# Twin Peak's Carb Cycling



## Jodi (Jan 5, 2011)

Part 1:

What I am about to present is not a new paradigm, or revolutionary approach to diet. Nor is it the end-all, be-all to dieting; there are many viable approaches.

This diet is, on the other hand, an easy (relatively speaking) approach to diet that is physiologically and psychologically rewarding. Moreover, it is rather malleable and also forgiving, yet effective. For these reasons, I am astounded that it has not caught on to a greater extent (in some form or another), and played a bigger role in the dieting revolution.

This is the first installment of a multi-part article. Here, we will briefly discuss my background (as it relates to this diet), its genesis (in the form I present), the basic tenets of the diet, as well as the basic diet structure. We will also discuss, briefly, its psychological benefits, as well as its physiological strengths and underpinnings. Psychology and physiology, as you will see (and as Par Deus has propounded) are inextricably intertwined, in the world of diet and food. Or, ???food and mood,??? as Par is so fond of saying.

However, this installment will address theory and science only minimally, out of necessity. Not only would this article be way too long, but more importantly, I'd be going well beyond my strengths, and I know my limits. For those seeking a deeper understanding (and I know you are out there???in droves since you are reading Mind and Muscle), Dawza, who is far more apt than I in these regards, will provide a more in depth analysis in the final article in this series.

Also in future installments we will discuss synergistic supplementation, variations based on one???s phenotype, tweaks for continued fat loss (should they prove necessary), variations for bulking or a steady recomposition, and other variations for those losing too quickly (we should all have that problem shouldn't we?), those not losing quickly enough, and for those looking for a more manageable ???lifestyle??? approach. Actually, in its most basic form, as presented here, Carbohydrate Cycling will be a rather quick fat loss plan for most.
BASIC DEFINITIONS

First, let's get some definitions out of the way. This is not a glossary but rather an explanation of a few terms that are often used in a variety of manners. If the definition of a word or term used can be found objectively, I expect that you know it, or you'll look it up, or you don't give a rat's ass.

"Diet." A way of eating. Period. Unlike in common usage, it does not refer to the goal of "weight loss."

"Cut" or "Cutting." A hypo-caloric diet where the goal is to decrease overall body fat, while concomitantly maintaining or even gaining muscle mass. Often, a small amount of muscle loss is expected and acceptable.

"Mass Phase,??? ???Bulk" or ???Bulking.??? A hyper-caloric diet where the goal is to increase overall muscle mass, while concomitantly maintaining or even losing body fat. Some such diets indeed allow for, or even plan on, fat gain, albeit minimal (hopefully).

???Recomposition.??? Coining a new phrase, Avant Labs style, the concept of a recomposition was previously unheard of. But essentially, it is a slow, yet steady body transformation whereby you seek to both lose body fat and gain lean body mass, concomitantly. Beyond ???newbie gains,??? rapid changes in the extremely obese or with the use of androgens, it is widely believed that a recomposition is highly inefficient, or even impossible. It is not. Utilizing numerous nutrient-partitioning techniques related to training style, and proper supplementation, recomposition can be accomplished rather effectively.
IN THE BEGINNING

Carbohydrate cycling is something I stumbled on when I trained for my first bodybuilding contest in 1996. It was not something I heard or read about, specifically. While I am certain I did not invent this concept, and others probably had used it in some shape or form, I devised it of my own accord based on the "little" that I knew back then.

How? Why? Well, I had struggled my whole life with being over-fat. Indeed prior to cutting for the show I was probably at around 20% body fat, and this was ???thin??? for me. I doubt I had ever been below 15%, and yet I committed to being on stage in posing trunks--in 16 weeks. Why? I had finally accumulated a decent amount of muscle mass, and well, why not.

I ???knew??? then that I "needed" to keep my fat content low, and protein high (the quotes reflect that I have a generally different view now, though this certainly is not a high-fat diet). I also "knew" that I needed some carbs, but that my calorie reduction must come from this macronutrient (as I always kept fat low, and wasn't about to reduce protein intake), and I knew I needed (as a genetic endomorph) to keep insulin under control.

I also knew that I hated calorie restriction, that I never stuck to a diet long term, and that I hated dieting monotony. I also hated (and still hate) counting calories -- I admit it, I am lazy. And despite this, and poor genetics with a high body fat setpoint, I needed to get to sub 5% body fat.

Oh, for some context, back then I thought Hot Stuff was the bomb -- so except for protein, I didn't use any supplements; the point being, with the exception of a protein powder, no supplements are necessary to make this diet work. On the other hand, supplements have come a long way since the mid to late 90s, and so has my knowledge on this topic. Today, there are many effective products that will contribute to the success of the diet (or the speed at which you will achieve it), depending on your goals, your phenotype, and your wallet, of course. Again, we'll get to this in future installments, but for now, the diet beckons.

