Need help. Need to gain weight, but reduce carb intake... Low carb with muscle gain

[Deleted member 16042]

I am on a current somewhat tenuous rebound from leukemia, in deep enough remission that things are improving for now. I had a terrible time for the better part of 3 years trying to maintain body weight due to the cancer itself, anemia, transfusional iron overload, and nutrient malabsorption due to microcolitis/chronic diarrhea from the cancer drug.

Digestion is better now and I am closer (140lb) to my normal body weight of 145lb.

My HbA1C is a little high now. I would like to reduce carb intake , but I NEED TO GAIN MORE MUSCLE WEIGHT! I have just reached the point in recovery that I have actually started resistance training. I have tried several other times in the last 3 1/2 years only to be knocked down by other complications.

The current carb culprits in my diet are white and sweet potatoes, plantains, beans, rice (White and brown), blue, black and straw berries, carrots, some garbanzo flour in a low(er) carb pancake mix I make.

I have hard time with high fat meals, they stay in my stomach for many hours.

Any thoughts, anecdote, and links to appropriate resources would appreciated.

 

[madman]

I am on a current somewhat tenuous rebound from leukemia, in deep enough remission that things are improving for now. I had a terrible time for the better part of 3 years trying to maintain body weight due to the cancer itself, anemia, transfusional iron overload, and nutrient malabsorption due to microcolitis/chronic diarrhea from the cancer drug.

Digestion is better now and I am closer (140lb) to my normal body weight of 145lb.

My HbA1C is a little high now. I would like to reduce carb intake , but I NEED TO GAIN MORE MUSCLE WEIGHT! I have just reached the point in recovery that I have actually started resistance training. I have tried several other times in the last 3 1/2 years only to be knocked down by other complications.

The current carb culprits in my diet are white and sweet potatoes, plantains, beans, rice (White and brown), blue, black and straw berries, carrots, some garbanzo flour in a low(er) carb pancake mix I make.

I have hard time with high fat meals, they stay in my stomach for many hours.

Any thoughts, anecdote, and links to appropriate resources would appreciated.

How many grams of carbs are you currently taking in?

Definitely would not go any lower than 150-200 mg/day if maintaining let alone adding any lean mass to your frame is the goal.

Following a Keto/carnivore diet would be a bad move as you will have a hard time adding mass even in a calorie surplus especially if you are what would be considered a hard gainer.

If increased mass/strength gains are your goal then consuming complex carbs is critical especially if you are naturally lean or have a hard time putting on weight and from the previous pics you have posted you definitely fall under this category.

Best to stick with low GI carb sources and pay attention to the GL which is even more critical.

Spread your carb intake throughout the day 4-5 small meals will help you keep the GL down.

Adding a whole protein source or vegetables that contain soluble/insoluble fiber or healthy fats alters the GI and slows down digestion/absorption of the carb.

Adding in some protein and fats with each meal will dampen the spike.

You should be well aware of all the low GI complex carbs to choose from.

Many also tend to overlook the fact that the type of starch will have a big impact.

Aside from GI (glycemic index) and GL (glycemic load) starch is not just starch as there are 3 types of starch- amylose, amylopectin, and resistant starch and they all behave differently in the body.

Amylose is broken down/absorbed more slowly and can also be converted into resistant starch when cooled.

Amylopectin is broken down/absorbed quickly.

Many carbs contain different ratios of amylose/amylopectin.

For example, when talking about rice-basmati and parboiled rice (long-grain) contains higher amounts of amylose and has a lower GI whereas sushi (short-grain), Calrose, and rice arborio (medium-grain), and jasmine (long-grain) mainly contain amylopectin and have a higher GI

The one that many love to hate our beloved potato which is full of nutrients gets so much hate when in reality there are potatoes such as russet, Idaho, and Yukon gold which have a higher GI as they mainly contain amylopectin starch, and then there are new potatoes, red bliss and the newly developed Carisma which have low-moderate GI as they contain more amylose.

Waxy potatoes tend to be low-medium GI and starchy potatoes tend to be higher GI.

A carb is not simply a carb just as starch is not just simply starch. It is much more complex than that and if one states all carbs are evil and health deteriorating then they would be narrow-minded!

I was always a hard gainer and had a hard time adding mass.

High-carb (500-600 grams), moderate protein, and low-moderate fat have always been my go-to.

