How Many Carbs Do You Need a Day If You Lift Weights?
If you lift weights three or four times a week, a sensible starting point for most adults is around 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight a day. For an 80kg man, that is roughly 240 to 400g. Lean towards the lower end if you are trying to lose fat or train lightly, and the higher end if you train hard, are trying to gain muscle or also run, cycle or play sport. There is no single correct number. The right amount is the one that fuels your sessions, fits your calorie target once protein is set, and that you can keep eating week after week.
Where that range comes from
Sports nutrition guidance usually works in grams per kilogram of body weight rather than percentages, because it scales with the person. The joint position statement on nutrition and athletic performance published in 2016 by the American College of Sports Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada puts light or skill-based training at around 3 to 5g per kilogram a day, with higher amounts for people doing an hour or more of moderate to hard exercise most days.
Strength training, done the way most busy professionals do it, sits at the lighter end of that scale. A 60-minute session with rest between sets uses far less carbohydrate than a long run. That is why lifters can do well on a moderate intake, and why there is no need to eat like an endurance athlete.
For the general population, UK guidance from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition suggests carbohydrate should make up about half of your daily energy, and the NHS Eatwell Guide advises basing meals on starchy foods, choosing wholegrain where you can. The per-kilogram range above usually lands close to that for someone eating at maintenance.
A simple way to set your own number
Carbohydrate is best set last, after the two things that matter more for a lifter. Here is the order I use with clients:
- Set your calories. Start from your maintenance estimate, then subtract for fat loss or add a little for muscle gain. Our guide to working out your maintenance calories explains how.
- Set protein. Protein supports muscle repair and keeps you full. It should be the first macro you hit every day.
- Set a sensible amount of fat. Enough for health and for meals to be enjoyable, usually around a quarter to a third of calories.
- Give the rest to carbohydrate. Then check the result against the 3 to 5g per kilogram range. If it falls well below on a fat-loss diet, that is acceptable for a while, but watch your training quality.
If macros are new to you, macros explained covers the basics without the jargon.
Worked examples
| Person | Goal and training | Rough daily carbs |
|---|---|---|
| 70kg, desk job | Fat loss, lifts 3 times a week | About 150 to 210g (2 to 3g/kg) |
| 80kg, desk job | Maintain, lifts 3 to 4 times a week | About 240 to 320g (3 to 4g/kg) |
| 85kg, active job | Muscle gain, lifts 4 times a week | About 340 to 425g (4 to 5g/kg) |
| 75kg, runner and lifter | Performance, 5 to 6 sessions a week | Often 5g/kg or more on long-run days |
These are starting points, not prescriptions. Track for two to three weeks, watch your weight trend, your energy in sessions and your hunger, then adjust by 20 to 30g a day at a time.
What lower and higher intakes feel like
People respond differently, and this is often more useful than the maths.
- Too low for you: sessions feel flat, the last sets of a workout fall apart, the air bike feels twice as hard, you crave sweet food in the evening and sleep may suffer.
- About right: steady energy through training, hunger that is manageable, and weight moving in the direction you want.
- More than you need: weight creeping up faster than planned on a muscle-gain phase, or fat loss stalling despite good protein and training.
Low-carb diets can work for fat loss if they help someone eat fewer calories overall. They are not superior for most lifters, and many people find their training suffers. We look at the trade-offs in low-carb vs low-fat diets.
Does timing matter?
For most people training once a day, total intake over the day matters far more than precise timing. That said, a few habits help:
- Eat a meal with some carbohydrate and protein two to three hours before training, or a small snack such as a banana or toast an hour before if you train early.
- Have a normal meal after training. There is no need to rush it.
- Put more of your carbohydrate around training if you like, and a little less on rest days if that helps your calorie target.
- Eating carbohydrate in the evening does not, in itself, cause fat gain.
Choosing the carbs
Quality affects fullness, digestion and health more than performance. Build most of your intake from potatoes, rice, oats, wholegrain bread and pasta, beans, lentils, fruit and vegetables. These bring fibre, which most UK adults do not eat enough of. Keep sugary drinks, sweets and pastries as occasional extras rather than training fuel. Reading the “carbohydrate” and “of which sugars” lines on UK labels makes estimating easy, and many cooked foods list grams per portion on the pack.
Common mistakes
- Cutting carbs hard and keeping protein low, which leaves you hungry and weak.
- Counting the pasta but not the bread, juice, beer and snacks around it.
- Copying an endurance athlete’s intake while training three hours a week.
- Changing carbs, calories and training at the same time, so you cannot tell what worked.
If you have diabetes, a kidney condition, a history of disordered eating, or take medication that affects blood sugar, check with your GP first before changing your carbohydrate intake.
How coaching helps
In private sessions I keep the nutrition side practical: an intake that fits your training, your weekday routine and the meals you actually enjoy, adjusted from progress and InBody body composition readings rather than guesswork. See how it fits into personal training in Highgate.
Questions we get asked
Can I build muscle on a low-carb diet?
Yes, if calories and protein are sufficient, but many people find training quality drops, which slows progress. Most lifters do better with moderate carbohydrate.
Should I eat fewer carbs on rest days?
It is optional. A small reduction can help hit a weekly calorie target, but it is not essential.
Do I need sports drinks during a weights session?
Usually not. Water is enough for a typical hour of lifting.
How much does personal training cost?
Current prices are on the personal training page.
Book with The Highgate House
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