Macro partitioning
Eating three to six meals per day with 0.4-0.5 g/kg of protein in meals surrounding resistance training likely maximizes theoretical benefits of nutrient timing, but alterations in timing and frequency have little effect on fat loss or lean mass retention.
Aim for 3-6 meals per day, ensuring each meal contains 0.4-0.5 g/kg of your body weight in protein. Try to have a protein-rich meal before and after your training sessions. However, do not stress if you cannot hit these times perfectly; your total daily protein intake is much more important for your results.
Eating three to six meals per day with a meal containing 0.4-0.5 g/kg bodyweight of protein prior and subsequent to resistance training likely maximizes any theoretical benefits of nutrient timing and frequency. However, alterations in nutrient timing and frequency appear to have little effect on fat loss or lean mass retention.
Why this rating
Based on a mix of acute studies showing increased MPS and chronic studies showing no difference in outcomes when total protein is matched.
Source
Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation
Eric R. Helms et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2014
DOI 10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
More from this paper
- To maximize lean body mass retention during caloric restriction, natural bodybuilders should aim for a weekly bodyweight loss rate of 0.5% to 1%.Good
- Natural bodybuilders in contest preparation should consume 2.3-3.1 g/kg of lean body mass per day of protein to maximize lean body mass retention.Good
- Creatine monohydrate, caffeine, and beta-alanine are the only popular supplements with beneficial effects relevant to natural bodybuilding contest preparation.Good
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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