Exercise scientist and bodybuilding coach Dr. Mike Israetel gave some diet tips to bodybuilders on bulk. While many people bulk up to gain as much muscle as possible, they often gain unwanted fat. A problem with bulking is that many people unknowingly consume excessive calories even during the deload phase of a bulk. However, Israetel set the record straight.

Earlier, the exercise scientist explained how someone should eat during the deload phase. The deload phase is a period of low activity in the gym, where the bodybuilder allows their body to recover after a prolonged period of pushing their body. However, the high caloric intake coupled with less activity often leads to unwanted weight gain. 

The surprisingly simple solution

Bodybuilders often build fatigue after months of pushing themselves in the gym through methods like progressive overload. However, after a point, the muscle fatigue builds up to a point where regular recovery periods yield diminishing results. Hence, bodybuilders use the deload phase to “alleviate fatigue or to reduce fatigue… which is really good.”

The competitive bodybuilder said that a bodybuilder should eat maintenance calories during a deload, even when they bulk. Hence, a bodybuilder should change their diet during this phase. Israetel explained that muscle growth slows down because “there’s not a lot of hard training going on by design.” 

Some might think that eating more calories will help reduce fatigue faster. However, Dr. Israetel explained that despite the change in diet and reduction in caloric intake, it “will be reduced just fine.” After the deload phase is over, the bodybuilder could resume their “hypercaloric” bulking diet. Doing this will ensure that bulking won’t lose muscle mass or put on extra fat. However, this isn’t the first time the Renaissance Periodization founder has talked about unique diet-related questions.

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Busting diet myths

The online community is a great place for people trying to learn about everything fitness and bodybuilding-related. However, it’s also a place where fads and misinformation tend to thrive if someone doesn’t know what they are looking for. One such recent diet-related myth has been the trend of categorizing food as “must-eat.”

However, the exercise scientist busted the myth of such foods. Mike Israetel explained that there are no such things as must-eat food. Instead of particular food items an individual needs a minimum amount of protein, carbs, and fats to maintain their health. However, people can choose from a plethora of healthy sources to acquire these as per their preference. They do not need to stick to certain foods.

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While making sense of online fitness advice might be difficult at times, things get easier thanks to influencers like Dr. Mike Isretel. Despite deloading while bulking being a complex topic, Israetel explained it in simple terms.