Keto Bodybuilding: Understanding Carb Intake For Maximum Results

The ketogenic diet is well-known for its weight loss benefits, but can it help build muscle? The answer is yes.

Keto bodybuilding is a growing topic of interest, with many bodybuilders reporting that they feel great building muscle on keto and that the low-carb, high-fat diet hasn't inhibited their muscle growth or performance.

However, there are a few challenges to be aware of when it comes to keto bodybuilding. Firstly, it's important to eat enough protein and calories. Secondly, nutrition must be consistent, with a focus on high-quality proteins and healthy fats. Finally, it's crucial to allow for rest and recovery, including adequate sleep and stress management.

By addressing these key points, it is possible to build and maintain muscle mass while on a ketogenic diet.

Eat a calorie surplus to build muscle

While the ketogenic diet is often associated with weight loss, it is possible to build muscle on keto. To do so, you need to eat a calorie surplus, ensuring you consume more calories than you burn. This can be challenging on a keto diet, as it naturally suppresses appetite. Here are some tips to help you eat a calorie surplus and build muscle while following a ketogenic diet:

Determine Your Calorie Intake

First, you need to determine your maintenance calories, which is the number of calories you need to consume per day to stay at the same weight. You can do this by weighing yourself at least three times a week and recording your food intake over the week using a calorie-tracking app. Once you know your maintenance calories, you can increase your calorie intake by 15% to support muscle growth. For example, if your maintenance calories are 2,000 per day, you should aim for 2,300 calories per day to build muscle. It is recommended to gain no more than 0.25-0.5% of your body weight per week to prevent excessive fat accumulation.

Eat Plenty of Protein

Protein is essential for building muscle, as it is the building block of muscles. Most studies suggest consuming 0.7-0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.6-2.0 grams per kg) for optimal muscle growth. On a ketogenic diet, there may be concerns about consuming too much protein, as it can be converted into glucose, potentially kicking you out of ketosis. However, studies have shown that people can safely consume up to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (2.1 grams per kg) and remain in ketosis.

Track Your Carb Intake

To stay in ketosis, most people need to limit their carb intake to fewer than 50 grams per day. You may benefit from timing your carb intake around your workouts, which is known as a targeted keto diet. This can help improve exercise performance by providing a rapid energy source.

Increase Your Fat Intake

On a keto diet, your body relies primarily on fat for fuel when carb intake is limited. After accounting for protein and carbs, the rest of your calories should come from fat. For example, if you're aiming for 2,300 calories per day and consuming 110 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbs, the remaining 1,660 calories should come from fat (approximately 185 grams).

Other Tips for Building Muscle on Keto

• Resistance Training: Engage in regular resistance training, such as weight lifting or other strength-based exercises, to stimulate muscle growth.
• Supplements: While not required, supplements like protein powder and creatine can help you meet your daily protein needs and improve gym performance.
• Patience: If you're new to keto, you may experience an initial drop in strength and performance. This is temporary, as your body is adapting to using ketones.
• Track Your Progress: Monitor your carb intake and ketone levels regularly to ensure you stay in ketosis.
• Get Enough Sleep: Proper sleep is crucial for muscle gain and exercise performance.

Eat enough protein to build and repair muscle

Protein is the key to building muscle, and when it comes to keto bodybuilding, it's even more important to ensure you're getting enough. Eating the right amount of protein can help spare muscle loss when you're in a caloric deficit and increase muscle mass when you're working out and eating enough calories.

When following a ketogenic diet, it's crucial to modify your mindset from "the more protein, the better" to a more moderate approach. While getting adequate protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass, consuming excessive amounts can actually kick you out of ketosis. This is because, on a keto diet, the extra protein gets converted into glucose, which takes you out of the fat-burning state of ketosis.

So, how much protein is enough? According to keto researcher Parker Hyde, an effective ketogenic diet should include 15-20% of total calories from protein. This is lower than the 30-40% recommended by many online nutrition calculators for muscle growth. However, a study in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that consuming 0.6-0.8 grams of protein distributed evenly throughout 3-4 meals was adequate for optimising muscle protein synthesis.

To ensure you're getting the most out of your protein intake while on a ketogenic diet, here are some key considerations:

Focus on High-Quality Proteins

Choose protein sources that contain all nine essential amino acids, especially the key muscle-building amino acid leucine. Examples include eggs, whole-fat milk, Greek yogurt, cheese, chicken, turkey, pork, beef, lamb, fish, and seafood.

Nail Your Protein Timing

It's not just the amount of protein you eat but also when you eat it. Recent research shows that spacing out your protein intake across the day is important. Aim for a specific amount of high-quality protein every few hours to reach the "leucine threshold" for optimal muscle growth.

Stay in a Calorie Surplus

Building muscle requires fuel, so make sure you're eating enough calories. Use a calorie calculator to determine your daily needs based on your personal goals. Remember, your body needs to be in a caloric surplus to support muscle growth.

Prioritize Recovery

Building muscle is stressful for your body, so make sure to prioritise recovery. Get enough sleep, manage your stress levels, and stay hydrated to support your body's repair and regeneration processes.

Combine with Strength Training

Eating enough protein is crucial, but it's just one part of the equation. To build muscle effectively, combine it with a strength training program that includes progressive overload. This means gradually increasing the stress placed on your muscles to trigger muscle growth or hypertrophy.

Consider Supplements

If you're struggling to meet your protein goals through whole foods alone, consider adding protein supplements to your diet. This can help ensure you're getting sufficient protein to support muscle growth while staying within the moderate protein range recommended for a ketogenic diet.

Train with enough intensity and progressive overload

To build muscle on a keto diet, it is important to train with enough intensity and progressive overload. This means that you should gradually increase the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training routine. This can be applied to any type of exercise, including cardiovascular exercises like running.

