Can you maximize muscle gains without the extra calories? Fitness influencer Paul Carter believes you can. “Bulking doesn’t seem to be beneficial for growth,” Carter concluded in a video posted on social media. Based on his research, “A maintenance of calories with the right combination of macros will be sufficient for maximizing growth.”
Maintenance calories are the number of calories needed to maintain current body weight. Carter suggests protein and weight training alone optimize hypertrophy.
Bodybuilder Eric Janicki listened to Carter’s rationale for why a caloric surplus is ineffective for muscle gains. He explained where he agrees and disagrees and why he endorses “MainGaining.”
Bulking vs. “MainGaining”
What’s the difference between the two modalities?
- Bulking: Eating more calories than the body needs to grow muscle faster. “Dirty bulking” is sustaining a large caloric surplus, often at the expense of more fat gain.
- MainGaining: Dieting in a slight caloric surplus to build muscle with minimal fat gain.
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Optimizing Muscle Gains
Janicki recommends aligning with these principles to maximize muscle growth.
- Optimal Caloric Surplus: A 200-to-400-calorie surplus should optimize muscle gains while minimizing fat gain.
- Tailoring your calories: Genetics, metabolism, lifestyle, and training goals affect caloric requirements.
- Hunger Queuing: Pay attention to the body’s hunger signals.
- The Long Game: Sustainable habits often yield the best results.
Why “Dirty” Bulking Doesn’t Work
Janicki concurs with Carter on diminishing returns when eating to gain muscle. “There’s minimal proof that eating [a large caloric surplus] will induce any more muscle growth,” Janicki explained. “You’ll gain a lot of [fat] tissue.”
Excess fat increases health risks, disrupts bodily functions, and takes longer to strip during a cut. Furthermore, research shows that severe caloric restrictions break down more muscle tissue, potentially undoing gains.
Regarding strength, Janicki noted larger people are usually stronger due to their size. “Strength isn’t one-to-one correlated with [muscle size],” he added. It also involves energy balance, the central nervous system, technique, and other factors. Muscle growth hinges on progressive overload.
Contrary to Carter’s suggestion, Janicki disagrees with matching daily maintenance calories.
The Case for “MainGaining”
“When we move throughout the day, it’s always different, Janicki asserted. “The number of steps you take, how hard your workout is, and [daily activities] all use energy.”
Janicki doesn’t subscribe to static maintenance calories for everyone. From Janicki’s observations, people who struggle to gain muscle undereat.
“A slight surplus is a good idea because you know for a fact you’re at least hitting maintenance [calories],” Janicki rationalized. “An energy surplus will cause better performance and gains.”
Janicki highlighted a study that showed a slight (5%) caloric surplus is more effective for building muscle and strength than a higher caloric intake (15%) or maintenance calories. (1)
Body Fat Percentage Matters
Janicki advises a slight caloric surplus if you’re within an ideal body fat range:
- Men: 10-14%
- Women: 16-21%
If you’re above these ranges, Janicki recommends losing fat before increasing calories to a slight surplus. “You already have the extra body fat needed to pull from for energy,” he explained.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Bulking With Too Much Body Fat
- Bulking at a high body fat percentage can be unhealthy and requires a lengthier fat-loss phase.
- Overanalyzing Calories
- Calculating exact maintenance calories daily is challenging, likely unsustainable, and can possibly lead to obsessive habits. Instead, aim for a consistent slight surplus and stay in an anabolic zone.
Copying Others’ Diets
Mirroring the eating habits of influencers or pro bodybuilders is not a fool-proof option. What works for one person may not work for the other. Not to mention being natural versus chemically enhanced.
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Reference
- Eric R Helms, Alyssa-Joy Spence, Colby Sousa et al. Effect of Small and Large Energy Surpluses on Strength, Muscle, and Skinfold Thickness, 02 August 2023, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3184470/v1]
Featured image: @ericjanickifitness on Instagram
