New lifters often have questions about low-carb diets, so let’s clear up six common myths. Many experienced bodybuilders already understand the benefits of cutting carbs and how to do it effectively.
Myth #1: Cutting Carbs Causes You to Lose Muscle Mass
Truth
When you start a low-carb diet, your muscle glycogen stores decrease. Glycogen pulls water into your muscles, so as it decreases, the water content in your muscles also goes down. This can make your muscles temporarily shrink.
Many guys quit their low-carb diets when they notice their muscles temporarily shrink due to reduced glycogen and water. But don’t worry, this effect is temporary. After a few days, your body adjusts by replenishing glycogen from other sources and muscles fill up with water again.
Diets high in protein and low in carbs don’t cause muscle loss; they can actually help you build muscle while losing fat. Here’s why: When you cut carbs, it’s important to increase your protein intake to about 1-2 grams per pound of bodyweight daily. Research shows that higher protein intake boosts protein synthesis, the process that helps muscles grow.
On a low-carb diet, your body uses ketones for energy, which are produced when your body burns fat. This helps prevent muscle breakdown. When you combine a high-protein, low-carb diet with regular workouts, like in a study at the University of Connecticut, guys gained muscle even without intense exercise. It’s a great way to burn fat while keeping or even building muscle.
Take Home Message
When following a low-carb diet, up your protein intake to at least 1 1⁄2 g per pound of bodyweight each day. Select sources of animal protein, include whey and casein protein powders, as well as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
Myth #2: Low-Carb Diets Zap Your Energy and Make You Weak
Truth
The reason why this misconception persists is because studies on low-carb diets used by endurance athletes showed that reducing carbohydrates had a negative impact on endurance.
Bodybuilders and strength athletes have different energy needs compared to endurance athletes. Bodybuilders rely on stored ATP and creatine phosphate for quick bursts of energy, while endurance athletes burn a lot of muscle glycogen. Unless you’re doing very high repetitions or excessive sets in your workouts, a low-carb diet shouldn’t affect your strength or energy levels in the gym. Research from California State University, Fullerton, shows that strength in exercises like squats and leg presses wasn’t affected by a low-carb diet for sets of 15 reps or less.
If you’re used to eating lots of carbs and switch to a low-carb diet, you might feel a dip in energy at first. But your body will adapt, and any initial energy issues should improve within a few days.
Take Home Message
When you’re working out on a low-carb diet, try to keep each set to 15 reps or fewer and limit the total sets per muscle group to 20 or less. Also, consider trying a creatine supplement if you haven’t already. It boosts your creatine phosphate levels, which can keep your strength and energy levels high during workouts.
Myth #3: Going Low Carb Means You Have to Avoid All Carbs
Truth:
Some diets cut out all carbs completely, which can be extreme. But for bodybuilders, “low carb” usually means eating about 1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight each day. So, a 200-pound guy would aim for around 200 grams of carbs daily.
You don’t have to eat carbs all day long, but there are some good guidelines to follow: First, avoid carbs right after you finish exercising. Next, try to eat most of your carbs earlier in the day. At night, aim for around 60g of carbs. For most meals, go for slow-digesting carbs like fruits, oatmeal, whole grains, sweet potatoes, and veggies with fiber. But after your workout, it’s okay to have quick-digesting carbs like white bread, white potatoes, dextrose, sucrose, or a sports drink like Gatorade.
Also Read: Top Muscle Growth Supplements
Take Home Message:
Eat fewer than 1 gram of carbs per pound of your body weight each day. For a boost in fat burning and to use up your muscle glycogen stores, consider doing an extreme low-carb fast for three days every two weeks. During those three days, keep your daily carb intake under 100 grams and skip carbs after your workouts.
Myth #4: Low-Carb Diets Will Make You Feel Hungrier Than Normal
Truth:
Carbs don’t keep you feeling satisfied or full. Eating a lot of protein can help you feel less hungry because it gives you a stronger sense of fullness. In fact, a recent study from University College London found that a high-protein meal (with 65% protein) can reduce hunger up to three times more than high-carb or high-fat meals. It seems that meals rich in protein trigger the production of more peptide YY, a hormone made in the stomach that signals the brain that you’re full. To avoid feeling hungry, make sure each meal has plenty of protein.
Take Home Message:
Try to get about 40g of protein in your meals, except right before exercise, when you only need about 20g. If you eat high-protein meals every two to three hours throughout the day, you’ll stay full and satisfied, even if you’re watching your calories closely.
Myth #5: Going Low Carb Means You Can Eat Bacon and Other Fatty Foods
Truth:
Even if some popular low-carb diets, like Atkins, let you eat lots of fatty foods such as bacon, sausage, and butter, bodybuilders should generally steer clear of them. These foods might be fine for regular folks following these diets without feeling like they’re really dieting, but for bodybuilders, it’s best to avoid them.
When you’re on a low-carb diet, it’s okay to treat yourself to bacon and mayo once in a while, but it’s better to choose lower-fat options and healthier fats most of the time. Fat is important because it helps maintain your testosterone levels. Eating a low-carb diet won’t make you gain fat, and having some healthy fats can even help you burn more body fat.
Take Home Message:
Limit your consumption of fat to 30–40% of your daily caloric intake. Select from peanut butter, avocados, steak, salmon, and other fatty seafood, as well as entire eggs.
Myth#6: Extra Dietary Fat While on a Low-Carb Diet is Unhealthy and Raises Cholesterol Levels
Truth:
For a while now, there’s been a battle against saturated fat in America. But, surprisingly, bodybuilders need some saturated fat in their diets. Research shows athletes who eat more saturated fat tend to have higher testosterone levels. Data also suggests that eating more total and saturated fat isn’t necessarily bad for health, especially if you’re not overeating calories.
Research shows that the main type of saturated fat in pork, poultry, and beef doesn’t actually increase bad LDL cholesterol. In fact, studies indicate that replacing carbs with any type of fat can lower blood triglycerides and boost good HDL cholesterol. Interestingly, saturated fat raises HDL more than unsaturated fat does.
Take Home Message:
When following a low-carb diet, limit your daily fat intake to 30 to 40 percent and make sure it comes from a range of nutritious sources, such as beef, dairy, pig, lamb, and duck, as well as healthy unsaturated and saturated fats.