Nutrition Myths part 3

No.7 – Carbs Build Muscle
Only protein actually becomes part of new muscle tissue. However carbohydrates do provide the fuel for most of the body’s various systems and are essential if you’re going to train with enough intensity to stimulate muscle growth. A rule of thumb is to consume roughly 2-3 grams of carbohydrate daily for each pound of lean body mass. This should be sufficient to restore muscle glycogen depleted during training and to supply the energy you need on a daily basis.

No.8 – You don’t have to eat much protein if you just want to ‘tone’
Firstly, there’s no such thing as just ‘toning’, muscle cells either grow (hypertrophy) or break down and bodyfat deposits either grow or shrink!
(see also –  Bulletin No. 9 – Can We Change Our Body Shape)
In this case, toning can be understood to mean adding only minimal amount of muscle and reducing boodyfat. To create an environment favourable for building muscle, try consuming 1 gram of protein daily per pound of lean body mass. When your protein intake is too low, the body can cannibalise its own tissue to obtain the amino acids it needs to support various biological functions, resulting in a higher bodyfat to muscle ratio, exactly what you don’t want.


   That concludes Nutrition Myths, I hope it has shed some light on some of the misinformation we encounter.
Beware of articles in newspapers and magazines (even ‘health’ magazines), they are rarely an informed, balanced argument and sensational claims are more likely to make better reading therefore sell more copies. For example, I have contributed to national publications over the years and the version you see printed is often not what is submitted for print!
If you have any questions on anything you’re not sure about, drop me an email…

m: 07932 757636
www.ncfitness.co.uk