Turning chocolate into muscle???

emmab0902

It's funny the things that come to mind at 3am when you can't sleep.

Anyway, the guts of this question is "is a surplus a surplus?"

I know deficits = weight loss and surpluses = weight gain.

However I guess I have a perception that if the surplus is made up of less healthy foods the gain will be mostly fat, and if it is made up largely of quality protein etc there will be more muscle gain.

Is this true, or is it total bollocks and is the fat/muscle ratio gained more determined by the amount of strength training a person does while eating at a surplus?? I guess I can more easily imagine steak and eggs being turned into extra muscle than I can chocolate and icecream!

Sidesteal

It's funny the things that come to mind at 3am when you can't sleep.

Anyway, the guts of this question is "is a surplus a surplus?"

I know deficits = weight loss and surpluses = weight gain.

However I guess I have a perception that if the surplus is made up of less healthy foods the gain will be mostly fat, and if it is made up largely of quality protein etc there will be more muscle gain.

Is this true, or is it total bollocks and is the fat/muscle ratio gained more determined by the amount of strength training a person does while eating at a surplus?? I guess I can more easily imagine steak and eggs being turned into extra muscle than I can chocolate and icecream!

Vague answer:

Calories ----> Weight change.
Macronutrient composition of those calories ----> Change in muscle vs fat. (Body composition)
Micronutrient composition (whole and nutrient dense diet vs junk food) ----> Health


And granted, not being fat will improve health markers alone.

taso42

The key is protein. Of the excess calories you consume, protein is like the "brick and mortar" that goes into the new muscle, and the rest of the surplus is the energy used to build the muscle, and what's left over is what gets stored as glycogen and then fat.

UponThisRock

It's funny the things that come to mind at 3am when you can't sleep.

Anyway, the guts of this question is "is a surplus a surplus?"

I know deficits = weight loss and surpluses = weight gain.

However I guess I have a perception that if the surplus is made up of less healthy foods the gain will be mostly fat, and if it is made up largely of quality protein etc there will be more muscle gain.

Is this true, or is it total bollocks and is the fat/muscle ratio gained more determined by the amount of strength training a person does while eating at a surplus?? I guess I can more easily imagine steak and eggs being turned into extra muscle than I can chocolate and icecream!

Vague answer:

Calories ----> Weight change.
Macronutrient composition of those calories ----> Change in muscle vs fat. (Body composition)
Micronutrient composition (whole and nutrient dense diet vs junk food) ----> Health


And granted, not being fat will improve health markers alone.

This. Your body doesn't know what "chocolate" is. It only sees protein, carbs, fat, and various micronutrients.

gazz777au

Vague answer:

Calories ----> Weight change.
Macronutrient composition of those calories ----> Change in muscle vs fat. (Body composition)
Micronutrient composition (whole and nutrient dense diet vs junk food) ----> Health


And granted, not being fat will improve health markers alone.

This is what I am learning !

Not enough good fats in, etc., means the energy source is something else (muscle, health, etc).

Avocados are an example.

Look up the benefits of chocolate and if it were muscle-building, women everywhere would be bulky, not the guys !

WifeNMama

Make protein powder ice cream. :-) I'm eating some. Right now. Mmmmm yummy yummy muscle building blocks.

emmab0902

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Look up the benefits of chocolate and if it were muscle-building, women everywhere would be bulky, not the guys !

If this was true I should look like a female Arnold!

IronSmasher

You can't make muscles without protein, but you can't make it without energy either. Therefore chocolate could help.

gazz777au

.

Look up the benefits of chocolate and if it were muscle-building, women everywhere would be bulky, not the guys !

If this was true I should look like a female Arnold!

Should I call you the Emma-nator ? :laugh: