Found this pretty cool article digging around in the archives. Looks like I’m not terribly original.
@ChongLordUno totally what we’re talking about
Some relevant parts
Physiologically, it’s better to exercise as much as you can while eating as much as possible – as long as you’re gaining muscle and losing fat – than the reverse.
Why? Well, on the exercise end, increased exercise volume and frequency means improved nutrient partitioning – more calories go toward muscle growth and/or energy provision and fewer to fat cells. It means better insulin sensitivity. It also means additional opportunity to stimulate protein turnover, tissue remodeling, and positive adaptation.
And on the food end, more calories mean sustained sympathetic nervous system activity, maintained metabolic rates, and, perhaps most important to the entire process, better vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant status.
When we don’t exercise enough, our energy intakes necessarily have to be lower so we don’t OD on calories. And when we don’t eat enough high-quality food, we end up with deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
The real key here is to make sure you’re training a mixture of muscle qualities. I’m not talking about five-plus hours per week of strictly bodybuilding-style training, strictly strength sessions, or strictly conditioning sessions.
Instead, I’m talking about training in a very similar way to my Olympic-level athletes, albeit lower in volume and without the sport-specific training and practice. This means some weight training for strength, some weight training for power, some sprints and/or conditioning work, and some low-intensity recovery work.
However, when we talk mass gain or body recomposition in general, the interesting thing is that when G-Flux is high, it’s actually way harder to overeat to the point of fat gain. So the body is much more forgiving of dietary indiscretion.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you’ve got carte blanche at Mickey D’s. But it does mean that you don’t have to obsess about every food selection or calorie count.
Here, following the “10 Habits” outlined in my Precision Nutrition System is a perfect start. In summary, they are:
Eat every 2 to 4 hours Eat lean, complete protein with each feeding Eat fruits and/or veggies with each feeding, for a total of around 10 servings per day Based on your body type and goals, use appropriate carbohydrate timing Eat a healthy balance of fats, about one-third of each type (saturates, monos, and polys) Ditch most calorie-containing drinks like soda and fruit juices Focus on whole, unprocessed foods first Eat whatever else you want 10 percent of the time In most cases, prepare/pack your food in advance Incorporate lots of variety; don’t fall into a food rut
For most people, a food log and calorie counting aren’t required. There are only two variables to control here – calorie intake and expenditure – and expenditure is the driver.
Most want to start counting calories here, but with a high level of G-Flux, you probably don’t need to count to be lean and muscular. Instead, spend your time on figuring out how to implement the 10 habits.