Ketogenic Diet Example for Muscle Definition in bodybuilding

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Premise

The following indications are for informational purposes EXCLUSIVELY and are not intended to replace the opinion of professionals such as a doctor, nutritionist or dietician, whose intervention is necessary for the prescription and composition of PERSONALIZED food therapies.

ATTENTION! With this article we will try to report an example of a diet based on the unloading of dietary carbohydrates and the parallel increase of ketone bodies in the blood. It is essential to remember that we refer exclusively to A ketogenic diet (in a generic sense) and not TO A ketogenic diet (more or less specific method that can be claimed by some professionals); this small clarification is intended to safeguard the author of the article and healthiergang.com from any recourse on the intellectual property of the ketogenic diet or, why not, also from any conceptual-methodological disputes.

Ketogenic diet for muscle definition

The ketogenic diet for muscle definition of body-building is an unbalanced diet that NEEDS CONSTANT MONITORING BY THE SPECIALIST DOCTOR; the ketogenic diet in body building is useful for weight loss but above all for muscle definition or cutting.
The ketogenic diet for muscle definition is essentially based on 3 concepts:

• Reduction of carbohydrates: contrary to a ketogenic diet for weight loss (applicable in case of overweight or obesity) or that for epilepsy (useful in case of drug resistance), the ketogenic diet for muscle definition must take into account physical training high intensity of the body-builder. Without going into the details of training or energy physiology, to effectively stimulate muscle strength and hypertrophy it is ALWAYS necessary to maintain a more significant dietary quota of sugars than the diet for weight loss of a sedentary; this means that: the portion of dietary carbohydrates in the ketogenic diet for muscle definition must be placed at the upper limits of the range allowed for the application of this strategy. Excessively reducing the carbohydrates in the ketogenic diet for definition would not be correct, as it would increase the risk of compromising physical efficiency during training and favor the excessive catabolism of muscle proteins.
• Parallel increase of proteins and fats in the diet: by reducing carbohydrates in the diet, in order not to excessively reduce the total energy share, it is essential to drastically increase the percentage and quantity of lipids and proteins (at least 3g / kg). Some argue that the ketogenic diet, especially applied to body-building, boasts a "metabolic-catabolic" effect that facilitates the depletion of adipose tissue EVEN without reducing total energy, applying a simple replacement of carbohydrates with fats and proteins. Personally, I believe that this is at least a questionable aspect.
• Consequent production of ketone bodies and nitrogen groups: the ketogenic diet for muscle definition, like all ketogenic ones, induces the accumulation of ketone and nitrogen bodies. The ketone bodies, intermediate between anaerobic glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, are toxic to the tissues and, while making use of the reduction of the sense of appetite, especially in association with nitrogen groups, they have a negative impact on liver and kidney function. All these molecules facilitate body dehydration as they are highly osmotic and responsible for the greater renal excretion of water and mineral salts (including calcium).

Negative aspects of the ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet for muscle definition, especially if not properly monitored, can promote the appearance of:

• Acidosis (very severe) or otherwise lowering of blood pH
• Liver fatigue
• Kidney fatigue
• Systemic dehydration
• Ailments of various kinds, such as hypoglycemia and low blood pressure that can begin with a blackout
• Hypovitaminosis, salt and dietary fiber deficiency
• Changes in mood and asthenia from physical activity
• Muscle tissue depletion
• Increased renal excretion of calcium
• Up to 100% more cholesterol than normal and ac intake. Saturated fats> 10% of TOT kcal or> 1/3 of TOT lipids.

Due to its toxicity and marked catabolic effect, the ketogenic diet by definition should not be undertaken for long periods of time; moreover, if a bodybuilder decides to undertake it, he should find the right compromise between caloricity-dietary distribution and workouts. There are therefore several theories of application:

• Placement of workouts ONLY in the days of carbohydrate recharge (spaced by about 2 days of discharge)
• If the training program is very demanding, it would be more appropriate to keep a carbohydrate quota closer to the upper limit of the permitted range.

How many Carbohydrates to take?

The human body requires about 180g / day of carbohydrates to ENSURE efficient brain function EVEN in the long term (FAO, 1980), although it has already been shown that only 50-100g / day of carbohydrates should be sufficient to prevent the state of ketosis. (Calloeay 1971).
Assuming that 180g / day represents a suitable preventive quota in a 1800kcal diet (CHO at 37,5%, against 55-65% of a balanced diet), and taking the maximum value of the safety range proposed above (100g / day - CHO at 20,8%) it is possible to define that: in sedentary conditions, a subject who takes 1800kcal could MAINTAIN nervous function by reducing carbohydrates up to 37,5%, and further lower them up to 20,8% WITHOUT INCREASING THE RISK OF KETOACIDOSIS.
... and in the body-builder who also practices intense workouts?
Difficult to say, even if we could hypothesize a specific method; so:

• Estimation of sedentary ketogenicity on the maximum values ​​of the range (100g CHO, or 20,8% kcal TOT)
• Sum of the energy expenditure of each individual workout, eg. 300kcal, covered by mixed maltodextrin and branched amino acid supplements.

NB. The ketogenic diet is not concerned with the relationship between complex sugars and simple sugars, since carbohydrates are so scarce that their metabolic impact assumes an absolutely marginal value.
The methods for drawing up a ketogenic diet are many, as many as the variables to be taken into consideration in each individual outpatient case; an example of a ketogenic diet for muscle definition will be proposed below with the aim of keeping the dietary REWARD of the carbohydrate portion stable (at least 100g of CHO / day + maltodextrin supplements in training), requiring only one day of weekly recharge.
NB.The ketogenic diet is NOT applicable, as it is counterproductive and dangerous, to endurance / endurance athletes or athletes.

Useful supplements

The supplements useful in case of a ketogenic diet are those that guarantee the coverage of hydro-saline and vitamin needs; in the event that it is necessary to satisfy an energy expenditure higher than the norm, it may be a good habit to consume a supplement based on maltodextrin and branched chain amino acids. Some believe it is essential to associate a dietary supplementation phase of creatine with ketogenic cycles (if constant, about 3g / day), in order to promote its accumulation in the muscles and accentuate the anaerobic ALACTACID metabolism, saving the glycogen of the tissues.
NB. In the event that the subject has a significant increase in blood cholesterol, it is possible to replace part of the animal foods with supplements based on powdered proteins (possibly soy), in order to contain the exogenous supply of this lipid.

Ketogenic Diet Example

• Student, natural bodybuilder, practices 3 weekly workouts.

Ketogenic diet consisting of 6 days of moderate carbohydrate discharge and 1 day of recharge; the carbohydrate intake in the unloading phase will be 100 / day food + one or two fruits associated with a malto-dextrin supplement + BCAA on training days. The intake of carbohydrates in the recharging phase will be FREE, but in association and low quantity of lipids to avoid excessive adipose anabolism.

Day 1 Diet - NO TRAINING

Diet Day 2 - WITH WORKOUT

Day 3 Diet - NO TRAINING

Diet Day 4 - WITH WORKOUT

Day 5 Diet - NO TRAINING

Diet Day 6 - WITH WORKOUT

Diet Day 7 - REFILL

 

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