Chapter 12 ▶ Nutrition in bodybuilding
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post-workout dinner: proteins + carbohydrates with medium/high glycemic index + small amounts of fat5.
First, we build, then we define (cut phase) By “cut phase” we mean that phase in which we get rid of a part of the body fat acquired during the bulk period, to unbalance the body composition in favor of the lean mass. We all know that, when the time to lose weight in order to define the esthetic shape comes, the greatest concern is not being in shape on time, perhaps before an important event (competitive or not) or even simply for the summer period, and that one of the first things we tend to do is cut calories, which unfortunately, is often done in an extreme and uncontrolled way. By excluding any problems of altered eating behaviors that occur with the obsessive control of one’s body weight, we can actually help ourselves to lose weight more easily by using a few small tricks. When we talk about weight loss, it is necessary that this happens without altering the physiological functions and by maintaining the state of health. The optimal and recommended weight loss is 0.5 kg per week, mainly fat mass, keeping macronutrients, micronutrients and physical exercise within the optimal values. This would allow to obtain a healthy and therefore lasting weight loss (except those who adopt incorrect eating habits later), and above all, it allows to preserve the muscle mass as much as possible. Let’s make a numerical consideration, strictly theoretical: each gram of fat lost corresponds to about 7 Kcal and, considering the 500 g of “fat mass” per week that we mentioned above, ideally it would be necessary to create a caloric deficit of about 3500 Kcal per week, or 500 Kcal per day if we wanted to spread it over 7 consequent days. Clearly, this vision is of an idealistic type and it is not always applicable due to the required timing and the starting situation of the subject. For example, in the case of people with a high percentage of the starting fat mass (overweight/obesity) and a higher than normal percentage of extracellular water, a more marked caloric cut could be applied, while avoiding going below the metabolism baseline which is calculated with certain formulas. In these types of subjects, the weight loss may therefore be more visible, even by 3 kg per week: in the early stages, first of all there will be a large loss of fluids, glycogen and hepatic triglycerides, which will stabilize at lower levels. In fact, individuals with a high percentage of adipose tissue compared to “lean” subjects also have an imbalance in the glycemic-insulin picture or, better, a greater insulin resistance. Among its consequences, it also involves a greater fluid retention in favor of the extracellular compartment, in addition to a poor carbohydrate partitioning in the muscles. Those who find themselves in a similar situation can benefit by decreasing the amount of carbohydrates, because this would improve the insulin response and therefore, it can favor a greater initial weight loss, understood as the loss of fluids in 5 Please note that the quality of the fats is also important. Mono/polyunsaturated fats must be favored, without demonizing the saturated ones, which in any case have important roles at a biochemical, hormonal and cellular level. An acceptable ratio would be 70% of the total fats represented by mono and polyunsaturated ones, and 30% by saturated ones.
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