So how could I, with my knowledge, genes, and personality traits, devise a plan that would be effective, and so user-friendly that even I would stick to it long enough that I could stand on stage, practically naked? Oh, and while 16 weeks may seem like a long cut, this time-frame did not allow any weeks to pass where I could simply maintain body fat. There was no margin for error. Nope, I needed to lose a steady 1 ½ to 2 pounds of fat per week to attain my goal.

The answer ??? at least the one I came up with ??? was ???Carbohydrate Cycling.??? My plan was that if I cycled my carb intake, I would have some days that were unusually strict. This was not a problem for me (being super-strict for short period of times), especially if I had a reward. Enter, the high carb day, where I allowed myself to eat as much as I wanted. What's the catch? Well, we will get to that soon enough.

But in the end, I would average out to a low carb intake level sufficient to remain hypocaloric, for the week. Or, at least, that was the plan. So yes, basically this was designed, originally, to meet my psychological needs. Oh, I also thought it a good idea to ???keep the body guessing.??? Though I really didn???t know what this meant. I had never heard of a refeed, and especially not of leptin. Hell, leptin was just being discovered back then. So many of the positive physiological benefits of cycling carbohydrates were unknown to me then, except that it ???kept the body guessing.??? You see, while knowing very little about biochemistry and physiology, I had the general sense that we bodybuilders were always battling homeostasis. Other than this general belief, I had no idea why in 16 weeks I never got stuck or hit a wall.
THE CONCEPT: CYCLING 101

There are three types of days while on this diet -- high carb, low carb, and no carb days. Generally, the three days are rotated, or cycled, equally. Again, I will stress that this can, and should, be tweaked, based on the individual's goals, geno and pheno-types, and dieting history. Indeed, much of this will be discussed in future installments. Here, we will lay out the basic plan, which is designed for relatively rapid fat loss for most individuals and the one that got me into contest ready condition, twice.

Carbohydrate manipulation is the key here, but we will back into this by discussing our protein and fat intake, which each remain constant. Bear in mind the multitude of goals and assumptions this diet balances.
NUTS AND BOLTS: THE BASIC PLAN

Generally
This plan is based on eating six times per day. An acceptable alternative is five meals daily, and if you so choose, be sure to keep the daily ratios consistent, as each meal will require more food.

Protein Consumption
Protein: the easy part. Actually, protein is the foundation of this diet. It is not to be skipped, skimped upon, taken lightly, or otherwise reduced simply because the diet does not focus on it. The significance of protein cannot be overstated, though such details are beyond the scope of this article. We shall not get into the minimum requirements for a bodybuilder, which types of proteins are superior to others, and the numerous other issues that have perplexed the scholars and been debated ad nauseam. Suffice it to say, that one gram per pound of bodyweight is the absolute minimum, and there is no maximum on this diet. In other words, at each and every meal, of each and every day, you can feel free to dig in to as much protein as you wish. Though there are some rules. Beyond these rules, and for simplicity???s sake, I will assume you are eating a sufficient quantity at each and every meal and leave it at that.

Assuming you are eating six meals each day, regardless of which type of day, you will eat a minimum of 1/6 of your total daily minimum requirement for protein at each meal. Thus, a 200-pound individual should eat at least 33 grams of protein at each and every meal. If five meals is the necessary course, the same individual should eat a minimum of 40 grams of protein per meal.

You can eat more, but to overindulge at one meal, does not excuse a deficient amount at another. In other words, do not shortchange your protein consumption at any meal.

Again, this is the minimum, so if you are still hungry eat up. Of course, like any other macronutrient, too much protein can hinder fat loss or even promote fat gain. This is another instance where I am putting some faith in the body???s sense of self-regulation. For the few of you who eat too much protein and fat loss stalls, you will want to limit total daily consumption to no more than 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.

Most of your protein requirements must be satisfied from very lean protein sources. Indeed, four of your meals must use lean protein sources, while the remaining one or two may come from a higher-fat source. For our purposes, a ???lean source??? is one that has no more than 10% of its calories from fat. It is important that you look at the calorie breakdown here, as a product may say ???10% Fat??? but refer to the fact that 10% of its macronutrients are fat. And because fat is more than twice as calorically dense as carbs or protein, it will derive more than 10% of its calories from fat. Now, as I have stated, this is a simple diet, so if you don???t want to figure out what you can and cannot eat, I have provided a list of generally acceptable lean protein choices.

In addition, one or two meals should contain a higher-fat protein choice. Again, I have provided a list for easy reference, but for those of you with peculiar tastes, you can choose any protein that derives about 20-25% of its calories from fat. If, however, you???d rather eat a lean protein, then for that meal you should add about 10-15 grams of fat from the ???Fat List??? below, in the fat consumption section. For example, if you have six meals, and four have protein sources from list A and two from list B, you are fine. You cannot have more than two from list B. And if you have none from list B, and all six from list A, then two meals must have an added fat source from the list below.

