Fat loss, mental clarity, wellness, and biohacking are just a few of the benefits of the keto diet these days, but muscle gain isn’t usually one of them. However, there is evidence to back up the goal of gaining muscle when on a ketogenic diet. As part of their show preparation, several bodybuilders have followed a ketogenic diet.
Going higher than 1 gram per pound of body weight is a common keto mistake made by ambitious keto dieters, so don’t do it! The excess protein breaks down into glucose, causing you to lose ketosis. As a result, you wind up feeling awful and dragging yourself through your workouts since your body just gets enough carbs to stay carb-adapted, but none of the fat-burning benefits that real ketosis provides!
Concentrate on Proteins of High Quality
A high-quality protein supply contains all nine required amino acids, as well as leucine, a vital muscle-building amino acid. Low-quality proteins, such as grains and legumes, are rarely included in the ketogenic diet. Eggs, whole-fat milk, Greek yogurt, cheese, chicken, turkey, hog, cattle, lamb, fish, and seafood are some of the best keto protein options. Get your protein from these sources as much as possible to provide your body with the amino acids it requires to build muscle on keto diet.
Get Your Protein Timing Right
Recent research suggests that it’s not just how much protein you consume in a day that matters, but also when you eat it and how you space it out throughout the day. To get the most out of your protein, eat a certain amount of high-quality protein every few hours—enough to pass the “leucine threshold.” However, there is no additional muscle-building advantage once you’ve reached this threshold at a meal—which for most people is 25-35 grams of protein each meal. This is particularly true if it causes you to lose ketosis.
Maintain a Calorie Deficiency
Whatever diet you follow, one thing remains constant: your muscles require calories to grow! A calorie deficit will not help you achieve your body composition goal of building muscle, as most people utilize a keto diet to reduce weight. According to the study, eating moderate protein was sufficient as long as the patients spread out their meals and ate in caloric excess. That last sentence is crucial! You need enough calories to achieve keto gains. You can even tweak it to fit your keto macros!
If your objective is keto bodybuilding, the first thing you’ll need to change is your mindset. When it comes to creating and maintaining muscle mass, we all know that getting enough protein is essential. However, especially on a ketogenic diet, ingesting more protein does not always imply more muscle growth.