How Eating Like a Professional Bodybuilder Can Make You Fat (2024)

FAQs

Why can bodybuilders eat so much? ›

Bulking is a phase of bodybuilding

Bulking is the muscle-gaining phase. You're meant to intentionally consume more calories than your body needs for a set period — often 4–6 months. These extra calories provide your body with the necessary fuel to boost muscle size and strength while weight training ( 1 ).

Because they burn a lot of calories training. I used to do weight training four times a week, and at that time I burned through 3,500 kcal - 4,000 kcal a day - almost twice the amount a woman of my size usually needs.

Bodybuilders typically have protein at every meal, some consisting of shakes. Full meals will usually consist of a lean animal protein such as a grilled chicken breast or piece of fish, vegetables, and perhaps a starch such as sweet potatoes or rice.

Bulking and cutting aren't inherently unhealthy. But repeated bulking and cutting cycles over long periods could theoretically have detrimental effects, especially to gut and cardiometabolic health.

Proteins are generally referred to as bodybuilding food. They are macronutrients that provide the body with materials for cell growth and repair. Milk, chicken, fish, egg and pulses are rich sources of proteins.

Whole grains such as brown rice, whole grain breads, millet, quinoa, oats and granola should be added in a bodybuilder's diet. Whole grains, being primarily carbs, provide the body with energy, improve satiety and provide key micro-nutrients that are essential for muscle growth & maintenance.

A bodybuilding meal plan should consist of healthful fats, proteins, and carbs. A person should plan to eat between three and six times a day and adjust their total caloric count based on whether trying to bulk up or lean out.

Fats are vitally important for bodybuilders, as they aid with growth and development and mineral absorption and act as a source of energy. Healthy fats are monounsaturated fats, such as the kind found in nuts, olive oil and avocado, as well as polyunsaturated fat found in oily fish and seeds.

Why do bodybuilders get fat? ›

Fat gain is definitely a consequence of trying to put on muscle mass because you are, after all, eating more calories than the body needs. While you do require additional calories to build muscle, you can only assimilate so much muscle at one single time.

Building and Fueling Muscles

Excess protein beyond what the body can use is stored as fat. Choose lean protein sources such as chicken, turkey, fish, beef, soy products, eggs, beans, peas and lentils and low-fat dairy to support lean muscle growth.

If you have a high metabolic rate, you may be able to eat much more than others and still not gain weight. Genes are just one variable that influence your BMR. Others include your age, height, starting weight, physical activity level and muscle mass percentage.

As bodybuilders, nutrient timing is very important in our daily eating schedule. Due to fat's ability to slow digestion they should be avoided when nutrients are needed quickly such as post-workout and when you need a quick recharge such as the first meal of the day (when you have been fasting all night long).

According to a study of bodybuilders during their bulking phase, women consumed an average of 3,200 calories per day. Men took in 3,800 calories per day on average. These numbers give you a good idea of what real bodybuilders eat because researchers based the numbers on nearly 400 competitors.

You need to be eating enough for your body to build and maintain muscle, a sports dietitian said. Symptoms like constant fatigue, sleep loss, soreness, and hunger may mean you've cut calories too low. To prevent muscle loss, make sure you get enough food, including carbs, to fuel your workouts.

Are bodybuilders eating too much protein? ›

Bodybuilding protein consumption can amount to a lot. Bodybuilders should spread out this intake across meals to not overdo it all at once and make themselves sick. Health experts typically recommend 20 to 40 grams per meal. Meal planning can help ensure that you are getting the right amount at each meal.

Which foods are high fat? Besides the two forms of pure fat mainly used for cooking (animal fats and plant oils), nuts, seeds, salad dressings, processed foods, chips, crackers and dairy products are the most common sources of fat in the modern Western diet.

Food rich in proteins are generally referred to as bodybuilding food. They are required for the growth and repair of cells in our body. Milk, chicken, fish, egg and pulses are rich sources of proteins. Fruits and vegetables are sources of vitamins and minerals.

Some professional bodybuilders recommend drinking as much as 10 quarts of water each day. I suggest consuming at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. If you have been sweating, drink even more.

Advanced bodybuilders are advised to be more conservative with the caloric surplus and the rate of weekly weight gain. Dietary protein intake is recommended to be 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day with a focus on sufficient protein at each meal (0.40–0.55 g/kg/meal) and an even distribution throughout the day (3–6 meals).

