Listen, I get it. We’re all here for the same reason – because we love pizza, so the idea of giving that up just to have quicker gains while bulking must be a pretty scary idea.
But everybody knows pizza isn’t the healthiest option out there, so surely you can’t still have pizza while trying to build muscles, right?
Well, pizza fans, I’ve done the research for you, and now I’m going to share everything I’ve learned about bulking, gains, weight lifting, and pizza.
So you can decide for yourself whether you can still eat pizza while trying to build muscle. Ready to find out too?
Then join me below (SPOILER ALERT: I promise, the answer isn’t going to ruin your day…)
Eating Pizza While Building Muscle: Yes or No?
Yes! Of course, you can eat pizza while building muscle, and the reason behind it is clear the second you look closer at a pizza’s nutritional makeup.
Why Eating Pizza and Bulking Works Great!
Every pizza is different, so I couldn’t possibly sit here and tell you the exact nutrition of your specific favorite pizza.
But most pizzas are very similar in what they offer, so I’ll give you a general example of a regular cheese pizza below.
Of course, the more meat and veggies you add on top, the more nutritional information you’ll need to understand to see if the pizza you’re eating is contributing to your muscle building or not.
For now, though, let’s just stick to a classic cheese pizza example.
Each slice of pizza usually has around 250 calories and about 11g of protein.
The more meat you add here, the more protein you’ll get per slice. If you eat an 8 slice pizza, that means you’re eating around 2000 calories and getting around 88g of protein.
Considering calorie surpluses are really important when bulking for building muscle (and getting as much protein as you can is vital) a standard cheese pizza isn’t a bad option.
Get creative with your toppings, and the benefits only increase.
Basic Rule of Muscle Building
If you’re trying to build muscle, you only need to understand one thing: if you eat more calories than you burn and focus on giving your body lots of protein, then your muscles will grow.
The difficult part of bulking and building muscles isn’t understanding this rule, it’s finding the will to eat as much food as you’ll have to eat to really bulk up and get those gains quicker.
But pizza helps there too…
Why Lots of Bodybuilders Recommend Pizza
Bodybuilders and people who are really into weight lifting don’t just say you can eat pizza, they say you should.
It’s because there are so many benefits, both in the nutrition of pizza and in the psychology of eating them, so let me share why pizza is recommended to those who are trying to build muscle.
1. Pizza Has WAY More Protein Than You Realize
All our lives, we’re told that pizza is bad for you and you should avoid it – and of course, it is, but only when you’re eating the wrong types of pizza.
If you’re making them at home, controlling the number of ingredients you put on them, and making sure you’re keeping things relatively healthy, then pizza isn’t so bad for you.
Especially if you’re heading to the gym for two hours after it and working hard to build those muscles.
But one area that nobody can say is bad is the amount of protein you get in a pizza. Protein is vital when building muscles.
If you sink a whole pizza, you can easily be getting 80-100g of protein from just one meal, and your muscles are going to thrive so long as you keep giving them the protein they need to grow.
The dough, the cheese, the meats, and the veggies are all going to be adding protein, so load up those pizzas if you’re at the bulking stage of your muscle-building journey.
2. People Can Eat Pizza Easily
This is where the psychology of eating pizza comes in. Even if you aren’t actively trying to build muscle, it’s so easy to eat a lot of pizza without realizing it. Why? Two reasons:
- It tastes so delicious that you just have to keep coming back for more
- It’s a social activity you can enjoy with friends and family
That first one is easy to explain. If something tastes good, then you’ll want more of it because it’s making you feel happy as you eat it.
This is really important when bulking because eating all the food you’ll need to eat can become a bit of a mental challenge because it feels like that’s all you’re doing.
But if something tastes as good as pizza does, well, it makes it much easier to eat lots of it, right?
And the second reason is even more important. Building muscle is a solo journey, and it can get tough when you’re thinking about caloric surplus, weight lifting, and diet and exercise all the time.
But when it comes to pizza, it’s a much more social thing.
You can order in a few or make a bunch with friends and family, and it becomes much easier to eat a lot of pizza when you’re doing it in the company of people you love.
I know from experience, that it’s much easier to eat a lot of pizza than it is to eat other high-calorie, high protein food.
3. It Has A Blend Of Everything You Need For Recovery and Building Muscle
After a few hours in the gym, your muscles are going to be sore, your energy levels will be low, and you’ll feel absolutely depleted.
So you’re going to need something to help you feel better, and pizza actually has the perfect blend of all those things you’ll need.
Carbohydrates will give you energy, fats will slow your digestion, and protein will build muscle and make you feel fuller.
The mix together will help build muscles, speed up your recovery time, and get you ready for another day at the gym tomorrow.
As your energy is restored and your muscles start to grow, you’ll understand that pizza actually has the perfect blend of everything you need to recover after a gym session, build muscle, and get you ready for the next one.
Is Eating Too Much Pizza While Bulking Bad For You?
And finally, just because I’ve said pizza is good while bulking and building muscle, it doesn’t mean it should be all you eat.
As with everything, moderation is key.
I’d also recommend making your own pizza at home when you are building muscle, because at least then you’ll be able to load them full of everything you need – meat, cheese, veggies.
That way you get the most benefits from them when you do sit down to a pizza.
But never just eat pizza because it can be bad for you if you don’t maintain a balanced diet while building muscle.
So, yes, pizza is good and you should eat it while trying to build muscle – just not all the time.