Approved Lean Protein Sources (A)

Chicken (white meat)
Turkey (white meat)
Tuna Fish (can)
Fish (flounder, tuna (fatty or not), salmon, shark, etc.)
Shellfish (all types)
Protein (preferably whey post workout, and casein before bed; MRPs must be low-carb)
Lean beef (including lean cuts of steak)
Cottage Cheese (0 or 1% fat)
Egg whites (egg beaters)

Approved Higher-Fat Protein Sources (B)

Chicken (dark meat)
Turkey (dark meat)
Eggs (half whites, half whole eggs)
Steak and other meats (not exceptionally high fat cuts)
Cottage Cheese (Whole Milk)

Fat Consumption
As for fats, this diet does not worry too much about them. Nor will we discuss them much, save for this brief discussion here. While this is not a high fat (or Ketogenic) diet, it certainly is not a low fat diet. When I first started cycling carbs, I kept fats to probably less than twenty grams a day. Here, I recommend keeping dietary fats on the low side, with the majority of fats coming from supplemented EFAs (essential fatty acids)???specifically fish oil (high in long chain omega 3 fatty acids -- EPA/DHA).

Why fish oil? There are so many good reasons that a detailed discussion can be an article unto itself. For our purposes, it is sufficient to know that it has all the benefits of other EFA sources (such as flax and hemp oil) and in addition, has been shown to increase leptin sensitivity and exert positive effects on body composition much more efficiently than other EFAs (this is one of the important nutrient partitioning ???tricks??? one must employ for a successful recomposition).

Now, on to the practicality of it. First, you will be getting some fats in your lean protein sources (probably between 10 and 20 grams of fat) and a few grams from the carb sources (another 10 to 20 grams on high carb day). Second, at least two meals per day will include protein of the higher-fat variety. And if not, then you should add a fat source from the list below.

Fat Sources (an amount equal to 10 to 15 grams of fat).

(Natural) Peanut Butter
Flax Oil
Heavy Whipping Cream
Mayonnaise
Hemp Seed Oil
Olive Oil

Third, you will be supplementing with fish oil at 10 to 20 grams a day -- the more the better. This assumes you are using a standard fish oil supplement which, on average, contains one gram of oil and is 30% EPA/DHA. Should you choose the superior version, you may consume a bit less. I recommend you either split it up equally across all meals, or split it in half, and consume it with two meals. If you absolutely refuse to take fish oil, despite my pleas that you should (and the evidence that will be provided in the third installment), add in one to two servings of flaxseed or hempseed oil daily.

Carbohydrate Consumption and the Cycling Process
Ah, the carbohydrate. By now (if you haven???t skipped ahead, and I know some of you have ??? shame on you) you are saying, ???its about time!??? Well, the protein and fat portions of this diet are relatively easy to follow, but that does not mean they are unimportant. To the contrary, they are critical. This diet is one, however, that focuses on daily manipulation of carbohydrate consumption. First, we will discuss how we do this; then we will discuss additional concerns important to this diet. As previously mentioned, in a future installment, we will discuss in greater depth the theoretical and scientific underpinnings of the carbohydrate manipulation.

As mentioned, we have three types of days in the diet, and they vary only by the amount of carbohydrate that is consumed. They are the high carbohydrate day (high carb), the low carbohydrate day (low carb), and the no (approaching zero) carbohydrate day (no carb). Again, we are assuming six meals per day, so you will need to adjust if you follow a five-meal plan.
HIGH CARB DAY

On your high carb day, four of the meals (three if you are only eating five meals) can have as much carbohydrates (yes, they must also be from the approved list ??? we love lists) as you like. But remember, you must eat the minimum amount of protein at each meal as discussed above. So for you carb gluttons out there, you might want to make sure you eat your protein source before truly loading up on those carbs first. Also, each one of those meals must include a small piece of fruit (again, a requirement before downing enough other carbs to the point of no return). Almost any fruit will do (save bananas, kiwis, avocado, and other very high calorie or high fat fruits). We are looking for a small serving of fresh fruit, say between 50 and 100 calories worth. The fructose from fruit will help keep liver glycogen stores full and keep your body in the fed state as opposed to starvation-mode. And, if only consumed in small amounts, is not likely to spill over into adipose.

Also --and this is important-- you can choose which meals (3 of 5 or 4 of 6) will have carbs and which don't, but the meal preceding and following your workouts must be a carbohydrate meal Obviously, make sure you leave sufficient time between your pre-workout meal and your workout, or limit the quantity of carbs at this meal, lest your body succumb to reverse peristalsis. Other than that, it???s up to you, as I don???t want to bog you down with too many ???rules??? (we have plenty already). The other two meals will be made up of protein only, and, while there is a minimum amount, as always, there is no maximum.