Spread evenly over 5 meals.

Upwards of 4000 cal/day.

Packed on a lot of mass over the years.

I love complex carbs LOL!

Cholesterol Lowering: Crestor vs Niacin

Just went over my bloodwork with my PCP. She put me on Crestor because my cholesterol was 260. I don't know the LDL and HDL off the top of my head but I will soon when she uploads the labs into the computer. I don't plan on taking the Crestor and was leaning torwards taking Niacin. I am...

www.excelmale.com

 

[Deleted member 16042]

How many grams of carbs are you currently taking in?

Definitely would not go any lower than 150-200 mg/day if maintaining let alone adding any lean mass to your frame is the goal.

Following a Keto/carnivore diet would be a bad move as you will have a hard time adding mass even in a calorie surplus especially if you are what would be considered a hard gainer.

If increased mass/strength gains are your goal then consuming complex carbs is critical especially if you are naturally lean or have a hard time putting on weight and from the previous pics you have posted you definitely fall under this category.

Best to stick with low GI carb sources and pay attention to the GL which is even more critical.

Spread your carb intake throughout the day 4-5 small meals will help you keep the GL down.

Adding a whole protein source or vegetables that contain soluble/insoluble fiber or healthy fats alters the GI and slows down digestion/absorption of the carb.

Adding in some protein and fats with each meal will dampen the spike.

You should be well aware of all the low GI complex carbs to choose from.

Many also tend to overlook the fact that the type of starch will have a big impact.

Aside from GI (glycemic index) and GL (glycemic load) starch is not just starch as there are 3 types of starch- amylose, amylopectin, and resistant starch and they all behave differently in the body.

Amylose is broken down/absorbed more slowly and can also be converted into resistant starch when cooled.

Amylopectin is broken down/absorbed quickly.

Many carbs contain different ratios of amylose/amylopectin.

For example, when talking about rice-basmati and parboiled rice (long-grain) contains higher amounts of amylose and has a lower GI whereas sushi (short-grain), Calrose, and rice arborio (medium-grain), and jasmine (long-grain) mainly contain amylopectin and have a higher GI

The one that many love to hate our beloved potato which is full of nutrients gets so much hate when in reality there are potatoes such as russet, Idaho, and Yukon gold which have a higher GI as they mainly contain amylopectin starch, and then there are new potatoes, red bliss and the newly developed Carisma which have low-moderate GI as they contain more amylose.

Waxy potatoes tend to be low-medium GI and starchy potatoes tend to be higher GI.

A carb is not simply a carb just as starch is not just simply starch. It is much more complex than that and if one states all carbs are evil and health deteriorating then they would be narrow-minded!

I was always a hard gainer and had a hard time adding mass.

High-carb (500-600 grams), moderate protein, and low-moderate fat have always been my go-to.

Spread evenly over 5 meals.

Upwards of 4000 cal/day.

Packed on a lot of mass over the years.

I love complex carbs LOL!

Cholesterol Lowering: Crestor vs Niacin

Just went over my bloodwork with my PCP. She put me on Crestor because my cholesterol was 260. I don't know the LDL and HDL off the top of my head but I will soon when she uploads the labs into the computer. I don't plan on taking the Crestor and was leaning torwards taking Niacin. I am...

www.excelmale.com

Thank Madman. Exactly what I feared on two fronts:

1: While I don't intend Keto anyway, it is as I thought with getting enough carb to build mass. Difficult scenario. I am not really building with quite a lot of carb intake, even though most of it is lower GI.

2: Having to calculate carb calories. Frigging hate it. I can't tell you how much carbs/day. I'll have to calculate of the kind of carb foods I eat what comes out to 150-200g.

The only higher GI carb foods I have been eating are potatoes, rice and plantains. Plantains are a puzzle. If they are anything like bananas compositionally, I think the starchy ones are higher in resistant starch, while the ripe ones are very sweet/sugary.

I certainly can start by eliminating the higher GI carb foods and limit to beans, brown rice etc, and forego the potatoes, white rice and ripe plantains.

 

[madman]

Thank Madman. Exactly what I feared on two fronts:

1: While I don't intend Keto anyway, it is as I thought with getting enough carb to build mass. Difficult scenario. I am not really building with quite a lot of carb intake, even though most of it is lower GI.

