Will adding fat to my diet provide me with lean gains?

A question to the nutritional gurus.


I'm currently gaining mass at a slow rate at the moment, even stagnant, however am getting leaner.

My calories on workout days are around:
carbs 300g - 45%, pro 260g - 40%, fat 43g - 15% - 2600cals

Rest days is around:
carbs 131g - 25%, pro 262g - 50%, fat 58g - 25% - 2100cals


This was a cutting diet I used in the past, so I am just bumping up the carbs and fat by about 10g each per meal (over 3 meals) so this adds about 400 cals to each days total.

So far after just a couple of weeks on this diet, I'm happy with the results of my recomposition.
I just think I will need more calories soon to keep growing.


Question is, if I stagnate with this current breakdown, can I continue to gain lean mass by just adding more good fats to my diet?
Or, do I also need to add more protein and carbs too?


This is something I don't understand, about how fats work in a diet.
Do they just make up the numbers to bring calories up to a certain level?


Thanks

1. Cholesterol = precursor to male and female hormones, without it you will disintegrate (literally speaking), that’s why your body does not wait for you to ingest cholesterol (since we are not that reliable creatures sometimes) no; one of your body’s most powerful and unique organ ensures tat you have around 2000mg each and every single day. Why the liver and why do I call it unique? I mean isn’t every organ of our body unique in its own right? Sure, but it’s about degrees here. The liver is the only organ in the human body that if you were to cut half of it off and donate it to someone else, the cut half will regenerate itself (like magic)! Now that should tell you that cholesterol is more important than important since the one organ that makes it, has been designed to insure regeneration of its own self to insure the survival of the whole of the human body’s integrity (through cholesterol production). I haven’t said a word about hormone manufacturing through cholesterol here not because I can’t, but because I feel I have already digressed from your original question.

2. EFA, EPA, and DHA fatty acids are fundamental to the proper functioning of your brain and nervous system. I mean seriously, when I tell people to never go below 30% fat, I do it for a fundamental reason, though I don’t explain myself all the time. Drop the essential fatty acids from your diet or reduce them enough and watch yourself go slow, I do mean slow in the head department, the thinking department. Drop them enough and you’re dead! Social and psychiatric problems are but some of the side effects of not having enough EFA, DHA etc.

3. I see you’ve got your fat as low as 15%, why? Fat does not raise your insulin levels but rather stabilises it. Without insulin you won’t put on fat no matter how hard you try. But we talking insulin spiking and the timing of it here. That is why in my “diets” you won’t see insulin spiking outside the times which correlate with training. Even on days off training I made a change to stabilise insulin by choosing different food with different GI levels. I may be digressing again, you tell me…

4. To answer your question directly I’d say yes, but… which fat would you add Hulk? I tell you what, I’d like to write an article of eating fat losing fat but that will have to wait for a bit. So in the meantime I’ll give you (and the whole world) two of my secret weapons in losing fat or at least gaining energy and muscle through the inclusion of these two fats. Coconut oil and DHA. You probably have heard of coconut oil as being reffered to as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). I’m not going to say anymore at this point except for you to increase your fat consumption to no less than 30%, and bring your protein down to no more than say 26 or so percent. We are after balance here and around 42% C, 26%P, 31%F is where I see balance for a strength/power athlete like you. Otherwise for endurance, I’d change the ratio in favour of carbs.


Fadi.

Hi Fadi,

Thanks for your detailed response.
You really are a master of nutrition.

I am currently on an intermittent fasting diet (eating 3 meals between 4pm and midnight), and you probably wouldn't advise such a diet, but I'll stick with it a little while longer.

That diet was actually made for me by Martin from www.leangains.com as a fat loss/muscle maintenance diet, but I suppose I need to change it a little for a muscle gain diet.

Would you mind taking a look and let me know what you would change for me to gain lean mass with minimal fat gain.