So to sum up, all but two of your meals will have a small piece of fruit, and as much carbohydrate from the approved list as you like. The goal is to eat until complete physical, emotional, and thus, physiological satiety. You are not expected to gorge yourself, nor are you expected to exercise the usual strict self-restraint.

As I said previously, I am a big believer in self-regulation by the mind and body. You are not to worry or stress about whether you are eating too much, or too little. If you eat too many carbs one meal, you will probably eat less the next, as you???ll still be full (just make sure you get the protein in). The beauty of this plan is its simplicity???you are not "aiming" for any number. Rather, you are aiming for the subjective feelings that I just discussed, a satisfied stomach and mental state. You should not "want" more. Nor should you eat more than you want. Relax and go with the flow; it is quite hard to fuck up the high carb day, if you stick to the right carbs. And you will learn your body???s response as you go on. Increase your carbohydrate consumption if you are not "satisfied." You want a constant feeling of fullness, all day, such that you don't want to eat further. You need to be in tune to your body, and this comes with practice.

Most people find themselves looking forward to, if not salivating at the thought of, the upcoming high carb day. This is no surprise. Indeed, it is by design, and how I came up with the plan for myself. It is a psychological reward, satisfying your emotional need to eat. It makes the very strict part of the diet (which we will get to) bearable. It is a small but frequent reward to hang on to that also has these profound psychological and, equally as important, physiological benefits.

However, some of you will have a difficult time with the high carb day. Stress and concerns of eating too much will plague you. Not counting every gram of carb, and every calorie consumed, will haunt you. For those of you with such concerns I remind you that first, you are supposed to eat a lot of food on this day, to make sure that your weekly caloric deficit is not too low, and second, that no one should ever dread high carb day. The point is to eat as much as you want; not stuff yourself like a Thanksgiving turkey.
LOW CARB DAY

The low carb day is a bit trickier. Actually, it???s the most difficult of the bunch. The anal group out there will love it though, as there are specific macronutrient goals. For those of you who, like me, deplore counting, fret not. There is a way around it (we???ll discuss this privately later my lazy brethren).

Here, three meals (two if you are only eating five meals) may contain carbs. Again, one rule is that at least the meal following your workout must be a carb meal. The others you can schedule as you see fit. Here, carb amounts are limited, however. We are seeking to eat approximately one gram of carbohydrate (from the list) per pound of bodyweight each low carb day. So our hypothetical 200 pound dieter would eat about 66 grams of carbs in each of three meals of the day, and the others would be just protein. Oh, and don???t forget your small piece of fruit, at these carb meals, as well.

Now, recall that this plan is designed for simplicity. So it is best if you simply learn general portions of the carbohydrates you choose to eat. I???d prefer that you don't measure out your carbs strictly; but for the exceptionally anal, this is your chance to shine. For those like me, the goal is a satisfied, but not full stomach. The subjective feeling to strive for is where you???d like to have more, but know you don???t need it.
NO CARB DAY

The no carb day is the simplest, yet most physically challenging day. For most, the cyclical nature of the diet will make this day a relatively easy emotional challenge, however. It also, I am willing to bet, will be the most controversial day, among the dieting community. Yes, I am prepared to be tarred and feathered. Hell, I may enjoy it. Regardless, it is the key to this diet. And it involves, quite literally, no carbohydrates. Okay I lied: a few sneak in with your green veggies; as with any good rule, there is an exception. Here, you will stick to your six (or five) meals, and only consume protein (and some fats); again from the list, and again, at least meeting the prescribed minimum. Unless ???masticatory boredom??? sets in, however, I doubt you will have any trouble eating your minimums, and you likely will eat far more. However, do not be surprised if you eat less than you expect, since eating protein alone can cause one to feel satiated more rapidly. This may seem like a painful or difficult day, but in practice it???s not that bad. Trust me. And remember, a high carb day is just around the corner.
VEGGIES

No, I did not forget. You won???t find veggies (except the truly calorically dense ones) on the carb list. And here, I am referring to green leafy, low calorie, fibrous vegetables. Things like salad (no dressing), cabbages, escarole, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, squash, and kale are appropriate. Generally, any vegetable that contains less than 50 calories per cup will suffice.

Each and every day, whether it be a high, low, or no carb day, at least three meals, each and every day should include one cup of green veggies. It can be with or without your carb meals. I don???t care, though you may find it more pleasing to the palate to consume your vegetables with your no carb meals.

*****

Now, on to the good stuff: the lists. Don't get overly excited because you aren't going to see most of your favorite goodies on here. Indeed, it is a relatively sparse list, given the plethora of carb sources found in grocery stores.

Approved Carbohydrates:

Brown rice
Oats (Slow Cooked Preferred)
Sweet potatoes or Yams
Fiber One (All Bran) Cereal
Starchy Veggies (corn, peas, etc.)
Beans/Legumes

Approved Yet Limited Carbohydrates**

Whole-wheat pasta
Whole grain breads, pitas, etc.

