Can you gain mucle on a low carb high fat moderate protien diet?
Options
Replies
-
You are better off doing low-moderate carb, high protein, low fat and lift heavy 4-6 reps. Try to work each muscle 3 times per week (compound exercises) This way you will build muscle and lose fat (carbs are needed to build muscle, all carbs should be complex carbs)
All carbs break down to glucose. And considering many fruits are simple carbs, there ia nothing really wrong. As long as you are getting adequate nutrients, it should matter if onw labels stuff as simple or complex. And considering we rarely eat in isolation, i wouldnt even make such a distinction.5 -
lady_ghost wrote: »I'm trying to tone up and gain some muscle would I need to increase my protien and lower my fat. I strength train three times a week and do cardio 1-2 times a week. I find I'm loosing stubborn fat and weight but I'm also loosing muscle. My carbs at 110grams fats are 88grams and protien 130grams usually. I'm 5'8 155 pounds.
My suggestion for cardio is to do cardio with resistance eg stepper or cross trainer I found running eats up too much muscle. I eat high protein low carb high good fats & still able to build1 -
lady_ghost wrote: »I'm trying to tone up and gain some muscle would I need to increase my protien and lower my fat. I strength train three times a week and do cardio 1-2 times a week. I find I'm loosing stubborn fat and weight but I'm also loosing muscle. My carbs at 110grams fats are 88grams and protien 130grams usually. I'm 5'8 155 pounds.
My suggestion for cardio is to do cardio with resistance eg stepper or cross trainer I found running eats up too much muscle. I eat high protein low carb high good fats & still able to build
Running doesn't burn muscle. You lose muscle from inadequate protein and lack of resistance training.5 -
Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion
So you are saying by increasing volume by way of reps rather than load you cant build muscle?
seems wrong... 0 -
jaimeolive wrote: »Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion
So you are saying by increasing volume by way of reps rather than load you cant build muscle? seems wrong...
If you increase reps, you're still getting stronger. 10 reps x 40 pounds = 400 pounds lifted; 12 reps x 40 pounds = 480 pounds lifted. You lifted 80 more pounds in the second scenario.0 -
jaimeolive wrote: »Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion
So you are saying by increasing volume by way of reps rather than load you cant build muscle? seems wrong...
If you increase reps, you're still getting stronger. 10 reps x 40 pounds = 400 pounds lifted; 12 reps x 40 pounds = 480 pounds lifted. You lifted 80 more pounds in the second scenario.
But you are still lifting 40 pounds
I understand volume as a female who can squat over 250 (I didn't get there by accident) - I just think the statement "you cant gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger" isn't necessarily correct and is very vague *insert thumbs up emoji because it didn't work on computer* 0 -
jaimeolive wrote: »jaimeolive wrote: »Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion
So you are saying by increasing volume by way of reps rather than load you cant build muscle? seems wrong...
If you increase reps, you're still getting stronger. 10 reps x 40 pounds = 400 pounds lifted; 12 reps x 40 pounds = 480 pounds lifted. You lifted 80 more pounds in the second scenario.
But you are still lifting 40 pounds I understand volume as a female who can squat over 250 (I didn't get there by accident) - I just think the statement "you cant gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger" isn't necessarily correct and is very vague *insert thumbs up emoji because it didn't work on computer*
Take your 250+ pound squat (assuming it's your 1RM) and bust out 10 reps with it. You're still lifting the same 250 pounds, but 10 reps will be a lot more difficult than 1 rep.
There are various methods of progression. You can increase volume, you can increase intensity, or you can increase frequency. All of them equate to more demand being placed upon the body.
If you're squatting 3x10 @250 twice a week right now and you're still squatting 3x10 @ 250 twice a week two months from now, you aren't going to make any significant gains because you haven't imposed any new demands upon the body that it has to compensate for. In two months from now if you're squatting 3x15@250 or 3x10@275 twice a week, or you're squatting 3x10@250 four times a week, you've progressed. In the first case you've increased volume, in the second case you've increased intensity and in the third case you've increased frequency. In every one of those cases, you've imposed new demands upon your muscles and central nervous system, which will create adaptation.
If somebody starts off doing bench press 3x6 with an empty Olympic bar (45 pounds) and they're still benching 3x6 with the empty bar six months later, they've made no progress. They're not going to build muscle if they simply continue benching that same weight at the same volume/frequency, nor are they going to get any stronger. They're not providing any new stimulus to require the body to adapt to.
While there are differences in the mechanisms which drive strength and hypertrophy, the fact remains that progression is necessary for muscles to grow.0 -
jaimeolive wrote: »jaimeolive wrote: »Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion
So you are saying by increasing volume by way of reps rather than load you cant build muscle? seems wrong...
