Myths vs. facts: 12 bodybuilding nutritional habits in more detail Part 2

In the first part of this article, we took a closer look at 6 common bodybuilding nutritional habits and found out that they are, to some extent, myths and misinterpretations of scientific facts. In this part of this article, we will take a look at 6 other bodybuilding nutrition habits and their truthfulness.

7 Eat protein every 3 hours or you will shrivel up

One of my favorite approaches to nitpicking is the habit of gym-goers and bodybuilders who practically insist on an intravenous protein infusion all day long. These people seem to have an absolute infatuation with protein, which is probably related to the fact that skeletal muscle tissue is the body's largest reservoir of amino acids. They therefore assume that the more often they provide their body with a boost of protein, the more optimally they will stimulate their muscle growth.

However, this is not the case. Scientific studies show that the body has a refractory period after protein intake, which blunts the protein synthesis response (8). This means that consuming protein too frequently is actually an inhibitory and inefficient process if you are trying to optimize your muscle protein synthesis response to your food intake.

A more pragmatic approach is to eat an optimal amount of protein, let the protein synthesis reaction run its course until it returns to its baseline level, and eat another protein-rich meal soon after. It's safe to say that if you eat a sufficient amount of leucine-rich complete protein at each meal, the rate of protein synthesis will be elevated for at least 4 to 6 hours after that meal, so the idea that you need to eat protein every 3 hours (or more often) is not a very sensible idea.

Something to keep in mind when it comes to many things in health and fitness is that more is not always better. Just because some dietary protein is indeed crucial for maintaining and growing your muscles doesn't mean you can't overdo it with protein intake.

Conclusion

Rather than continuously consuming protein/amino acids throughout the day, try to space your meals further apart - say every 5-6 hours - and make sure that each of these meals contains a nominal amount of a leucine-rich, complete protein source (although the actual amount will vary based on your weight and needs, but for most people 30+ grams is a good starting point).

Don't fall victim to the idea that your body will suddenly go into a catabolic state because you're feeling hungry and it's been more than 3 hours since your last meal or protein shake. You don't need to eat protein all the time and you probably won't be doing yourself any favors. Eat a solid, balanced meal, let yourself get hungry and then eat again - it's really not that complicated.

8. the more bland your diet is, the more hardcore you are

This is one thing I'll never understand - the idea prevalent among many bodybuilders that a monotonous, bland and boring diet is somehow better for body development and performance purposes than a diet that is varied and includes some flavor.

Sadly, many people adhere to the "clean diet" viewpoint and assume that a clean diet includes nothing more than chicken breast, broccoli and brown rice. Reality check...eating bland, boring chicken breast that's dry as the Gobi desert doesn't make you healthier, better or more hardcore...it makes you a lazy sock because you're not more creative in the kitchen.

There are millions of ways to maintain a healthy diet with nutrient dense foods that also taste good. There seems to be this silly idea prevalent in the bodybuilding subculture that in order to achieve the body of your dreams and optimal performance, you have to sacrifice all your favorite foods and the enjoyment of food altogether. Wake up and realize the truth that healthy eating and enjoyment don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Conclusion

Okay, Brutus Biceps, no one cares that all you choke down is bland chicken breast, dry rice and asparagus...this won't make you look or perform any better than the guy who makes his food taste good and has some variety in his diet. If you really want to win a prize for being "more hardcore", then try to figure out how to incorporate foods you really like into your diet, because that's the mark of someone who can control themselves and keep their life in balance.

If you truly believe that sacrificing flavor in your diet means that you're somehow more hardcore or will potentially be more successful, then you're just being a stubborn fool. Food is a privilege and something that sustains us mentally and physically - not a chore that you have to fulfill and should see as a sacrifice.

9. fruit is forbidden

We all know that fruit (well, at least apples) are indeed forbidden in the biblical sense, but this isn't about Adam and Eve...this is about the physiological effects of sugar (and fructose in particular). The theory that fruit is inherently bad because of its sugar content is more than short-sighted and is probably related to the growing evidence linking sugar consumption to obesity and other ailments (9).

Most fruit has a sugar content of less than 40% fructose. Fructose is primarily metabolized in the liver and the average liver stores 50 to 60 grams of glycogen. To put this into perspective, the average apple contains about 10 grams of fructose. When the liver's glycogen stores are replenished, most of the intermediate products of fructose metabolism are used for de novo triglyceride synthesis (fat synthesis) in the hepatocytes. You should keep in mind that even though fructose can be converted into triglycerides (fats), this does not necessarily mean that they are automatically stored in adipose tissue.

Probably the most important point to consider is that fruit is highly nutrient dense and contains a large amount of water, which dramatically increases the satiety index (10). In short, the higher the satiety index of a food, the less likely you are to "overeat" on other foods.

As with all other foods, there are of course reasonable limits for fruit and it is possible to eat too much fruit.

Conclusion

As mentioned above, fructose is not an insulinogenic carbohydrate source and does not sufficiently replenish muscle glycogen stores as other carbohydrate sources do, so relying on fruit as the sole source of carbohydrate is not ideal for most people looking to maintain or build muscle - although for the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that fruit contains not only fructose but also sucrose (table sugar).

However, it certainly makes sense to include moderate amounts of fruit in your daily diet - primarily due to its overall nutrient content and its positive effects on appetite and satiety. It's safe to say that most people could benefit from up to 5 portions of fruit a day (and more).

Don't give up fruit. It's not your enemy just because it contains some sugar/fructose.

10. it's after 10pm - all carbs are now converted to fat (sarcasm intended)

I love it when people make assumptions about the body based on simple deductions.In this case, many bodybuilders and gym goers alike assume the following: Carbs -> insulin -> storage hormone -> evening -> sedentary -> carbs are stored as fat.

