Hi guys

 

A question for the nutritionists amount us.

 

How important are carbs for building muscle mass?

 

Ive been following a strict meal plan for a few month now and I'm getting good results, but I've also noticed I'm putting on excess fat I don't obviously want. I've spent a very long time researching foods etc and getting my macros spot on to achieve my ideal goal mainly with the help of Scott's BMI calculator and meal plan video etc. For me I just so happen to very similar to Scott and his age/body type/size etc and like him I'm trying to clean bulk. My macros are 2500 kcals, 250g protein, 150g carbs, 100g fat.

 

My question is I'm lucky in the sense that I can consume little or a lot of carbs and still feel equally as energetic so as a result of not struggling on a low carb diet and with the excess fat I'm slowing putting on would it be a good idea to slightly lower my carb and fat intake further to say 120g/80g respectively, and as a result raise my protein intake to make up the kcal numbers?

 

My goal is mass, but also to stay lean all year round. I know to achieve both is kind of contradictory and a very hard and slow progress but time is on my side and both are equally importantly as each other. Although size is getting there the lean part is slowly fading away.

 

Thoughts guys?

 

Thanks

 

Binny

Hi guys

 

A question for the nutritionists amount us.

 

How important are carbs for building muscle mass?

 

Ive been following a strict meal plan for a few month now and I'm getting good results, but I've also noticed I'm putting on excess fat I don't obviously want. I've spent a very long time researching foods etc and getting my macros spot on to achieve my ideal goal mainly with the help of Scott's BMI calculator and meal plan video etc. For me I just so happen to very similar to Scott and his age/body type/size etc and like him I'm trying to clean bulk. My macros are 2500 kcals, 250g protein, 150g carbs, 100g fat.

 

My question is I'm lucky in the sense that I can consume little or a lot of carbs and still feel equally as energetic so as a result of not struggling on a low carb diet and with the excess fat I'm slowing putting on would it be a good idea to slightly lower my carb and fat intake further to say 120g/80g respectively, and as a result raise my protein intake to make up the kcal numbers?

 

My goal is mass, but also to stay lean all year round. I know to achieve both is kind of contradictory and a very hard and slow progress but time is on my side and both are equally importantly as each other. Although size is getting there the lean part is slowly fading away.

 

Thoughts guys?

 

Thanks

 

Binny

If I may jump in here, I am a little confused by your first paragraph Daniel I have 1/3 cup of dried oats before and after work out and after work out a half a banana, too in a protein shake. Explain further and explain re-feed days what that entails for carb intake. Thanks!

Well dried oats would be your complex carbs prior to a workout but they would not 100% suffice as a post workout nor would a banana. Ideally, you should have a protein shake post workout to elicit an insulin response and further trigger protein synthesis. Your post workout meal should consist of a simple carb such as white rice to then normalise blood sugar levels which will be depleted from your workout. If staying lean is your goal then your first meal should be pure protein and fat as this dictates how your body will utilise carbs throughout the day. If meal 1 is your pre-workout meal then still it should have no carbs.

 

There are numerous ways in which re-feed days can be utilised. My favourite way is to double your daily carb intake on leg day then the next day have zero carb (not including fibrous carbs eg green vegetables). Please note however, that I would only implement re-feeds for males inbetween 10 - 12% BF.

Daniel, thanks for the advice.

 

You oi mention having no carbs before a workout if you train first thing in the morning and to have only protein and fats. What's a good example of this? Say a protein Shake and eggs/nuts? If this was the way to go would it be best to have a Shake after the workout followed by say chicken and rice as a meal?

 

At the moment I'm guilty of having a Shake with oats in it as a breakfast pre workout before having a Shake post workout. From what you're saying this isnt the way to go...

Oh 1 last thing I forgot to mention. The post workout Shake I take is something called PHD Pharma Gain. It's an all in one protein blend aimed at lean muscle mass. It contains equal protein to carbs mix (38g each) with the carbs coming from complex super grains such as oats, brown rice and wheat. Its a great post workout Shake but is it the sort of thing I should take/use as the post workout meal or should I have this plus an actual meal such as chicken and rice?

 

Thank you for all your help.

Just had a look at the protein. In my opnion that type of protein powder isn't optimal as it contains macro ratios which are not favourable post workout if your goal is body composition. If you are planning on using that you perhaps could get away with the post workout meal white rice as your body will have stabilised blood sugar levels enough until you get in your next meal. Next time you look into buying protein just look for something that contains just whey protein.

Are you gaining body fat or are you gaining muscle glycogen and water?

I'm sure Scott can offer a perspective from modeling standpoint as well, but many people confuse body fat with held body water. Excess carbohydrates (and I emphasize excess) will act like a sponge for water and make you look 'softer' when your body fat is still relatively unchanged - hense the concept of bodybuilders or fitness models 'drying out' prior to a photoshoot or show.

Honestly your macros look pretty solid, keeping in mind that I don't know much about you, but I always keep carbs as the sliding scale for goals. Protein always much be kept in check for muscluar growth and development, fat is utilized for essential bodily functions like hormonal balance and is a great caloric sink to take advantage of, and carbohydrates are the physique nutrient.

