Muscle Gain Diet, 2800 Calories
The following daily muscle-building diet has 2820 calories with 33% coming from protein, 36% from carbs, and 31% from fats. Use the Fitness Guide to see how many calories are appropriate for you and select from this and other diets accordingly.
Feel free to modify this diet with your own choice of healthy foods that are roughly equivalent in calores, protein, carbs, and fats to the foods of this diet. Also feel free to substitute or add as many non-starchy vegetables as you wish. These include lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and virtually any other vegetable besides potatoes, corn, peas, and carrots. Similarly, feel free to add low-calorie and calorie-free spices and herbs.
Learn how to customize your diet: read Create Your Own Healthy Meals section of the Nutrition article.
| Proteins (grams) |
Carbs (grams) |
Fats (grams) |
Calories | Food Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meal 1 | |||||
| Whey Protein Powder, 1/3 cup (1 scoop) |
22 | 3 | 2 | 114 | Very Lean Protein |
| Plain Old-Fashioned Oats, 1 cup cooked |
5 | 30 | 3 | 167 | Starchy Carb |
| Ground Flax Seed, 2 tbsp | 4 | 2 | 8 | 96 | Healthy Fat |
| Strawberries, 2 cups | 2 | 24 | 0 | 104 | Starchy Carb |
| Meal 2 | |||||
| Chicken Breast, 6 oz | 30 | 0 | 3 | 147 | Very Lean Protein |
| Brown Rice, 1 cup cooked |
7 | 47 | 3 | 243 | Starchy Carb |
| Olive Oil, 1 tbsp | 0 | 0 | 16 | 144 | Healthy Fat |
| Meal 3 | |||||
| Salmon, 9 oz | 40 | 0 | 16 | 304 | Lean Protein |
| Sweet Potatoes, 1 medium-sized |
2 | 28 | 0 | 120 | Starchy Carb |
| Meal 4 (Before Workout) | |||||
| Tuna, 6 oz | 33 | 0 | 2 | 146 | Very Lean Protein |
| Egg, 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 56 | Lean Protein |
| Whole-Grain Bread, 2 slices |
8 | 42 | 3 | 227 | Starchy Carb |
| Meal 5 | |||||
| Lean Steak, 8 oz | 36 | 0 | 14 | 270 | Lean Protein |
| Brown Rice, 1 cup cooked | 7 | 47 | 3 | 243 | Starchy Carb |
| Green Beans and Carrots, 2 cups |
3 | 15 | 0 | 72 | Non-Starchy Carb |
| Meal 6 | |||||
| Chicken Breast, 6 oz | 30 | 0 | 3 | 147 | Very Lean Protein |
| Lettuce, 3 cups | 1 | 15 | 0 | 64 | Non-Starchy Carb |
| Olive Oil, 1 tbsp | 0 | 0 | 16 | 144 | Healthy Fat |
| Day Totals | 235 g | 254 g | 96 g | 2820 cal | |