each person’s size, height, weight, physical build, age, and activity level. The average is usually placed in about eight glasses of water a day, while it is recommended to eat many fresh whole fruits and vegetables, with a high water content.
Foods rich in magnesium
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is critical to the function of our muscular and cardiovascular systems: it helps muscle contraction, including that of the heart, which in turn supports normal blood pressure and rhythm. Some foods rich in magnesium are whole grains, green leafy vegetables, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, tofu, avocado, beans, salmon, cod, or mackerel.
The amount you need varies by your age and sex, according to the National Institutes of Health. For example, babies ages 7 to 12 months need 75 milligrams of magnesium a day, while the recommended amount increases for children and teens. The Men need between 400 and 420 milligrams of magnesium a day, while women should get between 310 and 320 milligrams, according to the NIH.
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