A long-held false belief is that you can effectively build lean and well-toned muscle only if you consume carbohydrates in plenty. But what if you are on the keto diet, which limits the number of carbs? Does this mean you cannot build muscle?
It is entirely possible to build both big and bulky muscles while on the keto diet. According to research by Konscious Keto, carbs have little to do with successful muscle building and strength. What works here is a combination of factors, such as the right amount calories, proteins, and water intake.
Exercises are also part of this complex mix. In the keto diet, the best rule is to eat more of the recommended diet and to maintain the right proportions for significant periods. For instance, consumption of about 75 percent of healthy fat, 20 percent of proteins and 5 percent of carbohydrates meal plans work perfectly well for your keto diet. In this case, the more fat you consume, the more effective it is for both keto dieting and successful muscle texture.
Apart from the benefits of keto supplements, some of the most recommended meals that promise to give you excellent muscle texture and strength include:
1. Adequate consumption of proteins
According to ruled, proteins are essential and play a key role if you are planning to build muscle. What is even more important is to eat the right proportions, which serve to prevent any signs of muscle deterioration. Proteins, combined with enough calorie intake, cover for the apparent deficit of the limit on carbs. For the ketogenic dieter, proteins come in handy as they provide a source of energy through the gluconeogenesis properties that they possess.
You must be wondering how much protein is enough in this situation. Well, according to researchers, the ideal amount of protein intake for most active athletes, who include body builders stands at 1.4-2 g per kilogram of their body weight. Some of the most recommended sources of protein that you can safely consume to build muscle include organic meats and eggs, along with fish and dairy that is high in fats. Eating enough proteins is useful in helping you also to increase the muscle protein synthesis.
2. Steak and eggs
This powerful combination can be eaten in the morning as breakfast, as it helps in giving you a double dose of fat and proteins. These remain quite effective in helping you to build the muscle tone and strength that is desirable.
3. Creamy avocado with tender poached eggs
For anybody doing muscle building workout, this recipe gives you wholesome healthy fats to fuel your exercise routine and just enough calories to build muscle strength.
4. Adequate consumption of calories
For muscle building, just like for any other purpose, calories matter a great deal. Muscle and strength break down the number of calories that are sufficient as you embark on your journey of building and toning your muscles. A right balance is what is needed, because if you eat fewer calories, then you lose significant amounts of weight if you overeat of the same, and then you end up gaining more weight.
But for muscle strength, what is required is the need to lean more towards more consumption of healthy fats, which then provide for the right amount of calories.
The science of muscle strength talks of the fact that if you are in a calorie deficit, there is a tendency of losing more fats, and calorie excess allow you to gain more muscle.
To maximize building muscle, these are the amounts of meals you should consider:
- Consume a surplus in calories of about 250-500 each day, which allows you to gain almost a pound of muscle per week.
- Since you are on the keto diet, ensure that the surplus calories come mainly from healthy fats.
- The right percentage and proportions are about 1.4gm per 1 kilogram of your body weight.
- If you are starting on muscle building, the higher in excess of calories, the better, as the body is now in active mode and is inclined towards muscle growth.
- However, if you have been training for a while, it is advisable to go for smaller amounts of the calorie surplus. An excess amount could lead to unwanted fat accumulation and loss of lean muscle.
5. Roasted broccoli
It is part of an easy meal plan recipe that is achieved in a quick time but boasts of numerous health benefits that help in your muscle building sojourn. You have the benefit of more greens on your dinner table, but which host micronutrients such as vitamin c, Vitamin k, phosphorous and folate, among others.
Maximize on water intake
Ketonic dieters tend to lose a lot of water especially during the first weeks of starting on the diet. This loss comes about because of restrictions in carbs, which makes the body to shade both water and sodium.
It’s important to hydrate consistently, as not doing so may lead to the physical performance being impaired and limited. Also, the result of not drinking enough water is keto flu, which could leave you entirely under the weather. Steps you can take include drinking about 2.7 liters of water each day for women muscle builders. Men muscle builders drink about 3.7 liters of water per day.
Conclusion
Muscle building during keto diet remains possible as long as you follow key meal plans. Recommended amounts of proteins, calories and healthy fats work in perfect combination to give you positive outcomes. Whereas carbs are limited in this case, you rely more on healthy fats to provide the right and surplus amounts of calories for muscle strength.
You also cannot overlook the importance of hydration. Although water intake does not contribute directly to muscle building, it is what makes blood circulation and overall performance to remain at their optimum levels. Without proper amounts of water, the body becomes both weak and fragile which then interferes with performance outcomes.