Why carbohydrates are the most important macro-nutrient for muscle building!!!

Protein, protein and more protein. That is all we seem to hear when it comes to muscle growth and overall physique development. Now, don’t get me wrong, protein is important when it comes to muscle growth. But I will say carbohydrates are truly superior when it comes to it all, and I am going to explain why. You see the 1 thing that carbs do that is so powerful is they signal your pancreas to make insulin, which is without a doubt the most anabolic hormone in the human body. Insulin is what shuttles proteins and fats to muscle cells after all, and without it muscle growth will be hard to come by and fat loss (if that is your goal) will stall dead in its tracks.

Think of carbs are a grenade launcher and protein more like a handgun. Both can do lots of damage, and in the sense of the physique minded bodybuilder, both can help with overall development. But, carbs will play a much bigger role in the process and will allow the protein to do its job much more effectively. And its not the carbs as a whole that is really doing the trick, it’s what your body does in response to the carb consumption that makes the difference. The insulin spike, which will take the fats and proteins present in the blood stream to the correct place, whether that be muscle cells or fat cells.

Now in terms of timing, this is a key point to consider that will take your nutrition to an even greater level. Pre and post workout I would stick to higher glycemic index foods, aka foods higher in sugar. The reason for this is because you will see an even greater blood sugar spike due to higher index foods spiking sugar levels to a much greater degree. You want to have higher insulin levels around training times because your body needs the nutrients more readily for growth and recovery, as well as overall gym performance. This is why with my clients I go for cream of rice pre workout and some form of faster acting carbs post workout, such as sugary cereal or a bagel. Now the only reason for this is to spike blood sugar prior to having a full meal post-workout of chicken and rice or the like. Again, creating an anabolic environment is key here and this is a very strategic way of doing it.

So the moral of the story here is DO NOT skip your carbs guys!!! Trust me they will not make you fat if you truly understand how to utilize them! If you don’t, I am here to help.

BEYOND JUST BODYBUILDING