In the carnivore space, the word carbohydrate often raises eyebrows. Many have experienced radical improvements in health by eliminating carbs—reversing insulin resistance, reducing inflammation, and regaining control over cravings and body composition.
But when it comes to training, especially hard, glycolytic weight training, the conversation gets more nuanced.
This isn’t about falling back into old habits or justifying carb dependency. This is about understanding timing, context, and purpose.
Even in a well-formulated carnivore or ketogenic approach, there are moments—like around your workout—where a small, strategic use of carbohydrate can unlock higher performance, better recovery, and improved muscle retention or growth.
⸻
The Post-Workout Carb Legacy
The old model—born from endurance research—promoted carbs after training to replenish glycogen. That protocol made sense for marathoners and cyclists who burned through massive amounts of stored carbohydrate.
Bodybuilders borrowed the same idea: train, then refuel with carbs and protein to “recover.”
And while that works, elite coaches like Milos Sarcev and John Meadows started doing something more effective: fueling before and during training. And for many, that proved to be a smarter strategy.
⸻
So Why Would Fat-Adapted Athletes Need Carbs at All?
Here’s where context matters.
If you’re following a carnivore or ketogenic diet, your body becomes extremely efficient at using fat for fuel. You’re no longer dependent on carbs, and your muscle glycogen—contrary to popular belief—does not stay chronically depleted. In fact, fat-adapted athletes can maintain and replenish muscle glycogen effectively through gluconeogenesis and reduced reliance on glucose at rest.
That said, there’s a big difference between everyday metabolic function and what your body needs in the heat of an intense training session.
During hard, glycolytic workouts—especially resistance training that uses moderate to high reps—your body still taps into glycogen as a primary energy source. And while your reserves may be decent, you may not be refilling them as rapidly between sessions on a strict no-carb approach—especially in a calorie deficit.
This is where a small amount of carbohydrate—timed before or during the workout—can act as fast-access fuel. You’re not fixing a deficiency. You’re enhancing performance by fueling with precision.
⸻
Ketones for Endurance, Carbs for Intensity
When it comes to low-intensity, steady-state activity—or simply fueling daily life—fat and ketones are king. In an oxidative state, ketogenesis wins hands down. It’s clean, efficient, and spares glycogen. That’s one of the core advantages of being fat-adapted: smooth, stable energy without crashing.
But high-intensity weight training is a different beast.
Resistance training—especially when performed with moderate to high reps, short rest periods, or explosive effort—is glycolytic by nature. That means it depends heavily on glucose and glycogen to meet the rapid energy demand.
And while fat-adapted athletes do have some metabolic flexibility, carbohydrates still offer a more efficient and faster energy pathway for these glycolytic efforts.
In short:
• For oxidative, low-intensity work, fat and ketones do the job beautifully.
• For high-intensity, glycolytic work, carbs unlock your highest gear.
And that’s why, even in a carnivore-fueled lifestyle, there’s a case for timing in a bit of carbohydrate—not as a staple, but as a tool.
⸻
The Stress Response Factor
If you train fasted or depleted, your body ramps up cortisol and catecholamines to mobilize energy.
That’s fine in moderation—but if you’re already dieting or pushing yourself hard, that extra spike in cortisol can backfire:
• Reduced testosterone
• Increased protein breakdown
• Slower recovery
• Greater inflammation
When you consume a small amount of fast-access fuel before or during your session, you reduce the need for that stress response. Your body doesn’t have to fight as hard to find energy—it already has it.
⸻
The Light Switch Analogy: mTOR vs. AMPK (and Why You Don’t Want Myostatin)
Here’s the part most people miss.
When you lift weights, you’re trying to flip on a switch in your body called mTOR.
mTOR is the light switch. Muscle protein synthesis is the light.
The more you turn that switch on, the more growth you get.
Resistance training activates mTOR—but carbs and insulin enhance that signal even more.
But when your body is under heavy energy stress, it flips a different switch—AMPK.
AMPK gets triggered when fuel is low and tells the body: “We’re in an energy crisis. Shut down growth.”
AMPK inhibits mTOR.
Worse still, when AMPK goes up, it upregulates a gene called myostatin.
Myostatin is your body’s muscle-growth limiter. The more you produce, the harder it is to build or even maintain muscle.
Want a visual? Google “Belgian Blue bull.”
These animals lack the gene that produces myostatin. They’re genetically jacked—packing muscle on muscle because there’s nothing stopping growth.
Now imagine the opposite: you’re training depleted, AMPK is elevated, and myostatin expression is high.
You’re essentially telling your body not to grow—no matter how hard you train.
Strategic carbs help keep AMPK low, reduce myostatin expression, and allow mTOR to do its job—stimulate growth, repair, and retention.
⸻
So What Should Carnivore Athletes Do?
If you’re training hard and want to preserve or build muscle—especially in a calorie deficit—then strategic carbs can be your ally, not your enemy.
We’re not talking about pasta or pancakes. We’re talking about targeted, fast-acting fuel used for a specific reason, like:
• 1–2 teaspoons of raw honey before training
• 2–3 dates, split before and during your workout
• A small amount of carbohydrate powder like highly branched cyclic dextrin (HBCD) mixed with essential amino acids (EAAs) for intra-workout fueling
This isn’t a lifestyle change. This is a performance protocol. You fuel the session, then return to your baseline way of eating—carnivore.
No carb cravings. No blood sugar crashes. No dependency. Just fuel for the work required.
⸻
Three Reasons to Use Carbs Around Training
1. Better Muscle Retention and Growth
Carbs before/during your session activate mTOR, reduce muscle breakdown, and support a stronger anabolic signal.
2. Improved Training Output
With quick fuel in your system, you can train harder, lift heavier, and recover faster—without dipping into stress hormones.
3. Lower Cortisol, Higher Hormonal Balance
A preemptive strike against cortisol keeps your body in a more muscle-friendly state, which is critical during fat loss phases.
⸻
Final Word: Metabolic Intelligence Over Dogma
If you’ve healed your body, reset your hormones, and restored your energy through carnivore—amazing. But now it’s time to level up, especially if you’re training hard.
Dogma won’t build muscle. Precision will.
Adopting a Targeted Carnivore or Targeted Ketogenic approach allows you to hold onto the best parts of low-carb living—while enhancing what matters most when you train:
• More strength
• Better recovery
• Smarter adaptation
• Greater long-term leanness
You’re not changing the foundation—you’re upgrading the strategy.
Train harder. Recover smarter. Build more muscle. Stay carnivore.
