|
Using Fat
In Muscle Building
Diets
If you are
interested in muscle
building diets, you need to
know that there are three
types of fat: saturated,
monounsaturated, and
polyunsaturated. Mainly
saturated fats, such as
butter and lard, are solid
at room temperature. Meats
and cheeses also contain
high levels of saturated
fat, which raises the
amount of cholesterol in
the blood and increases the
risk of atherosclerosis
(hardening of the
arteries). Monounsaturated
fats, including avocado,
olive, canola and peanut
oils, are much healthier.
They have even been shown
to inhibit bodyfat gains in
mice compared with mice
given an equivalent amount
of saturated fat.
Polyunsaturated fats are
more unsaturated than the
monounsaturated fats.
Examples of these fats are
corn, soybean, and
safflower oils.
All sources
of fat have a mixture of
both saturated and
unsaturated fats in them.
As a general rule, animal
fats are predominately
saturated while vegetable
oils are mostly
unsaturated. There are
exceptions, however. Palm
kernel and coconut oils are
made up of mostly saturated
fatty acids, while chicken
fat has a great deal of
unsaturated fat. Fish oils
are also high in
polyunsaturated fatty
acids. Hydrogenated or
partially hydrogenated
vegetable oil is actually
unsaturated vegetable oil
that has been chemically
processed to make it more
saturated. Products with
these modified oils should
be avoided if you’d like to
get bigger muscles for the
same reasons you steer away
from saturated fats.
High levels
of fat consumption have
been linked to diabetes,
obesity, hypertension and
even cancer. They can
adversely affect the
transport of glucose into
skeletal muscle,
restricting the formation
of the glycogen stores.
They can even reduce the
effectiveness of insulin
and the oxygen-carrying
capacity of the blood. For
these reasons, it is wise
for athletes to restrict
the total amount of fat in
order to get bigger
muscles.
Athletes
who are interested in
health and maximum strength
gains should consume a diet
that is 10- to 15-percent
fat. This will provide
enough of the two essential
fatty acids while keeping
the impact on your total
caloric intake to a
minimum. (Fats have nine
calories per gram versus
four calories for proteins
and carbohydrates).
Depending on your workout
program and metabolism,
greater fat intake may
result in bodyfat
accumulation without any
corresponding sports
benefit. You could also eat
a relatively fat-free diet
and consume a tablespoon or
two of flaxseed (linseed)
oil each day. This oil is
an excellent source of
linoleic and linolenic
acids, which are known as
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty
acids, respectively.
Evening primrose oil and
borage oil are also good
sources of these fats, but
they are much more
expensive. Flaxseed oil has
relatively more omega-3
acids, while primrose oil
and borage oil have higher
amounts of omega-6 acids.
Cold water fish, such as
tuna, and fish-oil
supplements also have high
amounts of omega-3s.
You can
minimize your exposure to
saturated fat by eating
mostly fish, chicken,
turkey, and egg whites for
your protein sources. This
will keep your total fat
intake down as well. Reduce
your beef, pork, and
egg-yolk consumption to a
minimum, and when you eat
meat buy a very lean cut
and trim away all of the
visible fat. Throw out your
butter dish and keep on
driving past those
fast-food restaurants. Over
time, these dietary changes
will give you a trimmer,
more defined physique that
will show off the results
of your hard work at the
gym and you will get bigger
muscles for sure.
|
