16 Best Muscle Building Foods for Skinny Guys in 2024

Olu Ojo
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Skinny guys always have the same problem: They want to gain muscle, but they don’t know what foods help them. Muscle weighs more than fat, so the more muscle you build, the higher your body weight.

Muscle building is different for everyone, and nutrition plays a massive role in how you can maximize your time at the gym. If you are looking to put on some muscle mass but don’t want to bulk up or take steroids, make sure to eat these 16 Best Muscle Building Foods for Skinny guys to gain weight!

 

Best Muscle-Building Foods for Skinny guys

1. Eggs

eggs in a plate

Eggs are one of the best foods you can eat because egg protein will help you gain muscles, and it will help you reach your healthy weight dream. They have a high biological value. And this means they contain all essential amino acids needed in sufficient amounts for proper growth.

One egg has 5-6 grams of protein and only 60 calories on average, which makes them an excellent meal for your body! Eggs contain leucine which is an essential amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis. This means they help you build more muscle and get stronger.

They also contain vitamin B12, which supports energy metabolism in the body. Further, eggs contain Vitamin D, Biotin, and Selenium to help your body use the protein more effectively.

One study showed that eating two eggs daily increased muscle mass by over 60% after 12 weeks. If you’re looking for the best muscle-building food for skinny guys, then look no further than eggs!


2. Ground Beef

ground beef in a white plate

Ground Beef is an important meal that has been shown to help you gain weight. It is an excellent source of high-quality protein, with around 27 grams per 100-gram serving.

Meat also has the highest bioavailability of all meats or animal products which means your body can use it more effectively than other sources. Ground Beef provides a high amount of zinc and iron. In addition, it contains all the essential amino acids that your body needs to gain muscles.

Zinc helps your body get more out of the protein you eat. Iron also plays an essential role in muscle building and can even help to reduce fatigue while working out!

One study showed that consuming 90 grams of Meat increased testosterone levels by over 200% for men, making Meat a great Food for skinny guys! Want to bulk up? Try this recipe, and you will be on your way to success in no time!

Muscle-building isn’t easy for naturally thin guys, but it’s not impossible either! If you’re looking to bulk up and put on some mass (without using supplements or steroids), Meat is the way to go.


3. Whole Milk

Two bottles of whole milk

Whole Milk Dairy Products help your body metabolize proteins into amino acids, which can be used by muscles for energy or to build new muscle tissue! It also contains Vitamin B12 and Selenium, which help your body make use of protein more effectively.

It has 8-9 grams of protein and fat in each cup, and the cost is typically about three dollars per gallon (16 cups) at the grocery store. One study showed that consuming milk increased testosterone levels by over 600% in just 12 days! This is one of the main Muscle Building Foods out there.

Another showed that those who drink Whole Milk had increased Muscle Strength, Endurance, and Size compared to other groups. It has everything you need in a shake and tastes great too!


4. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter & peanuts

Peanut Butter is high in calories and contains a good amount of protein as well. It’s one of the most affordable, simple, and delicious ways to increase your calories.

With 6 grams of protein and 16 grams of monounsaturated fats in each 2-tablespoon serving, peanut butter is one of the most cost-effective meals available for Muscle Building. Peanut Butter is also high in magnesium, which helps your body with protein synthesis and muscle contractions!

Never buy regular peanut butter; always make sure it’s the natural type with no added sugar or oil. This food will help you bulk up quickly, be careful not to overeat!

A study showed that guys who ate peanut butter with every meal gained more muscle than those who didn’t eat it at all or only ate it occasionally (like once per day). If you need to bulk up and gain some muscle, make sure to add this Peanut Butter into your diet!

5. Potatoes

Potatoes in a plate

Potatoes are high in carbs, which are great for growing up your muscles because they provide your body with energy that can be used to work out harder and longer for fat gain. If you’re looking to bulk up or gain some weight, eating potatoes will help!

Potatoes are a fantastic, cheap option for this purpose. One medium-sized red potato has 25-30 grams of carbohydrates!

