3412: Should You Gain Weight Before Building Muscle? The Set Point Theory and Losing Fat Cells on Building Muscle Effectively

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[00:00:57] It's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily. And I'm Dr. Neal Malik. Hello there. Happy Friday. Welcome to another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily, where I answer your health questions related to fitness, diet and nutrition, and lots more. You send in the questions, and I answer them for you. Alright, let's hear today's question as I help you optimize your life.

[00:01:21] Hi, Dr. Neil. Thank you so much for your podcast, which I appreciate immensely. I have a question regarding my son. He is 25 years old, very tall, until recently very skinny, working at a desk all day long, and in my opinion, moderately active in his spare time.

[00:01:46] Now he would like to have a muscular body. He is trying to fatten up, and then, once he reached the desired weight, turn the fat into muscle with a rigorous exercise program. I understand that this is a recommended procedure for bodybuilding. What I am worried about is the very noticeable belly he is putting on, and the massive amounts of coffee cream he is drinking,

[00:02:14] in an effort to get many calories fast. What is your opinion about this regime? Thank you so much for your answer. Thank you for your question, Suzanne. And, thank you for listening to the show and for your kind words. I am so glad you find this show helpful. I appreciate your concern regarding your son's plan to become more muscular. Honestly, I am with you on this one. I typically do not recommend individuals gain weight prior to building muscle.

[00:02:43] Instead of exceeding their daily caloric needs, I prefer that they simply meet them. Let me explain. Now, there is a theory with regards to weight management. It is called the set point theory. It goes something like this. Imagine your body has its own internal thermostat. Now, instead of this thermostat controlling your body temperature, it controls your body weight. Okay, so this body weight thermostat has a special built-in mechanism.

[00:03:11] Once you have set the thermostat to a certain body weight, you can never go back and set it for less than that. So, let's say your son has a goal weight of 200 pounds. The set point theory would say that, okay, once you reach that body weight, you won't be able to move the thermostat any lower. It can go up, but the setting can never go less than 200 pounds. So, let's say your son gets to his goal weight of 200 pounds.

[00:03:39] But then he begins training and wants to cut his weight down a bit. The set point theory would say, uh-oh, we can't set the body weight thermostat any lower. We are set at 200 pounds. So, if he goes under 200 pounds, his body will say, hmm, we're supposed to be at 200. We're not supposed to be at 190 or whatever. So, his body will always try to fight to get back to 200 pounds. That's the body's new set point.

[00:04:07] Now, I realize that this is just a theory. And in the words of the great Joey Tribbiani from the television show Friends, whoa, whoa, that was just a theory. A lot of theories didn't pan out. Lone gunman, communism, geometry. But there's another side to this story, Suzanne. You mentioned your son may be starting to develop a little belly. We can safely assume this weight gain around his abdomen is not the beginnings of a muscular six-pack,

[00:04:36] but rather mostly fat. So, in order to grow a belly, his body had to create more fat cells. What's interesting about fat cells is that once we have them, we can never really get rid of them. Now, don't get me wrong. Fat cells can get smaller, but we can never really reduce the actual number of fat cells in the body. So, this kind of relates back to the set point theory I just mentioned. So, in your son's case, in all likelihood, what has happened is his body's created more fat cells around his abdomen

[00:05:05] and they grew in size, which led to the visible increased collection of fat around his belly. Now, when it comes time to try and cut his weight and reduce body fat through exercise, he'll never be able to get rid of those fat cells that he's been accumulating. He will only be able to shrink them. But that means they still exist and may just lay in waiting for the next time he consumes too many calories. Those fat cells may be starving and eager to gather up those calories so they can plump up again.

[00:05:36] So, here's what I recommend he do instead. Continue his exercise program, but stop trying to consume all of those potentially unnecessary calories. Instead, focus on consuming nutrient-rich, whole foods and meeting his daily caloric needs. These foods would include vegetables like leafy greens, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, lean proteins like poultry and fish,

[00:06:00] and heart-healthy fats like monounsaturated fats from the aforementioned nuts and seeds, as well as fish and avocado and olive oil. When he feels hungry, eat. When he doesn't, there's no need to force it. If he forces himself to eat and continues this behavior for long enough, he may unintentionally develop a new, not-so-desirable habit. Eating when he doesn't really need to. Not listening to his body.

[00:06:27] Oh, and he needs to be sure he always stays hydrated. Water is the best. He doesn't need any fancy protein shakes. This is because as his muscles grow, his body's demand for water will increase. After all, muscles are made of quite a bit of water. Lastly, if he really wants to maximize his muscle gains through his diet, consuming 20 grams of leucine-rich protein within 30 minutes of finishing a resistance training session may help.

[00:06:54] Leucine-rich proteins would include any animal-based protein like fish, chicken, turkey, yogurt, cheese, and you can also get leucine from beans and lentils. I wish your son lots of success, Suzanne, and hope he reaches his goals. If you're a small business, the right hire can be make or break. Hoping the right people see your job posting isn't the best growth strategy.

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[00:09:14] The number is 161-ILOVE-OHD. That's 1614-568-3643. Thank you so much for sending me your questions. Answering them is one of my favorite parts of this show. Alright, that's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily. Thank you so much for listening every day and all the way through. I hope you have a great start to your weekend and I'll see you back here tomorrow, where your optimal life awaits.