General Ketogenic Dieting

Bulking on a ketogenic diet; True or false?

KetosisIRL Bulking On A Ketogenic Diet
Avatar
Written by Natalia Rostova

Is bulking on a ketogenic diet possible?

There’s a lot of skepticism about whether bulking on a ketogenic diet is possible. Bodybuilders stick to diets all the time. There is not a single possibility not to care about your meal. You count calories, you weigh your dishes, and you never stop asking questions about the quantity of carbs and fats and proteins in different foods. The most important for you is to gain muscles via bulking. Using one or another diet you care about its influence. Some diets can burn fat for energy and this is good, but some diets could use protein from your muscles to produce energy and this is your fear.

Speaking about bulking on a ketogenic diet opinions vary. Some individuals consider that muscles on a keto diet grow because of low insulin level and increased lipolysis. How does it happen? When the insulin level is low it helps to produce useful hormones such as growth hormone and testosterone. It is well-known those hormones make ones muscles bigger and bigger.

There is also another opinion about bulking on a ketogenic diet. They say keto diet can reduce body muscles through using them for fuel. Generally bodybuilders intake a lot of proteins though the day. Actually protein is what you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But in a ketogenic diet what you eat is fatty food. Your daily meal contains form fats for 60% and only 30% is protein. So normally you don’t get as many proteins as usually when you are on a keto diet. But you should. Eat some proteins after working out before you get to sleep. Your muscles need protein for growth. Also, to keep your body from burning muscles for fuel there has to be some fat reserves. Remain it there and you don’t have to worry about reducing muscles.

Another opinion will tell how actually burn fat on a ketogenic diet and bulk. The way out is cycling ketogenic diet. It is all about when to use carbs and what is their quantity, of course we mean “good carbs”. It is possible to use carbs before work outs. That helps to increase glucose level, which is necessary during training and in addition to increase recovery. Also it helps to stimulate muscle protein synthesis during trainings. The only problem will be to count the quantity of carbs, because it is very individual. One with bigger muscle system needs more another one with lower – needs less. You will not avoid errors and trials to discover you own “golden mean” of carbs intake to enjoy fat burning benefits of a keto diet.

So, the conclusion is you can bulk on a keto diet. To make muscles grow you need proteins. It is better to intake them before you get to sleep, because muscles grow while you are sleeping. And no, you will not lose any muscles while there are fat reserves in your body. Keep some fat and good luck with your bulking. Share your opinion in comments below; we all are interested in your experience.

About the author

Avatar

Natalia Rostova

Natalia is a talented writer / lyricist living in Ukraine. Natalia is a valued writer for KetosisIRL and has been writing for the blog since late 2015.

Leave a Comment