**These may only be consumed on high carb days, and only for one meal per high carb day
ADDITIONAL YET IMPORTANT CONCERNS

Measuring Success.
The old dieting adage that one should not weigh (or take measurements) oneself daily is perhaps never truer than on this diet. This is especially important for those of you fixated on the scale. Wild weight fluctuations will occur, as you deplete, and replete, glycogen stores daily. And remember that for every gram of glycogen stored (or lost), three grams of water are also retained (or lost). As well, you are likely to look and feel bloated at the end of, and the day after, your high carbohydrate days. This is normal and not an indication of lack of progress (as many an individual who were skeptical, yet tried the diet can attest to). To the contrary, it is an indication that things are moving along swimmingly. As well, if you try to measure progress in this manner, you will become frustrated after your high carb day. You may then come to the ???epiphany??? that the no carb days are doing wonders, and you will start adding in extra no carb days. Next, you will skimp on your high carb days, and all this will speed progress correct? Wrong. Rather, you will speed up your inevitable metabolic crash, as well as emotional and physiological discomfort and you will spiral into a pattern that???s end is failure. Melodramatic? Perhaps, but I think I made my point.

So, we resolve this by always taking measurements, and charting weight after the same type of day. Whether it is the morning after a high carb day, or the end of a no carb day, or whatever, consistency is key. Personally, for psychological reasons, I prefer the morning after a high carb day, but the choice is yours. Moreover, you should not be weighing in after a single three-day cycle. Weighing yourself once every other cycle is more than sufficient; so you are tracking progress every six to eight days, depending on your cycle length.

Cooking and Food Preparation
Ah, cooking. Before I get a zillion questions on this, let me try to head this off at the pass. This diet does not allow for calories (whether they be fat, sugar, or what-have-you) added at the preparation or cooking stage. Thus, you cannot fry, add butter, or oil. You cannot add salad dressing or breadcrumbs. You cannot add sauces or glazes. You cannot, well, you get the point, I hope.

You can use no-cal or very low-cal substitutes. So vinegar, soy sauce, and mustard are fine. No calorie dressing works if you can stand it. You can get away with some ???keto breadcrumbs??? (from lifeservices.com), or even a small amount of balsamic vinegar. Pam is your friend, as are most spices, grilling, broiling, boiling, and baking.

While I don't necessarily recommend them, I don't shun things like sugarless gum, diet soda, coffee or tea (black or with an artificial sweetener only), sugar free jello, and crystal light, and other things containing artificial sweeteners while on this diet. With that said, one must be careful that an excessive amount of calories is not consumed regularly with such "low calorie" items. Likewise, one should be particularly careful on No Carb day with these items.

Post-workout Nutrition
While bodybuilders and non-bodybuilders can use this diet, most of us reading this perform some form of resistance training. For those that do, I assume you have a ???typical??? post-workout protocol, so I'll just give some basics. In conjunction with the Basic Plan (with fat loss being the goal), I recommend, at a minimum, between 30 and 50 grams of whey protein. This can be a protein only meal, and then followed by a carb meal on carb days, or can be taken with oatmeal (or another carb from the list) on carb days. On no carb days, obviously you'd just be having the whey. When using this diet to cut, we are not looking to create a post-workout insulin spike. However, a pure ectomorph looking to cut should probably consider it (by adding 30-50 grams of dextrose and/or maltodextrin).

Water Consumption
In short, you can never have enough. The ten 8-ounce glasses per day recommendation is easily a minimum. I recommend at least a gallon per day.

A word on cardio
Briefly: cardio sucks. Or, and perhaps more accurately, cardio is overrated. And, hence, it is over-utilized, to the detriment of the dieter???especially the muscular dieter. I expect this will be the second most controversial aspect of this article. Perhaps I???ll add a section on religion, to take some heat of my views here.

So for most people, unless ???skinny??? (as opposed to lean) is the look you are going for, or you just love your cardio, I???d suggest dropping it. Period. Resistance training can provide most, if not all, of the physical benefits of cardio, and can do so more efficiently. Benefits such as improved heart rate, reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels, increased metabolism, and nutrient partitioning are generally more efficiently achieved with resistance training, and of course, resistance training carries the added benefit of muscle growth.

With that out of the way, cardio does have its use. If you have been dieting for an extraordinarily long period of time, it may be beneficial. If you are already very lean, and still seeking to get freaky lean, that would be a good situation to add controlled amounts.

A thorough discussion of different types of cardiovascular activity is well beyond the scope of this article. Generally, however, adding in a weekly session or two of high intensity interval training at the appropriate time is a good idea.

Tweaking, Generally
As alluded to above, this diet is rather malleable. It can be tailored to the individual???s goals, genetics, preferences, lifestyle, or all of the above. We have already taken up much of your time today, so the next installment will discuss in greater detail how to apply the basic plan to a bulk, how to optimize it in relation to one???s training, how to optimize it in relation to ones supplementation regimen, and how to arrange it to fit one???s lifestyle (if you have a specific idea in mind, be sure to email me, and perhaps I???ll include it).

