Why a bodybuilder shouldn’t fast.

[IFBB Hall of Fame]

Protein Balance- and why it matters.

This actually quite basic information which every bodybuilder should know.
-
The maintenance of skeletal muscle tissue is predicated on the dynamic balance of muscle protein synthesis and protein breakdown. The human body is in a constant state of protein turnover (the constant fight between build up and break down) proteins are constantly degraded and resynthesized throughout the course of each day.
-
As a bodybuilder you want to stimulate the shit out the protein synthesis and minimize degradation, and by that create a net positive, ‘gain state’.
-
Skeletal muscle protein turnover in healthy recreationally active people averages approximately 1.2% a day and exists in dynamic equilibrium; muscle protein breakdown exceeds muscle protein synthesis in the fasted state and muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown postprandially (during or relating to the period after dinner or lunch) (49)* This is why everything that includes a “fast” is by principle a bad idea for the bodybuilder. -
The protein balance is also true reason why it’s a bad idea going 5+ hours without any food.
-
Worth pointing out (!) eating every 1-2 hours is not only extremely impractical but it’s not beneficial, due to the ‘muscle full effect’.** -
Simple terms; if you stimulate the MPS properly (ingesting 30-50 grams of protein, your body can easily handle more but for MPS this is sufficient) it stays elevated for about 3-4 hours before returning to baseline. This means you have a chance every 3-4 hours to maximize MPS in order to win the war against protein degradation! -
MPS=muscle protein synthesis.
-
*Atherton, PJ, and Smith, K. Muscle protein synthesis in response to nutrition and exercise. J Physiol. 590: 1049-1057, 2012.
-
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/20844073/**

 

[KaiGold]

Welcome here! Good read!

 

[Kakashi2020]

Protein Balance- and why it matters.

This actually quite basic information which every bodybuilder should know.
-
The maintenance of skeletal muscle tissue is predicated on the dynamic balance of muscle protein synthesis and protein breakdown. The human body is in a constant state of protein turnover (the constant fight between build up and break down) proteins are constantly degraded and resynthesized throughout the course of each day.
-
As a bodybuilder you want to stimulate the shit out the protein synthesis and minimize degradation, and by that create a net positive, ‘gain state’.
-
Skeletal muscle protein turnover in healthy recreationally active people averages approximately 1.2% a day and exists in dynamic equilibrium; muscle protein breakdown exceeds muscle protein synthesis in the fasted state and muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown postprandially (during or relating to the period after dinner or lunch) (49)* This is why everything that includes a “fast” is by principle a bad idea for the bodybuilder. -
The protein balance is also true reason why it’s a bad idea going 5+ hours without any food.
-
Worth pointing out (!) eating every 1-2 hours is not only extremely impractical but it’s not beneficial, due to the ‘muscle full effect’.** -
Simple terms; if you stimulate the MPS properly (ingesting 30-50 grams of protein, your body can easily handle more but for MPS this is sufficient) it stays elevated for about 3-4 hours before returning to baseline. This means you have a chance every 3-4 hours to maximize MPS in order to win the war against protein degradation! -
MPS=muscle protein synthesis.
-
*Atherton, PJ, and Smith, K. Muscle protein synthesis in response to nutrition and exercise. J Physiol. 590: 1049-1057, 2012.
-
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/20844073/**

I do agree that when you have achieved a good physique, you should maintain it by eating muscle building food and by working out. You should not fast at this stage because it would affect your muscle integrity and mass. In some cases where a body builder would like to trim down on his weight and muscles then fasting could be an option but I do really think that in these cases it would be much easier to just eat less than undergo fasting.

 

[Alexandoy]

Let me share what I had read about UFC fighters. An example is former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez who weighs 190 pounds when not in training. He would shed that weight down to 155 in 3 months. You can guess that he does a lot of fasting. And one week before the weigh-in, he would only take water to further shed off 10 pounds. And after the weigh-in, he would eat a lot to regain that 10 pounds so he would be 165 during fight night. He's not the only one doing that.

 

[IFBB Hall of Fame]

Let me share what I had read about UFC fighters. An example is former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez who weighs 190 pounds when not in training. He would shed that weight down to 155 in 3 months. You can guess that he does a lot of fasting. And one week before the weigh-in, he would only take water to further shed off 10 pounds. And after the weigh-in, he would eat a lot to regain that 10 pounds so he would be 165 during fight night. He's not the only one doing that.

Why BODYBUILDERS shouldnt fast.

 

[Charlie]

Nobody should fast.

 

[jp1234]

Great Post, and I agree 100%.

Welcome to the Forum................................. JP
P.S.
If a Bodybuilder needs to Cut Fat, there are plenty of ways to do it, without Fasting.
Such as a Caloric Deficit or Carb-Cycling, just to name 2.

 

[Kieranlewix]

Protein Balance- and why it matters.

