The popularity increase of healthy eating in recent years has spawned research in natural nutrients that can improve health and well being, with one of the most widely advertised being Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), which are healthy fat sources that have been shown to reduce cholesterol, improve immune system response, and aid in sustaining normal body function (such as smooth skin). Therefore, these EFA sources have become popular in the diets of many, and have even caught the attention of the bodybuilding community as a method of offering energy while enhancing long term health.
But will fat actually assist in muscle building? This is a question many bodybuilders have been asking, especially considering how some have claimed that a group of fat based foods can assist in hormone increase, and will therefore boost muscle gain when implemented properly within a bodybuilding diet regimen. This idea has especially captured the attention of many bodybuilders who have developed a negative view of carbohydrates due to having gained significant body fat on standard carbohydrate focused muscle building diet plans.
I value the positive health impact offered by EFA sources, and recommend using these as part of any diet routine, regardless of whether bodybuilding is a goal, and therefore all should integrate EFA for health and immune system benefits. Yet, in terms of muscle gain, carbohydrates are far more anabolic as compared with fat, and therefore many who switch to a diet regimen which focuses on fat as a primary energy source will find that muscle mass gains decline, sometimes dramatically. The negative stigma attached to carbohydrates which have made higher fat diets popular are not related to an inherent evil in carbohydrate sources (as fruit and raw honey, two examples of carbohydrate sources, are extraordinarily healthy), but instead due to improperly constructed diet routines which favor carbohydrates as an excessive percentage of overall food consumption, which causes body fat to increase far more quickly than necessary. Instead of adjusting carbohydrates to a more balanced macronutrient ratio in relation to protein and fat, many bodybuilders instead nearly reject carbohydrates outright, and find that their results suffer substantially as a result.
It has been said that saturated fat can play a role in hormone production, and consuming a small portion of total calories from saturated fat is acceptable for those who do not suffer from any genetic predisposition towards or history of cardiovascular (heart) disease, but the likely negative health side effects stemming from large levels of saturated fat outweighs any bodybuilding hormone related benefits, therefore of all foods consumed, saturated fat should comprise the smallest overall percentage. A bodybuilder who abstains from all forms of saturated fat can achieve dramatic bodybuilding results, as I gained over 60 pounds of muscle mass while consuming a very low saturated fat level, and I do not feel that fat in general, including saturated, will have a dramatically positive impact on muscle building, but will harm progress if significant carbohydrates are sacrificed in favor of extra fat consumption.
A correctly constructed diet regimen will focus upon a variety of nutrients for maximum health impact and muscle building progress, including carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, with saturated fat integrated only in moderation (for those who are not predisposed to cardiovascular related medical issues), and when doing so, the downside of carbohydrates that disrupt the progress of many bodybuilders will be averted, and the body will receive a wide range of nutrients for optimal function, both in terms of defense against disease, and total muscle gained.
For those weight lifters who currently integrate fat into their diet regimen, by all means abandon unhealthy forms of fat, such as trans fat, as these types of fats are destined to rest themselves within blood vessels, producing life threatening cardiovascular difficulties. The majority of health issues experienced in our modern culture originate from poor lifestyle choices, including food selection, with unhealthy fat consumption reaching epidemic proportions due to the growing infatuation with fast food and boxed unperishable food items that utilize terrible additives. Yet, with so many delicious food options available that are also extremely beneficial to muscle building and health, there is no worthwhile reason to design a diet routine based upon damaging foods, even when visiting a restaurant. Weight lifting is not only a hobby based on maximum muscle gain, but also involves enhancing overall health and well being, therefore choosing the correct collection of foods is no less important than the weight training workout itself.
Author Resource:-
Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a workout routine for muscle building without supplements or drugs. He also owns FatVanish.com, where you will find his natural fat loss program.
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