[CryingEmo]

I want to experiement with a diet that is low carb on now Workout days, and medium - high carb on Workout days.


The theory is that you eat enough carbs to fill glycogen stores only for the workout plus cardio, then you deplete them from just workout and cardio, and the next day your body is back to using fat for fuel. I wonder exactly how many carbs would be enough though?


Has anyone tried anything like this?


Thoughts?

[Botch]

Everyone has a fear of eating no carbs at first since we are told our entire lives that they are necessary to fuel the body. But its a great lifestyle once you let go of this fear. Once fully adapted to the strict Anabolic Diet the weekend carb-ups will serve to supercompenate glycogen stores with enough glycogen in your muscles that it will be spared during the week. An efficient fat burner will only be using this glycogen during aerobic exercise. Honestly, the only day of the week on this diet that I don't feel like doing high rep stuff is on the day right before the carb-up and I just save that day for heavy lifting. Keep in mind I am an olympic lifter and my workouts usually last 1 hr. 45 min. - 2 hrs. (this is the same conditioning program that the football players at my school are on). I also do cardio 3x per week for about 30-45 min. Needless to say diet works great even if you are highly active. And this is running on 30g of carbs per day. Also, if you want to you can time your carb-ups so that they happen on workout days (which will be two of your workouts per week). Someone who plays sports can tweak it if they feel run down and add an extra midweek carb-up. IMO, you should try doing the strict AD first and then fine tune it to your needs if you feel your workouts are suffering (and I highly doubt this will be the case).
The metabolic diet was made more for the general public. It allows you to play with the ratios of carbohydrates during the day and you may go up to as high as 100g of carbs. Everybody is different, and some might need more carbs during the day but about 80% of people will be humming along smoothly on the strict AD.
You can also try variations of this diet like the Natural Hormone Enhancement diet, which would have you consuming about 50g of simple carbohydrates post workout if you think it will help. But if your goal is to burn fat at an optimum rate it will serve to help you to skip these post workout carbs because post workout is one of the best times to take advantage of the extra fat burning effects you will achieve without the spike in blood sugar. Additionally, research shows that once you are fat adapted your body doesn't need carbohydrates post workout because IGF-1 shuttles glycogen into the muscles. The same holds true for doing cardio, why would you want to eat carbs right before cardio if your goal is to be as lean as possible? You have people telling you time and time again that if you are a carb-user then you should do fasted cardio in the morning to see the greatest fat burning benefits. But on the AD it doesn't matter what time of day you do cardio because you will still have the same effect on fat burning. Another reason why you might be more interested in the Natural Hormone Enhancement diet is that instead of carbing up two days in a row it would be split into a carb up midweek and one on the weekend.
My advice to you would be stick to the strict AD for a while before coming to the conclusion that you need more daily carbs. People have this fear that if they drop carbs they won't gain muscle, but I assure you this is only a myth. Last carb-up I consumed 12,000 calories over the weekend and I'm looking LEANER this week and my triceps are pumped and looking jacked. This is the supercompensation I was talking about. There are also many other versions of the diet that will allow you to eat more carbs, but IMO don't fix something thats not broken. You should start here and then you can branch out if you feel the need.
Fat satiates and as a result you will not be hungry on this diet. You will have a more stable mood and consistent energy from a steady release of dopamine. I've heard stories from people who did the post-workout carbs or going up to about 100g of carbs a day and the spike in blood sugar may deprive you of the consistent energy this diet affords (usually people feel tired after consuming the post workout carbs) as well as the benefit of never being hungry (or full).
Depriving your body of those carbs during the week will trigger a constant release of growth hormone in the body. And one benefit this diet affords that others don't is that on the first day of your weekend carb-up, your body is still using fat for energy but since you're eating carbohydrates it triggers a huge release of insulin. What does this mean? That your body is RELEASING GROWTH HORMONE AND INSULIN AT THE SAME TIME. Not to mention that during your carb-up your body will release a cascade of hormones triggering a huge rise in testosterone. But it gets better, this cascade of hormones you experience on the weekend will be followed by a large rise in testosterone during the week. Both the weekend carb-up and the absence of carbs during the week are effective because they counter against each other. Why am I telling you all this extra stuff that you didn't ask about? Because IMO, knowing the principles behind the diet will only serve to enlighten you as to why you are/should live this lifestyle. Forgive me if this is information that you already knew, but it will also give the onlookers who know nothing about the AD a chance to hear it too.

[Jeff]

Had to give some rep's for that one

Could you post what your typical food intake looks like for the day, I just started a CKD again about 2 weeks ago and I am getting sick of eating the same things every day?

[CryingEmo]

Today is the second day. I'm just afraid I'm going to get fat eating all of this fat... and I worry my carbs are too high.

Honestly the only carbs I get are from brocolli, cucumbers, spinach, they few in whey, and the few in flaxseeds. I don't eat any fruit, bread, etc.....

[Botch]

Originally Posted by CryingEmo

Today is the second day. I'm just afraid I'm going to get fat eating all of this fat... and I worry my carbs are too high.

Honestly the only carbs I get are from brocolli, cucumbers, spinach, they few in whey, and the few in flaxseeds. I don't eat any fruit, bread, etc.....

