Mechanical Tension for Hypertrophy and Strategic Food Selection
The Stronger By Science Podcast
IIFYM - If It Fits Your Macros?
The acronym IIFYM stands for if it fits your macros. The more kind of formal term for that has gained popularity is flexible dieting. Flexible dieting means you can choose whatever food sources you prefer to hit your macro targets on a daily basis.
Mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress are often viewed as the key stimuli for muscle hypertrophy. A new study asserts that mechanical activation of fast-twitch muscle fibers is the strongest determinant of muscle hypertrophy, which suggests that mechanical tension is the most noteworthy stimulus for muscle growth. This is an intuitive idea, but Greg’s segment explains why the results of this study fail to support the conclusions that were stated in the paper (and shared widely on social media).
After that, Eric presents a segment that’s all about food selection. As flexible dieting and “IIFYM” continue to gain popularity, it’s indisputable that dieters can succeed using a virtually limitless variety of food sources, as long as they (approximately) hit their calorie or macro targets consistently. While it’s very true that dieters enjoy a great deal of flexibility in their food choices, this doesn’t mean that food source selection is irrelevant or inconsequential. In Eric’s segment, he discusses some evidence-based guidance for making food choices to facilitate a smoother dieting experience.
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TIME STAMPS
Intro/Announcements (0:00)
Shampoo versus conditioner (2:15)
Artificial intelligence for summarizing research (6:10)
What’s the primary mechanism of muscle hypertrophy? (16:01)
Confirmation bias (20:32)
Abstract and summary of new study by Hatanaka and Ishii (22:46)
Estimating the mechanical activation of fast twitch muscle fibers (27:47)
How validation studies work (31:33)
Exploring the equations used to estimate mechanical activation of fast twitch muscle fibers (34:30)
Implications of the model used by Hatanaka and Ishii (41:18)
Comparing and contrasting with longitudinal data (48:07)
Conclusions (50:28)
Flexible dieting and “IIFYM” work, but specific food selection still matters (58:25)
Regulation of food intake (1:05:24)
The satiety index (1:15:53)
Effect Of Different Food Groups On Energy Intake Within And Between Individuals (1:18:43)
Some key food characteristics to consider (1:28:10)
- Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake
- Texture-based differences in eating rate influence energy intake for minimally processed and ultra-processed meals
- Time to revisit the passive overconsumption hypothesis? Humans show sensitivity to calories in energy-rich meals
Practical applications (1:32:10)
MORE FROM THE SBS TEAM
- Work with a Stronger By Science coach: Get personalized training and nutrition plans and ongoing support from one of our expert coaches.
- Join the Research Spotlight newsletter: Our newsletter is the easiest way to stay up to date with the latest exercise and nutrition science.
- Join the SBS Facebook group and Subreddit.
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
- Try MacroFactor for free: Use code SBS to get a 14-day free trial of our nutrition app MacroFactor. MacroFactor has the fastest food logger on the market and its smart nutrition coach adapts to your metabolism to keep you on track with your goals. Download it today on the App Store or Google Play.
- BulkSupplements: Next time you stock up on supplements, be sure to use the promo code “SBSPOD” (all caps) to get 5% off your entire order.
- MASS Research Review: Subscribe to the MASS Research Review to get concise and applicable breakdowns of the latest strength, physique, and nutrition research – delivered monthly.
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