Akim Williams describes the ups and downs of dieting and nutrition while keeping on massive muscle.

While putting in hard work at the gym is certainly hard, the invisible challenge of bodybuilding is diet and nutrition. Training in the gym may put your body through physical pain and barriers – but maintaining a focused diet bleeds into your very lifestyle. With obesity in America increasing every year – it becomes clear that dieting is the most challenging aspect of health and fitness. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Akim Williams talks about the biggest challenges of dieting as a mass monster bodybuilder.

Akim Williams is really coming into his own and seems to have found the formula that will make him a threatening competitor moving forward. But that mastery didn’t come out of nowhere. It looks him years of trial and error to discover what works and what doesn’t. While Akim has always been a powerful bodybuilder – he is still learning what works for his body even to this day.

That’s why we asked him what his diet routine is like – and more importantly, what challenges he faces in his diet. There is a delicate science behind a bodybuilding diet. Bodybuilders need to keep on massive amounts of muscle while also dialing down their conditioning into a shredded dry freak.

It’s not natural to be so massive and so cut at the same time. That’s what makes bodybuilding as a whole such an impressive endeavor. For Akim Williams, the biggest challenge for him comes down to carbohydrates. In the past, Akim’s coaches would keep him on a very low carb diet. This is somewhat normal for bodybuilders. Carbs can be a big hinderance to keeping massive muscle shredded and conditioned.

But for Akim Williams, a low card diet was extremely challenging for him. It was hard for him to keep on the muscle size and shape he wanted by the time he hit the competition stage. It wasn’t until his coach realized that Akim was not carb sensitive that things started to change. Suddenly it became clear – he could eat more carbs than originally thought. This allowed him to change up his diet and set himself up for better success.

This goes in direct contrast with common advice about a traditional bodybuilding diet. That’s the key and also the frustration for so many people. There is no one size fits all advice that a bodybuilder can really rely on. Overall guidance certainly helps – but it’s about paying close attention to your body and how it reacts to what you are eating.

The most challenging aspect of your diet is actually taking notes. Being aware of how you feel and how your body changes after every meal and every day. Akim makes note of this. He mentions how bodybuilders should take note of what kinds of food make them feel bloated – and then find a solution to avoid them if possible.

Training like a beast in the gym can be exhausting and burn every inch of your body. But the true challenge comes in the kitchen. Food is a part of our culture and hangs in the background of our daily life. For some, turning food into a chore can be hell. But it’s necessary to treat dieting just like training. You have a goal in mind and you have to do anything in your power to achieve it.

You can watch Akim Williams’ full comments on his diet tactics in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!

Derek Dufour
Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.