First of all, don't be afraid that eating fat will make you fat. This is a myth. What if I tell you that the more fat you eat the more fat you will lose? Your body will get rid of what it has in abundance, so it will burn fat if you eat a lot of it. Have you ever heard that if you are bloated you need to drink more water so you won't retain it? This is the same concept. The body will burn fat at a much higher rate if you eat more of it (some people on the AD have their dietary fat intake about 70% of their daily cal intake on a cut).
Secondly, don't count fiber toward your daily carb intake. If your flax seed is the milled version the only carbohydrate it should have in it is fiber. This is a good thing and I use about 10 tbsps. every day which gives me 20g of fiber. You should opt for around 30g of fiber per day. And whatever vegetables you are eating the same thing holds true. It sounds like you are on the right track. I eat loads of spinach and for every 3.5 cups you only have 1g carb that counts toward your daily cal intake and an additional 3g of fiber. I am the same way as you bro, I get most of my daily carbs from veggies which is the way to go. The extra fiber will only serve to lean you out more and improve cholesterol levels. Oh, and did I mention once you have been on this diet for 3 months that you can eat all the green veggies you want and don't count them toward your daily cals?
Don't get discouraged if you add a little fat in the beginning of this diet as your body needs time to adjust to using fat as its main fuel source. The first few weeks of the diet I gained a few pounds of fat and then at the same cals I started to notice a reduction in bodyfat past the level of where I started. Stick with it, this is a lifestyle change and not just a quick fix.

[Botch]

Also, make sure your counting every carb you put into your mouth. I mean be as careful as to count the air you breath. Carbs are hidden in a lot of things. People think its alright to consume stuff like gum that has sugar alcohol but these must also be counted as carbs. Its especially important to do this during the break in phase.

[Botch]

Jeff, this is what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: 6 eggs scrambled w/ 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tbsps. heavy whipping cream, 3.5 cups spinach.

Post Workout: 40g Whey Protein w/ 10 caps fish oil.

1 Hr. Later: chicken breast w/ 1 tbspn. butter and 1.5 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil.

Lunch: 40g whey protein, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream. 5 tbsps. milled flax seed.

Supper: ground turkey, 2 tbsps. natty peanut butter, 1 tbspn. extra virgin olive oil, 1 oz. cheese.

Dinner: steak, 3.5 cups spinach w/ 2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil. 5 tbsps. milled flax seed.

I also switch it up during the week so this isn't set in stone. The only thing that is a staple is the scrambled egg breakfast to get me going

[Leggo my Ego]

I am a HUGE proponent of CKD. I practically drink EVOO. LOL. It's a pretty amazing diet really, the only diet that I know of where you can be in a Hypercaloric state while losing bodyfat and gain lean mass! Once your body acclimates itself to trace carbs, you'll find it's surprisingly easy to make progress with your physique and in the gym

After the new year I am going to change it up though. I am gonna log P-slin and I will be doing CKD wit the exception of 75g carbs from oats 1st thing in the am 1 hour preworkout.

[CryingEmo]

Here's what mine has looked like thus far:


Meal 1: 6 oz chicken breast with 1 TBLSpoon Omage 3 mayonaise, 2 peices cheddar cheese melted over 2 cups brocolli. 1 scoop whey, 1 TABLEspoon flaxseed milled.

Protein: 66 grams, Fat: 33 grams, Carbs: 4 from whey

Meal 2: 1 scoop whey, 1/2 TBLspoon natty PB, 1 Tablespoon milled flax

Protein: 27 grams, Fat: 10 grams, Carbs: 4 from whey, 1.5 from PB = 5.5

Meal 3: 1 can of chunk lite tuna mixed with 1 Tablespoon Omega 3 Mayo. 1 TABLEspoon natty PB, cucumbers, 2 cups brocolli with 1 peice cheddar cheese. 1 Tablespoon Flax milled.

Protein: 45 grams, Fat: 30 grams, Carbs 3 from PB



What do you think?

[Leggo my Ego]

Originally Posted by CryingEmo

Here's what mine has looked like thus far:


Meal 1: 6 oz chicken breast with 1 TBLSpoon Omage 3 mayonaise, 2 peices cheddar cheese melted over 2 cups brocolli. 1 scoop whey, 1 TABLEspoon flaxseed milled.

Protein: 66 grams, Fat: 33 grams, Carbs: 4 from whey

Meal 2: 1 scoop whey, 1/2 TBLspoon natty PB, 1 Tablespoon milled flax

Protein: 27 grams, Fat: 10 grams, Carbs: 4 from whey, 1.5 from PB = 5.5

Meal 3: 1 can of chunk lite tuna mixed with 1 Tablespoon Omega 3 Mayo. 1 TABLEspoon natty PB, cucumbers, 2 cups brocolli with 1 peice cheddar cheese. 1 Tablespoon Flax milled.

Protein: 45 grams, Fat: 30 grams, Carbs 3 from PB



What do you think?

Looks good but I would add another meal or 2. You got the right Idea. You could bump up the fat content too. Don't fear the fat. My fat grams and protein grams are usually pretty close to equivilent. I like to snack on raw almonds constantly throughout the day

[CryingEmo]

Are you sure you guys aren't just genetic ecto's who can eat anything and not have concequences? I'd like some feedback from an endo.

[Leggo my Ego]

nah dude, I'm definately an endo, no doubt. That's why I say you'll be amazed at how effective this regimen is. Just knock yourself out on it for 21 days... you'll see results. I wouldn't carb up for 10 days though once you start, to properly deplete glycogen levels. After your 1st couple of refeeds, you;ll be sold

[CryingEmo]

Originally Posted by Leggo my Ego

nah dude, I'm definately an endo, no doubt. That's why I say you'll be amazed at how effective this regimen is. Just knock yourself out on it for 21 days... you'll see results. I wouldn't carb up for 10 days though once you start, to properly deplete glycogen levels. After your 1st couple of refeeds, you;ll be sold

So don't do 5, then refeed 2? I need a full 10 days? This is going to hinder workouts...


I figured with all the lifting and cardio I do I could easily be carb depleted within 5 days.


What about my diet? Is the PB too high in carbs?

[CryingEmo]

Also, should I be hypocaloric or subcaloric right now?

I've been eating 3000-3200 calories a day which is slightly below maintenance.