Here, I will state briefly, that the three-day basic plan will (or should) provide for rapid, steady fat loss. You can easily self regulate this. Should fat loss prove too rapid make no adjustments until at least three weeks or approximately 7 mini-cycles to attain a baseline (and know that you are losing weight as opposed to water). Then simply add in an additional high carb day. So the rotation can be, High, Low, High, No, and it is a four-day rotation. Conversely, if you are still not shedding fat quickly enough, you should add an extra no carb day, as such: Low, No, High, No. And, of course, this is not the only way to do this.

Who can use this diet?
Well, frankly, anyone. With any goals. With any genetics. As I said, the diet is malleable ??? such is its nature, by design. Who has used the diet successfully?

* Me (a meso/endomorph by nature) for two pre-contest preparations. I successfully got down to around 5% body fat each time, retained a substantial amount of muscle, and needed no tweaking of the basic plan, and no supplements, though I did do cardio. This was also the low-fat variety, which I no longer condone. I also did a ???lifestyle version??? just over a year ago simply to get "beach ready." I got down to about 10% body fat, retained all of my muscle, and did zero cardio. This time the diet was of the current moderate fat variety.

* In 1998, my training partner (a pure mesomorph, the bastard) used my original, low-fat variety of cycling to prepare for his first bodybuilding show. He won. My training program helped immensely, as he gained 15 pounds of muscle, I???d wager, drug and supplement free, in the six months he trained with me prior to cutting. He retained nearly all of it, while cycling carbs.

* In 2002, a new training partner (an endomorph with slight mesomorph tendencies) used a lifestyle variety of the diet, and went from a bodyweight of 228 pounds to 192 in ten weeks, without losing any significant muscle-mass; indeed, his strength increased in that time.

* Several females, in 2002, on-line, successfully used a third generation of the Basic Plan to drop a few pounds for summer. There progress has helped me tweak the Cycle to what it is today.

* A male personal trainer, who I coached on-line, used this diet both to cut and bulk. He was so pleased with his progress that he has spawned off many other on-line cutters to do the same.

* Most recently, a female figure competitor, who I trained on-line, used the Basic Plan ???Plus??? (we tweaked it regularly as she progressed, mostly for her psychological comfort) to prepare for her second show ever. She was more muscular this time around before the diet, and she successfully retained that size, while simultaneously coming in leaner. Of course, I am referring to Avant???s very own, Leslie. That show was a springboard into another, where she seeks to maintain her leanness, and improve her lagging body-parts. While not technically using the cycle as a bulk, and with the most advanced supplements at her disposal, she is maintaining and improving her leanness, while simultaneously increasing strength, and improving her physique.

* Finally, as this article is being written, another female bodybuilder turned fitness competitor (and long time cutter who has never achieved the elusive "six-pack") has embraced Carb Cycling whole-heartedly. Because she is venturing into the competition foray for her first ever figure competition in a short preparation time (and we don???t know exactly how her body will respond, though early reports show that the term ???favorable??? would be an understatement) she is on an aggressive version of the Basic Plan. Despite this, though again using a variety of synergistic supplements, she has been increasing strength during the cut.

* I also have two more tests I???ll be running soon, on myself. The first is a cut. It will be a lifestyle variety, which I will discuss in detail next time. The goal is to lean out, while retaining muscle, while I am rehabbing. Once I am fully rehabbed, I will be using it to bulk, for the very first time. I will be pulling out all the stops, and we will see how she goes.

The point is, with the proper guidance almost anyone can use this diet successfully. Indeed, I do believe almost anyone can use the Basic Plan successfully (for cutting), just perhaps not optimally, which of course is our goal. As an exception, I'd not recommend that a pure ectomorph (and perhaps even a pure meso) use this diet, or any variation thereof, while in a pure mass phase.

Next time we will explore variations of the diet for different goals and body types, as well as discuss supplementation and advanced versions of the diet that can be achieved with supplementation.

Originally written by Twin Peak at Mind and Muscle but the link is no longer available.


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## Jodi (Jan 5, 2011)

by: 
Twin Peak

Editor's Note: This is the second installment in a multipart series on carbohydrate cycling. For those that may have missed the initial installment, it can be found in Mind and Muscle Issue no. 15, or accessed directly here.

Many people find a random three-day cycle as outlined in my first installment to be difficult, lifestyle-wise. If this is you, we can resolve this problem relatively easily. Here is one way:

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday -- no carb days
Tuesday and Saturday -- high carb days
Thursday and Sunday -- low carb days

This schedule assumes a ?normal? life. Should your schedule vary, and for the gravediggers and college kids out there, you may want a different plan, but my hope is that this will appeal to the masses, while simultaneous teaching the rest of you how to properly manipulate the diet to match your lifestyle.