This  Food is also low in fat and contains no cholesterol. Potatoes are a great source of Vitamin B, Potassium, and Iron as well!

Vitamin B helps to metabolize fats which can then be used by your body for energy or turned into muscle mass, while potassium is important during weightlifting sessions because it keeps your muscles from cramping. Eating Potatoes will help you move past your skinny days and into some success!


6. Oats

Oats is a great muscle building food

So, Oats for Skinny guys are great to eat if you’re looking to gain weight. It has almost 50 grams of carbohydrates and 6 grams of fiber in one cup, and Skinny guys need carbs to build muscle!

Oatmeal is a great breakfast because it’s high in fiber, and slow-digesting carbohydrates (so they don’t spike your insulin levels). In addition, it is filled with B Vitamins which help convert food into energy. Another study found that those who ate oatmeal instead of refined grains like white bread had bigger arms, legs, shoulders, and chest muscles.

Oats are also high in other essential nutrients, including magnesium, zinc, copper manganese, Vitamin B12 (which helps with blood cell formation), selenium, Tryptophan (helps regulate mood), iron, calcium, potassium, Vitamin E, and many more.


7. Whey Protein

Whey protein is a healthy body building food

If healthy food isn’t enough, Whey Protein can help you gain weight and support healthy muscle functioning. Whey Protein is one of the best Muscle-Building supplements available on the market today because it’s high in protein and contains branched-chain amino acids to build muscle mass.

Whey protein is a highly valuable macronutrient for bodybuilders because it has a high biological value. The majority of whey powders contain 25 grams of protein per serving. As a result, they are among the most affordable sources of nutrition on a gram-for-gram basis (15 servings). If you’re looking for weight gain, using Muscle building Supplements can help you to gain weight.


8. Banana

Banana

Bananas have tons of benefits that will help you to gain weight. They’re filled with Potassium, Vitamin B-Phenylalanine (which helps increase serotonin levels), and Fructose stored in Muscle Fibers.

Bananas are also high in Magnesium and Calcium, which help your body produce energy that can be used to gain weight! Even if you don’t want to bulk up, Bananas are still great to eat because they’re low in calories but high in nutrients.

One medium-sized banana (118 grams) only contains about 105 calories!

They also have Vitamin C, Iron, and many other vital nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. A single banana has about 30 grams of carbohydrates, and they are often well under a dollar per pound. After working out for a fast-digesting combination of carbs and protein, you may add a banana to a whey protein drink.


9. Olive Oil

Olive Oil poured from a bottle

Olive oil contains anti-inflammatory properties, which can help decrease muscle soreness and speed up recovery time after workouts to gain weight. A 2011 study by the American Chemical Society found that olive oils from Crete contained antioxidants called polyphenols similar to those in green tea!

These antioxidants will battle free radical damage caused by exercise, resulting in faster recovery. Further, olive oil contains mainly monounsaturated fat, improving cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure, and reducing your risk of heart disease. Olive oil is also high in Vitamin E, which helps with blood circulation. It also has Oleic Acid (monounsaturated fat) like almonds.

It’s best used as a finishing oil because it contains the lowest amount of polyunsaturated fats. In conclusion, Olive Oil is great to eat when building muscle fast and naturally without supplements or gaining fat.


10.  Tuna

Tuna

Tuna is s a great source of protein to gain weight. In addition, it contains plenty of healthy fats. It contains high amounts of Vitamin D, which can help increase muscle-building capabilities by binding to the androgen receptor in muscle cells (androgens are male sex hormones like testosterone), which speeds up your muscle development!

Tunes also contain plenty of BCAAs, Muscle-Building Amino Acids, which can help decrease muscle breakdown and increase protein synthesis. Even with increasing food costs, a can of Tuna is typically less than a dollar and provides 25 grams of very protein.

In conclusion, Tuna is excellent to eat if you want a lean source of protein without spending too much money to gain weight.


11.  Chicken Breast

chicken breast served on a plate

It provides all the benefits of lean protein, and it contains plenty of healthy fats. It’s deficient in fat and contains zinc, selenium, and Vitamin B-12, which are Muscle Building Supplements.