2: Having to calculate carb calories. Frigging hate it. I can't tell you how much carbs/day. I'll have to calculate of the kind of carb foods I eat what comes out to 150-200g.

The only higher GI carb foods I have been eating are potatoes, rice and plantains. Plantains are a puzzle. If they are anything like bananas compositionally, I think the starchy ones are higher in resistant starch, while the ripe ones are very sweet/sugary.

I certainly can start by eliminating the higher GI carb foods and limit to beans, brown rice etc, and forego the potatoes, white rice and ripe plantains.

Yes, you need to find out how many net carbs (pure starch minus the fibers/sugar alcohols) you are taking in.

You want to aim for 150-200 grams/day of starchy complex carbs.

For all we know you may not even be hitting enough net carbs/day.

Depending on where your net carbs currently sit you may very well need to increase them.

As you would very well know being in a slight calorie surplus 250-500 above maintenance will help you gain some lean mass.

 

[Deleted member 43589]

Let me explain energy substrates needed in weight training.

Type II muscle fibers, also known as fast-twitch muscle fibers, are a type of muscle fiber that contract quickly and generate high levels of force. These muscle fibers are specialized for activities requiring short bursts of intense power, such as sprinting or weightlifting. They have a relatively low capacity for aerobic metabolism and rely primarily on anaerobic metabolism to produce energy.

When it comes to glucose, Type II muscle fibers have a high reliance on glucose as a fuel source. Glucose is a form of sugar that serves as a primary source of energy for muscle cells. Type II muscle fibers have a high density of enzymes involved in anaerobic glycolysis, a process that breaks down glucose into pyruvate and produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate) without the need for oxygen.

During high-intensity exercise or activities, Type II muscle fibers primarily utilize anaerobic glycolysis to rapidly generate ATP. This process involves the breakdown of stored glycogen (the stored form of glucose in muscles) into glucose, which is then converted to pyruvate and further metabolized to produce ATP. This allows Type II muscle fibers to produce energy quickly but with the drawback of limited endurance due to the accumulation of metabolic byproducts, such as lactic acid.

You need to eat carbs to supply the energy substrates to grow type II muscle fingers used in weight training. If nothing else, the bare minimum which would include 2-3 hour before and after training. So you might think about splitting that 150-200g of carbs to before and after training.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

A few other variables to consider...your comment about meals staying in your stomach suggests a digestion issue so systemic/digestive enzymes may be something to look into. You could try a stand-alone spoonful of coconut oil to see if the issue is really fat or the proteins that most fats are bundled with. Regarding blood sugar, timing is important so if you time your carbs before and after your workouts, that should help to moderate blood sugar. There is something call Non-Insulin Mediated Glucose Uptake (NIMGU) which means that the body is in a very receptive state to absorb sugar right after exercise, so you might want to look into that. Emphasize a lot of near-maximal volume in your training; avoid overtraining. Also, you may not be able to simultaneously optimize everything and in your case it sounds like prioritizing muscle gain is likely the way to go. You can optimize A1C after you are back in a non-frail state.

 

[t_spacemonkey]

you can easily gain on keto, the problem is as you mentioned fat is an issue for you, and the only way to do it on keto is eat excess fat.
honestly I would skip all grains all together (as well as seed oils/fried food) and focus on high carb fruit/honey/maple syrup.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I would get a prescription for ibutamoren and follow this advice (you should be doing some resistance exercise also )

Clean Nutrition for Health, Muscle Gain and Fat Loss.

By Nelson Vergel There is so much confusing and contradictory information out there about healthy eating. Our food choices can affect not only on our body shape and quality of life, but also mortality and on how well we age. The components of whole food. Foods are made up of many different...

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Exercise Tips to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle

General Exercise Suggestions: There is controversy in the literature about the effects of exercise on testosterone blood levels. Conflicting results may be explained by differences in the intensity and duration of the activity and the physical characteristics of the individual (e.g. age and...

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[sammmy]

As already mentioned, first improve digestion: digestive enzymes to extract more from food; probiotics to make the food move faster. Some probiotics may cause too much diarrhea so don't use those.

Then, you can put on weight and muscle from protein shakes and creatine - leads to muscle retaining more water.

There used to be an awesome mass gainer Up Your Mass by MHP. It was packed with slow complex carbs (oat powder) and was really working at feeding/increasing muscles (and some fat) but they reformulated it with Maltodextrin, which will give you more fat.