My figures are like this:

Workout Days (workout M/W/F is between meal 1 and 2)
Meal 1: Protein 80g - Carbs 63g - Fat 7.5g, 640 calories
Meal 2: Protein 90g - Carbs 168g - Fat 20g, 1212 calories
Meal 3: Protein 87g - Carbs 41g - Fat 21g, 701 calories
Total = 2553 calories, Protein 40% - Carbs 43% - Fat 17%

Rest Days
Meal 1: Protein 70g - Carbs 63g - Fat 27g, 775 calories
Meal 2: Protein 100g - Carbs 40g - Fat 5g, 605 calories
Meal 3: Protein 87g - Carbs 41g - Fat 21g, 701 calories
Total = 2081 calories, Protein 49% - Carbs 28% - Fat 23%

I'm currently eating a little more carbs and fat with each meal, which would add about 400 calories more to the daily totals listed above.
However, I actually now think I am losing some weight, rather than mild gains or even stagnant, although I do believe it is fat or possibly water.

So what would the best changes be?
Or, should I just throw this out and start with a new diet, (but I still want the same meal frequency and timing for now).

Can I simply add almonds or peanut butter to bump up my fat calories?


Thanks for your help.

The Hulk said:

Hi Fadi,


I am currently on an intermittent fasting diet (eating 3 meals between 4pm and midnight), and you probably wouldn't advise such a diet, but I'll stick with it a little while longer.

Click to expand...

Not at all Hulk, I would never change something that is given you satisfaction, never! I think from a psychological point of view (which plays a tremendous role in eating by the way); this baby might just be what the doctor ordered. There's no harm in doing something new and experimenting with one's eating pattern, not at all Hulk.

That diet was actually made for me by Martin from www.leangains.com as a fat loss/muscle maintenance diet, but I suppose I need to change it a little for a muscle gain diet.

Click to expand...

I think sometimes people (with good intentions mind you), tend to confuse the issue when it comes to muscle and protein intake. You see Hulk; this diet is aimed to result in fat loss/muscle maintenance. So the person who wrote it thinks ah, muscle maintenance or even muscle synthesis must equal to out of this world amount of protein.

If the body could talk (and it can), it'll be saying hey Hulk, you're declaring a war on me by throwing my balance (homeostasis) out of whack, and for that I'm going to punish you. Punishment comes in many flavours and colours. Some come in the shape of weight not coming down/slower metabolism, whilst others come in with water retention under the skin or dry skin (on the flip side), or or or... Every time you hear someone complaining that his or her diet is not working, it's because they have decided to work against their own body instead of with it.

Would you mind taking a look and let me know what you would change for me to gain lean mass with minimal fat gain.

Click to expand...

Sure thing Hulk. Now everyone knows that I'm not a nutritionist or dietician although I very much like the subject of nutrition. But there's another subject that I love, not like but love and that is biochemistry. Let me put it to you this way Hulk, when a biochemist talks, nutritionists and dieticians listen.

Now two of my favourite and respectable biochemists tell me that what you have posted here is well...slightly out of balance. Out of balance for what you may ask? Out of balance for all the bio chemical reactions to take place properly inside your body. They tell me that your fat percentages are way too low and your proteins are way too high. Of course I can argue and tell them that they simply don't understand bodybuilding and bodybuilders. I think this would be the equivalent of Michael Schumacher telling his Ferrari mechanic that he doesn't know how the Ferrari engines works and what it needs exactly to achieve optimum speed! Yes Michael is one hell of a racing driver, but he’s no mechanic!

So if you don't mind, I’d like to copy and paste a sentence that I've already written in my first reply to you and this is the following:

We are after balance here and around 42% C, 26%P, 31%F is where I see balance for a strength/power athlete like you. Otherwise for endurance, I’d change the ratio in favour of carbs.

Click to expand...

My figures are like this:

Click to expand...

Workout Days (workout M/W/F is between meal 1 and 2)
Meal 1: Protein 80g - Carbs 63g - Fat 7.5g, 640 calories
Meal 2: Protein 90g - Carbs 168g - Fat 20g, 1212 calories
Meal 3: Protein 87g - Carbs 41g - Fat 21g, 701 calories
Total = 2553 calories, Protein 40% - Carbs 43% - Fat 17%

Rest Days
Meal 1: Protein 70g - Carbs 63g - Fat 27g, 775 calories
Meal 2: Protein 100g - Carbs 40g - Fat 5g, 605 calories
Meal 3: Protein 87g - Carbs 41g - Fat 21g, 701 calories
Total = 2081 calories, Protein 49% - Carbs 28% - Fat 23%

Click to expand...

