Keto Bulking: Timing, Benefits, And Strategies For Success

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that has been used for weight loss for over 200 years. While it is often associated with weight loss, some people use keto for bulking, or gaining muscle mass.

The keto diet typically involves getting 70-80% of your calories from fat, 5-10% from carbs, and 15-25% from protein. This puts your body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.

While it is possible to bulk on a keto diet, it may be more challenging than a traditional high-carb bulking diet. That's because carbohydrates promote the release of insulin, an anabolic hormone that helps create conditions for muscle growth.

However, studies have shown that it is possible to build muscle on a keto diet. For example, a study of 25 young adults found that those on a keto diet saw a 2.4% increase in lean body mass.

To bulk on a keto diet, you need to be in a caloric surplus, consuming more calories than your body needs. This is because muscle building is an expensive process, and your body won't build muscle if it doesn't have enough calories to spare.

In addition to a caloric surplus, there are several other factors to consider when bulking on a keto diet:

- Resistance training: This is key to increasing muscle mass.

- Protein intake: Protein is the building block of muscles, so make sure to consume enough.

- Fat intake: On a keto diet, fat is your primary energy source, so make sure to reach your desired fat intake.

- Carbohydrate timing: Consider practising targeted keto, where you consume extra carbs around your workouts to improve performance and recovery.

Calorie surplus: Consume 15-20% more calories than your body needs to build muscle

To bulk up on keto, you need to be in a calorie surplus. This means consuming 15-20% more calories than your body needs. For example, if your maintenance calories are 2,000, then for a 20% calorie surplus, you would be consuming 2,400 calories.

To determine your maintenance calories, weigh yourself at least three times a week and record your food intake over the week with a calorie-tracking app. If your weight stays the same, that is roughly your maintenance calories.

Once you have your maintenance calories, you need to add 15-20% more calories to create a surplus. It is recommended to gain no more than 0.25-0.5% of your body weight per week to prevent accumulating too much fat.

When bulking on keto, it is important to monitor your fat intake. Your body relies primarily on fat for fuel when you limit carb intake and are in a state of ketosis. After accounting for protein and carbs, fat should make up the rest of your diet.

To build muscle, it is also crucial to have sufficient protein intake. Most studies suggest that eating 0.7-0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight is ideal for building muscle.

To bulk up on keto effectively, consider incorporating resistance training into your routine. This type of training involves lifting weights or doing other strength-based exercises to build strength and gain muscle mass. According to a review of 10 studies, resistance training at least twice a week was more effective at promoting muscle growth than training once per week.

In summary, to bulk up on keto, aim for a calorie surplus of 15-20% above your maintenance calories, ensure adequate protein and fat intake, and consider incorporating resistance training into your fitness routine.

Protein intake: Aim for 0.7-0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight

Protein Intake for Keto Bulking

Protein is essential for building muscle, as it is the building block of muscles. When trying to build muscle, you need to consume more protein than your body breaks down through natural processes. Most studies suggest that eating 0.7–0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight is ideal for building muscle. This is equivalent to 1.6–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should aim for at least 123 grams of protein per day. This can be achieved through a combination of high-protein foods and supplements.

There is a concern that consuming too much protein on a keto diet can encourage the body to use gluconeogenesis, a process in which amino acids from protein are converted into sugar, potentially disrupting ketosis. However, studies have shown that consuming less than 2.1 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight will not affect ketosis.

To ensure you are getting enough protein while staying within your keto macros, it is recommended to use a food tracker or macro calculator. This will help you understand how much food you are eating and whether you are meeting your protein goals.

Keto Bodybuilding Tips

When bulking on a keto diet, it is important to remember that your body relies primarily on fat for fuel when in ketosis. Therefore, after accounting for your protein and carb intake, fat should make up the rest of your diet.

To build muscle, you need to be in a caloric surplus, consuming more calories than your body needs. This is because muscle building is an expensive process, and your body will first supply calories to other essential processes.

It is also crucial to incorporate resistance training into your routine. Resistance training involves lifting weights or doing other strength-based exercises to build strength and gain muscle mass. This type of training creates micro-ruptures in the muscles, which then need to be repaired and lead to muscle growth.

Additionally, getting enough sleep is vital for muscle gain. During sleep, your body recovers and builds muscle mass. Without adequate sleep, you will not achieve optimal results.