They also have plenty of protein to help your body build muscle proteins after working out! This means you can quickly bulk up, and Muscle building becomes much more manageable.

It is also high in the amino acid Tryptophan which helps your body release Muscle Growth Hormones to help increase Muscle Mass and strength. You should eat Chicken breast before working out or immediately afterward for a quick source of lean protein that can fuel muscle growth and recovery after exercise!


12.  Greek Yogurt

Greek Yoghurt

Greek Yogurt is a food that can promote muscle growth by providing protein, calcium, and Vitamin D! It’s also very high in casein protein which digests slowly to help keep your body anabolic throughout the day.

This means you’ll build up muscle over time instead of Muscle Gaining Supplements like Creatine or Nitric Oxide. It can help increase Muscle Mass while also burning fat at the same time! It’s super healthy, contains tons of protein, and it doesn’t cost too much either!!

In conclusion, Greek Yogurt is Muscle building food to eat every day if you want to gain muscle or stay lean during Muscle building.


13.  Almonds

Almonds

Almonds can help you muscle Gain without supplements or Muscle Gaining Supplements like Creatine! They contain plenty of healthy fats, protein, and Vitamin E, which helps with blood circulation to your muscles, so they get the nutrients needed to grow bigger! 

Almonds also have Amino Acids that help decrease muscle breakdown and increase Protein Synthesis. This means you can keep Muscle building as long as you eat almonds!

Muscle Building foods like Almonds are great foods to eat every day if you want a healthy way to Gain muscle without supplements.


14.  Brown rice

Cooked Brown rice served in a plate

Brown Rice is the best muscle-building food for skinny guys that you need to eat every day if muscle gaining Supplements like Creatine don’t work for you! It’s high in Protein, Vitamin B-Complex (which helps your body metabolize carbs and fats), and antioxidants that fight disease, and help boost metabolism.

Rice also contains plenty of fiber that helps you feel full. In addition, its slow-digesting carbs can help Muscle building without Muscle Gaining Supplements like Creatine. It’s also super cheap, making it an easy Food to eat every day if Muscle Building Supplements aren’t working for weight gain.

Finally, Brown Rice is an excellent source of healthy carbs that will keep your muscles fueled throughout the day. In addition, muscle building becomes much easier when you eat brown rice every day to gain weight.


15.  Honey

Honey in a glass jar

Honey is a food that gains muscle in a variety of unique ways! It contains plenty of trace minerals and vitamins your body needs for Muscle growth like selenium, B-12, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.

Honey contains plenty of protein and carbs to help your muscles recover after working out! This makes honey perfect for eating before or immediately after a workout for quick muscle-building nutrition without Muscle Gaining Supplements like Creatine to gain weight.

Honey is a food you can eat before or after working out to help your body build muscle faster.


16.  Spinach

Spinach

Spinach is a meal full of Protein, Vitamin A, C, and it’s also very high in casein protein which digests slowly to help keep your body anabolic throughout the day. It also contains calcium which helps prevent Muscle Fatigue so you can workout harder for Muscle building!

Spinach makes Muscle Gaining Supplements like Creatine much more effective because it helps your muscles recover from exercise so you can keep working out and eating healthy foods.

Spinach Muscle Building food provides many benefits to those who want a better way to gain Muscle without  Supplements like Creatine for weight gain.


What Is The Best Way To Muscle Gain For Skinny Guys?

Calorie Dense Foods are a significant first step to having a healthy weight! These best muscle building foods for skinny guys don’t contain steroids or supplements, but they can help you gain weight goals with proper muscle growth without spending too much money on supplements.

For example, some foods include whey protein powder which helps Muscle Growth and Muscle Recovery.

Skinny guys can also add high-carb food like Bananas to your whey protein shake after a workout for fast-digesting carbohydrates and lean protein!


How Many Grams Of Protein Do Skinny Guy Need To Build Muscles?

