Myths in sports nutrition

If you're an athlete and you care about your diet, it's quite likely that you have different ideas about what is good or recommended to achieve certain goals. Gaining muscle mass, improving athletic performance, getting shredded... we're going to talk about some of the most common myths in athletes' diets.

If, in addition to being concerned about nutrition, you practice a strength sport, it's very likely that many concepts are swirling in your head, and yes, I'm sorry to tell you that—unless you are a nutrition professional—some of them are wrong, outdated, or are the product of lived experience. The culture that nutrition is fundamental to achieving goals in strength sports is especially ingrained in these types of disciplines, but the approach is not always appropriate.

With this post, I will clarify some of the concepts that, from my point of view, are most discredited.

1- "Eating more protein will make you gain more muscle. Besides, if you eat a lot, it doesn't matter. It's not stored as fat."

FALSE: a diet with more than 2g of protein per kg of body weight will not help you gain more muscle mass and can also contribute to the accumulation of waste products that can be toxic and are the result of an accelerated metabolism of these.

Any energy excess, regardless of its origin (carbohydrates, proteins, or fats), will eventually accumulate as fat.

2- "If you want to gain muscle mass and lose fat, these are two opposing goals. First you'll have to gain muscle mass and then lose fat."

FALSE: one of the most common myths in athletes' diets. It is true that gaining muscle mass requires a positive energy balance and losing fat requires a negative balance. However, with a properly planned diet, and despite the speed of muscle mass gain, you will be able to achieve both goals simultaneously. Moreover, it will be more recommendable from a health perspective.

Clear goals, not everything works for everyone.

3- "Creatine monohydrate is bad for your kidneys and will make you bloat."

FALSE: One of the supplements whose effectiveness in strength sports is most supported is precisely creatine monohydrate. This is part of a metabolic pathway that will give you more strength in the gym. This contributes to a greater stimulus at the muscle fiber level and, ultimately, greater hypertrophy.

In addition, it is an osmotically active substance that will allow muscle fibers to have more room to grow. You can take it without any problem for periods of 3 or 6 months. Then rest for two months before resuming it again.

4- "Don't consume carbohydrates after six in the evening."

FALSE: carbohydrate consumption is as important as protein consumption if your goal is to gain muscle mass, as it is the "fuel" your muscles use for exercise. Consuming carbohydrates is essential to perform in the gym. There should be no time limitation on their consumption, but rather a daily dose that will depend on the goals and body composition of each individual. If you train in the afternoon, the consumption of carbohydrates in the mid-afternoon and at dinner is essential.