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A question that is often asked in the world of bodybuilding is whether or not you can effectively build muscle by following a low-carb diet approach.
Low-carb diets have been all the rage lately for those wanting to lose weight, as they generally help control hunger levels better and some people find they are much easier to follow.
But what about when it comes to building muscle? Is a low-carb muscle-building nutrition program a smart approach? Let’s see a little more.
ketosis
One very important thing to keep in mind is that if you cut carbs enough while following a low-carb diet, you can enter a state called ketosis. This is when the body will switch from using carbohydrates for fuel to using fats.
The big problem with ketosis is that it is also usually associated with being in a catabolic state, therefore it will almost always be detrimental to building muscle.
If you’re not in ketosis, that’s fine, as your body can still be anabolic (build muscle), assuming you’re given a calorie surplus.
To stay out of ketosis on a low-carb diet, make sure you eat at least 100 grams of carbs each day (this is what’s needed to fuel your brain while you’re not in ketosis), and then any additional carbs needed to keep your body healthy. level. training).
Energy and intense exercise
The next issue that needs to be addressed when following a low carb diet is how it will affect your energy levels. Some people are fine with a low-carb approach, while others are not. Since when you’re trying to build muscle you want to be doing very intense workouts, you can’t have your energy levels lagging.
Also, the body requires carbohydrates to lift weight effectively (as fat cannot be used for fuel during this time of movement), so you will need to eat carbohydrates in the pre- and post-workout periods (to replenish glycogen). muscle), or do a weekly carb load to give your muscles the carbs they need to function throughout the week.
Decreased rate of fat gain
However, one advantage of a low-carb approach may be its ability to slightly better control the amount of fat added to the body.
Since fat and protein have minimal effect on insulin levels, and insulin is the driving hormone that causes fat storage, you may gain a greater proportion of muscle on a low-carb muscle-building program than if I had increased carbohydrates.
However, keep in mind that it still boils down to total calories. You simply cannot consume thousands of excess calories per day from fat and expect not to gain weight. We still have to look at this realistically.
So there is definitely a place in bodybuilding for low carb diets assuming that:
1. You are providing at least 100 grams of carbohydrate per day plus any additional needed to support training
2. You eat carbs pre- or post-workout or choose to do a big weekly carb bump
3. You find that you don’t feel completely exhausted on this type of diet and can still lift weight effectively.
If all of these factors are in line, then yes, you can build muscle while using a low carb diet.