There’s a common misconception that it’s impossible to build true muscle while on a restrictive diet. While this may be true to a point because you are actively losing both fat and muscle while on a diet, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make real strength gains throughout your journey with the right dedication. To build muscle on Keto, you just need to know what to eat, how to train and what supplements can aid you in your fitness goals.
While the opinion of fitness gurus is typically split, science shows that you don’t really need carbohydrates in order to build muscle. In fact, getting enough protein will provide enough of an insulin boost to kick your body into an anabolic state. This is particularly true if you are consuming a protein-heavy meal post-workout to provide your muscles with the nutrients needed for growth and recovery. But the benefits of following a Ketogenic diet while building muscle don’t end there. Some of the ways you can build muscle on Keto are:
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- Limit Muscle Breakdown – While in a starved state, your body will typically begin wasting muscle and fat for energy as a last-ditch effort. However, when you are in a state of nutritional ketosis, something different altogether tends to happen. Since ketones are actively being used for energy and are derived from fat, muscles can be spared during the process.
- Consuming More Protein – On any low-carb diet, you will inherently be eating more protein than you would normally to fill your macros. In general, you will want to shoot for around .7 grams of protein for each pound of bodyweight you have each day. While this may throw off your macros a bit, you should still remain in ketosis.
- Increasing Natural HGH – If you are attempting to build muscle, there’s a good chance that you already have some idea of what HGH is. Human growth hormone is released steadily throughout the day when in a state of nutritional ketosis. This not only helps you build muscle but can also help build more muscle.
By now, you should have a pretty good basis for how you can build muscle on Keto without all of the scientific jargon that makes it hard to understand. As long as you are getting enough protein and supplementing with BCAAs, your body should have the resources needed to continue in a positive direction. Before you begin, however, it is important to ensure you have received the “all clear” from your doctor to avoid any potential health problems.