What do I mean by the physique nutrient? You want at least 50g of carbohydrates per day to stave off ketogenic pathways and muscle wasting, but anything lower than around 100-150g per day will leave you typically pretty bogged down physically and mentally (but as you already mentioned in your lead post, everyone is different and you may be alright with a lowish number). To integrate what I mentioned above, the sliding scale of carbs and / or treating them as the physique nutrient is all about monitoring your held body water and how tight you look relative to your body fat percentage.

If you have properly trained and followed a meal plan perfect for you, you can effectively lower your body fat percentage down to the general area with which you are comfortable / whatever your goal may be. From there, you can utilize TEMPORARY reduction of carbs closer to that 50-100g area while maintaining your caloric intake by shifting the carbohydrate totals to either protein / healthy fats to maintain strength and muscle mass as effectively as possible while you do this. The opposite is also true when trying to gain weight or strength.

When you are attempting to gain weight or strength, you are now focusing on growth, performance and nourishing yourself. As has been said a million times, you don't want to go overboard but a general principle to understand is that you need to COMMIT to a goal. Do you want to gain size or strength or are you overly concerned with having a perfect six pack year round? I'm not saying to get fat, but maintaining a flat stomach while gaining strength and size is a lot more preferable than to maintain that skinny-sixpack and staying the same size.

So in closing you can be utilizing your macros to whichever phase of goal or progression you're looking for. When you're seeking to gain weight, gain weight. Get your calories, get them from healthy sources but don't be afraid to lose the six-pack temporarily. Carbohydrates serve as an energy and caloric sink for getting into your moderate caloric surplus and lifting quality - so to answer your question in a very long winded way, Yes carbohydrates are essential for muscle growth, but all nutrients are essential for muscle growth. Use them intelligently together to see your goals met.

Good luck, hopefully that wasn't too much of a text-wall.

Are you gaining body fat or are you gaining muscle glycogen and water?

I'm sure Scott can offer a perspective from modeling standpoint as well, but many people confuse body fat with held body water. Excess carbohydrates (and I emphasize excess) will act like a sponge for water and make you look 'softer' when your body fat is still relatively unchanged - hense the concept of bodybuilders or fitness models 'drying out' prior to a photoshoot or show.

Honestly your macros look pretty solid, keeping in mind that I don't know much about you, but I always keep carbs as the sliding scale for goals. Protein always much be kept in check for muscluar growth and development, fat is utilized for essential bodily functions like hormonal balance and is a great caloric sink to take advantage of, and carbohydrates are the physique nutrient.

What do I mean by the physique nutrient? You want at least 50g of carbohydrates per day to stave off ketogenic pathways and muscle wasting, but anything lower than around 100-150g per day will leave you typically pretty bogged down physically and mentally (but as you already mentioned in your lead post, everyone is different and you may be alright with a lowish number). To integrate what I mentioned above, the sliding scale of carbs and / or treating them as the physique nutrient is all about monitoring your held body water and how tight you look relative to your body fat percentage.

If you have properly trained and followed a meal plan perfect for you, you can effectively lower your body fat percentage down to the general area with which you are comfortable / whatever your goal may be. From there, you can utilize TEMPORARY reduction of carbs closer to that 50-100g area while maintaining your caloric intake by shifting the carbohydrate totals to either protein / healthy fats to maintain strength and muscle mass as effectively as possible while you do this. The opposite is also true when trying to gain weight or strength.

When you are attempting to gain weight or strength, you are now focusing on growth, performance and nourishing yourself. As has been said a million times, you don't want to go overboard but a general principle to understand is that you need to COMMIT to a goal. Do you want to gain size or strength or are you overly concerned with having a perfect six pack year round? I'm not saying to get fat, but maintaining a flat stomach while gaining strength and size is a lot more preferable than to maintain that skinny-sixpack and staying the same size.

So in closing you can be utilizing your macros to whichever phase of goal or progression you're looking for. When you're seeking to gain weight, gain weight. Get your calories, get them from healthy sources but don't be afraid to lose the six-pack temporarily. Carbohydrates serve as an energy and caloric sink for getting into your moderate caloric surplus and lifting quality - so to answer your question in a very long winded way, Yes carbohydrates are essential for muscle growth, but all nutrients are essential for muscle growth. Use them intelligently together to see your goals met.

Good luck, hopefully that wasn't too much of a text-wall.

Ok thanks for looking into that Daniel. My supplements normally go along the lines of an all-in-one with oats as a breakfast meal before training and then the PHD Pharma Gain Shake as a post workout shake. Sorry for the novice question but would a simple whey protein Shake be better than an all-in-one Shake from now on post workout, followed by a meal?

 

Regarding a re-feed day, is it a simple rule of thumb to just double my usual carb intake for the one day? If so what are the best foods to do this with? Sweet potatoes, rice etc. I'm going to write out a new meal plan based on the advice you guys have given and I want to get it right!

 

By the sounds of it doing it, the way I currently am doesn't seem far off it just seems as if I'm consuming the carbs at the wrong time of the day, oats before a workout rather than rice etc after.