Chapter 12 ▶ Nutrition in bodybuilding
On the contrary, the closer the subject is to being a beginner, the greater their potential for muscle growth: this is because they will have more room for progression in training and, therefore, for an anabolic stimulus. Potentially their caloric requirement can go even beyond 25% compared to the TDEE. In this context, a fundamental parameter which can make a big difference in results, is age. Physiologically, a young individual has higher IGF-1, free testosterone, and growth hormone than a more mature individual, and will therefore be able to handle larger caloric increases, while limiting the parallel fat gain that could occur.
BULK ZONE TDEE 100% maintenance
+15% intermediate
+10% advanced
+30% under 23
+20% beginner
Figure 12.2 The figure represents the personally elaborated range of the caloric demand regarding the TDEE. The interval is divided according to the age and the starting level of the subject, and it is focused on the “construction” period (bulk phase).
Let’s take an example: • a man of 80 kg of weight × 180 cm tall, 30 years old; • 4 weight workouts per week; • average activity during the day (6000 steps per day); • estimated body fat is 10% using the plicometry method; • formerly overweight. By calculating the TDEE through the formulas, we get a value of 2650 Kcal; these are the estimated Kcal that would keep him at the indicated weight. However, if, as in the case of our example subject, we are faced with a person who has suffered from obesity in the past, that is, a person who has a rather high weight set point, we must consider the fact that this person will tend to accumulate fat easily and will be inflexible at the metabolic level. At this point, we must consider our subject’s level: if we have an advanced athlete with years of training and in or near his maximum natural genetic potential, we can do as follows: 2650 + 10% = 2915 Kcal
If instead, our subject is at an intermediate level: 104
