When it comes to bulking or getting shredded, there is quite a hype about protein, but for many people, carbs are pictured as their foe. Let us get you straight, carbs are not bad for you. For all the bodybuilders, this note is just for you. If you are highly focused on achieving your fitness goals, a well-balanced diet with the correct amount of carbs from pulses, vegetables, whole grains and legumes is crucial.
What you must do is to focus on the limit of carbs consumption when you are on your fitness journey (especially weight loss, bodybuilding or maintaining fitness). For weight gain, you can consume it anyway. Even if you are on a weight loss journey, healthy carbohydrate foods are important for your intense workout sessions. To know how carbs consumption supports your bodybuilding, read this blog.
How Carbs are Vital for Bodybuilders?
Carbohydrates are the prime sources of energy. While lifting heavy, your muscles must be fueled enough, could recover efficiently, and grow. If you avoid carbs, it can lead to fatigue, slow down your performance, and impact your muscle recovery as well. This is why you need to add carbs to your routine.
Let’s dig into more detail to understand the importance of carbs in your diet during your bodybuilding phase:
- Energy for Workouts
Your body stores glycogen in the form of carbohydrates, which helps you perform high-intensity exercises. Without enough glycogen, your body won’t be able to train efficiently.
- Growing Muscles
When you come out after an intense workout, your muscles are depleted of glycogen. Adding carbs helps replenish them and ensures that your muscles grow bigger and stronger.
- Faster Muscle Recovery
After a workout, carbohydrates combine with protein in your body. This combination can boost your recovery by increasing insulin levels. It further fastens your muscle repair and growth process.
Types of Carbohydrates: Which Ones are the Best?
There is a category of good carbs and a category of bad carbs. In bodybuilding, you need to shift your focus to the right types of carbohydrates. This can help you go the extra mile in muscle growth or minimize fat gain journey. Below are some ideal choices:
- Complex Carbs
This type of carbs take time to digest in your body and act as a constant source of energy the whole day. Food sources include:
- Oats
- Brown rice
- Sweet potatoes
- Quinoa
- Fibrous Carbs
These carbs have low calories but top in nutritional value and fiber content. It lets you feel full for a long time and improves digestion as well. Food sources include:
- Vegetables (broccoli, spinach, kale)
- Legumes (beans, lentils)
- Whole grains
- Simple Carbs
Simple carbs are mostly suggested to be consumed right after a workout. It promotes quick recovery and replenishes glycogen stores faster. Food sources include:
- Fruits (bananas, berries, oranges)
- White rice
- Honey
How to Manage Carbs Intake When Cutting?
Bodybuilders usually focus on cutting fat while preserving muscle mass in the cutting phase. Some people may reduce their carb intake, but avoiding it completely negatively impacts their performance. Instead of this, you can go for complex and fibrous carbs. Manage your carbs intake around workouts for best results and recovery. With carbs, you can consume bodybuilding supplements like whey protein, creatine, BCAA and so on. This will also help you retain your muscles.
Summing Up
Cutting something off your diet may affect your performance and recovery process. It becomes more crucial when we talk about carbohydrates during bodybuilding. Rather than taking carbs off your plate, you can focus on healthy carbs and food sources like vegetables, brown rice, whole grains, and quinoa. This will improve your workout so that you can choose heavier weights for lifting and recover faster for the next session. If you think of adding supplements to your diet, ensure you consult your nutritionist.
