A Primer, Bodyweight Basics

FOOD
I am not a nutritionist, all I have is the basic knowledge from my level 3 certification. But I
think it worthwhile to share some common sense general rules that have been very helpful in
my 8 years of training, with the aim of gaining muscle and trying to be lean.
I have never been a fan of the bulking/cutting cycle, instead opting for a pretty standard diet
year round, cutting a few calories out if I want to lose weight, and adding a few more in if I
want to gain weight.
As for macronutrients, there has been a huge amount of debate discussing the optimal
amount of protein needed in a diet for muscle growth. In my journey I have been told that up
to 2 grams of protein is needed per pound of bodyweight for optimal muscle growth. This is
NOT true, it is a sales tactic used to get you to buy protein supplements. Morton et. al (2018)
found that in excess of 0.7g per lb gave no specific benefit to muscle growth or performance.
Fat is higher in calories, protein is 4 calories per gram, carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram,
but fat is 9 calories per gram! This just means you can’t eat as much fat in terms of weight,
therefore there’s a very good chance it’s not going to fill you up as much. So naturally, lower
fat diets are favoured by those trying to lose weight.
If you want to focus on gaining muscle, make sure you’re eating in a calorie surplus. It does
not have to be a HUGE increase, just 200 or 300 calories over your maintenance intake. The
reason people who are trying to gain size don’t run is simply because it burns calories. If you
want to eat more then sure, go for a run! Just make sure you replace the calories otherwise
you will not gain weight.
If you’re trying to lose weight, the goal is to feel full while intaking a low amount of calories.
A huge reason fruit and vegetables are considered so good for your health is because they
actually fill you up due to the fibre content, and are very low in calories.
If you’re thinking about grabbing a 400 calorie chocolate bar, you could have 3 or even 4
apples for those calories if you really wanted. What do you think will fill you up more? THE
APPLES! You’d probably eat one apple and feel fine, cutting out the extra 300 or so calories
all together.
You do not have to just be eating apples. You’d be surprised how many low calorie alternatives
exist for all your favourite foods, the taste difference is minimal.
Find foods that you like which contain a reasonable amount of calories, making sure to intake
at least 0.7g of protein per lb of body weight (more protein is not a bad thing, just not to the
excesses previously stated)
Anyway, if you’re full, put the fork down.
That’s all! Thanks for reading.
BODYWEIGHT 47