THE NO BULL GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE MUSCLE GROWTH (PART I)
Nutrition and weightlifting are the two pillars of bodybuilding, each playing a vital role in the accumulation of muscle mass. Neglecting either of these two variables is invariably going to deliver sub optimal results, with nutrition nearly always being the more neglected of the two. It doesn’t matter how intense your workouts are, or how well structured your program is, if you are failing to appropriately address your nutrition, results will be left on the table (pun intended).
MUSCLE BUILDING NUTRITION: THE 5 PILLARS
Let’s evaluate the muscle and strength nutrition pyramid as proposed by Dr Eric Helms. He orders the different factors involved in a person’s nutrition responsible for developing muscle and strength, in a hierarchal structure: The most important laying at the bottom, the least important resting at the top.
- Energy balance
- Macronutrients
- Micronutrients
- Nutrient timing
- Supplements
1. ENERGY BALANCE
The NUMBER 1 determinant of whether you will gain weight and build muscle is your energy (calorie) balance. While it is possible to build muscle at maintenance calories or whilst in a calorie deficit, it is certainly not optimal, and only achievable for a limited time period. For sustainable muscle growth and weight gain you must be in a calorie surplus. The calories you consumer on a daily basis must succeed your bodies calorie expenditure (via your BMR, dedicated exercise and NEAT).
An excess of calories will allow broken down muscles to be repaired bigger than they were previously, resulting in muscle hypertrophy.
(Calories in > Calories out) + Weight training = Weight (Muscle gain)
A surplus of approximately 10% is advisable, so for someone who’s maintenance calories lay around 3000, a surplus of 300 would be appropriate.
2. MACRONUTRIENTS
Macronutrients from the basis of the foods we eat, providing our bodies the energy it needs to function on a daily basis.
1. Carbohydrates (4 calories per gram)
2. Fats (9 calories per gram)
3. Protein (4 calories per gram)
Within the realm of sports performance and bodybuilding, protein is the shining star. Dietary Protein consists of long compounds know as amino acids. These amino acids play a critical role in the growth, development, repair and maintenance of body and muscle tissue, with adequate protein being essential for optimal muscle growth (Phillips, 2011). The latest scientific research suggests that an ideal range is anywhere between 1.2g-1.8g protein per kilogram of bodyweight (Phillips et al., 2007). So, for example, an 80kg man would want to consume anywhere between 96g and 144g protein. Any additional protein is generally believed to then become ineffective.
2.1. Bulking
Once you have established your required protein goal, the remainder of your daily calories should be made of fats and carbohydrates. The ratio of fats to carbs is debatable but modern research suggests that when it comes to building muscle, the ratio is largely unimportant. It is recommended to consume a minimum quantity of fat to facilitate proper bodily function and hormone regulation and allocate the remaining calories between carbohydrates and fats.
2.2. Cutting
When it comes to shedding bodyfat, there are more stringent macronutrient guidelines you can follow, but the principle remains the same. To lose weight/body fat, you MUST be in a calorie deficit (Hall et al., 2015)). it is not optional. However, to achieve ideal body composition there are advantages macronutrient breakdowns that can be adhered to in order to maximise fat loss while limiting muscle loss.
Research has shown that elevated dietary protein helps retain muscle mass so aim for the upper limit of 1.8g/Kg of body weight when in a cutting phase (Cava et al., 2017). Again, aim to eat a baseline of healthy fats to facilitate health, but it may be slightly beneficial to keep your carbs slightly higher during a cut (Cava et al., 2017; Hall et al., 2015) . This will give you more energy for your workouts, minimising the strength reductions, resulting in greater muscle retention. Finally, keep your calorie reduction moderate, a maximum of 10% will be appropriate, with the view to lose between 0.5-1% bodyweight per week (Phillips & van Loon, 2011). For example, if someone’s maintenance calories are 3000, a 10% reduction of 300 calories would result in a daily calorie intake of 2700.