Just because it's 7pm and you eat a few carbs doesn't mean that some crazy, time-controlled glycolytic pathway is activated and tells your body to store all those carbs as fat tissue. Your body metabolizes carbohydrates the same way regardless of the time of day. Of course, there is a certain biorhythm regarding hormone release, but there is no controlled scientific study to date that shows that eating later in the evening results in a deterioration in body composition.

A study conducted over the course of a year with rhesus monkeys (which are genetically very similar to humans) showed that monkeys who ate most of their food in the evening were no more likely to gain weight than monkeys who ate very little in the evening (11).

Conclusion

Don't fear carbohydrates in the evening simply because you're not as active at that time or you're about to go to bed. As long as your daily food intake is within your needs, the timing of your food intake is secondary. Some people even sleep better if they eat carbohydrates in the evening, due to the serotonin-boosting effects of carbohydrates.

However, it is still likely to be beneficial if you eat more of your carbohydrates around your training window. For some people this might indeed be late at night and that's perfectly fine - your body will still appreciate those carbs.

11. soy protein is not synonymous with femininity

Another funny conclusion that people in the fitness world draw is the following: Soy -> estrogen -> female hormones -> bad for men.

Yes, soy (protein) does indeed increase estrogen receptor activity and suppress androgen receptor activity - but not to any significant degree as long as you don't consume large amounts (over 60 grams per day) (12). In moderate amounts, however, soy protein can be a good source of isoflavones, lecithin and other phytonutrients.

Soy protein does not have as high a bioavailability as whey protein, egg protein and casein, but it is still a good source of protein (unlike many other plant proteins). For this reason, it is one of the best protein options for people following a vegan diet.

There is also evidence that nominal amounts of soy protein (about 25 grams) per day may play a role in reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure and preventing osteoporosis (13, 14).

Conclusion

Get over the idea that all estrogen is bad and that soy protein is the downfall of the male sex. There is no real evidence that 20 to 30 grams of soy protein per day has any negative hormonal effects.

The benefits of moderate amounts of soy protein make it a sensible addition to anyone's diet - and not just for gym-goers and bodybuilders. It is also an excellent ingredient for many recipes due to its exceptional heat stability.

12. if you weren't so damn restrictive with your diet, you wouldn't need "cheat meals" either

The concept of "cheat meals" (or, even worse, "cheat days") has always been kind of a sad thing to me, mostly because it shows how bad people's relationship with food has become. The reality is that if people understood moderation and how to incorporate all the foods they like to eat into their diet (that sounds kind of IIFYM), there wouldn't be such a thing as cheat meals or cheat days.

What I would recommend to people - and especially bodybuilders - is to stop looking at food through a black and white lens, because food is inherently dynamic. Instead of looking at food as clearly good or bad, you should look at it in terms of its actual nutritional and caloric content. If you do this, you'll soon stop seeing certain foods you like as forbidden and learn that you don't have to completely ban them from your diet and can stop stuffing yourself with foods you normally deny yourself at certain planned (or unplanned times).

The more pragmatic way to use so-called cheat meals or days is to use refeed days, where you increase your calorie intake (and usually your carbohydrate intake) in a methodical and controlled way. It is generally best to do this during a phase where you are trying to lose fat and your progress is stagnant to help bring certain metabolic factors back to life.

Conclusion

This is somewhat related to the previously mentioned habit of following an extremely bland and monotonous diet and thinking that you are more hardcore because of it. It is almost always the individuals who are very restrictive in their daily diet who end up with a hamburger tirade at the nearest McDonalds.

So what does this tell you? Well, for one, it means that you need to stop the nonsense and incorporate the foods you like into your diet. For another, you need to learn to understand that a cheat meal is simply a lame excuse to overeat on foods that wouldn't be out of your reach if you could control yourself. Lastly, realize that refeeds are the smarter approach in the long run and may actually have metabolic benefits for people who struggle to lose weight while on a calorie-restricted diet.

Final thoughts - why these habits will never be laid to rest

It doesn't bode well for future generations that many of the dietary habits discussed here, despite their futility, still characterize the bodybuilding and fitness subculture to this day. But at the end of the day, such quirks and idiosyncrasies are a natural part of evolution in many areas.

Many of these habits have evolved over decades and even if some of them are neither scientifically based nor practical, many people have found a way to make them work. I would be an arrogant person if I said that professional bodybuilders couldn't be successful by eating mass amounts of protein every 2 to 3 hours. But just because these people have chosen to eat this way doesn't necessarily mean it's optimal. Many people in the bodybuilding and fitness subculture are successful not because what they are doing is the right way, but because they are doing other things that mask and/or make up for their deficiencies and flaws.

I just find it ironic that so many people in the gym just mindlessly follow their role models and don't have a clue why they are actually practicing these habits. If Arnold Schwarzenegger treacherously told everyone that he only got hard and defined by cake and ice cream, I could well imagine that everyone would start swapping their protein shake for a bucket of Ben & Jerry's.

What I'm ultimately getting at is that unsubstantiated claims and baseless habits in bodybuilding and fitness will always exist, if not thrive, because people who are successful (or look like they're in good shape) are practicing these habits and because all the average exercisers are emulating them. This is the reason I always tell people to look at things critically and question the meaning behind everything they do. Take the time to educate yourself to avoid wasting time and effort both in and out of the gym.

References:

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11. Oregon Health & Science University (2006, February 2). Scientists Dispel Late-Night Eating/Weight Gain Myth. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 12, 2014, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060202080832.html
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Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/myth-fact-bodybuilding-nutrition-habits