If you’re looking to bulk up or add muscles, high-protein foods like Meat and Tuna can help boost your results without spending too much money on Muscle building Supplements! When bulking up, aim for around 0.77-0.91 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

For example, a 150-pound guy should need to eat around 120-138 grams of protein every day to see great results! Supporting Foods like Eggs and Whey Protein Shakes can help you reach your daily goals without breaking the bank or going on an expensive bulking diet plan.


How Long Does It Take For Skinny Guys To Build Muscles?

Most Muscle Building diets take around 12 weeks to see results. If you’re looking for faster Muscle growth, supplements like creatine with intense workouts can help boost your muscle gains by up to 15% in just a few weeks!

Creatine is most effective when taken after workouts due to its “pump” effect, which helps increase muscle size with water retention.


What Foods Are Bad For Building Muscles?

All nutritionally void foods and heavily processed like Skim Milk and Diet Soda can make it harder to build muscle.

Skim milk has a lot of added sugar with no Muscle-building protein, so it’s best to stick with plain milk or foods that contain more protein per serving!

Diet sodas have been shown to increase belly fat which can cause Muscle Loss!

It’s best to drink natural foods like fruit juice or plain tea.

If you’re looking for faster Muscle growth and healthy Muscle Building Food ideas, try adding creatine powder to your Muscle Diet to see great results in a few weeks!


Best Exercises For Skinny Guys to Quick Muscle Building?

Best Muscle Building Exercises for Skinny Guys include Upper Body, Lower Body, and Pull-Ups.

Upper Body exercises target Your Shoulders, Back, and Chest.

For example, pulling movements, such as a bent-over row, work the back of your body, like your latissimus dorsi (known simply as your lats, which extend from your armpit to your lower back) and your rhomboids, or your upper back muscles all of these will achieve your weight gain goals.

The lower body targets your hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves. 

Pull-ups work on improving grip strength which can help with Muscle building for various Muscle groups.

But you need to rest from exercises after three days to muscle repair from cramping and save you from the straining process.

There are also plenty of Muscle exercises you can perform at home!


Conclusion

Muscle boosting meals can help you gain weight and give you enough calories you need in a shorter amount of time without spending too much money on Supplements! 

For foods made for Skinny guys, try adding whey protein powder to your  Diet or drink milk after workouts to give you enough calories you need per day!

Foods like Tuna and Eggs can provide lean protein without breaking the bank.

Also, try eating more high calories food at breakfast time, so you have energy throughout the day.

And in case you decide to BULK UP, here’s a BONUS for you…

Bodybuilding Workout programs for BULKING UP!

Skinny’ is a relative term and most of the time means that you are leaner than average or don’t have much muscle mass on your frame. 

There’s nothing wrong with being called ‘skinny,’ but if you would like to change it, read below about bulking up!

Bulking up and putting on weight can be done easily by following a few simple rules for bulking up properly!

The key to bulking up successfully begins with your diet plan.

You need to eat at least 300-500 calories more than you consume daily to gain any mass.

No matter what type of training program it is – whether bodybuilding (getting big), endurance running (becoming more athletic), or some combination thereof– there always seem to be those who just never manage to put on any weight.

This can lead them to do things that are not only useless but actually counterproductive.

So instead, start off bulking up with a bulking diet plan that will help you gain weight.

Another thing, don’t be afraid of carbs! Carbs are your friend when bulking up and trying to put on weight.

They provide fast energy for the workouts.

They’re necessary if you want to recover properly after intense training sessions.

Still, most importantly – it is much easier for the body to convert carbs into muscle glycogen than converting protein/fat/carbs into muscle glycogen.

The trick here would be bulking up in terms of calorie consumption (amount) and bulking up by eating more calories throughout the day instead of big meals spaced out over long periods.

This allows your metabolism to stay high all the time!

However, if bulking up is your goal, then you’ll need to make sure that it’s not only a bulking diet plan but also the right bulking workout program.

Look for great and effective workout programs.

Below are some of the best Bodybuilding Workouts for bulking up and Strength.

