Do you have to eat a healthy diet to build muscle?
In the past, the term "clean muscle building" was reserved for the idea of eating a lot of whole and nutritious foods to build muscle.
Over time, the meaning of this term has shifted to "maintain a small calorie surplus to build muscle and prevent body fat gain". The term "clean" now refers to gaining as little fat as possible while building mountains of muscle, rather than eating healthy foods.
It seems like we've started to care less about food choices and more about macronutrients and calories. But what is more important? Do we need to eat healthy to build muscle? Is chasing calories and macronutrient amounts a waste of effort?
Today we will answer these questions and more.
What are micronutrients?
Micronutrients are small compounds of which we only need traces - hence the term "micro". This term refers to 13 essential vitamins and 16 essential minerals.
Both vitamins and minerals play crucial roles in numerous biological processes in the body. These processes include hormone balance, energy metabolism, immune system function, bone development, brain function, the production of essential proteins such as collagen and much more.
Even though most people do not pay attention to micronutrients, they are essential for the normal function and development of the body. Without micronutrients, the body would stop functioning.
The main difference between vitamins and minerals is their chemical status and origin. Vitamins are organic compounds (produced by living organisms such as plants and animals) that can be broken down in the body in different ways. Minerals are inorganic in nature (they are found in soil and water) and cannot be broken down.
When you eat fruit or vegetables, for example, you consume the vitamins that these plants have produced and the minerals that they have extracted from the soil. Most vitamins and minerals must be obtained from food and/or supplements, as the human body cannot produce them itself.
To get enough of each micronutrient, we need to consume a wide range of foods. In some cases, supplements can also help.
What are macronutrients?
Unlike vitamins and minerals, macronutrients are much easier to keep track of. First of all, there are only three of them: proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Of course, there is also fiber and alcohol, but these should be considered separately.
We need carbohydrates, protein and fat in much larger quantities and that's where the "macro" in the name comes from. While we only need quantities of vitamins and minerals in the microgram or milligram range, we need protein, carbohydrates and fat in the multi-digit gram range. One of the reasons for this is that macronutrients provide energy (calories).
Protein and carbohydrates each provide 4 kcal per gram, while fat provides 9 kcal per gram. Alcohol provides 7 kcal and fiber between 0 and 2 kcal per gram. However, since alcohol is not an essential nutrient and scientists have not yet figured out how many of the alcohol calories really count, we will more or less ignore alcohol in our considerations.
Since the human body needs calories to survive and function, we need to eat enough. The three macronutrients also have specific roles in the body. Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy and glucose (a simple sugar) is the primary source of energy for the brain.
Protein provides the body with the building blocks (amino acids) it needs for repair and growth. Fat supports brain health and hormonal balance, protects our organs, helps the body build new cells, regulates body temperature and much more.
We need to consume all three macronutrients to function properly, feel good, build muscle and stay healthy.
What nutrients do we need to build muscle?
In addition to adequate rest and productive training, we also need to pay careful attention to what we eat if we want to build muscle. Exercise is what stimulates muscle building, but if we don't provide the body with the right nutrients, then all that effort will be for nothing.
Without further ado, here is what is necessary to ensure maximum muscle growth through proper nutrition.
1. adequate calorie and protein intake
This is the most important aspect. Once you get past the beginner stage, you will find it very difficult - if not impossible - to build more muscle if you don't eat enough calories.
But what does 'enough' mean in this context? Well, you need to eat slightly more calories than you burn each day (i.e. generate a calorie surplus). The general recommendation is a calorie intake that is 200 to 300 kcal above your maintenance calorie intake. This ensures that your body has the energy it needs to perform its many tasks and build new muscle tissue.
This calorie surplus must be accompanied by an adequate protein intake. A good rule of thumb is about 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight during the muscle-building phase and 3 grams during the dieting phase.
As we mentioned earlier, protein will provide the body with the amino acids it needs to repair and grow, which also applies to muscle tissue. If you don't consume enough protein, the excess calories will only contribute to an increase in body fat.
2. enough fat
Protein and carbohydrates can have a direct, acute impact on your muscle building efforts. If you don't eat enough protein, your body won't be able to build new muscle tissue. If you don't eat enough carbohydrates, you'll feel tired and fatigued and won't be able to perform productive workouts.
Fats work in a more subtle way. They influence many processes in the body and are also involved in hormone production. If you eat a very low-fat diet for a while, it will take some time for the consequences to catch up with you. These consequences could include lower endogenous testosterone levels.
In one study, a group of 30 men followed a low-fat diet for 6 weeks (1). The scientists found that even after this short period, the subjects' total testosterone levels and free testosterone levels had dropped by 10%. Over a longer period of time, testosterone levels could drop even further. And if you want to build muscle, this is the last thing you want.
A good rule of thumb is to eat 0.6 to 1.3 grams of fat per kilogram of body weight per day. If you weigh 80 kilos, this would be between 48 and 104 grams of fat per day.
