Another Timed Carb Discussion

[Giantz11]

Well after reading the previous post on timed carbs. I started to do some thinking about the timed carb strategy and I came up with the answer, that i don't know as much as I should. Here's my question and I hope you guys can ansswer.

The reason I have chosen to employ a timed carb strategy was simply to force my body to use another fuel source during the day, other than carbs. For two reasons, 1. being I'm trying to cut so fat for fuel seems optimal. 2. I use the Am Cario method low-intensity so I to stay away from carbs because I do not want the insulin responce because that inhibits far burning (is this theory correct??).

So my real question becomes since I am comsuming nothing but Pro/Fat (mainly EFA'S) meals all day until PWO & PPWO. Will my body choose fat for fuel in absence of blood sugar (I use ACLAR to help with this). Or will it try to use another source. My thinking here is that I know that breaing down protein for energy is not what it wants to do. So if I am providing my body fats about every 3 hours or so, so it will go ahead and release the stored fats that I have, because it knows more will be coming in. Also by not spiking my insulin levels the body will be able to burn fat throughout the day?

Anyways this is my basic reasoning behind timing my Carb meals. If this is wrong please shed some light on how I can change what I'm doing. Thanks!

 

[Dwight Schrute]

The reason I have chosen to employ a timed carb strategy was simply to force my body to use another fuel source during the day, other than carbs.

That will never happen. Whether its carbs, fats or protein the eventual fuel source that its broken down to is ATP. The eventual caloric deficit will determine when triglycerides are broken down from adipose cells, not the elimination of a macronutrient.

 

[Giantz11]

Bobo,

I agree, so by eliminating carbs during the day (currently my program) and only consuming Pro/Fat meals, what will my body use for energy throughout the day? Obviously it can use the fats that I eat, but I'm only eating around 15g per meal. So where will it look for for energy? Can and will your body tap into glycogen stores or muscle if its not getting carbs for energy? Thanks for the info!

 

[Dwight Schrute]

It certainly will use dietary fat and depedning on the source those fats could be circulating for a very long time and preventing the release of stored bodyfat. Saturated and transfatty acids can take up to 9 hours to fully breakdown. The body has a nice way of keeping homeostasis. If you are below your caloric deficit then it will use all sources all the time. The breaking down of proteins into glucose will increase, the breakdown of dietary fat for energy will increase, the breakdown of stored fat will increase and if glyocogen levels are low enough if will increase the breakdown of muscle.

Most people don't understand that the single best protein sparing nutrient is carbohydrates. As in most things, moderation is the key.

Low carb diets have their place but mostly for asthetic value IMO.

 

[Giantz11]

Bobo,

Thanks again! For some reason I was thinking that I could encourage my body to somehow use one form of energy over another. I realize that during that day my body will use all three sources that I am giving it. However I thin I've been doing a fairly good job at maintaining LBM because my glycogen levels should not/are not depleted. I get about 180-190g carbs PWO, in the form of Dex and other complex carbs such as Oats, Yams etc... I know your stance on HI GI carbs and that is something I most certainly don't want to debate you on (As I've seen you tear apart people far smarter than me . I use the Dex b/c it tastes good, its easy and it's been working very well! So I wouldn't say I'm on a low carb diet, I myself see no reason to be on one, more of just a timed carb diet where carbs are cut during the day to encourage the use of other fuel sources. Now onto another point I think might be worthwhile discussing. You said that your body will try and tap into the 3 fuel sources we discussed above. Doesn't your body require a bit more energy to process protein's in to fuel. Meaning that you actaully require a higher caloric output to turn ingested proteins in to a fuel source?

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Yes. The thermic value for protein is the highest, carbs second and fat is the lowest. I always keep protein high in any diet I design.

180-190g of carbs post workout is entirely too much. Your body simply won't process that much efficiently. You should cut that in half and take the other half and consume carbs in the form of low/mod GI pre workout (about 60 minutes).