The Role of Carbohydrates in a Bodybuilding Diet 

During weight training workouts, your body relies on carbohydrates as it's primary source of energy.  If you are not consuming the right amount of carbohydrates each day, you won't have enough energy to train at the intensity levels that will stimulate muscle growth. 


Furthermore, consuming the right amount of carbohydrates in your muscle building diet, isn't the only thing that's important.  You also have to consume the best sources of carbohydrates at the right times.

Complex Carbohydrate OatsSince carbohydrates are in most of the foods we eat (fruits, dairy products, grains, legumes and vegetables), the majority of us don't have trouble consuming enough "carbs" in our diet.  Infact, many of us consume too many calories from carbohydrates.  furthermore, most of the time these excess carbohydrates are the simple form, which are less efficient sources of energy for the body.  Excess simple carbohydrates intake can lead to uneven blood sugar levels, energy swings, increases in body fat, and ultimately, difficulty building muscle.

Now a little more about simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates...  Basically every carbohydrate fits in to one of these two categories.  The classification depends on the chemical structure of the carbohydrate and reflects the speed at which they are digested and absorbed by the body.  Simple carbohydrates have only one or two sugar molecules, where as complex carbohydrates have three or more.  Simply put, this means that a simple carbohydrate is absorbed and metabolized quickly by the body providing a fast short burst of energy, where as a complex carbohydrate is absorbed at a slower rate and provides a more sustained source of energy.

Here are some examples of the types of carbohydrates in each classification:

  • Simple Carbohydrates - Fruit, milk, non starchy vegetables, honey.

  • Complex Carbohydrates -  Legumes, whole grain bread, pasta, rice, starchy vegetables.

    Your muscle building diet should consist of mostly complex carbohydrates as they  provide the best source of fuel for your daily energy requirements and weight training workouts.  The only time you should consume simple carbohydrates is immediately following a weight training workout.  This will replenish glycogen levels, and spike your insulin levels which will encourage your body to absorb more nutrients.

    The Roles of Carbohydrates in Your Bodybuilding Program

    Although most bodybuilding diets emphasize the importance of protein intake, carbohydrates play an important role and shouldn't  be overlooked.

    The main roles that carbohydrates play in your bodybuilding diet are as follows:

    • Providing energy to your muscles  - The Carbohydrates that you eat are stored in your muscles and the liver.  During your weight training workouts, your body coverts these stored carbohydrates into  ATP molecules and use them as energy.  If you don't eat enough of the right types of carbohydrates,  you will not have enough energy during your weight training workouts.  This means that you will limit your muscle building potential, since you will not have the energy to train at a high intensity.complex carbohydrate brown rice
    • Sparing Protein - Since the body relies on carbohydrates to burn as fuel, it's important to consume adequate amounts so that your body isn't forced to convert your valuable protein in to energy--a process know as ketosis.  Ketosis is a state at which your body begins to break down the proteins in your body, and converts them to a usable source of energy.  Unfortunately, your body can't distinguish the difference between the protein you eat and the protein in muscle tissue, and will literally start eating away at your muscle tissue if ketosis occurs.
    • The Post workout insulin spike - The other important role carbohydrates play in building muscle is  that of the post workout insulin spike.  This can be brought on simply by ingesting simple carbohydrates after your weight training workouts.  Although the majority of the carbohydrates in your muscle building diet will consist of complex carbohydrates, this is one of the times when simple carbohydrates are a must.  Since insulin is responsible for transferring nutrients from the blood stream in to your bodies cells.  Replenishing or "spiking" your insulin levels can actually speed up the process of  protein synthesis (building muscle tissue).  The insulin spike basically helps drive more nutrients into your blood stream, and helps "feed" the muscles.

    • Proper nervous system function - The central nervous system uses carbohydrates as a source of fuel.  During weight training workouts, your nervous system is what actually tells your muscles fibers when, and and what intensity to contract.  You may notice that as you begin to weight train, your strength will increase rapidly before an increase in muscle size occurs.  This is your nervous system becoming more efficient at telling your muscles how to contract as you perform each exercise.  Consuming high quality carbohydrates will ensure that you nervous system is functioning at it's peak, allowing you to get the most out of your weight training workouts.

