Importance of "Adequate" Carbs?

Cortelli

I am doing my first bulk. Before I started a few weeks back, I had grown accustomed to a somewhat lowish-carb regular diet -- not that I was low-carbing it per se, but just that I prioritized caloric deficit, protein, fat, and some room for "goodies" like booze and coffee sweetner, etc. Carbs just got the short end of the stick when I was in a deficit.

Now that I am bulking, I am finding it more of a challenge than I expected to really up the carbs. I've read I should be targeting around 1.5 grams per lb of body weight (on the low end), and I don't always make it (though I am usually close). If I don't make it, but I don't feel any lack of energy or lack of fuel for my workouts, am I nonetheless shortchanging potential muscle growth? I will rework some of my dietary practices to include more carbs if it is important enough, but I am pretty happy with my diet (in terms of food enjoyment) with it as is.

How concerned should I be if I am not exactly plowing through hundreds of grams of carbs each day?

Chieflrg

Carbs is the last thing I worry about. I always focus on hitting my protein, then fat, carbs is just a filler.

MrGonzo05

Once your daily dietary fat and protein needs are met, it is beneficial to fill your remaining calories with carbs, because carbs have an impact on exercise performance. However, it is not worth stressing about. Unless you are filling your remaining calories by eating vats of lard. Then, worry. Lol

adaybetter

Carbs are extremely important while trying to bulk. They spare your body from using protein as energy, spike insulin at the right times to help drive protein to your muscle and much much more. Try for 1.5g per lbs per day. Gauge your progress and see if you are gaining muscle or fat. You can get a bulk of your daily carbs before and after a workout. Try for simple carbs post workout for the insulin spike

charlieibeling

slowly add them in to your diet. there is no magic number of how many you need per lb, everyone is different. about 50 before and after your workout would be a good baseline to start with,about another 50 spread out. keep em around your workout for now. add in a few more every week to these meals. if youre not gaining fat at an alarming rate add in carbs to another meal. theres no magic number, keep adding until you are gaining at an appropriate level

have one good carb load day in there where you load in about 2-3 times normal

Cortelli

Thanks for the replies so far!

Bumping for the weekday crew.

JoRocka

Carbs is the last thing I worry about. I always focus on hitting my protein, then fat, carbs is just a filler.

not when bulking- when you are bulking you NEED carbs- no building without them.

They are not just a filler.

Bulking is less about hitting macros and more about getting the calories in.... keep it moderately balanced for all 3- but don't sweat hitting a number.

I'm much more anal retentive about macros when I cut- keeping protein up while cutting is crucial.