This actually quite basic information which every bodybuilder should know.
-
The maintenance of skeletal muscle tissue is predicated on the dynamic balance of muscle protein synthesis and protein breakdown. The human body is in a constant state of protein turnover (the constant fight between build up and break down) proteins are constantly degraded and resynthesized throughout the course of each day.
-
As a bodybuilder you want to stimulate the shit out the protein synthesis and minimize degradation, and by that create a net positive, ‘gain state’.
-
Skeletal muscle protein turnover in healthy recreationally active people averages approximately 1.2% a day and exists in dynamic equilibrium; muscle protein breakdown exceeds muscle protein synthesis in the fasted state and muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown postprandially (during or relating to the period after dinner or lunch) (49)* This is why everything that includes a “fast” is by principle a bad idea for the bodybuilder. -
The protein balance is also true reason why it’s a bad idea going 5+ hours without any food.
-
Worth pointing out (!) eating every 1-2 hours is not only extremely impractical but it’s not beneficial, due to the ‘muscle full effect’.** -
Simple terms; if you stimulate the MPS properly (ingesting 30-50 grams of protein, your body can easily handle more but for MPS this is sufficient) it stays elevated for about 3-4 hours before returning to baseline. This means you have a chance every 3-4 hours to maximize MPS in order to win the war against protein degradation! -
MPS=muscle protein synthesis.
-
*Atherton, PJ, and Smith, K. Muscle protein synthesis in response to nutrition and exercise. J Physiol. 590: 1049-1057, 2012.
-
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/20844073/**

A normal everyday male should balance between the MPS and MPD to ensure that his physique remains the same. For a bodybuilder, the MPS would obviously have to be more so that he can maintain a nice muscle gain curve. I would suggest that excessive intake of protein be avoided because that would cause allergies as in the case of eggs. What I don't quite understand is why starvation would cause protein degradation. When a person does not eat for a while, the body breaks down the fat in his/her body first. For it to get to a point where the proteins start being broken down, it would have to be a really long starvation period.

 

[Oldschool]

Protein balance can easily be measured by a UUN or BUN test. If you are retaining more nitrogen then you are loosing you are in a positive nitrogen state. For these tests to be accurate they are performed on an empty stomach.

 

[jeffreyjose48]

I believe that a bodybuilder should not fast. I truly agree with the information shared. It is just like saying, how can a student study well if he is has a hungry stomach. Your mind can't function very well if your stomach is empty. I think the same is true with bodybuilding. How can the muscles be formed if the stomach has nothing to work on.

 

[Alexandoy]

One uncle who was into bodybuilding used to tell us to eat often when doing the workout especially when you are lifting weights. The muscles need the food, he said, so it can grow faster if you workout and eat. Of course, there is a rest period before eating after the workout. But don’t let yourself go hungry since the small intestines may be devoured by the big intestines, he said that to scare us.

 

[Ds3317]

One uncle who was into bodybuilding used to tell us to eat often when doing the workout especially when you are lifting weights. The muscles need the food, he said, so it can grow faster if you workout and eat. Of course, there is a rest period before eating after the workout. But don’t let yourself go hungry since the small intestines may be devoured by the big intestines, he said that to scare us.

Do you ever actually have anything useful to add that either isn’t outdated and useless or actually makes any sense? Like you can’t be serious with crap that you post.

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[ArnoldS]

Don't come in here being a douchebag.

 

[KaiGold]

One uncle who was into bodybuilding used to tell us to eat often when doing the workout especially when you are lifting weights. The muscles need the food, he said, so it can grow faster if you workout and eat. Of course, there is a rest period before eating after the workout. But don’t let yourself go hungry since the small intestines may be devoured by the big intestines, he said that to scare us.

Do you ever actually have anything useful to add that either isn’t outdated and useless or actually makes any sense? Like you can’t be serious with crap that you post.

- - - Updated - - -

Don't judge.

 

[Ds3317]

Don't come in here being a douchebag.

I’m not being a douche bag. I’m being serious. From what’s been posted here to a ufc fighter water fasting for a week, to chicken noodle soup and crackers, etc. I mean it’s your forum but when I hear of a forum called musclemecca this nonsense being entertained and taken seriously is not what I would expect.
Ive looked at almost all his post and not a single one are beneficial.

 

[ArnoldS]

Don't come in here being a douchebag.

I’m not being a douche bag. I’m being serious. From what’s been posted here to a ufc fighter water fasting for a week, to chicken noodle soup and crackers, etc. I mean it’s your forum but when I hear of a forum called musclemecca this nonsense being entertained and taken seriously is not what I would expect.
Ive looked at almost all his post and not a single one are beneficial.

Not my forum. It's not censored here. People post what they want.

 

[KaiGold]

Don't come in here being a douchebag.

I’m not being a douche bag. I’m being serious. From what’s been posted here to a ufc fighter water fasting for a week, to chicken noodle soup and crackers, etc. I mean it’s your forum but when I hear of a forum called musclemecca this nonsense being entertained and taken seriously is not what I would expect.
Ive looked at almost all his post and not a single one are beneficial.

There's some bullshit here but lots of good stuff too. Just ignore the bullshit because the only thing really censored here is spam. Part of the reason this is the only forum I post at these days.

 

[Athanas]

Because of the amount of energy that is required to do exercises and build muscle, they can not afford to fast.

 

[SolidSa]

When fasting body enters Catabolic state and induces muscle loss. Would advise, clean diet with fruits and good protein source during cutting cycle to maintain muscle size. BCCA would be a great help during your cutting cycle.

 

[Mildredtabitha]

I totally agree with the original post. Body builders should never fast because of the high energy requirements their body needs to maintain their physique and muscle needs. Fasting should never be in a body builders vocabulary.