    What are the Best Carbohydrates for a Bodybuilder? 

    The best sources of carbohydrates are those that are high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and are of the complex variety.  Most of the best sources of carbohydrates are also both high in fiber, and also contain respectable amounts of protein in them.  When you are Choosing breads or pasta, make sure you go with the whole wheat or whole grain products as they are higher in fiber, and a more efficient source of energy then refined products.

    Below is a list of some of the best sources of carbohydrates for bodybuilders.  Make sure that you include a variety of these foods in your diet:

    Food Protein Carbohydrates Fat Calories
    Kidney beans (1cup)
    		16g 39g 0g 218
    Brown rice (1 cup)
    		5g 45g 2g 216
    Mixed Vegetables
    		10g 48g 1g 237
    Oats (1/2 cup)
    		13g 51g 5g 304
    Peas (1 cups)
    		9g 25g 0g 134
    Whole grain bread (2 slices)
    		11g 35g 3g 207
    Whole grain cereals (1 cup)
    		8g 46g 3g161
    Whole wheat pasta (200g)
    		10g 50g 2g 262
    Yams (1 large)
    		4g37g0g16

     
    *When choosing breads or pasta, make sure you go with whole wheat or whole grain products versus the traditional "white" products which have been refined.  The whole grain and whole wheat products are higher in fiber, and a more efficient source of energy for your body.

    When and How Much Carbohydrates Should a Bodybuilder Consume?

    When - A serving of carbohydrates should accompany every meal you eat.  It's also important to consume a small serving of complex carbohydrates before your workout, and a serving of simple carbohydrates after your workout.  The pre-workout complex carbs will provide your body with the energy it needs to fuel your workout.  The post workout meal will replenish glycogen stores, and create an insulin spike encouraging the body to absorb more nutrients.  Try to avoid large helpings of carbohydrates before bed time, as it can disrupt your sleep.

    How much -  Most experts recommend that 30 - 55% of you daily caloric intake comes from carbohydrates.  If you are not sure what percentage is right for you, check out the "How Much of What to Eat" section.  Again, as with other aspects of your weight gain diet, you will have to experiment to find out what percentage works best for you.

    Here is an example of how to determine how many carbohydrates you should consume each day:

    Step 1.   Determine the percentage of your daily caloric intake of carbohydrates.

    Step 2.  Determine how many carbohydrate calories you will consume daily using  this formula: 

    (Total Daily Calories) X (Percentage of daily carb intake) = Total carbohydrate calories

    Step 3.  Determine how many grams of carbs to consume daily by using this formula: 

    (Daily carb calories) / 4 = Total grams of carbs per day

    Step 4.  The final step is to use the following formula to determine how many grams of carbs you should consume each meal: 

    (Total daily carb intake in grams) / (Number of daily meals ) = Number of grams of carbs per meal

    *Here is a real life example using 3000 calories as the total daily caloric intake with a goal of 50% of those coming from carbohydrates:

    3000 x .50(or 50%) =   1500 daily calories from carbs

    1500 / 4 = 375 grams per day

    375 / 6 = 62.5 grams per meal

    Putting it All Together
    Adequate carbohydrate intake will ensure that your body has enough energy to fuel your workouts, which will help you train at intensities that will encourage muscle growth.
     
    Here is a break down of what you need to know when you design your nutrition regimen:
     
    • Aim for 30 - 50% of your total daily calorie intake comes from carbohydrates.

    • Consume mostly complex carbohydrates, only simple carbs after your workouts.

    • Choose whole grain and whole wheat products whenever possible for the added fiber and nutrrients.

    • Consume complex carbs before your workout to provide you with energy, and simple carbs after your workout to restore glycogen stores and create an insulin spike.

    Remember, consuming enough of the right types of carbohydrates is only a small piece of the puzzle.  A well rounded bodybuilding diet also has to have the right proteins and fats, so make sure you become familiar with their roles as well if you haven't already.

     
     
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