Just keep the following concepts in mind:

* Try not to put two no carb days back-to-back
* Certainly do not put two high carb days back-to-back
* Maintain what amounts to (roughly) a weekly ratio of 1:1:1 of the three types of days; and error towards the lower calorie side rather than the high calorie side
The Life-Style Cycle

The Lifestyle Cycle is aptly named. It is designed for those who wish to "live life", enjoy the pleasures of food (and drink), friends, and social gatherings. It is a plan designed for maintenance, not body-fat loss, so you need to be "satisfied" with you current level of fitness. It can be used to get through an extended vacation or a long stretch of holidays (say from Thanksgiving until New Year) while you are otherwise cutting, or a period in your life when improvement is not a priority.

Yes, unlike most authors on the topic of diet I am conceding that (1) there are times when it is acceptable (hell even desirable) to eat for the sake of enjoyment alone, and (2) it is okay to be satisfied and not always seeking to achieve an improved physical state (which is obviously doomed to failure and self-loathing). This Lifestyle Cycle is based on the "ordinary" lifestyle of an "average" individual.

If you have a peculiar way of life or just specific plans on specific days of a specific week, feel free to adjust accordingly so long as you understand the principles at work, and keep the weekly ratios the same. Likewise, if you gain fat easily you may need to cut back some on the gluttony, and the converse is true if you don't.

Here is a weekly cycle that should work nicely for most:

Monday = No Carb
Tuesday = Low Carb
Wednesday = High Carb
Thursday = No Carb
Friday = Low carb
Saturday = High Carb+
Sunday = Low Carb

Now, if you are paying attention, you are saying to yourself "WTF is high carb+?? And you are probably also thinking, "sounds interesting,? as you lick your lips.

Well, it is interesting, and I think you'll like it. It is like a regular high carb day except:

* Any carbs are acceptable for your carb meals
* You may drink alcohol during one of your carb meals
* You must keep fats as low as possible (except continue with fish oil supplementation)

In addition, once every other week, your middle of the week high carb day can have one "high carb+" meal. Implicit in this statement is the fact that this middle of the week high carb day can also be moved.

Wednesday is optimal, but if the big dinner you have planned, or the office party, or hot date, falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, fell free to swap days. I would only warn that if you moved it to Thursday, Friday should become a no carb day, as you'd want to buffer two high carb days with a small period of depletion. So, for example, let's say the hot date fell on a Thursday. I'd recommend switching it up as follows:

Monday = Low Carb
Tuesday = No Carb
Wednesday = Low Carb
Thursday = High Carb
Friday = No carb
Saturday = High Carb+
Sunday = Low Carb
The Bulk Cycle

Can one bulk while cycling carbs? Of course. Why would one want to? Now that is a more complex question. Essentially, it is a method of bulking while keeping fat gain minimal. The diet is designed to keep your body in a Fed State much of the week, thereby keeping you (mostly) anabolic. Can anyone bulk while cycling carbohydrates? Yes, albeit differently depending on body-type.

First, I am going to discuss how one would bulk if he or she has any endomorphic tendencies. For such an individual, which I expect will be most of us, I recommend three high carb days, three low carb days, and one no carb day.

For a pure endomorph, or someone with extreme endomorphic tendencies (i.e. you add body-fat easier than a hypothyroid hippo) you'll want to add an extra no carb day, and eliminate a low carb day, at the very least.

Tweaking for body-type, a pure mesomorph would (typically) be better served doing three high carb days and four low carb days, whereas a pure ectomorph would be best off with the converse: four high carb days and three low carb days. Understand that these are general guidelines and recommended starting places. Few of us are purely any one body-type but rather a blend of the two. So you are best off if you monitor, and tweak, as you go along.

When setting up such a plan for any body type, keep in mind the following principles:

* Try not to stack more than two high carb days back-to-back (save for the endomorph)
* Do not put no carb days back-to-back
* Put your high carb days on days with your most difficult, highest volume workouts
* Put your no carb days on your off days, to the extent possible
* Allow one cheat meal weekly, where you can eat and drink what you like?after all, this is a bulk
Cyclical Diet and Training

Most readers are not just dieting, thankfully. So it?s high time we discussed optimizing your cycle with your training. One can tailor a cycle to training, or vice versa. Assuming that time constraints are not an issue, I recommend tailoring the diet cycle to your training when you are bulking, and your training to your diet when cutting. Why? Which takes precedent should vary depending on your (current) goal. When additional muscle is the driving force, training is of paramount importance. But when fat loss is the primary goal, diet drives the cart.