Sample Keto Bodybuilding Meal Plan

• Spinach omelette: 4 large eggs, 1 cup spinach, 1 oz feta cheese, cooked in 1/2 Tbsp butter
• Nutritional info: 418 calories, 31g fat, 31g protein, 3g carbs
• Macronutrient ratio: 68% fat, 30% protein, 2% carbs
• Baked egg bites: 200 grams diced bacon, 2 bunches chopped scallions, 1 rosemary sprig, ½ finely diced zucchini squash, 1 tbsp ghee, 8 pasture-raised eggs, 2 scoops collagen protein
• Makes: 5 egg bites, recommended serving: 2
• Nutritional info: 182 calories, 10.6g fat, 19g protein, 2.3g carbs
• Macronutrient ratio: 54% fat, 42% protein, 4% carbs
• Taco salad: 2 cups chopped romaine, 8 oz 85/15% taco-seasoned ground beef, 4 Tbsp salsa, 1 Tbsp sour cream, 1/3 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
• Nutritional info: 651 calories, 46g fat, 50g protein, 8g carbs
• Macronutrient ratio: 64% fat, 31% protein, 5% carbs
• Spicy tuna sushi burrito: ½ cup cubed, raw tuna, ¾ cup cooked and chilled cauliflower rice, 1 tsp MCT oil, ¼ avocado, 1 julienned/thinly sliced cucumber, 2 tsp green onions, 1 tsp sesame seeds, 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp sriracha, 1 nori (seaweed) sheet
• Nutritional info: 438 calories, 30g fat, 32g protein, 12g carbs
• Macronutrient ratio: 42% fat, 20% protein, 8% carbs
• Steak and vegetables: 8 oz New York strip steak, 6 oz asparagus, 1 Tbsp butter
• Nutritional info: 642 calories, 47g fat, 50g protein, 6g carbs
• Macronutrient ratio: 65% fat, 31% protein, 4% carbs
• Lamb burgers: 1 lb grass-fed ground lamb, ½ cup red onion, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tbsp ghee, lettuce leaves to wrap burgers
• Makes: About 6 burger patties
• Nutritional info per patty: 237 calories, 20g fat, 13g protein, 1g carbs
• Macronutrient ratio: 76% fat, 22% protein, 2% carbs

Carbohydrate timing: Try a targeted keto diet, consuming carbs around workouts

The targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) is a variation of the standard keto diet, with one crucial difference: it involves consuming carbohydrates around your workout times. This means that on days you exercise, you will typically be consuming pre-workout carbs. The TKD is designed to improve exercise performance for high-intensity workouts or extended periods of activity.

Here's how it works: by consuming carbohydrates before a high-intensity workout, you're providing your muscle cells with fast-burning fuel that is essential for maximum effort activities lasting between 10 seconds and 2 minutes. Carbohydrates are crucial because after around 10 seconds of near-maximal effort, muscles start relying on glucose for energy, using a metabolic pathway called glycolysis.

On the other hand, fats and ketones are burned at a slower rate and are only used during low and moderate-intensity exercises, such as cycling, jogging, hiking, or brisk walking, which typically last longer than 2-3 minutes without rest.

The targeted keto diet allows for more wiggle room in your diet, making it a great option for those who find the traditional keto diet too challenging or not suitable for their fitness goals. It's important to note that you should maintain strict keto for at least 60 days before transitioning to TKD to ensure your body becomes fat-adapted first.

How to Implement the Targeted Keto Diet

When implementing the targeted keto diet, it's recommended to consume 25-50 grams of carbohydrates about 30 minutes before your workout. Opt for simple, easily digestible carbs that absorb quickly into the body, such as liquids or high-glycemic foods. Dextrose and glucose are considered the best sources of carbs for a successful TKD.

It's crucial to avoid fructose, as it tends to go directly to the liver to replenish liver glycogen instead of going to the muscles. Natural foods like fruit and honey tend to have high levels of fructose. Instead, consider gummy bears, hard candies, sports drinks, natural maple syrup, or glucose gel packets as your carb sources.

It's important to consume carbs on their own or with protein to boost muscle growth. Fat consumption should generally be avoided immediately before and after exercise, as dietary fat slows the digestion of protein and carbohydrates. The only exception is medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are quickly absorbed and can help increase ketone levels.

