How Proper Calorie Fragmentation Improves Body Composition?


It is a well-established fact that calories control everyone's bodyweight. No matter how many meals a day you have, it is the calorie balance in the end of the day that matters. If you eat fewer calories than you are burning, you will lose weight. It won't matter if these calories come from chocolate, bagels, meat, eggs, fruit or whatever else.

Calories control bodyweight.

What about body composition? The two major components of body composition are lean body mass and fat mass. Suppose you just lost 10 pounds of bodyweight. Does it matter how many of those 10 pounds were fat and how many muscle? Sure, it DOES matter. While calorie balance controls bodyweight, other important factors influence the proportions of fat and muscle that you gain or lose! These factors may improve or make worse the way you look naked.

One of those factors is calorie distribution (or calorie fragmentation). Bodybuilders, as the group of people most concerned with their body composition, have been spreading their calorie intake into smaller and more frequent meals for decades. Originally they believed that doing so "raises one's metabolism". Science has never proved this belief. Recent findings reveal that there is no metabolic advantage of eating smaller and more frequent meals.

However recent research has uncovered that spreading your calorie intake into smaller and more frequent meals improves body composition! More calories end up building muscles, and less calories go to your fat deposits. The calorie balance equation still rules, but more calories end up building muscles! That, my friend, means that you will look better!

The most promising research comes from the labs of Georgia State University. Dr. Dan Benardot and colleagues developed a sophisticated computer program that analyzes a person's within-day calorie balance. They named the program - computerized time-line energy assessment (CTLEA). The research team tracked the calorie feeding patterns of 42 gymnasts and 20 runners. The trial found that the athletes with the largest and most frequent energy deficits were the fattest! On the other hand, the athletes with the smallest and least frequent energy deficits were the leanest. The results were equally supportive for both aerobic (runners) and anaerobic (gymnast) athletes.

This research is absolutely fascinating. It irrefutably proves that eating smaller and more frequent meals leads to more muscle and less fat. Whether you are on a 1200 or 4000 calorie diet, it does make sense to spread these calories into more meals. The research suggests that for maximum muscle, we must minimize (if not eliminate) time frames of the day where our calorie balance falls below minus 300 calories.

The most frequent times, a person fails to feed his or her body sufficient calories to keep a (-300;+300) balance are: sleeping and training.

Remember these 4 rules of good calorie distribution

  • Eat before bed.
  • Eat your breakfast.
  • Eat before exercise.
  • Eat after exercise.
  • Hristo Hristov owns X3MSoftware, a company specializing in developing diet and fitness tracking software. Hristo has a degree in Computer Science and passion for strength training. Hristo has designed and written Fitness Assistant, X3MSoftware's leading software product. Download your demo at Download Diet Software and Fitness Software by X3MSoftware







    Related News



    Football a bridge for son, father who was wrongly jailed - Dallas Morning News

    Football a bridge for son, father who was wrongly jailed
    Dallas Morning News, TX -3 hours ago
    Years of weightlifting and proper nutrition added 45 pounds of muscle to Mr. Waller's 5-9 frame. Chris, who is 18 and graduated from Pinkston High School in ...

    J.Lindeberg Announces Joint Venture With People's Liberation Inc ... - MarketWatch

    J.Lindeberg Announces Joint Venture With People's Liberation Inc ...
    MarketWatch -1 hour ago
    "Revenue and expenses for the entire joint venture will be consolidated on the People's Liberation income statement," observed Mr. Dyne, "adding muscle to ...

    How to keep from getting injured when your intensely working out - 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine

    How to keep from getting injured when your intensely working out
    3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany -Aug 26, 2008
    About the Fitness expert: Caleb Lee can teach you a lot about building muscle. His website will show you how to build muscle fast.

    Build Muscle Faster - Corsavoo.com

    Build Muscle Faster
    Corsavoo.com, France -Aug 19, 2008
    If you follow a proven training plan, do the proper exercises and stick to a healthy diet and lifestyle, you will noticeably lose weight and build muscle...

    Muscle Definition - What It Is - 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine

    Muscle Definition - What It Is
    3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany -Aug 25, 2008
    I can hear you saying out there; you’re probably thinking “Caleb knows all about fitness, he surely has some exercises which build muscle definition”. ...

    Hope and resolution rise from blood and despair - Seattle Post Intelligencer

    Hope and resolution rise from blood and despair
    Seattle Post Intelligencer -2 hours ago
    But organizations like DADS, initiatives like Project Interruption and the muscle of City Hall must come together -- and focus. ...

    Twice A Day Workouts - AskMen

    AskMen

    Twice A Day Workouts
    AskMen -Aug 25, 2008
    1 reason many guys out there cannot build muscle is not a lack of training, it’s the opposite; it's too much training. The second reason why twice a day ...

    Bodybuilding Workouts - Muscle Building Workouts - Corsavoo.com

    Bodybuilding Workouts - Muscle Building Workouts
    Corsavoo.com, France -Aug 27, 2008
    As a man, I typically look for exercises that will help me build muscle mass, rather than burn calories. It basically all comes down to your body type and ...
    An Overview Of The Components of Physical FitnessCorsavoo.com
    all 2 news articles

    What beginners should know about bodybuilding - 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine

    What beginners should know about bodybuilding
    3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany -Aug 24, 2008
    A power diet can be an essential for people who want to build their muscles. Before visiting gym and starting muscle building with machines and fitness ...
    Try Cycling for a new fitness challenge that builds muscle3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine
    all 2 news articles

    Market Health Bulks Up Affiliate Program With Muscle Advance ... - PR Web (press release)

    Market Health Bulks Up Affiliate Program With Muscle Advance ...
    PR Web (press release), WA -16 minutes ago
    The spotlight is on protein supplements because they help build lean muscle and lose unwanted fat." McNelley also stated that Muscle Advanced Protein ...