Top 7 Foods To Avoid When Building Muscle [That Are CRUSHING Your Gains]

No matter how much research and data you read and how many supplement and diet plans you try, you will not be able to build muscle and get shredded like you used to. The truth is, there are certain foods and nutrients that we should all avoid when we try to get ripped.

Before we get into the foods, I want to talk about what muscle building is. I’ve made it my mission to help you build muscle and lose fat. I want you to know that I am not here to sell you supplements (although I don’t recommend most of the ones most people take), and I don’t want you to focus on bulking up this week and cutting next week. I want you to focus on one thing: building muscle.

Building muscle, getting ripped, and losing fat all require different foods and food groups. The biggest muscle gains come from protein and fat, which we call macronutrients. After that, we need to ensure we’re getting enough vitamins and minerals, and that we’re not overeating and storing our calories as fat. If we were to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, we can’t just follow a standard diet and expect results. We need to take a very specific approach. The following foods as well as others as listed below will be the most important to consume as part of a comprehensive muscle building and fat loss diet program. They will also be the foods you should avoid the most.. Read more about muscle building foods and let us know what you think.

It is (or should be) simple to gain muscular mass. You sleep, eat, and lift weights. That pretty well covers up the cycle, but humans, like everything else, find a way to make things complicated, particularly when it comes to nutrition. 

I’m going to show you the biggest dietary errors you’re doing that are preventing you from growing.

To gain muscle, you’ll need the proper program and a well-balanced diet. However, if your diet is on track, you may build muscle even with a bad program; the same cannot be true if your nutrition is screwed up. 

Most articles on meals that hinder muscle development focus on “unhealthy” foods like pizza and bagels, which aren’t inherently harmful to muscle building. Instead, these meals make it simpler to build muscle–at the cost of your general health, which I don’t advocate. 

We’ll go over the 7 foods you’re consuming that are sabotaging your muscle growth, as well as some dietary recommendations to help you optimize your muscle-building potential.

When it comes to muscle building, there are seven foods to avoid.

Egg Whites are the first food on the list.

Whattttt!? Do egg whites detract from your gains? Well, not quite. There is subtlety in many of the things on this list. While egg whites alone will not harm your gains, consuming just egg whites would. Although egg whites are the greatest natural source of protein, muscles need more, such as cholesterol, to develop. Cholesterol is the building block for all sex hormones, including testosterone, which increases strength and muscular mass dramatically.

This was shown in a 12-week randomized experiment in which two groups of trainees followed the identical program with one exception: one ate three whole eggs after exercise while the other ate six egg whites. Almost every measure, including strength, body fat percentage, and hormone levels, increased higher in the entire egg group.

Furthermore, eating whole eggs after an exercise increases mTOR activation and muscle protein synthesis. As a result, be sure to incorporate whole eggs in your diet.

Alcohol is the second food. 

While a few beers won’t harm your progress, they won’t assist either. But, let’s be honest, most people who inquire about this aren’t watching Netflix with a glass of wine on a Friday night.  

Alcohol has two effects on muscular development. The first is that it has the ability to prevent muscle development via a variety of methods. One of these processes is producing both acute and persistent decreases in your testerone level. In fact, this has been shown in males who have completed resistance training. This research discovered that males who drank alcohol after exercising had lower testosterone levels than those who didn’t. Protein synthesis and IGF-1 activities may both be harmed by alcohol.

The second method is via sleep disturbance, which is an indirect but nonetheless significant influence. Sleeping is your body’s natural method of recharging. However, this is also when numerous growth hormones, such as testosterone and HGH, are secreted at their highest levels. If you want to develop, get some sleep.

Low-carbohydrate diets are the third food.

This is an overarching recommendation to avoid low-carb diets or a mentality that emphasizes them. This isn’t meant to be anti-keto or anything; it’s just that they aren’t the greatest diets for building muscle. While an Instagram influencer may swear by you, it doesn’t imply it’s the greatest option. And if you’re reading this, it’s safe to assume you’re having trouble gaining muscle.

