The Magic Carbs Window

[01dragonslayer]

Ketogenic diets are all the rage right now, and if you’re overweight and insulin resistant, that type of diet can work wonders. But if you’re trying to add muscle, post-workout carbs are key. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise examined the effects of low-carb post-workout feedings on male runners who trained twice a day. After their first workout, one group of runners was given carb-rich foods and the other consumed low-carb, high-fat meals.

Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that the low-carb group had less glycogen in their muscles after the training sessions. However, they also found that the low-carb dieters experienced inhibited fat burning and their mitochondria was not stimulated either. The low-carb diet also inhibited the activity of an anabolic signal molecule. If eating low-carb after running interferes with post-workout protein synthesis, imagine what it does after a session in the gym.