Why Convenience Matters When Building Muscle (and Why Chicken is the Answer)

Let’s face it: technology has made everything faster - which also means we’re expected to fit WAY MORE into each and every day of our lives. Even if you are an avid gym-goer, it’s tough balancing your nutrition and fitness goals with a busy home, work, and social schedule. Everyone agrees that healthy eating is vital in a world saturated by processed garbage and corn syrup - but between shopping, prepping, and cleaning (everyone’s most hated pastime), where are you supposed to find the time?

Look, there’s not some magic silver bullet that makes all this suddenly easy. But there are ways to make your health and fitness less impossible. “Convenience” does not have to be a bad word when it comes to the food you put inside your body. In fact, convenient meals can actually be BETTER for building muscle.

Consistency Beats Intensity

Achieving your fitness goals isn’t just about pushing your limits—it’s about consistency. Consistency wins over intensity, every time. When life gets hectic, overly complex meal plans and time-consuming recipes often fall by the wayside. Be honest, when you’ve got sick kids or crunch time at work, how high do those dishes pile up? 

Prioritizing convenience in your nutrition ensures you stick to your plan, giving your body the consistent fuel it needs to build and repair muscle. By streamlining meal prep and using reliable, protein-rich ingredients, you can stay on track, no matter how busy you are.

Skinless Chicken Breast: The Muscle-Building MVP

Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m really blowing your mind here: “Skinless chicken breast is good for building muscle.” Next I’ll be telling you to lift weights, right? But it’s important to remember WHY skinless chicken is the MVP: it’s low in fat, high in protein, and incredibly adaptable: chicken tastes like everything, which means it also goes with everything. Unlike shakes, it’s also a whole food and not processed. 

But what are the problems with chicken? It takes time to prep, it takes time to cook, it takes time to clean up.

I don’t like dealing with raw chicken any more than you do, which is why I’m such an advocate for pre-cooked chicken as an option to fall back on to save yourself time & effort. Is it the same as mixing your family’s special marinade and firing up the barbeque? Nope! BUT pre-cooked chicken takes about as much time to prep as mixing a protein shake, assuming you’ve got a microwave nearby.

Why All This Fuss About Chicken?

• Protein for Muscle Growth: With 48 grams of protein per 6 oz, a single skinless chicken breast can provide up to 1/3rd of your daily protein requirements to repair and grow muscles after a workout.
• Lean and Clean: Minimal fat content makes chicken breast ideal for those aiming to build lean muscle without excess calories. You get the freedom in your diet to get your daily calories in a way that works for you.
• Packed with Micronutrients: It’s actual food, so you also get a great source of B vitamins, phosphorus, and selenium. Chicken helps with your energy production and overall health, not just your biceps.

Pre-Portioned Options

Pre-portioned & pre-seasoned/marinated chicken, while slightly pricier, will save you time and make it way easier to keep track of your macros.

Efficiency

Even if you’re putting in the effort of diverse meal prep for the week, having pre-cooked protein on hand simplifies meal assembly, greatly reduces cleanup, and ensures you meet your daily intake goals.

3 Quick & Easy Muscle-Building Chicken Recipes

1. High-Protein Chicken Stir-Fry

• Sauté pre-cooked chicken breast with broccoli, bell peppers, and a splash of low-sodium soy sauce for a balanced meal packed with protein and essential nutrients. 
• Cleanup: 1 pan, 1 plate, 1 cutting board, 1 knife, 1 fork.

2. Post-Workout Chicken Salad

• Combine sliced chicken with quinoa, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil. This nutrient-rich salad replenishes glycogen and supports muscle recovery.
• Cleanup: 1 bowl, 1 cutting board, 1 knife, 1 fork.

3. Protein-Packed Chicken Wrap

• Layer chopped chicken, hummus, and mixed greens in a whole-grain tortilla for a portable meal that keeps you fueled between workouts and meetings.
• Cleanup: 1 cutting board, 1 knife, 1 spoon

Build Muscle, Simplify Your Life

The best part about adding more convenience into your fitness routine? It doesn’t just free up time; making your nutrition more convenient also makes it more effective - meaning you create a virtuous cycle where you get more time AND more energy to make the most of that time.