Okay Hulk, first of all your workout days’ ratio for carbs is well, I love it! Spot on my friend since you're a not a marathon runner but a strength and power athlete. Otherwise I would have upped it to 65-70% instead!

Now if you just take from Paul and give to Peter I'd be happy. So take some percentages from protein and allocate them to Mr. Fat. Hulk please trust me, most every time you feel lousy in your life or training, it's because your daily fat percentages in comparison to the other two macros are simply too low. So up the fat to no less than 30% and lower your protein accordingly.

Now I see that you're doing what most bodybuilders do and that is to bring their carbs or calories down on none training days. I'm asking why? What's the logic behind taking such a move? Of course the answer is always the same: "well I won't be training so I figure that I won't be needing so much energy in the form of carbs."

I say fine if that's what you say. Now hear what I have to say. I never like to isolate something and take it out of its context, with me so far Hulk? You see, you're not training on Monday and then having six day off then training the following Monday, are you? I doubt it, I know you're not. Because if that is what you are doing, then I say I give you my blessings in lowering your carbs because indeed there is a huge time gap between one Monday and its equivalent other 7 days later. But we agreed that you're not doing that. And because you're not doing that Hulk, your metabolism won't have a chance to go to sleep, but would still be revving due to your workouts...your not so far apart workout that is, am I right?

Now what would happen to all these carbs ingested on your days off? I'll let you answer that question before I give you my answer, but I'll give you a hint nevertheless because I don't want you to get the wrong answer first off.

Hulk, Have you noticed what most bodybuilders say about Monday's workout? It's always magic, weights feel lighter, PBs are broken, muscles are pumped and veins are popping out! Have you guessed why yet? It's because the ones that don't train over the weekend, have their muscles so full of glycogen their skin feel like bursting. All because they had two days straight with carb loading (unplanned of course).

Now comes the bodybuilders who choose to lower their carbs, scared that they might put on some fat over the two days (or one day for some) where they have a rest day. Come Monday (for those Bodybuilders) and it's just like any other day. The first group, who decided to leave their carbs at 40 something percent as opposed to twenty something percent, has such an amazing workout full of energy that they would burn off any grams of fat they may have added due to leaving their carbs where they are.

Hulk, you only have to increase your maintenance calories and take it up by a mere 200 calories to realise some muscle gain and minimum fat gain. Only 200 calories above maintenance, that's all. The same goes if you want to lose fat mass, reduce by 200 and let your workouts take care of the caloric expenditure and fat reduction. Reduce calories too much below maintenance and you might as well declare war on the master himself: your body.

Now I'm not so sure I’ve answered any of your questions but what I did I think is give you plenty of food for thought. All the best Hulk and easy does it.


Fadi.

Thank you so much for your inspiring reply Fadi.
I like how you explain the why, intsead of simply saying do this or that.
Really appreciate your time.

I will adapt my ratios to 42% C, 26%P, 31%F as advised.
Now, will do a little more research into which fats to add.

Apart from coconut oil and DHA, are there any other common fats you could advise.
Or, are there certain foods which contain the fats I need?

Thanks again,
Adrian

Oh dear. Fadi gave a much, much more entertaining & informative response than i was going to give.


I downloaded a podcast last week'ish about the cholesterol myth. It discussed the importance of cholesterol, about how there's a large amount of older people who encounter mental illnesses such as alzheimers when taking when taking medication to lower their cholesterol. As fadi said, fat is extremely essential to mind & body wellbeing. That's why it's called 'ESSENTIAL fatty acids'. The 'healthy' cholesterol levels as deemed by the medical community is dropping bit by bit, which in a way if you think about it...helps the drug company's since...they'll make more mola with the more they sell!!

Sorry, i digress...

For almost 2 years now i've been on an eating plan that works with fat being around 65% of my calories, protein being 35% & carbs being 0-5% (on training days), then on weekends, i do the normal (while well planned out) carb loading.

As Fadi said, get your fat levels higher mate, fat burns fat!