Fat from food performs vital functions in our body. How much fat should you consume from a bodybuilding perspective?
THE BENEFITS OF FAT
However you look at it, we simply need fats from food. And no, not just as seasonings. Fats function as an energy source, as a building material for cells, as a means of transport for, among other things, fat-soluble vitamins, and also as a component of vitamins and hormones. Body fat protects organs and nerve cells, and against the cold.
Fat itself does not make you fat. Whether you gain or lose fat is determined by your long-term energy balance (calories in, calories out). In the cut, maintain a calorie deficit of 20-25% of your maintenance level. If you are in the bulk, eat 10-20% on top of your maintenance level.
TYPES OF FAT
We distinguish two types of fat from food: unsaturated fats (poly and mono) and saturated. In addition, there are trans fats, which fall under the unsaturated fats.
UNSATURATED FATS
Polyunsaturated fats are, for example, fatty fish and vegetable oils. Monounsaturated fats can be found, for example, in olive oil, nuts and avocado. These are also known as healthy fats.
SATURATED FATS
Saturated fats can be found in animal products, such as cheese, cream, sausage and fatty meat, butter, cakes, biscuits and pastries, and in some snacks. These fats are also called unhealthy fats.
Saturated fat has traditionally been known to cause cardiovascular disease. However, this is increasingly being questioned by new and improved research. Perhaps only trans fat is the main culprit in heart disease, and saturated fat is not or hardly at all.
TRANS FATS
Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fat that is not good for health. The majority of trans fat in food is produced in the factory. A structurally large intake can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Trans fats are found in cookies, pastries and snacks.
FAT AND TESTOSTERONE
The production of testosterone partly depends on the fats from your diet: on the one hand because they increase the activity of enzymes involved in the production of testosterone, on the other hand because they maintain your cholesterol level. Cholesterol provides the building blocks for body cells and hormones, including testosterone.
Eating more fat than the minimum, however, does nothing extra for your testosterone level.
HOW MUCH FAT DO YOU NEED?
You need less fat than you might think. For muscle growth (bulk) or muscle maintenance (cut), the calorie level (above or below maintenance) and protein intake (around 2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day) are the most important. What remains are carbohydrates and fats.
In a ‘normal’ diet, the low-carb/low-fat split doesn’t matter much: you can lose fat efficiently with either approach. But as a bodybuilder you have more to do than just lose pounds: you also have to maintain your hard-earned muscle mass. So cut.
Carbohydrates fulfill various functions with regard to muscle growth and/or maintenance. From a bodybuilding perspective, fat is really only important for the testosterone level. And we already saw that eating more fat than the minimum does nothing extra for the testosterone level.
Several researchers and coaches therefore recommend placing the emphasis on carbohydrates and therefore going low-fat earlier, especially in the cut. An overview of references:
- Review Iraki, Helms ea conclude: in the cut, fat should be consumed in moderate amounts, ie 0.5-1.5 g/kg/day;
- Coach Broderick Chavez: don’t eat more than 1 g/kg/day;
- Coach Jackson Peos: most experts indicate 0.5 g/kg/day as the minimum;
- Coach Mike Israetel: take 0.8 g/kg/d as a starting point and adjust this upwards if your testosterone production (read: libido) suffers too much;
- Coach Eric Trexler marks 0.6 g/kg/day as the minimum.
- Coach Steve Hall advices 0,5-1 g/kg/day.
We reduce this to the following guidelines:
- bulk: 1-1.5 grams of fat per kilogram of body weight per day;
- cut: 0.5-1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight per day.
Divide these fats between unsaturated fats (2/3) and saturated fats (1/3).
The exact ideal fat intake also depends on your body fat percentage: the leaner you are, the higher you should go in the fats. A matter of experimentation.
Example of a 70 kg man in the cut, maintenance 2000 kcal:
maintenance: (2000-20%=) 1600 kcal
proteins: (70*2=) 140 g
fats: (70*0.8=) 56 g
carbohydrates: the rest
You need a calorie app to keep track of your food intake .
CONCLUSION
For body composition it is especially important that you eat the right amount of calories and proteins. How to distribute fats and carbohydrates is less important, but several renowned coaches advise limiting the intake of fat to 0.5-1 g/kg/day in the cut and 1-1.5 g/kg/d in the bulk . This leaves enough room for carbohydrates, which are also very important for muscle growth and maintenance.