low carb diet preserve muscle?

**morton30** · 06-10-2019, 11:46 AM

Hi everyone about a year ago i went from 220lb being pretty fat to 157lbs. i done this with a low carb diet but for the 6 months or so i have been bulking and now im at 180lbs ive put on a decent amount of muscle but also fat i have been trying to eat at 2000 cals workout every other day using iifym diet but i just cant do it i do like two days and then just end up bingeing today im like 4000+ cals and its only 7 in the evening i just had a whole 360g galaxy bar to myself i im still craving carbs. being that i know the low carb diet works for me would it be good for holding muscle just eating eggs and bacon and steaks

**Windex** · 06-10-2019, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by morton30

Hi everyone about a year ago i went from 220lb being pretty fat to 157lbs. i done this with a low carb diet but for the 6 months or so i have been bulking and now im at 180lbs ive put on a decent amount of muscle but also fat i have been trying to eat at 2000 cals workout every other day using iifym diet but i just cant do it i do like two days and then just end up bingeing today im like 4000+ cals and its only 7 in the evening i just had a whole 360g galaxy bar to myself i im still craving carbs. being that i know the low carb diet works for me would it be good for holding muscle just eating eggs and bacon and steaks

If your putting on fat then you need to clean up your diet and stop following IIFYM. Just sounds like you need more discipline if you can't make it more than 2 days without binge eating.

Muscle is mostly glycogen (carbs) and water, and blood. So going low carb is not going to make preserving muscle any easier than high fat.

**HoldMyBeer** · 06-10-2019, 02:50 PM

I had the same problem when I was dieting on 2kcals
Here's what I figured out MY problem was:
1, my calories were too way too low. I was on a 750+ calorie deficit without realizing it.
2. Not eating often enough. Breaking my food up into 7 meals a day made a big difference

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**morton30** · 06-10-2019, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Windex

If your putting on fat then you need to clean up your diet and stop following IIFYM. Just sounds like you need more discipline if you can't make it more than 2 days without binge eating.

Muscle is mostly glycogen (carbs) and water, and blood. So going low carb is not going to make preserving muscle any easier than high fat.

so your saying you loose muscle on a low carb easier than chicken and rice hitting 2k cals a day?

**morton30** · 06-10-2019, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by HoldMyBeer

I had the same problem when I was dieting on 2kcals
Here's what I figured out MY problem was:
1, my calories were too way too low. I was on a 750+ calorie deficit without realizing it.
2. Not eating often enough. Breaking my food up into 7 meals a day made a big difference

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

well tbh i do try for 1500cal if i can and the day after binges i try eating nothing but my 200g protien so around 900cals so maybe i am going over the top with the deficit i think i just have to get in my head i wont look how i want this summer

**balance** · 06-10-2019, 03:58 PM

OP

So you are currently 180lbs?

Do you have a goal you never stated it?

2000k a day for someone lifting daily is definitely going to be a deficit. 1500k is way to low and doing for an extended period will surely crash your metabolism.

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**morton30** · 06-10-2019, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by balance

OP

So you are currently 180lbs?

Do you have a goal you never stated it?

2000k a day for someone lifting daily is definitely going to be a deficit. 1500k is way to low and doing for an extended period will surely crash your metabolism.

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tbh i just want a nice body thats all to it really im thinking at the weight im at now this pic was a few weeks ago so basically what i look like now if i was to loose a stone or so for my abs to come through i think i would look alright plus i will be ready for a decent bulk through the winter

**HoldMyBeer** · 06-10-2019, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by morton30

tbh i just want a nice body thats all to it really im thinking at the weight im at now this pic was a few weeks ago so basically what i look like now if i was to loose a stone or so for my abs to come through i think i would look alright plus i will be ready for a decent bulk through the winter

Lol at that bodyfat you have your priorities wrong, you should be trying to get the scale weight up not down

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**GearHeaded** · 06-10-2019, 04:22 PM

you need carbs to build muscle efficiently.. no other macro nutrient provides as much hormonal and anabolic response as carbs do. heck everyone talks about protein, yet amino acids from the protein don't even get into the muscle cells efficiently without first catching a ride with the carbs (glucose/glycogen) that are super good at getting into muscle cells.

you just need to manipulate your TIMING of carbs and macros more then likely. its not just about totals. the body works on an hour by hour basis, not a 24 hour 7 day a week schedule. time your macros to make the most out of lipolytic opportunities and anabolic opportunities. carbs almost ALWAYS fall within anabolic opportunity

**morton30** · 06-10-2019, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by morton30

tbh i just want a nice body thats all to it really im thinking at the weight im at now this pic was a few weeks ago so basically what i look like now if i was to loose a stone or so for my abs to come through i think i would look alright plus i will be ready for a decent bulk through the winter

calipers say im 14% witch i would of thought was to high to bulk on?

**GearHeaded** · 06-10-2019, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by morton30

calipers say im 14% witch i would of thought was to high to bulk on?

you'll get leaner once you put more muscle on you.. forget the calipers. maybe "nattys" need to be careful of their body fat % when they bulk, but if you can get your drugs, training, and diet dialed in, your fat % when enhanced to bulk is irrelevant . you can bulk with drugs at 14% body fat and add 15 pounds and not change body fat % at all , and when that new muscle tissue is acclimated it will help you get leaner.

fyi - a lot of the stuff you hear online or youtube "scientist" is focused at natural bodybuilding. enhanced has way more variables and plays by an entirely diff set of rules

**diesel101** · 06-11-2019, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by morton30

well tbh i do try for 1500cal if i can and the day after binges i try eating nothing but my 200g protien so around 900cals so maybe i am going over the top with the deficit i think i just have to get in my head i wont look how i want this summer

1500 you are starving yourself, its 8 in the morning and I've hit 1200 already. Remember this is a marathon not a sprint.