Diet - is it really that important

[simon m]

I know that diet is important but I can't believe the post that I read where people say it is the most important facet of training.

I've mentioned this in various post, but perhaps this should be explored more fully.

My belief from playing sport and weight training is that training and rest come first and nutrition whilst important comes next.

Meat and others feel that diet comes first with everything else behind.

I maintain that anyone can grow with a poorish diet as long as they get sufficient protein in then, around 1-2g per pound of bodyweight, but without a good training and adequate rest they won't progress regardless of how good a diet one has.

Lets put it this way, I started training again after a very long lay off and I grew due to the training regime and rest, couple with increasing my protein.

If I had just increased protein, I would not have grown and got stronger.

To me, being a simple fellow, this makes sense - am I mistaken?

[Gareth83]

there all important obviously.

but there is no way you would get bigger and stronger with a poor diet

[simon m]

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there all important obviously.

but there is no way you would get bigger and stronger with a poor diet

I've grown with a poor diet in my teens and early 20's so I refute that.

What i'm trying to say, perhaps poorly, is that we spend too much time on diet and not enough on training correctly and then resting properly.

Is there anyone with a more scientific take on this as I can only use peronal history which is not sufficient for such a topic.

[Duncan]

I firmly believe diet to be the most important part of the bodybuilding lifestyle. If you're cutting, it is possible to lose fat by the manipulation of diet alone. If you don't increase calories, you don't make strengh gains. You can't overestimate the importance of diet.

[Duncan]

I think MartinM could provide some science, he certainly knows a thing or two.

[James Copping]

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I firmly believe diet to be the most important part of the bodybuilding lifestyle. If you're cutting, it is possible to lose fat by the manipulation of diet alone. If you don't increase calories, you don't make strengh gains. You can't overestimate the importance of diet.

I'm with this, if you put cr*p in, you get cr*p out. You put in good fuel and you run efficiantly.

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Gains in muscular strength and hyprtrophy are clearly physiological responses to physical stimuli. They happen in spite of diet not because of it. Diet is important for overall health and biological function, but not necessarily for building muscle size and strength...otherwise people would grow bigger and stronger without lifting a finger, let alone a weight, simply by eating the 'perfect bodybuilding diet'!

[Wotan]

Hormonal production depends upon diet, as does all anabolism/catabolism. Diet is primary therefore.

Having said that though I doubt that there is anyone in this country, let alone these forums, who is seriously undernourished. By which I mean most people get enough nutrients to remain in a stable balance.

In THAT case, yes, training will provide an impetus that extra vitamin A, B or C would not.

How big do you think you'd before you starved to death? Likewise how big would you get by doubling your nutrient intake without exercise?

See what I mean? Its a question of context, not a black and white issue really.

[James Copping]

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Gains in muscular strength and hyprtrophy are clearly physiological responses to physical stimuli. They happen in spite of diet not because of it. Diet is important for overall health and biological function, but not necessarily for building muscle size and strength...otherwise people would grow bigger and stronger without lifting a finger let alone a weight, as long as their diet was the 'perfect bodybuilding diet'!

Diet is totally necessary for size and strength. If you dont eat over maintenance you wont put on a pound! If you dont eat under maintenance you wont lose a pound!

Diet + training = gains
Diet + no training = nothing
Training + no diet = nothing

Quite simple really, you need all the parts to make good progress.

[Duncan]

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Gains in muscular strength and hyprtrophy are clearly physiological responses to physical stimuli. They happen in spite of diet not because of it. Diet is important for overall health and biological function, but not necessarily for building muscle size and strength...otherwise people would grow bigger and stronger without lifting a finger, let alone a weight, simply by eating the 'perfect bodybuilding diet'!

I'd certainly agree with that, but someone could make better gains from a poor routine on a good diet than if they had a good routine but poor diet, I think.