Are Liquid Meals More Effective Than Solid Food For Muscle Mass Gains?
Many who pursue muscle building are in need of portable and convenient methods of calorie consumption, and liquid protein and carbohydrate sources are therefore a common option for bodybuilders who are attempting to consume a constant source of nutrients for muscle recovery and growth. Most bodybuilders are aware of the fact that utilizing smaller, more frequent meals is helpful in boosting metabolism, which in turn will improve muscle gain and fat loss results, but such a meal structure requires more time, and for most bodybuilders, liquid calories become the popular choice. Some, realizing that liquid meals digest faster than solid food, attempt to consume most of their daily meals in liquid form, and this idea is frequently embraced by those who follow very busy schedules.
As a result, some bodybuilders consume most of their calories from liquid sources and feel as if there is no downside towards either muscle gain or fat burning when doing so, and, with the time savings that liquid meals provide, many quickly adopt such a technique without fear. Yet, frequently the nutrients that are used in generating liquid meals are either harmful to health (additives and artificial sweeteners in most meal replacement powders, as an example), or focus upon simple carbohydrate foods, which are perfectly acceptable as part of meals that occur before or after a weight training workout, but can encourage blood sugar to either interfere with body fat loss in those who are overweight, or promote stored fat increase in bodybuilders who are pursuing muscle growth.
This potentially negative impact on body fat percentage can be thwarted by using liquid sources during weight training meals (those that surround a weight training workout), while attempting to consume mostly solid foods using complex carbohydrate sources at other times. Some may have busy schedules that do not allow for solid meals more than twice per day, and in such a situation, using three liquid meals is acceptable when utilizing egg based protein powders that are free from artificial sweetening or additives (to avoid negative health ramifications of such ingredients), and timing the liquid meals correctly, which, ideally, involves one of those liquid meals before your weight lifting workout session, and another following your weight training session, with the third scheduled for the earlier hours of the day (as although using simple carbohydrates at times other than before or after a weight lifting workout session is not the perfect scenario, when the need arises, such a meal should preferably occur before the evening hours to reduce adverse impact upon body fat levels).
There are also easy to consume complex carbohydrate choices that can be used in lieu of simple sugars to create a very convenient meal for times when you will not be performing a weight lifting workout, but most who create liquid meals do not consider such options. But the best path for those who wish to avoid simple carbohydrates during non-workout meals is to consume an unsweetened egg based powder with water for protein, and utilize fat instead of carbohydrates as an energy source, with healthy omega foods such as olive oil, hemp seeds and walnuts, all of which are very dense in terms of their calorie content, providing a simple to consume and tasty alternative to any form of carbohydrates for any non-workout meal where portability and convenience is necessary.
Lastly, using liquid calories for a vast majority of daily calorie consumption can harm digestive health, so to allow your organs to function at peak efficiency, make sure to schedule at least two solid feedings each day, which should not be difficult considering most have time to at least consume two of the main meals (breakfast, lunch or dinner) in a relaxed environment (at home, in a cafeteria, or at least with ample time to complete a solid meal).
Unlike some may believe, bodybuilding need not become an unreasonable chore, as there are a wide variety of foods that allow bodybuilders to produce maximum muscle growth and fat loss while living a fulfilling lifestyle, even when working a demanding job, but doing so requires properly timing simple carbohydrate meals to ensure body fat stabilization, while using healthy omega fats and portable complex carbohydrates as replacements for simple sources during meals where convenience is needed so that progress remains consistent and dramatic.
Francesco Castano authors the www.MuscleNOW.com web site, which is a bodybuilding routine for muscle building without supplements or drugs. He also owns the www.IncrediBody.com online fitness superstore, selling protein powder at guaranteed lowest prices.
www.MuscleNOW.com
