Something I Just Don't Get

Ok what i don't get is, Carbs make the muscle, and protein is made into the muscle. So why do we have to eat excess calories to gain weight? That we would only needs carbs and proteins, mostly proteins, and less fats and less calories so we just build muscle, not fat. I dunno it's just something i wonder about.
 
So if i'm getting enough protein, fats, and carbs, but not enough calories, wouldn't that be ok to gain muscle?
 
lol i think that's impossible.. or maybe i don't understand. there are 9 calories per gram of fat, 4 calories per gram of protein, and 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate..
 
There's no way to get enough protein, fats, and carbs, but not enough calories.

Protein, fats, and carbs ARE energy producing. They produce a constant amount of energy each:

1g Protein = 4 calories
1g Fat = 9 calories
1g Carbohydrates = 4 calories

So if you're getting "not enough calories" then it's because you're not getting enough protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

For muscle growth, you'll want lots of calories from protein so that those calories are stored as muscle. With excess carbs and fat, it's more likely to be stored as body fat. If you're burning as many calories as you ingest, NONE of those nutrients are going to be stored (as fat OR as muscle). So you want to get excess calories from protein that will be converted into muscle.
 
Note: When I say calories above as a measurement of energy, I really mean Kilocalories. We just say "Calories" to represent "Kcal" for simplicity's sake.
 
Ohhhh ok i get it now. Thanks for clearing it up for me. I noticed that in my diet i have more than enough protein and fat, but not nearly enough carbs. So i figure that's why i haven't had enough calories today. So it's better to get most of your calories from protein right, instead of fat or carbs, considering i want to bulk up but stay as toned as i can? Also, i've already had over 150 grams of protein today, and i weigh 130 pounds, so i have whey( ;) ) more than enough protein than i need. I've only had about 100 carbs, is it ok if i get more calories from protein and not carbs?
 
Is it not possible that our body can use the proteins we eat to make muscles, burn the carbs and fat, while also breaking down body fat to provide energy? Say if we eat 3000 Calories and burn 3000, can't our bodies burn 2700 from food and 300 from body fat.... while the rest of the 75g of protein is made to build muscle?
 
Protein is usually utilized for rebuilding the body primarily. It will only be stored as fat if you get an overabundance of it at any one time (rule of thumb: 30g max in one sitting).

As far as burning fat, it doesn't matter if your body burns stored fat for energy, or just-ingested fats/carbs for energy -- any overabundance is going to get stored anyway. So if you eat 3000 cals, and 2700 are burned from food and 300 from fat -- then the leftover 300 from food is going to be stored as fat.

Realistically though, it your body will use primarily the most bioavailable nutrients first that are required for a particular activity, then tap into it's fat stores as a last-ditch energy source (since it's not very bioavailable).
 
Biggie said:
I've only had about 100 carbs, is it ok if i get more calories from protein and not carbs?

Sure, that's ideal actually -- but you want to load up on carbs before workouts, don't forget. Carbs are what you're going to be using primarily during weightlifting. No carbs, not enough power for lifting - simple as that.
 
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