3. enough carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, which are the body's primary source of energy, are essential for muscle growth. Training or other physical activity depletes the glycogen stores of muscles and liver. Carbohydrates then help you to replenish these energy stores for your next training session.
If you don't consume enough carbohydrates, your body starts to break down fat and protein and convert them into glucose.
Carbohydrate requirements vary significantly from person to person, with the three main determining factors being gender, age and activity level. After you have met your protein and fat needs, you should aim to consume the rest of your calories in the form of carbohydrates.
Does the ratio of macronutrients matter for muscle building?
It does matter, but it doesn't have to be exact or complicated. Saying that you need to eat 30% carbohydrates per day may sound good on paper, but it assumes that all carbohydrates are equal, which is not the case.
The fact is that these ratios may look good on paper, but they don't work equally well for everyone. That's why the above fist rains are much better in practice. They are less confusing and allow you greater flexibility.
If you want to eat more carbohydrates on one day, then you simply need to reduce your fat intake. Of course, this also works in the other direction.
Are vitamins needed for muscle building and repair?
As long as you meet your calorie, protein, carbohydrate and fat needs, you will achieve most of your gains. However, if you want to stay healthy in the long run and potentially make some major gains in the gym, then you should pay attention to your vitamin intake.
Scientists have found that vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D, and E play a direct role in muscle growth and repair through different mechanisms.
What about minerals?
Similar to vitamins, minerals are also essential for the body and certain deficiencies (such as a lack of zinc) can lower testosterone levels.
Here are some of the minerals that are most important according to the scientific literature: Zinc, magnesium, copper, selenium, iron and calcium.
Which is better: IIFYM vs. clean eating?
The term IIFYM misleads many people as it is interpreted as "eat whatever you want as long as the macronutrient levels fit". Sure, this is the exact meaning of the term, but many people see this way of eating as a sort of challenge to figure out how much junk food they can eat while still hitting their calorie and macronutrient goals.
Of course, this type of dietary approach has its merits, but it's not necessarily the best long-term approach, especially for people who want to take care of their health. Here are a few things to consider if you want to use this approach:
#1: The long-term health effects
This point is pretty clear. Our food choices play an essential role in our long-term health and if your health is important to you, then your diet should be primarily based on whole foods. It is also important to get all the essential vitamins and minerals.
#2: The acute effects of poor quality food
We've all experienced the acute effects of poor quality foods on our own bodies. You might get enough calories and protein from low quality foods, but consider how you will feel throughout the day.
In most cases, there will be sudden spikes and dips in energy levels. Other effects include concentration problems, irritability and general sluggishness, not to mention digestive issues such as bloating, constipation and diarrhea.
Wholesome, nutritious foods provide the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs for various processes. They also provide fiber, which has numerous benefits that go far beyond good digestion. What's more, these foods also provide slow-digesting carbohydrates that guarantee a continuous flow of energy.
#3: The protein quality
A complete protein is one that provides all 9 essential amino acids. The problem is that many foods do not contain complete proteins. It's one thing to consume 30 grams of protein in the form of meat, but quite another to consume the same amount of protein in the form of bread, cookies and chips.
So not only is it essential to consume enough protein - you also need to pay attention to the sources of protein.
Of course, you could reach your goal with 180 grams of protein from a combination of junk food, meat, dairy and some vegetables, but it's pretty safe to say that the same amount of protein in the form of whole foods would lead to better gains in the long run.
#4: Potential problems with satiety
Some people have a big appetite and have a hard time not getting fat during a mass-building phase. For such individuals, it is best to eat as little junk food as possible and save all calories for more satiating foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
On the other hand, there are those who have a small appetite and are often referred to as hardgainers. These individuals will likely need to eat some junk food here and there to consume enough calories each day.
Clean eating or IIFYM?
Based on the above recommendations, I would say that most people would be best off with a modified clean eating approach. In other words, the majority of your diet should be based on whole, nutritious foods, saving 15 to 20% of your calories for your favorite treats.
This will firstly ensure that you get enough vitamins, minerals and fiber, while also consuming plenty of high-quality protein, slow-digesting carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Secondly, this approach gives you the freedom to eat your favorite treats in moderate amounts. We all need a break from chicken and broccoli once in a while. It's okay to eat some junk food. As long as you're eating mostly healthy foods, there's no reason not to have some ice cream on a hot summer day or a few cookies for dessert every now and then.
In addition to this, you can maintain your social life and enjoy meals and snacks with friends and family without having to worry about them not being 100% 'clean eating'.
Conclusion
As with most things in life, nutrition is about finding the right balance.
We should have the freedom to enjoy our favorite foods from time to time and we should be able to enjoy a dessert after a meal.
But we also shouldn't eat like a twelve-year-old and only worry about arbitrary macronutrient levels.
There's no doubt that if you want to make the best possible progress in the gym and stay healthy, your diet should be based on whole foods.
References:
Source: https://pumpsomeiron.com/do-you-need-to-eat-healthy-to-gain-muscle/