How to Eat to Build Muscle and Lose Fat (Using Science)
Jan 8, 2024
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The podcast discusses how to set up your diet for muscle gain or weight loss, exploring concepts like bulking, cutting, and maintaining. They also cover the challenges of gaining weight and the best way to set up a diet for fat loss. The importance of tracking in diets and understanding dietary needs in weightlifting is emphasized. The significance of tracking calorie intake and protein intake for muscle building and fat loss is discussed as well.
To build muscle while minimizing fat gain, aim for a moderate calorie surplus of 200-350 calories above maintenance during a bulk phase.
During a cut phase, create a calorie deficit of approximately 500 calories below maintenance for effective weight loss while retaining muscle mass.
Tracking macros through apps like MyFitnessPal can help understand calorie intake, protein targets, and meal composition, leading to flexibility and maintaining a balanced diet.
Deep dives
Setting up a Bulk
A bulk is a nutritional strategy to purposely gain weight, primarily by putting on muscle while minimizing fat gain. The goal is to achieve a moderate calorie surplus, typically around 200-350 calories above maintenance. Going for a slower, conservative weight gain is recommended to prevent excessive fat accumulation. Studies have shown that eating in a large surplus does not result in significantly more muscle growth but leads to much more fat gain. It's important to find the right balance to maximize muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.
Setting up a Cut
A cut involves a concerted effort for weight loss while retaining as much muscle as possible and maximizing fat loss. It's recommended to create a calorie deficit of approximately 500 calories below maintenance, aiming for a 0.5-1% weekly weight loss. Meal composition is essential for satiety, and including fiber-rich vegetables and sufficient protein in each meal can help keep you fuller for longer. Finding the right meal structure, such as skipping a meal or splitting meals, can be adapted based on individual preferences and lifestyle. Flexibility in adapting to social events or occasions is crucial, while maintaining overall consistency throughout the cut.
Value of Tracking and Meal Flexibility
Tracking macros through apps like MyFitnessPal or MacroFactor can provide valuable insights into understanding calorie intake, protein targets, and meal composition. The goal is to learn about diet structure to eventually move away from tracking while still maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. Tracking teaches individuals how to budget their calories and protein intake, making it easier to navigate social situations and adjust meal structures accordingly. The focus should be on understanding food choices, portion sizes, and how they fit into the overall diet goals, providing flexibility while maintaining consistency.
Main Gaining: A Safer Approach to Muscle Building
Aiming for slow and conservative weight gain, around 1 to 2% of body weight increase per month, is a safer approach to muscle building. This allows for steady progress without excessive fat gain. There is no need to bulk for a specific duration, rather focus on the rate of weight gain and bulk until reaching a desired body fat percentage. Creating a small surplus can be achieved by adding slightly more food to meals or incorporating small treats. Slow and steady progress is key to ensure sustainable muscle growth.
Practical Tips for Effective Bulking and Cutting
When setting up a bulk, it is generally as simple as adding a small meal or snack to maintain a calorie surplus. A surplus of around 200 to 350 calories is recommended. For those who struggle to gain weight, adding more palatable and enjoyable foods can make the bulking process easier. During cutting phases, focus on maintaining a moderate calorie deficit of around 500 calories. It is important to balance macronutrient composition and food variety to satisfy hunger and promote adherence. Tracking food intake can be valuable for education but aim for a more organic approach to eating in the long term.
With the start of 2024, you might have set some new goals to lose fat or build muscle, but where do you start?
In today's episode, Built With Science researchers Max Coleman and Daniel Plotkin discuss how to set your diet up based on your goals. They'll discuss cutting, bulking, and even maingaining, what they are, and how to set up your diet for each phase.
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