Proper Carbohydrate Consumption

Carbohydrate manipulation is perhaps the most important nutritional aspect of the bodybuilding diet, in all phases of bodybuilding competition and growth. Let's learn more about the body's carbohydrate needs during off-season, pre-contest, and post-contest recovery periods.

Off-season
All bodybuilders start in this phase. When the decision is made to gain muscle, a decision is made to seriously bump up the calories. Carbohydrates play a major role in this process. You can't let your fat levels get too high, because you don't want to get fat, and because you wish to preserve your cardiovascular health. Likewise, you can't let your protein levels get too high (500 grams daily or above) without placing your kidneys and other organs at serious risk. For this reason, the only remaining source of calories (needed for growth) is carbohydrates. In the off-season, depending upon your bodyweight, metabolism, and body fat levels, carbohydrate levels can get as high as 3000 calories (750 grams of carbohydrates daily).

Pre-contest
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy used by the body. When the body is faced with some tough task - say, 45 minutes of cardiovascular training - it will automatically burn any local carbohydrate (sugar) sources first. This includes the food in your stomach and the glycogen stored in your muscle cells. It is only after these sources of carbohydrate are no longer available that stored body fat is burned for energy. This is why most bodybuilding diets involve restricted carbohydrates and cardio completed on an empty stomach upon rising in the morning.

"The Bounce"
Following a bodybuilding competition, it's definitely time to give the body some much-needed rest. Since you've probably deprived yourself of a desired level of carbohydrates for several months, there is a fairly good chance you will want to gorge yourself on some delicious foods following the show. This can be dangerous for several reasons. Some bodybuilders gain 15 to 35 pounds in only one week following bodybuilding shows, thanks to massive binging. Additionally, several of the body's systems can be adversely affected by spiked sugar levels. Have a nice delicious meal, but don't overdo it.

A word about protein
Protein levels should remain constant throughout the year. You need approximately 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you're a 220-pound bodybuilder, you should be consuming 350 to 450 grams of protein per day. This applies in all phases - off-season, pre-contest, the bounce, and any other lay-offs. Carbohydrate intake is manipulated for energy requirements and to manipulate body fat levels. Protein should remain constant all year, if you wish for your muscle levels to remain constant as well.

If you're using a Ketogenic diet for pre-contest nutrition, your requirements will change accordingly. Additionally, those bodybuilders who use anabolic steroids will be able to assimilate 100 to 150 grams more protein daily, based upon bodyweight and receptor response. Any bodybuilder introducing the potentially dangerous use of insulin to his AAS cycle should complete additional research on carbohydrate levels and requirements, as going too low on carb intake while taking insulin can result in death.

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