John's goal is to build more muscle mass, however he is struggling to achieve any results.

He is doing the following things to achieve this:

Eating a diet that is slightly higher in energy than his recommended 8700 kJ each day
Incorporating foods into his diet that contain a good mix of both carbohydrates and protein
Increasing the amount of protein in his diet to approximately 1.2g per kg of bodyweight
Avoiding being too full in any one meal
Eating more frequently throughout the day and planning ahead, bringing snacks to university with him
His training consists of several high intensity running sessions each week on the treadmill

What would be the biggest mistake that John is making from the information provided above? Select the correct answer below to help John achieve his goal.

Question

John's goal is to build more muscle mass, however he is struggling to achieve any results.

He is doing the following things to achieve this:

Eating a diet that is slightly higher in energy than his recommended 8700 kJ each day
Incorporating foods into his diet that contain a good mix of both carbohydrates and protein
Increasing the amount of protein in his diet to approximately 1.2g per kg of bodyweight
Avoiding being too full in any one meal
Eating more frequently throughout the day and planning ahead, bringing snacks to university with him
His training consists of several high intensity running sessions each week on the treadmill

What would be the biggest mistake that John is making from the information provided above? Select the correct answer below to help John achieve his goal.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

When evaluating John's approach to building muscle mass, several aspects stand out as potential issues and strengths across the options.
Option 1: 'Increasing protein alone is ok, however John should be doing more resistance training such as lifting weights to increase muscle mass.' This reasoning points to a key principle: muscle hypertrophy typically requires progressive resistance training (e.g., weightlifting) to stimulate muscle fibers, with adequate protein to support repair and growth. Simply increasing protein without an appropriate resistance stimulus is unlikely to yield substantial gains in muscle size. The combination of sufficient protein with structured resistance work aligns with mainstream strength and hypertrophy guidelines.
Option 2: 'When trying to increase muscle mass you should eat beyond feeling full as increasing caloric intake is the only way to increase muscle mass.' This statement overgeneralizes. While a caloric surplus can support hypertrophy, simply eating until one feels full does not guarantee optimal gains. Quality of calories, macronutrient balance, timing, and training stimulus matter. Moreover, being uncomfortably full can impair performance and digestion, so approaching surplus with balanced meals and regular fueling is preferable.
Option 3: 'He is increasing his energy intake too much. He shouldn't eat so much if he wants to build muscle mass.' If John is maintaining a modest surplus, this may not be excessive. The claim that any surplus is inherently bad for muscle gain ignores the reality that muscle growth typically requires energy beyond maintenance. The suitability of the surplus depends on his body size, activity level, and progress; declaring it universally 'too much' lacks nuance.
Option 4: 'He is eating too many carbohydrates. He should increase fats and make sure he is using creatine as well.' While macronutrient ratios can influence performance and recovery, the assertion that carbohydrates are inherently excessive isn’t supported by the information given. Carbohydrates support training intensity and glycogen replenishment, which are relevant for high-intensity sessions. Creatine supplementation has evidence behind it for performance and hypertrophy in many trainees, but recommending it as a mandatory adjustment without considering current diet and training plan may be premature. The overall critique here is that the advice presumes fat increase and creatine use without addressing the primary missing element—the resistance training stimulus.
Overall, the central mismatch in John’s plan is the lack of resistance training with progressive overload. Even with adequate protein and a reasonable energy surplus, muscle mass growth is unlikely without a structured resistance program, rest, and recovery. The other options offer points about calories, macronutrient balance, and supplement considerations, but they do not address the foundational requirement for hypertrophy as directly as ensuring appropriate resistance training stimulus does.

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