The Impact on Ketosis

Consuming carbohydrates before your workout will lead to a decrease in ketone levels. The extent of this decrease depends on various factors, including workout intensity, duration, stress levels, and how keto-adapted your body is.

However, working out helps increase insulin sensitivity, which means less insulin will be needed to handle the carbs you consume. Additionally, cell membrane proteins called glucose transporters become more active, turning muscles into glucose magnets, ensuring that carbs are used up by the muscles. As a result, insulin levels drop, and ketone production ramps up again.

If you want to boost your ketone levels further, you can do low-intensity cardio after your workout to lower insulin levels and increase free fatty acids in the blood. Alternatively, supplementing with MCTs before, during, or after your workout will also help increase ketone levels.

Who Should Try the Targeted Keto Diet?

The targeted keto diet is ideal for beginner or intermediate weight lifters, athletes, or individuals training at high intensities regularly. It provides the performance boost that may be lacking from the standard keto diet alone.

Remember, the goal of the targeted keto approach is to consume just enough carbs to provide glucose for the workout, allowing you to boost performance and build lean muscle mass while keeping body fat down.

However, after your body becomes keto-adapted, the extra carbs may not be as beneficial. Studies show that after about four weeks, athletes on a strict keto diet can naturally replenish their glycogen stores and maintain sufficient muscle glycogen levels without additional dietary carbs.

Therefore, if you've been on the keto diet for 1-2 months and are keto-adapted, you may find that the TKD doesn't provide the same benefits as when you first started. In this case, you may want to consider sticking with the standard keto diet or trying the Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD), which is better suited for high-intensity athletes and exercisers.

Fat intake: Ensure fat comprises 70-80% of your calories from sources like avocado and nuts

When starting a bulking keto diet, it's important to ensure that fat comprises 70-80% of your calories, with sources such as avocados and nuts being excellent choices.

Avocados are a fantastic addition to a keto diet due to their high content of healthy fats. They contain 5g of monounsaturated fat and 1g of polyunsaturated fat per serving, making them a great substitute for foods high in saturated fat, such as butter. Additionally, avocados are a good source of fibre and are relatively low in carbs, with only 4g of carbohydrates per serving. They can be enjoyed on their own or added to various dishes like salads, soups, desserts, sauces, and guacamole.

Nuts are another great source of healthy fats and are perfect for a keto diet. Many nuts are low in net carbs and high in healthy fats, making them a nutritious and delicious snack. Some of the best keto-friendly nuts include:

• Pecans: 4g of net carbs per 28g serving, and they may help reduce insulin levels.
• Brazil nuts: 3g of net carbs per 28g serving, and they are an excellent source of selenium.
• Macadamia nuts: 4g of net carbs per 28g serving, and they have been linked to improved cholesterol levels.
• Walnuts: 4g of net carbs per 28g serving, and they may benefit heart health by reducing risk factors such as high LDL cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Hazelnuts: 5g of net carbs per 28g serving, and they are an excellent source of vitamin E, which has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
• Almonds: 5g of net carbs per 28g serving, and they are linked to a variety of health benefits due to their high protein, healthy fat, fibre, vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and antioxidant content.

It's important to remember that while nuts and avocados are excellent sources of healthy fats, they are also calorie-dense. Therefore, if you're trying to lose weight, it's crucial to monitor your intake and not overeat these foods.

By focusing on including these healthy fat sources in your bulking keto diet, you'll be well on your way to achieving your fitness and health goals.

Resistance training: Incorporate weight lifting and strength exercises into your routine

Resistance training is a crucial component of building muscle on a keto diet. This type of training typically involves lifting weights or performing other strength-based exercises to build strength and gain muscle mass. According to a review of 10 studies, resistance training at least twice a week was more effective at promoting muscle growth than training once per week.

To incorporate resistance training into your routine, consider the following exercises:

• Squats
• Bench presses
• Pull-ups
• Push-ups

If you're new to strength training, it's advisable to hire a personal trainer to ensure you're using the proper techniques and reduce the risk of injury. Additionally, consider incorporating compound exercises, such as squats and deadlifts, which work for multiple muscle groups, and isolated exercises, such as bicep curls and tricep extensions, which target specific muscle groups.

It's important to note that the effectiveness of a keto diet for building muscle is still a subject of debate. While some studies show that it is possible to build muscle on keto, others suggest that it may impair resistance training-induced muscle hypertrophy. Therefore, it's essential to monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed.

Frequently asked questions