Increase Resistance

One way to increase the demands on your muscles is to increase the load or weight. If you can easily lift a certain weight, try increasing it gradually. Remember, as you increase the weight, the number of repetitions you can do may decrease. But don't worry, as you'll get stronger with the heavier weight, you can repeat the cycle.

Increase Reps

Instead of adding weight, you can simply aim to do more repetitions as you get stronger. Don't stop at an arbitrary number; push yourself until you can't complete any more with good form. To maximize muscle growth, aim for between 8 and 12 reps. Once you reach this range, consider increasing the resistance rather than continuing to add reps.

Increase Volume

You can also increase the overload by adding more sets to your routine. This means doing 3 sets instead of 2, for example. This is a great way to increase the total training volume and make greater demands on your muscle tissue.

Increase Training Frequency

Increasing the frequency with which you train a particular muscle group can also lead to progressive overload. This strategy can be especially effective for targeting a lagging or weak body part. However, be careful not to overdo it, as too much frequency can lead to overtraining.

Decrease Rest Time Between Sets

Another way to increase the overload is to reduce the rest time between sets. This will allow you to do the same amount of work in less time and challenge your body metabolically.

Remember to focus on one method at a time and gradually progress to avoid injury. Also, ensure that you are getting proper rest and recovery between workouts.

Prioritise sleep and recovery

Sleep and recovery are essential components of any fitness journey, and this is especially true when it comes to keto bodybuilding. Here are some tips to help you prioritise sleep and recovery:

Understand the Importance of Sleep

Sleep is crucial for several reasons when it comes to keto bodybuilding. Firstly, it helps your body recover from intense workouts. When you sleep, your body repairs and regenerates tissues, including your muscles. Additionally, sleep regulates hormones that influence muscle growth and fat loss. Human growth hormone (HGH), for example, is released during deep sleep, and it plays a vital role in muscle growth and recovery. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

Create a Sleep Schedule

Consistency is key when it comes to sleep. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends. This helps to regulate your body's internal clock and can improve the quality of your sleep. It also ensures that you're getting enough sleep overall.

Optimise Your Sleep Environment

Create a bedroom environment that promotes restful sleep. Keep the room cool, dark, and quiet. Consider using blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine if necessary. Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable and supportive. Limit screen time before bed, as the blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with your sleep.

Manage Stress

Chronic stress can negatively impact your sleep quality and recovery. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as meditation, deep breathing, or light yoga before bed. Regular exercise also helps to reduce stress levels. If you're experiencing overwhelming stress, consider seeking professional help or counselling.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can impact your sleep quality and recovery. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and limit your caffeine intake, especially close to bedtime. Caffeine can disrupt sleep, especially if consumed within 12 hours of bedtime. Aim to finish your caffeine intake by early afternoon to give your body enough time to process and eliminate it before bed.

Prioritise Recovery Techniques

In addition to sleep, there are other recovery techniques that can support your keto bodybuilding journey. These include:

• Foam rolling or self-myofascial release: This can help to relieve muscle tension and improve recovery.
• Light yoga or stretching: Gentle movement can aid in muscle recovery and reduce stiffness.
• Ice baths or cold showers: These can reduce inflammation and promote recovery, especially after intense workouts.
• Active recovery days: Instead of complete rest days, consider active recovery days, where you do low-intensity activities like walking or swimming.

Remember, recovery is just as important as your workouts. By prioritising sleep and implementing recovery techniques, you'll give your body the time and resources it needs to repair and rebuild, leading to better results in the long run.

Stay hydrated and maintain electrolytes

Staying Hydrated and Maintaining Electrolytes on Keto

Staying hydrated and maintaining your electrolyte levels is crucial when following a keto diet. Here are some detailed tips to help you do just that:

Increase Your Water Intake

Drinking enough water is essential, especially on keto. Dehydration is a common side effect of ketogenic diets due to increased salt excretion and the elimination of excess ketone bodies. Aim for around 2.7 litres of water per day if you're a woman and 3.7 litres if you're a man. However, it's important to listen to your body and adjust your water intake accordingly. A good indicator of hydration is the colour of your urine, which should be light yellow.

Understand the Role of Electrolytes

Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium are key to maintaining proper fluid balance in your body. A keto diet can affect your electrolyte levels, as you tend to lose more sodium and potassium through urine. Therefore, it's important to incorporate foods rich in these electrolytes into your diet.

Salt Your Food

Salt is a quick and easy way to increase your sodium and chloride intake. Add a pinch of unprocessed salt to your water and don't be afraid to salt your food liberally. You can also use bouillon or drink bone broth, which is a superfood that provides several electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Eat Leafy Greens and Other Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens are excellent sources of various electrolytes. For example, spinach contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Other vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, and zucchini are also good options.

Choose the Right Drinks

In addition to water, there are other drinks that can help with hydration. Tea, coffee, and sparkling water are all hydrating, and some even provide electrolytes. For example, mineral water can be a good source of magnesium and calcium. Just be mindful of any added sugars or sweeteners.

Incorporate Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are typically rich in magnesium and can also provide calcium and potassium. Good choices for keto include pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and almonds. You can add them to your meals, smoothies, or enjoy them as a snack.

Prioritize Overall Wellness

Staying hydrated and maintaining electrolyte balance is about more than just what you eat and drink. Make sure to get enough sleep, manage your stress levels, and follow a consistent workout, sleep, and meditation schedule. Chronic stress can interfere with your hormone function and impair your recovery, affecting your body's ability to build muscle.

Remember, staying hydrated and maintaining proper electrolyte levels are crucial components of a successful keto diet. By following these tips and listening to your body, you'll be well on your way to achieving your health and fitness goals.

Frequently asked questions