Go to infographic overview[/button_2] Getting leaner means more insulin sensitivity means more muscle mass.
Is this actually true? Probably not. And for 2 reasons.
First, no existing research shows insulin sensitivity improves when a person gets leaner beyond 20% body fat (30% in women) [Votruba 2010].
Second, even if insulin sensitivity would improve from getting shredded (which it probably doesn’t), this sensitivity is not related to less fat gain or more fat loss [Gjelstad 2012].
As expected then, it was also not related to better muscle-to-fat gain ratios in an identical twin study, the one I mentioned in my previous post [Bouchard 2014].
Getting leaner to set the stage for gaining more lean mass is a great idea, as it optimizes testosterone and estrogen levels.
Bulking when you’re “skinny fat” is like trying to cook in a dirty kitchen: better to clean up first to cook much more efficiently.
How much cleaning up you should do exactly? Read my newest article about the ideal body fat percentage to bulk.
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