How Important Is Dietary Fat To A Bodybuilder?

How important is dietary fat to a bodybuilder? It's so obvious how important proteins and carbohydrates are to a bodybuilder... However, fats seem to be often overlooked in a bodybuilder's nutrition plan. Learn more.

 You think of nutrition as a three-legged stool. Each leg of the stool represents one of the basic macronutrients - protein, carbohydrates, fats.

If your diet is deficient in any one of these, that "leg" will be too short and your stool will topple over. However, consuming sufficient amounts of each will ensure that your diet is balanced and you'll be sitting pretty.

So why is fat important? I'll begin with the obvious.

Fat is caloric dense. Packing nine calories per gram, fat is a more concentrated source of energy than both protein and carbohydrates. In order to gain mass, as many bodybuilders are attempting to do, you need to be in a caloric surplus.

Because dietary fat provides so many calories in such a small volume of food, it is a lifesaver for many "hard gainers" who would otherwise have no way of consuming enough calories by the end of the day. Let me put it this way - would you rather chow down on a forest of broccoli or a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to grow?

In addition, fat is used in many places throughout the body. It's common knowledge that cells are the building blocks of the human body, but did you know that cell membranes are composed of fat? Without properly functioning cell membranes, there would be no way to regulate which substances could or could not enter cells - a definite problem.

Fat is also a great insulator, helping the body maintain a healthy temperature and keeping you warm. Similarly, fat also provides cushioning, protecting vital organs from damage.

Fat Is Also A Great Insulator.

And speaking of vital organs, your brain wouldn't be the same without fat, as fatty acids from the food you consume form some of the working surface of your brain. These fatty acids also make up the myelin coating on neurons that your nervous system uses to communicate. Intake of fat has also been shown to be correlated with lower rates of depression.

And you've probably heard of the term "fat-soluble." This refers to nutrients that cannot be absorbed by the body unless in the presence of fat. Some of these nutrients are vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.

Ever wonder why many labels for supplements and vitamins include instructions that the product is to be taken with a meal? That's to ensure there is fat to carry fat-soluble nutrients to your body.

© Rohan Bhardwaj