Even while eating a hypocaloric diet, low-carb diets, particularly Keto diets, have been shown to reduce muscle growth (more than enough calories). As a result, keep low-carb diets for when you’re in maintenance mode or when muscle growth isn’t a top goal. If you’re wanting to acquire bulk, though, make sure you’re getting enough carbohydrates.

Food #4: Caffeine-Rich Foods 

There’s some nuance here as well. There’s nothing wrong with caffeine; in fact, it’s been shown to be an excellent ergogenic aid (fancy term for a supplement that can improve performance). However, similar to alcohol, the issue arises from consuming too much caffeine late at night and being unable to sleep. If you do drink caffeine, be sure it doesn’t interfere with your beauty sleep.

5th Food: Vegan Protein (From Natural Foods Only)

There are just too many caveats to discuss in the argument between animal and plant protein. However, higher protein diets (1.4g-2.0g/kg) are clearly better for muscle growth and the athletic population. A plant protein supplement is used in most research that indicate that animal protein and plant protein generate comparable increases in muscle growth. Yes, many trainers use protein supplements, but a plant-only diet is far more difficult to achieve those levels than an omnivorous one. As a result, if you’re vegan, consider taking a vegan protein supplement to boost your protein intake.

Soy is the sixth food on the list.

Soy is one of the terms used by hardline anti-vegans to argue that plant protein will sabotage your gains. In fact, the data is hazy, with a meta-analysis claiming that there isn’t enough. Many pro-soy drinkers would argue that the studies that indicate a detrimental impact on testosterone utilize a lot of soy.

Consider the following research: After eating 56g of soy powder protein daily for 28 days, blood testosterone levels in 12 healthy young men dropped by 22%. Their numbers began to rise again after two weeks of abstinence. Now, resistance training was not included in the research, which some have said may help minimize the impact, but this raises the question, “Why not simply utilize a different protein source that won’t?”

While one soy latte won’t make you lose your voice, there’s enough data to make you cautious if soy is a regular part of your diet.

Food #7: Unhealthy Eating Habits

This is clearly a pretty wide term, but an improper diet that causes you to acquire extra fat is one of the greatest killers of testosterone production. Aromatase, a molecule found in fat, is responsible for converting testosterone to estrogen. While this is beneficial in moderation, too much fat may lead to greater conversion than is desirable. As a result, being overweight is often linked to decreased T-levels. If you’re serious about building muscle, you should clean up your diet and maintain your body fat percentage low.

Don’t make muscle gain any more difficult than it has to be.

Many of the items on this list, as you can see, stifle muscle development through influencing your behavior or manipulating your hormones. Muscles need an optimum environment to develop effectively. However, it is not difficult to do so.

1. Protein (1.6-2.0g/kg) should be consumed.
2. Consume carbohydrates (4-6 g/kg)
3. Get lots of restful sleep (6-9 hours)
4. Drink plenty of water (Until your piss is light yellow)
5. And use a gradual training regimen to work hard.

That’s all there is to it.

Reid, Garett

Garett Reid has his Masters in Exercise Science (Liberty University) and carries NSCA CSCS and CISSN certifications. He also currently sits as an Executive Council Member for the NSCA Strongman SIG. Garett has been working in the strength and conditioning industry for over 10 years which includes 8 years working throughout Asia (China, Thailand). For the past 2.5 years he has been working as a freelance strength & conditioning writer.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the worst foods for muscle growth?

The worst foods for muscle growth are high in sugar, saturated fat, and refined carbohydrates. These types of food cause the body to produce more cortisol which inhibits muscle growth.

What should I eat if I wanna build muscle?

If you want to build muscle, it is important that you eat a lot of protein. You should also make sure that you are getting enough calories and carbohydrates.

What food group helps build your muscles and keep them strong?

Protein is a food group that helps build muscles and keep them strong.

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