Will Protein Make You Big & Bulky?
Will eating protein make you big and bulky like a bodybuilder?
There’s so much influence in the world of health & fitness and today I want to shed some light on this.
Many people think eating protein will make them get huge…
It can be confusing, you see fitness influencers who take supplements and are very muscular, or you might have friends or family who may have gained weight after intaking more protein which makes it unclear if it’s a good idea for you.
But here’s the truth….
While protein is undoubtedly essential for muscle growth and repair, the notion that it alone will cause significant muscle bulkiness is a misinterpretation.
Here’s how people get bulky or increase substantial muscle mass:
Strength Training: The primary driver of muscle growth is resistance training. Engaging in progressive and targeted strength training exercises stimulates muscle fibers to adapt and grow in response to the stress placed upon them but that alone won’t make you bulky.
You need enough volume, especially in the areas you want to see grow. This is why you’ll see some of these muscular bodybuilders have 3-hour workouts anywhere from 5-7 days per week to get to the size they desire.
So if you take a balanced approach - as we do - it’s less likely you’ll get bulky regardless of how much weight you’re lifting. And you can control your volume of training if you notice more growth happening than you desire in specific areas.
When striving for fat loss, strength training is what tones your body and gives you the strength to function better throughout life.
Caloric Surplus:
Achieving a caloric surplus, wherein you consume more calories than your body expends, is essential for muscle and weight gain.
Excess calories provide the energy necessary for cellular and muscle growth, while protein supplies the amino acids needed. Protein alone won’t inherently increase the demand for growth unless you’re in a surplus of calories.
Many people don’t realize they’re in a surplus until they start gaining weight. The quanity of your food plays the most important role in gaining and losing weight.
You can be in a calorie surplus from eating healthy foods!
If your body doesn’t have excess calories it has no way to get bigger, in fact the opposite happens when you’re in a calorie deficient - you start to lose weight.
(Side note: if you’re in a surplus without strength training, you’ll just be gaining mostly fat and water, not muscle.)
Genetics:
Genetic factors play an important role in how your body responds to training and nutrition. Some individuals naturally have a propensity to gain muscle mass more quickly than others, regardless of protein intake.
These people are typical outliers who can easily get in shape and put on muscle quickly. And the great news is that if you are this type of person it will take you less time to get your physique where you want to be and if you aren’t, then you’re more likely to struggle with putting on muscle or bulk if that’s your goal.
Nonetheless, you can’t control what genetics you start with but you control how you adjust variables to hit your goals.
Surprisingly, research is showing that gene expression can change overtime. Healthy habits like exercising frequently and prioritizing protein creates an internal response for your body to rewrite how genes respond.
Hormones:
Hormones like testosterone and growth hormone play vital roles in muscle development. Those with higher levels will be more likely to gain muscle and size beyond protein consumption. Just as genetics, your hormones play a big role in how your body responds to exercise.
Men have more testosterone and growth hormone than women, and 95% of them who have goals to get more muscular, have trouble putting on the size they want.
This tells you that it’s extremely challenging to get big overnight and it takes years of training and being in just the right amount of a calorie surplus to get bulky.
Many bodybuilders have to supplement with much more than protein powders to increase their size. Many are on anabolic steroids that increase their testosterone and growth hormone levels so they can achieve a physique that wouldn’t be possible without it.
Only some openly share that but many don’t!
Protein certainly contributes to muscle development and can help aid healthy weight gain. However…
The belief that consuming protein will lead to an overly bulky appearance is an exaggerated claim of the process.
Adequate protein is essential for weight loss and you should start making it a priority because it:
Helps your body target fat cells during weight loss
Fights off hunger during a weight loss journey
Allows you to eat more food without gaining weight from the metabolic effect
Helps you have a more defined and toned physique to complement your training
Increases your metabolism during digestion
Reduces soreness and your ability to be ready for the next workout
And so many more benefits!
It's essential to approach fitness and nutrition with a well-rounded understanding of all the factors at play.
Eating more protein is one of the best things you can do for your health & hotness.
Look at all these transformations that put a focus on getting enough protein daily!