If you increase reps, you're still getting stronger. 10 reps x 40 pounds = 400 pounds lifted; 12 reps x 40 pounds = 480 pounds lifted. You lifted 80 more pounds in the second scenario.
But you are still lifting 40 pounds I understand volume as a female who can squat over 250 (I didn't get there by accident) - I just think the statement "you cant gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger" isn't necessarily correct and is very vague *insert thumbs up emoji because it didn't work on computer*
Take your 250+ pound squat (assuming it's your 1RM) and bust out 10 reps with it. You're still lifting the same 250 pounds, but 10 reps will be a lot more difficult than 1 rep.
There are various methods of progression. You can increase volume, you can increase intensity, or you can increase frequency. All of them equate to more demand being placed upon the body.
If you're squatting 3x10 @250 twice a week right now and you're still squatting 3x10 @ 250 twice a week two months from now, you aren't going to make any significant gains because you haven't imposed any new demands upon the body that it has to compensate for. In two months from now if you're squatting 3x15@250 or 3x10@275 twice a week, or you're squatting 3x10@250 four times a week, you've progressed. In the first case you've increased volume, in the second case you've increased intensity and in the third case you've increased frequency. In every one of those cases, you've imposed new demands upon your muscles and central nervous system, which will create adaptation.
If somebody starts off doing bench press 3x6 with an empty Olympic bar (45 pounds) and they're still benching 3x6 with the empty bar six months later, they've made no progress. They're not going to build muscle if they simply continue benching that same weight at the same volume/frequency, nor are they going to get any stronger. They're not providing any new stimulus to require the body to adapt to.
While there are differences in the mechanisms which drive strength and hypertrophy, the fact remains that progression is necessary for muscles to grow.
The bolded part was a joke. I am not arguing with the above - simply what I am saying is size does not always equate to strength and I am more talking about people who do not train close to their 1rm like I, and I am assuming you do, or follow a plan with the goal to increase that 1RM because there are definitely people out there (most females at my gym) who aren't interested in increasing loads but still gain muscle, similar to the whole BBG movement.0 -
jaimeolive wrote: »jaimeolive wrote: »jaimeolive wrote: »Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion
So you are saying by increasing volume by way of reps rather than load you cant build muscle? seems wrong...
If you increase reps, you're still getting stronger. 10 reps x 40 pounds = 400 pounds lifted; 12 reps x 40 pounds = 480 pounds lifted. You lifted 80 more pounds in the second scenario.
But you are still lifting 40 pounds I understand volume as a female who can squat over 250 (I didn't get there by accident) - I just think the statement "you cant gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger" isn't necessarily correct and is very vague *insert thumbs up emoji because it didn't work on computer*
Take your 250+ pound squat (assuming it's your 1RM) and bust out 10 reps with it. You're still lifting the same 250 pounds, but 10 reps will be a lot more difficult than 1 rep.
There are various methods of progression. You can increase volume, you can increase intensity, or you can increase frequency. All of them equate to more demand being placed upon the body.
If you're squatting 3x10 @250 twice a week right now and you're still squatting 3x10 @ 250 twice a week two months from now, you aren't going to make any significant gains because you haven't imposed any new demands upon the body that it has to compensate for. In two months from now if you're squatting 3x15@250 or 3x10@275 twice a week, or you're squatting 3x10@250 four times a week, you've progressed. In the first case you've increased volume, in the second case you've increased intensity and in the third case you've increased frequency. In every one of those cases, you've imposed new demands upon your muscles and central nervous system, which will create adaptation.
If somebody starts off doing bench press 3x6 with an empty Olympic bar (45 pounds) and they're still benching 3x6 with the empty bar six months later, they've made no progress. They're not going to build muscle if they simply continue benching that same weight at the same volume/frequency, nor are they going to get any stronger. They're not providing any new stimulus to require the body to adapt to.
While there are differences in the mechanisms which drive strength and hypertrophy, the fact remains that progression is necessary for muscles to grow.
The bolded part was a joke. I am not arguing with the above - simply what I am saying is size does not always equate to strength and I am more talking about people who do not train close to their 1rm like I, and I am assuming you do, or follow a plan with the goal to increase that 1RM because there are definitely people out there (most females at my gym) who aren't interested in increasing loads but still gain muscle, similar to the whole BBG movement.
There are a lot of people out there they think they are gaining muscle because of CNS adaptations and/or they are dropping body fat to make their muscles more apparently; in some aspects, if they are absolutely new to training, they may gain a lb or two, but nothing much and that doesn't assume they also go right to a large deficit. There are also a lot people out their who think you can change the shape of your muscle.... doesn't make it true.
Volume, which is not just reps, it's (reps * sets * weight). One or more of those variables will have to change. And there are other areas such as intensity and time under tension, but volume being the largest driver. You might find the below video helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_z0vLxQHmo 0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.5K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 391 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 925 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions