does a high(er) carb diet make your muscles "fuller"

[rangers97]

I have a question about consuming more carbs in the diet. Is it true that eatimg more carbs will give your muscles a more full look, assuming you are A)eating good sources of carbs, not a lot of soda and stuff like that and b)not eating a super high amount of these carbs?

Or does this only work when you deprive yourself of carbs for x amount of time and then eat a bunch at once, you would then get this look? Or can adding a couple hundred calories from good carbs into your diet make a difference in the way your muscles look while not gaining any appreciable fat?

[Klinger]

That's a new one to me. My tiny bit of knowledge says muscles are fuller and can do more work when they retain water, which is why so many lifters use creatine.

[Todd]

Yes, having carbs in your diet will help your muscles feel and look much fuller, and it will help with muscle contraction when working out. But just like any other thing, too much of carbs and your body will store them as fat, it they are over and beyond what your muscles and body need.

Competitive bodybuilder's muscles look "flat" in the week(s) prior to their carb-up, because there are hardly any carbs within the muscles. Soon as they carb-up, their muscles fill out because of the carbs and the water that carbs draw in with them. So yes, it does have an affect on muscle fullness, but too much, can make you look flat as well, so there is a balance to be found.

And yes, like what Klinger says....WATER is a big part of muscle fullness as well. So make sure to always be super hydrated!

[rangers97]

muscles can only hold so much water, I am assuming, so what is the point that you know you are drinking enough water to hydrate them to the max, but not too much water where you are peeing out nutrients such as vitamins that you are taking as well?

[Firehawk]

AT this point i feel like if you are peeing out vitamins then your body has an excess and is letting them go. I feel you are fully hydrated when you are peeing every 20 mins. At that point u can back off the water a bit but you are absolutely topped out on hydration since ur body is letting it all go.

Yeh carb loading the day before a BB comp is a trick they use to look full after being completely dehydrated, correct me if I'm wrong Todd.

In powerlifting most guys will try to make weight by dehydrating their bodies and cutting the carbs down to also help let go of some of the water. Then after the 24 hour weigh-in, they go out and eat a bunch of carbs to reload and they're often 10-20 lbs heavier than the night before.

I've also heard that 1g of glycogen pulls in 3g of water with it, and that's why when you eat a ton of carbs you retain alot of water...10-15lbs in many cases.

[Firehawk]

Originally Posted by Klinger

That's a new one to me. My tiny bit of knowledge says muscles are fuller and can do more work when they retain water, which is why so many lifters use creatine.

Creatine does volumize the muscles and allows them to hold MORE water which also helps in muscle contraction and getting more nutrients to the muscles...again correct me if i'm wrong .

[maverick]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

I've also heard that 1g of glycogen pulls in 3g of water with it, and that's why when you eat a ton of carbs you retain alot of water...10-15lbs in many cases.

I think I read that it was 1g of glycogen for every 2.3g of water, but you have the idea. The extra carbs are generally just for what Todd said, filling out a carb-depleted body pre-contest.

[Firehawk]

Originally Posted by maverick

I think I read that it was 1g of glycogen for every 2.3g of water, but you have the idea. The extra carbs are generally just for what Todd said, filling out a carb-depleted body pre-contest.

OH BROTHER, 2.3, 3.0 what is the difference?!!?!?!

EDIT: I did just go google it and i found a source that says for every 1g of glycogen that is metabolised, 3g of water is lost...

[maverick]

.7 grams

[Italianang]

Originally Posted by rangers97

I have a question about consuming more carbs in the diet. Is it true that eatimg more carbs will give your muscles a more full look, assuming you are A)eating good sources of carbs, not a lot of soda and stuff like that and b)not eating a super high amount of these carbs?

Or does this only work when you deprive yourself of carbs for x amount of time and then eat a bunch at once, you would then get this look? Or can adding a couple hundred calories from good carbs into your diet make a difference in the way your muscles look while not gaining any appreciable fat?

Yes to both but more noticeable when you carb deplete first and are leaner, when puffier already then you don't see it as obviously and the muscles are so deprived so the latter is where your muscle looks fuller.
Linda