When Bulking Up, Go Easy on Protein and Fat

In our overweight society, skinny people get little sympathy. Yet for those who are self-conscious about their “stick legs” or “scrawny arms,” the struggle to gain weight can be just as frustrating as the more common battle to lose pounds.

Typically, the desire to bulk up is a guy thing. “A large majority of those who want to gain weight are males, ranging from adolescents to men in their early 40s,” says Seattle sports nutritionist Susan M. Kleiner. “There is also a small group of women who have a hard time keeping weight on.”

In addition, people with illnesses that can lead to weight loss--such as AIDS or cancer--may struggle to put on pounds. People with a chronic illness or those who have begun to lose weight without explanation should consult a physician before embarking on a program to gain weight.

For most underweights, the healthy way to flesh out a skinny frame is to add pounds that are mostly muscle, not fat. Yet athletes are notorious for trying to bulk up by devouring high-fat, high-protein diets that include huge portions of meat and up to a dozen raw eggs. This is dangerous because eating raw eggs may cause salmonella poisoning, Kleiner notes. And it won’t promote lean tissue growth.

In her new book, “Power Eating” (Human Kinetics), Kleiner stresses that “building muscle takes lots of energy, both in calories consumed and exercise required.” The bulk of calories consumed--up to 70% of the diet--should come from carbohydrates, such as potatoes, pasta and grains. About 12% to 15% of calories should come from protein, and the rest should come from fat.

The problem with popular high-protein diets, she says, “are that they deplete glycogen, the body’s storage form of carbohydrate. Once available glycogen stores are emptied, the body starts burning protein from tissues [including muscle tissue] to meet its demand for energy. You lose hard-earned muscle as a result.”

Kleiner offers these formulas for people who want to build muscle:

Total calories: Men should consume 24 to 27 calories per pound of body weight per day. This means a 150-pound man would need to consume about 4,050 calories per day. Women should consume 20 to 22 calories per pound of body weight.

Protein: Consume 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. This is about twice as much as the recommended dietary allowance, but still less than the amount most Americans consume.

Carbohydrates: Consume four to five grams per pound of body weight.

Fluids: Drink a quart of fluid for every 1,000 calories of food you eat. Go into your workouts well-hydrated by drinking two cups of fluid two hours before exercise, four to eight ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise and 16 ounces after exercise.

While these nutrients are the “construction materials” for muscle-building, strength training is also essential to gaining weight that is mostly lean tissue and not fat. To build muscle, you must work your body against resistance--such as lifting weights or using a strength-training machine. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing one set each of eight to 10 exercises that strengthen the major muscle groups, two to three days a week. Most people should pick a weight heavy enough for them to lift at least eight, but no more than 12 times. Older and more frail people may want to choose a lighter weight they can lift at least 10 but no more than 15 times.

While one set of each exercise is sufficient to boost strength, people who have time to do three sets of each exercise may experience even greater benefits.

But remember that “genetics plays a powerful role in a person’s physique,” notes Brookline, Mass., sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, author of “Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook” (Human Kinetics, 1997). “So does the fidget factor. A dedicated fidgeter can easily burn an additional 700-plus calories per day, the equivalent of one or two meals.”

In addition to advising squirmy people to “mellow out,” Clark offers this advice for gaining weight healthfully:

1. Eat consistently. Each day, have three hearty meals plus one to three snacks, such as a bedtime peanut-butter sandwich with a glass of milk.

2. Eat larger-than-normal portions. Take extra helpings, choose a taller glass of milk, bigger bowl of cereal and larger piece of fruit.

3. Select higher-calorie foods. Pick cranberry juice over orange juice (170 calories versus 110 calories), granola over Cheerios (700 versus 100), corn over green beans (140 versus 40).

4. Drink lots of juice and milk, with calorie-laden beverages such as cranapple, grape or pineapple juice. Boost the caloric value of milk by mixing in malt powder, Ovaltine, Carnation Instant Breakfast or other flavorings.

As for supplements, these nutritionists say: Food first.

“Your body can get almost all the nutrients it needs from a balanced diet,” says Kleiner. “What’s more, your body absorbs nutrients best from food.” If you want insurance, she advises a daily antioxidant multiple containing 100% of the daily values for vitamins and minerals.

Many supplements are expensive forms of nutrients readily available from food, say Kleiner and Clark, who offer these recipes for homemade muscle builders:

Kleiner’s Muscle-Building Formula: 8 ounces nonfat milk, 1 packet Carnation Instant Breakfast, 1 banana, 1 tablespoon peanut butter. Blend until smooth. One serving contains 438 calories, 70 grams carbohydrate, 17 grams protein, 10 grams fat.

Clark’s Protein Shake: 1/4 cake silken tofu, 1/4 cup dried milk powder, 1 cup low-fat milk, 2 tablespoons chocolate milk mix. Blend until smooth. One serving contains 350 calories, 52 grams carbohydrate, 26 grams protein, four grams fat.

*

Fitness runs Monday in Health.