PDA

View Full Version : Is 15% Bodyfat the best for gaining Muscle?



drtbear1967
01-02-2018, 09:14 AM
Doing everything right in the gym and still not gaining muscle? You might be at the wrong body fat percentage. Everyone has their own sweet spot where they grow optimally. For most, it's in the 8-15% range. If you're trying to stay at 6% body fat while trying to gain muscle, you just need to eat more. For most, though, it's that you're too fat to be on a muscle-building diet in the first place. When you're too fat, your insulin sensitivity, digestion, inflammatory markers, and hormones are all out of whack. When you combine these factors with a calorie surplus, it's a quick recipe for fat gain.

The Push/Back Off Approach: There comes a point when your body becomes really good at getting fat. This is why people who want to build muscle should get lean first. Your body will be more sensitive to growth. So if you're 15% body fat, start with an initial 6-10 week diet to get into shape before transitioning into a muscle-building phase. Once you begin adding calories in again, aim to gain between 0.25 and 0.5 pounds of bodyweight per week until you reach the upper end of your optimal body fat range. If you're not sure how fat "too fat" is, here are some good signs: Your appetite is completely shot. You can't get a good pump. Your joints are always hurting. You've lost the faint line of your abs.

At this point, taking the foot off the gas and starting a quick mini-diet can be beneficial: It trims up excess body fat. It helps ramp up appetite again. It gives the digestive system a break. It re-sensitizes your body to nutrients. After running this for a few weeks, you should be in a much better place to start building muscle again.

whatsup
01-02-2018, 01:27 PM
Thats exactly what is wrong with me. Too fat. I'm aiming for 12-15%bf. Going to be a long battle.

drtbear1967
01-02-2018, 02:25 PM
Sounds good.

dpile
01-02-2018, 03:00 PM
Yes sir im 51 yrs old and just got to 8% bodyfat. Now it's go time.