No. Bulking correctly takes planning and a firm understanding of how foods are used in the body to fuel hard training, recovery, and muscle accretion (building). Just like you wouldn't fill a sports car with low quality gas, you don't want to just eat anything while you bulk.

Whey is by far the most popular protein supplement because it has been shown to promote muscle growth and fat loss. It is digested and absorbed faster than other sources, in as little as 20 minutes, making it the ideal choice to consume either immediately before or after a workout.

Protein shakes are widely consumed by bodybuilders to help build bulk after strength training workouts. This is supported by research, which shows that regular protein supplementation can significantly increase strength training workout (resistance and weight training) gains in terms of muscle size and strength.

Weight lifting and strength training are likely to leave you with a big appetite afterwards. As your muscle tissue repairs, it cries out for food to help it regain strength. And the more muscle you have, the more hungry you are. So keep your fridge filled with healthy protein rich foods to keep the beasts at bay.

Can eating fat increase muscle? ›

Fats are not only essential in the diet, but they can actually help you build more lean muscle mass.

To make gains you have to have the right nutrients in your body to construct muscle. This means that what you eat, and how much, is essential in making muscle gains. Lifting and doing strength training without adequate nutrition, especially without enough protein, can actually lead to loss of muscle tissue.

Squats, lunges, and calf raises are great home exercises for gaining weight in your legs. If you've got a gym membership, leg presses can be a huge boost to your thighs. Diet's also super important, so make sure you go in on the protein and veggies and avoid junk meals, fatty foods, and those with loads of fiber.

Therefore, people with a greater muscle mass have a greater demand for calories. Leaner people may even be able to consume more calories a day and still maintain their body weight, while people with a higher body fat percentage will gain weight if they consume more calories.

Your body only needs a certain amount of protein to turn it to muscle-building mode. Eating more won't make the process any faster – it'll just feed your body with spare calories.

To make gains you have to have the right nutrients in your body to construct muscle. This means that what you eat, and how much, is essential in making muscle gains. Lifting and doing strength training without adequate nutrition, especially without enough protein, can actually lead to loss of muscle tissue.

To maximize muscle growth, you'll need to eat more calories than you typically do. Eat 1.4–2 grams of protein for each kilogram of your body weight per day ( 70 ).

The recommended dietary allowance to prevent deficiency for an average sedentary adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, a person who weighs 165 pounds, or 75 kilograms, should consume 60 grams of protein per day.

After all, your muscles are made of protein, and your body requires adequate protein in the diet in order to have the building blocks it needs to build up muscle mass. But protein alone won't do. You need to pay attention to the rest of your diet and exercise routine as well.

How many calories do I need to gain muscle but not fat? ›

Everyone is different, from their genetics to their metabolic rate and current muscle mass. The general rule is that consuming an excess of at least 2,500 calories per week can help increase lean tissue by one pound of gained mass.

"Protein has calories, so if you eat a little too much, and don't exercise, it can get stored as fat." ...

“Yes, there is such a thing as too much protein,” Nicholas says. “The general consensus is that two grams per kilogram of body weight is the upper limit for most adult males.” So, if you weigh 185 pounds, you shouldn't be eating more than 168 grams of protein per day.

There can be health consequences if you drink protein shakes without exercising are: (1) less muscle gain, (2) unwanted weight gain, (3) increased risk of kidney-related problems, and (4) abnormal spike in blood glucose level.

Increases Muscle Mass and Strength

Numerous studies show that eating plenty of protein can help increase muscle mass and strength ( 8 , 9 ). If you're physically active, lifting weights, or trying to gain muscle, you need to make sure you're getting enough protein.

Eat frequently, every 3-4 hours, and aim for 6 small meals during the day. Try not to lump your calories into 3 big meals, as it will make you feel sluggish. Eat a minimum of 20-30 grams of protein at each meal.

The take-home message from these studies is that eating your meals slowly can help you build more muscle mass and keep bodyfat at bay. So slow down, enjoy your meal, and chew each bite thoroughly to start the digestion process and keep insulin levels low.

Fat should be consumed in moderate amounts (0.5–1.5 g/kg/day). Remaining calories should come from carbohydrates with focus on consuming sufficient amounts (≥3–5 g/kg/day) to support energy demands from resistance exercise.

The key macronutrient involved in muscle growth is protein. If calories are not being restricted, scientists believe that serious bodybuilders should aim for 1.2-2.0 g protein per kg of body weight (or . 8 to 1 gram/lb of body weight) per day.