Keto Diet for Bodybuilding

Keto Diet for Bodybuilding

In order to gain muscle most bodybuilders include carbohydrates in what they eat day-to-day. The right combination of carbs, proteins, etc. can help a bodybuilder increase muscle mass. They are going to put the right combination of food in their bodies to reach their goals. So how then could the keto diet for bodybuilding fit into a bodybuilder’s daily diet? To answer the question we must first understand what the keto diet is.

What is the keto diet for bodybuilding?

Keto diet

Let’s first examine what exactly the keto diet is and how it helps any person’s body. A keto diet consists of an extremely low level of carbohydrates, a moderate level of proteins and a high level of healthy fats. The purpose of the keto diet is to force the body to burn fat instead of glucose, carbohydrates because the body has been depleted of its carbohydrate levels.

Our bodies are automatically set to convert carbohydrates into glucose. Any glucose is left over, and therefore not being used by the body, is stored as fat. A person following a keto diet is basically starving the body carbohydrates forcing the body to use the liver to burn off its fats supply.

The keto diet is a great way to lose weight, however is it the right diet for a bodybuilder?

The worry is…

That if the body has less glycerin levels what will our muscles use for energy during a workout?

Keto Diet for Bodybuilding, bodybuilding

Different Types of Keto Diet for Bodybuilding

There are a couple different types of keto dieting that can be applied to a person who is a bodybuilder.

Cyclical Ketogenic Diet

  • Option 1 – With this option the bodybuilder follows the typical keto diet for five days and then for two days he or she will go into carb loading. For two days a week bodybuilder will increase their carbon take by 50 to 60%. The intention is to replenish the glycerin levels within the liver and vamp up muscle energy, being careful not to leave anything behind that can be stored as fat.
  • Option 2 – In this option the bodybuilder follows a biweekly cycle. The keto diet is closely followed for 10 to 12 days with 3 to 4 days of loading up on the carbs.

Either option should get a person good results. It is more about a person’s personal preference and his or her training schedule.

Targeted Ketogenic Diet

  • In this type of keto dieting a person should stick to the traditional keto diet on the days that they are not working out. That means eating 20 to 30 g of carbs. Then on the days they will be working out the person will want to increase their carbohydrates to 25 to 50 grams before the actual work out.
  • The purpose of the targeted keto diet is to boost blood sugar levels for a person’s workouts, so they have the energy to complete the work out. And because the person’s body will burn that glucose quickly during the workout their body should go right back into ketosis once the workout is over.

Carb Loading? Is it Necessary?

There continues to be debates about whether carb loading is necessary, however due to the limited research no one can say for sure one way or the other. It could depend on a person’s body and whether or not their body type needs carbohydrates. The results could also be related to how long a person has been following a keto diet.

There are some that argue that it would actually be better for a person to compete and train with ketones and fats as a person’s body fuel versus glucose and carbs. If their argument is correct the keto diet for bodybuilders could help a person gain muscle mass. It could also  increase their endurance and help them burn off fat in the process.

Give the Body time to Adjust

As with any diet when a person first begins they are going to have lower levels of energy as their body adjusts. However, usually within a few days a person’s body has moved into ketosis and should be functioning better. It is essential that a person gives their body enough time to adjust before they decide the keto diet into working for them.

We all know there are millions of different body types out there. A diet that is spectacular for one person may do nothing for another person. The only way to truly find out if a keto diet is good for a bodybuilder is for that bodybuilder to test it out.

As with any new type of diet is essential that a person talks with their physician to go over any possible health risks. Once a person discusses things with their physician and gets the okay to move forward why not give it a try. The keto diet for bodybuilding might just give a person the edge he or she has been looking for.

 

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