Unanswered Carb Backloading

[GreenMachineX]

Does anyone do carb backloading? The way John Liefer describes it as eating tons of garbage carbs only post workout at night, and “keto” the rest of the time. I’ve been keto on and off for 2 years, and have yet to try this approach. I’m tired of the lack of glycogen so if what John says is accurate at all, this should be great for me, especially because I believe I’m fat adapted. I won’t be eating carbage post workout every time, but for example, just had 50 grams CHO from oats with my post workout keto meal. Anyone do any variation of this?

 

[Jeremyk1]

Does anyone do carb backloading? The way John Liefer describes it as eating tons of garbage carbs only post workout at night, and “keto” the rest of the time. I’ve been keto on and off for 2 years, and have yet to try this approach. I’m tired of the lack of glycogen so if what John says is accurate at all, this should be great for me, especially because I believe I’m fat adapted. I won’t be eating carbage post workout every time, but for example, just had 50 grams CHO from oats with my post workout keto meal. Anyone do any variation of this?

I remember someone talking about this. I honestly forget who, hopefully he’ll show up. But someone was saying he would carb up each night and be in ketosis the next day, as I recall. I did play around with carb backloading for a while. I guess I sort of still do, but I train first thing in the morning, so post workout carbs are all day.

Anyway, carbs can increase serotonin production which is a primarily inhibitory neurotransmitter. It’s part of what makes people sleepy after big meals. By avoiding carbs before working out, you can actually improve drive for the workout because you wouldn’t have that serotonin. So, I actually much prefer workouts fasted, or if I’m dying of starvation, I like to eat a relatively light meal that’s high fat and high protein. A few scrambled eggs, for example.

 

[jrock645]

It’s Kiefer. And yeah we were talking about this a few months. I bought the ebook. Interesting read. I work out first thing in the am, which isn’t ideal for it. I also do mike Mentzer-ish training which he says won’t work with it. So I’ve yet to employ it.

 

[Jeremyk1]

I also do mike Mentzer-ish training which he says won’t work with it. So I’ve yet to employ it.

I know part of the point is to deplete glycogen and supercompensate when you carb up, so he likes higher volume to deplete glycogen. I doubt it makes that much difference though. Most people aren’t going to deplete that much glycogen regardless of how long their workouts are. You could still give it a shot. When I originally started toying with carb backloading, I was also doing a somewhat Mentzer-style workout routine (biggest difference was I did higher frequency). I haven’t read his book or anything, just a few articles in one of the muscle magazines years ago, so I didn’t know he wasn’t a fan of high intensity training.

 

[ValiantThor08]

I do his version of carb backloading. It works well. I've confirmed that I remain in ketosis every day through blood tests.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I do his version of carb backloading. It works well. I've confirmed that I remain in ketosis every day through blood tests.

So you eat a ton of pizza and stuff post workout and don’t gain fat? Do you monitor kcal at all on off days or keep it low cal during the “keto” part of the day?

 

[ValiantThor08]

I try to get around 2400kcal per day. I don't carb backload every day. Kind of half and half. I don't monitor my calories when I do carb backloading. I focus on mostly getting in adequate protein, and making sure I do not eat past my ability to store glycogen. I'm lean. It works well.

 

[ValiantThor08]

I do mostly white pasta, white rice, and french fries/potato when backloading. Once or twice a week I will eat half of a large pizza.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I do mostly white pasta, white rice, and french fries/potato when backloading. Once or twice a week I will eat half of a large pizza.

Gotcha. Any idea how many carbs you get usually in those backloads?

 

[ValiantThor08]

Would say between 2 and 300g.

 

[ValiantThor08]

Most of the time I dont over do it. I get to a comfort zone, or a little past. I find if I do that, and have protein above 1g per lb of body weight, calories i don't have to look at much. I have been adding muscle and strength at a thousand calories less than i used to eat. Hormones > calories.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Most of the time I dont over do it. I get to a comfort zone, or a little past. I find if I do that, and have protein above 1g per lb of body weight, calories i don't have to look at much. I have been adding muscle and strength at a thousand calories less than i used to eat. Hormones > calories.

Gotcha. I think my plan will be just 50 carbs a couple times a week postworkout, and 1 big cheat meal per week, and rest of time keto around maintenance kcal (maybe slightly under). I kind of just want to see what happens.

 

[ValiantThor08]

Gotcha. I think my plan will be just 50 carbs a couple times a week postworkout, and 1 big cheat meal per week, and rest of time keto around maintenance kcal (maybe slightly under). I kind of just want to see what happens.

Sounds like a good plan. You will have good results!

 

[GreenMachineX]

Gotcha. I think my plan will be just 50 carbs a couple times a week postworkout, and 1 big cheat meal per week, and rest of time keto around maintenance kcal (maybe slightly under). I kind of just want to see what happens.

Back to giving this a shot. I was hoping eating 50g carbohydrates before bed would improve my sleep but I don’t think it took me out of ketosis enough actually for the sleep benefits, oddly enough. Should I try more?