What is "Muscle Building Food?"

In the bodybuilding world, you may hear about "muscle building food." What exactly is "muscle building food?" Is this food that actually builds muscles for you? "Muscle Building Food" is essentially food that aids in building muscles. It does not, by any means, build the muscle for you.
Most "muscle building food" is high in protein. Protein is essential to bodybuilding, because it aids in muscle growth, and it quickly repairs any damage done to muscles during workouts. Protein also has the ability to enhance your body's natural pain relieving hormones, which enables you to workout day after day, with minimal pain. The benefits of protein go on and on, but all you really need to know is that it is essential to your bodybuilding program.
Foods that are considered "muscle building foods" include eggs, beans, meats, poultry, fish, and dairy foods. Your diet should contain all of these foods, but you must use caution. Some of these foods, such as an abundance of meat and dairy, can also quickly put on body fat, which is not what you want. You must determine how many calories you need to consume daily, based on your own personal needs, and make sure that you are not consuming more than that in food.
Because of this, "muscle building food" isn't the only thing that you need. You also need protein supplements. If you are a bodybuilder, you cannot get the amount of protein that you need simply from the "muscle building food" that you eat. A good whey protein supplement is recommended, and you will hear a great deal of discussion and debate concerning protein supplements in your local gym.
There is a great deal more to "muscle building food" than just eating the food. The time of day that you eat the food matters as well. You will hear many theories and recommendations concerning this. The first step is to make sure that you and your muscles have enough energy for your workouts, which means that "muscle building food" needs to be consumed before workouts, including protein supplements. It is suggested that you consume pre-workout food and supplements about one and a half hours before your workout, so that the food has time to digest.
"Muscle building food" must also be consumed after a workout, preferably within twenty minutes, to prevent your body from going into a catabolic state. A carbohydrate is recommended, as well as more protein supplements. If you fail to eat within twenty minutes of a workout, and your body goes into a catabolic state, your body is essentially breaking down other muscles to replace what the muscles you have worked lost during the workout, which kind of defeats your purposes.
One thing is certain, if you are serious about bodybuilding, you must be serious about your diet, including "muscle building food," and you must be serious about protein supplements as well. Other issues that should be important to bodybuilders include the intake of vitamins and minerals, water, and of course, adequate sleep.