Things I Eat & Drink To Stay Lean & Grow Muscle - Don't Be Scared

My friends often make fun of me for what I eat, but I sort of egg them on when I tell them too much.

^{Hey, I never claimed to be a chef and I only cook for one.
P.S. That high-end non-stick pan was upcycled off the curbs in like new condition.}

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Overview:

I'm fairly strict with what I eat when it's on my own terms, but do eat normally (still smart) when I'm being social.

Flavor isn't critical for me. I simply want to eat natural protein-rich foods that are minimally processed to take care of my body and get the maximum gains from my exercise. I seem to age slowly/gracefully and feel young, so perhaps this is my winning formula.

Chemicals or artificial ingredients are always avoided unless there are no other options in a pinch.

While the following foods may seem boring, they help me gain muscle easily, stay lean, and even trim down when I focus on the task.

Meals or snacks I have regularly at home when in gym mode:

• Ground turkey/chicken cooked in a pan with sea salt and natural ketchup (1 pound pre-cooked per serving)
• 7 or 8 eggs cooked over-medium in olive oil with sea salt (my cholesterol is fine)
• 5 or 6 hard boiled eggs
• A can of tuna in olive oil
• Plant-based high protein soy veggie meat (I know I shouldn't have too much of this, but it's 25-30 grams of protein per faux hot dog thing at $1 each)
• Sautéed kale, collard greens or spinach in olive oil
• A sliced plantain cooked in olive oil
• Hummus with wheat crackers
• Natural peanut butter with wheat crackers
• Banana
• Orange
• Cucumber
• Canned corn
• Raw baby carrots
• Mixed sprout seed salad with olive oil and sea salt
• Greek yogurt
• Kefir (usually plain for highest protein/lowest sugar)
• The occasional protein bar (maybe 4 a month for my baseball games or on a late night walk)
• Tablespoon of raw unfiltered honey
• Raw unsalted cashews, peanuts and almonds

^{*Low/no sugar (outside naturally in some fruits or the honey).
*Limited dairy these days as much as I love it.
*Organic/non-GMO when possible.}

I don't stray too much from this list here. I feel no desire when it gives me good results and plenty of energy.

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Drinks

• Filtered water (mainly)
• Coconut water
• Orange juice
• Kombucha
• Almond/cashew nut milk (9 grams of protein per serving)
• Store-bought green juice (veggie/fruit medley)
• Gatorade for baseball (not the best, but playing 2 consecutive games for 6-7 hours in the sun lowers my standards)

^{*I've never had a cup of coffee in my life.
*I don't have any caffeine outside an occasional tea. No energy drinks in 5+ years.
*I haven't had a soda in over 5 years (only soda has been in a rare mixed drink at the bar).
*No protein powders, creatine/steroids (ever), or various supplement shortcuts.
*I usually take a multi-vitamin, or vitamins B and C at the least if I'm being lazy on reordering the former.}

Seasonings/Spices:

• Turmeric
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Black Pepper
• Paprika

^{*I often add diced garlic, mushrooms and onions to my meats, eggs and vegetables when I have no evening plans, haha.}

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Perhaps this is or isn't out of the ordinary for health-conscious people, but when I stick to this general regimen, my body shows me it's happy. After cutting down on my calories from excess snacks and carb-filled foods (combined with exercise), I lost 10 pounds in 2 months.

I'm not special here. I just wanted to share what works for me.

I'm also probably forgetting a few things, but this is generally what you'll find in my kitchen "area" (thanks city apartment).

Anyway, just some food for thought. Ahhhhh.

Looking forward to new food pop-up ads on my Steemit account!

Any tips or suggestions to add?

Thanks,
@steemmatt