To what extent does food intake promote strength gains / recovery?

[sid786]

Hey folks,

question is basically in the title already. Is it a matter of diminishing returns or more like 'the more you eat, the better the strength gains / recovery'?

Or is there a certain point of food / calorie intake, after that strength gains cannot be promoted any further and all you'll cause is fat gain?

Thanks.
sid786

[manveer]

Or is there a certain point of food / calorie intake, after that strength gains cannot be promoted any further and all you'll cause is fat gain?

Yes, of course this is true. You need enough to recover but at some point you will cross the threshold into just becoming fat.

If you haven't already read it, this is a good article to start with: To Be A Beast

[squatguy]

Hey folks,

question is basically in the title already. Is it a matter of diminishing returns or more like 'the more you eat, the better the strength gains / recovery'?

Or is there a certain point of food / calorie intake, after that strength gains cannot be promoted any further and all you'll cause is fat gain?

Thanks.
sid786

it's interesting,

studies have shown that muscle recovery after training will occur with proper nutrition or without it.

the question is to what extent can the proper nutrition promote optimal muscle growth and recovery,

given that you will become stronger and muscles will grow without food, or rather without anything close to what you think you would require to grow muscle,

i would say that the minimum necessary nutritional level for optimal development is lower than most will think,

there is already a strong body of work dispelling the 1g per kg protein myth, and as little as 0.5 g per kg was shown to be enough in most people to support resistance exercise.

so do not go so sweaty over it,

i build my diet on eggs, they are the building block because even if i am not able or unwilling to take care of any other food preparation on a given day,

a base of 12-24 raw eggs per day will give me mostly everything i need, and in abundance, to grow muscle and become stronger

[Gerhard]

I guarantee you that it's possible to overtrain a caloric surplus, to the point you make no gains to strength whatsoever, but still gain weight... I know that from experience! :P

There's a fine balance at getting it right. Rule of thumb, for those concerned about getting fat too quickly +500kcal on training days, rough maintenance with more protein on off days. Don't complicate it more than it needs to be, if you do, you'll completely destroy any ability to enjoy food! :P

[sid786]

it's interesting,

studies have shown that muscle recovery after training will occur with proper nutrition or without it.

the question is to what extent can the proper nutrition promote optimal muscle growth and recovery,

given that you will become stronger and muscles will grow without food, or rather without anything close to what you think you would require to grow muscle,

i would say that the minimum necessary nutritional level for optimal development is lower than most will think

Does that mean, that it is entirely possible to get stronger or even build muscle in a caloric deficit or at caloric maintenance? If yes, how so?

I guarantee you that it's possible to overtrain a caloric surplus, to the point you make no gains to strength whatsoever, but still gain weight... I know that from experience! :P

There's a fine balance at getting it right. Rule of thumb, for those concerned about getting fat too quickly +500kcal on training days, rough maintenance with more protein on off days. Don't complicate it more than it needs to be, if you do, you'll completely destroy any ability to enjoy food! :P

Does 'still gain weight' refer to fat gains? Because that is what happens to me all the time. I'm in a caloric surplus, but I don't get notably stronger, no matter what, so I end up getting fat from all the excess calories, that don't go into muscle building but straight into fat gains.

[Adam Skillin]

To what extent do bricks, concrete, and/or wood support a building?

[sid786]

To what extent do bricks, concrete, and/or wood support a building?

To a certain extent. Everything beyond of what is needed to complete that building, will be stored and is therefore wasted?

[Adam Skillin]

To a certain extent. Everything beyond of what is needed to complete that building, will be stored and is therefore wasted?

And what are the consequences of an insufficient supply?

[sid786]

And what are the consequences of an insufficient supply?

A neverending construction site. So it is better to store some material, than to not have enough.

I better go get me a meal.

[Meshuggah]

Just drink plenty of water, food is highly overrated.