4 Best Bodybuilding Workouts for bulking up and Strength

Man doing a bulk up workout to build muscles

1. PHAT Program

The Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training program was created by Dr. Layne Norton, Pro Natural Bodybuilder (IFPA, NGA).

It is intended to assist bodybuilders in growing bigger and enhancing their appearance.

PHAT stands for Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training, created by Dr. Layne Norton, Pro Natural Bodybuilder (IFPA, NGA).

This training plan consists of four weeks with five days of instruction per week.

There are two strength sessions and three hypertrophy workouts each week, divided into two parts:

Day 1: Upper Body Power

Day 2: Lower Body Power

Day 3: You deserve some rest

Day 4: Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy

Day 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy

Day 6: Chest and Arms Hypertrophy

Day 7: Take a Rest!

Power days entail three to five reps for three sets each.

The amount of weight you lift is determined as a percentage of your 1RM for that particular exercise.

2. PHUL Training Program

The PHUL is a four-day split routine that focuses on strength and hypertrophy.

The name comes from Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower, which refers to the two phases of the workout (upper body and lower body).

It’s less intense than the PHAT program, with fewer volume reps.

A typical week may be divided as follows:

Day 1: Upper Body Power

Day 2: Lower Body Power

Day 3: Rest day

Day 4: Upper Body Hypertrophy

Day 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy

Day 6: Rest day

Day 7: Not too bad for another day of Rest

You’ll go through 12 weeks of training, followed by a week or two of deloading.

The process of muscular hypertrophy begins with progressively overloading the muscles and extending time under tension.

Beginners would find the PHUL curriculum to be a more appropriate starting point than PHAT.

You might use the PHUL approach first, then progress to one of the more advanced lifting methods afterward.

3. German Volume Training

The principle behind GVT (German Volume Training) is to put yourself in the best possible position for hypertrophy by exercising to exhaustion.

This approach isn’t for novices; experienced or advanced lifters should only attempt it.

The goal of German Volume Training is to complete 10-repetition compound lifts for 10 sets.

Yes, each exercise will be completed ten times, or 100 total reps overall.

So, of course, you’ll lift at around 60% of your one-rep maximum, but that’s still a lot of reps.

Some people do this cycle for three weeks or 30 days, but you shouldn’t push it any longer than that.

Each day in the gym, you’ll be lifting three days a week; on each day, different muscle groups are recruited.

Overall, German Volume Training can help you get a muscle pump and breakthrough training plateaus.

It may be an excellent temporary workout program for the right lifter.

4. Stronglifts 5×5 Program

The Stronglifts 5×5 is a 12-week bodybuilding program built to induce muscular hypertrophy and strength.

This bodybuilding routine requires little equipment (a bench, a barbell, and weight plates), allowing you to do the exercises at home.

On alternating days, three times a week, you perform a different workout each day.

This might imply that you do exercise A on Monday, exercise B on Wednesday, and exercise A again on Friday.

On Monday, rest for two days before returning to the gym to work out with exercise B.

You just have to lift heavy to grow muscle, much as with German Volume Training.

However, this time, you’ll only do five reps for five sets, with only one set of deadlifts.

You may use a spreadsheet or download an application to keep track of your exercises.

This one is also not suggested for novices, as you must have at least six months of lifting expertise.

Each gym session in the Stronglifts program provides a full-body workout.

Doing the same movements repeatedly might become routine, so this technique may not be suitable for everyone.

You’ll also want to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and resting, and exercising to help speed up the recovery process.

Muscle building workout man

Lastly…

Bodybuilding workouts bulk up muscles and increase strength.

This is because of bodybuilding’s goal to build mass instead of other types of workout routines that focus on endurance or stamina.

Author

  • Olu Ojo

    My name is Olu. I am a passionate entrepreneur who loves to write about Pets, Home Improvement Hacks & Products, Fitness, and Travel Lifestyle. I have two bachelor's degrees in Veterinary Medicine and Applied Accounting with a CPA designation. I currently shuffle time between completing a Master of Business Administration Degree Education, Professional Practice, and Content writing. I have freelanced lifestyle content and posts for many top authority websites like MSN, and Wealth of Geeks.

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