What Is The Benefit From Fats In A Bulking Diet?

If you want to bulk up and build muscle, you will need to add calories to your diet so you can increase your weight. Bulking diets are often used by bodybuilders to help them increase the size of their muscles, but you can use a bulking diet to help you develop larger muscles as well. Fat is an essential part of your bulking diet, and once you know more about why, you can add the right amounts and right types to your eating plan.

Bulking Diets

Bulking diets are used to add muscle to your body, but require that you gain weight. The right combination of foods help you increase your caloric intake and build muscle, without putting on the excess as fat. Protein and carbohydrates will make up most of your bulking diet, but fat intake is also an important component of building muscle. Exercise is a second critical component of a bulking plan because without physical activity, your increase in caloric intake will translate to weight gain in the form of fat and flab, according to Brad Schoenfeld, author of "Look Great Naked Diet: Change Your Set Point, Change Your Life."

Fat

You will need to limit how much fat you include in your bulking-up diet to prevent your weight gain from translating into fat. However, small amounts of the right types of fat are essential as you build your muscles. Healthy fats can provide the additional calories your body needs to build muscle mass. Your bulking diet should include between 20 and 25 percent of your daily calories from fat, Larry Keller reports in his book, "The Men's Health Hard Body Plan." This ratio of fat also leaves room in your bulking diet plan for carbohydrates and protein, which also support the growth of muscle mass.

Sources

A study published in the November 2011 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes that omega-3 fatty acids may have potential in helping build muscle mass in older adults. The omega-3 fatty acids help encourage protein synthesis to increase muscle mass. The same may hold true for people of all ages, particularly when trying to bulk up. Healthy sources of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, walnuts and flaxseed. Foods with unsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocados, are also healthy choices for your bulking-up diet because they also encourage proper protein synthesis.

Tips

A simple formula can help you determine how much fat to include in your bulking diet to get the best results, Keller notes. Multiply your daily caloric intake by the recommended daily fat percentage, which is usually 20 to 25 percent. The result is how many calories from fat you should eat every day. Divide that number by 9, which is the number of calories in a gram of fat. The result in how many grams of fat you should consume each day. To reach these goals, incorporate healthy fats into each of your meals. Add nuts to your breakfast oatmeal, sliced avocado to your lunch sandwich, and salmon to a dinner salad.