Because of the numerous factors that must be considered when optimizing the two and the innumerable permutations that could result, I am not going to give specific programs. Instead, I will give general guidelines, and offer a single example, based on the standard three-day cutting cycle. When setting up your total program, use the following guideposts:

* Put your heaviest, hardest, and highest volume workouts on your high carb days.
* Where possible, put your heaviest, hardest, and highest volume workouts after a low carb day. This works well on a maintenance or bulk program, but not so much on a cut (where high carb days generally follow no carb days)
* Put your off days on your no carb days. Or, use these days for cardio work (if you insist on cardio) or you lightest low volume days. For example, active recovery workouts would be ideal here
* When cutting, keep the frequency of workouts, and/or the total volume lower than you would when bulking
* Now, let's put this to practice. Assume one is cutting, and using the standard three-day cycle: no carb, high carb, low carb, repeat.

I would recommend setting up a four-day or six-day split that is spread out over six days. So, for example, you could do the following:

A: Chest and Triceps
B: Back and Biceps
C: Quads, Hams, and Calves
D: Shoulders, Traps, and Forearms

You'd then play this routine as follows:

No: Off
High: A
Low: B
No: Off
High: C
Low: D

Good luck, and have fun. And remember, variation and experimentation are the keys to winning the long-term battle of health and self-improvement.
Supplementation

Yes ladies and gentlemen, this is the point where I pimp some products. However, it is not pimping for the sake of pimping, but rather a discussion on products that can help optimize one variation of this diet or another. So, I will not outline the virtues of Avant products generally, or even discuss, for example, Lipoderm-Y or Ab-Solved (despite the fact that they can be used with this diet effectively). Rather, I will mention but very few products.

* 1) LeptiGen. I am sure all the readers of this article are quite familiar with LeptiGen?its benefits use. Carb cycling will generally allow you to maintain a more aggressive cycle without killing your leptin levels as a Ketogenic diet might, for instance. So, even with moderate LeptiGen dosing one could increase the speed of fat-loss by doing a four day cycle such as: high carb, no carb, low carb, no carb. A higher dose would be necessary to offset anything more extreme. I would not even recommend a cycle akin to the one previously listed unless you are consuming at least two servings of LeptiGen per day.

* 2) LeptiGen Mass. This will be hitting the market in the next few months, and will be beneficial to the bulker. You will be able to alter your cycle by performing less high carb days while still remaining as (or more) anabolic as you would had you kept them in your schedule. LeptiGen Mass will be particularly excellent for the endomorph on no carb days, and for all users on the low carb days.

* 3) ICE. This premier BCAA formula by Xtreme Formulations gets top reviews and is an excellent addition to any carb cycle. I would highly recommend its use before or during training on no carb and low carb days.

* 4) Now Foods Super EPA. This is a terrific product that allows a lower dosing of fish oil given its high EPA/DHA content.

Again, many products can work nicely with this program, but it is beyond the scope of this article to address each and every one of them.
Conclusion

What is the point of all of this? Basically, it is what I initially stated in my first installment. This is a malleable diet than can be tailored to meet specific goals and specific body types. Do I know exactly how you the reader can optimize a cycle? No. But hopefully the above guidelines have empowered you to experiment based on past diet experience. I hope that this has empowered you to explore and understand what is working for you, and what is not, and how to adapt and optimize along the way.

And as a bonus for reading this article, I am offering not one but two orange-juice juicers, as well as a handy-dandy convenient list of fibrous Veggies for your consumption. Corny pun intended.

FIBROUS VEGETABLES

Alfalfa Sprouts
Artichoke Hearts
Arugula
Asparagus
Avocado
Bamboo Shoots
Bean Sprouts
Beet Greens
Bock Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Celery Root
Chard
Chicory
Chives
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelion Greens
Eggplant
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Hearts of Palm
Jicama
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mache
Millie lettuce
Mushrooms
Okra
Olives
Onion
Parsley
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radicchio
Radishes
Rhubarb
Sauerkraut
Scallions
Snow Pea Pods
Sorrel
Spaghetti Squash
Spinach
String beans
Summer Squash
Tomato
Turnips
Water Chestnuts
Wax beans
Zucchini

Originally written by Twin Peak at Mind and Muscle but the link is no longer available.


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## Jodi (Jan 5, 2011)

Carb Cycling Q&A 

by: Twin Peak

Since the first article came out, and even more so the second, I have received a bountiful number of questions via email, personal message, or publicly on various boards.

I did intend the articles to be all-inclusive, but apparently that is a trick David Copperfield couldn?t pull off. So here you will find what will hopefully be the "be-all end-all Q&A" on Carbohydrate Cycling. I should note, however, that this would never have seen the light of day without the significant help of Jodi. Thank you.

Now, I should also mention that this Q&A covers actual questions posed, many of which range from the vastly complex to the excruciatingly simple, and from the highly thoughtful and thought provoking to the purely asinine. Here, I answer them all. But please remember one thing; there is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people.

And on that note, on with the show.

Q: I was wondering if the keto test strips are useful while on the TP Carb Cycling plan. My current cycle is:

Mon-No
Tue-No
Wen-High
Thur-Low
Fri-High
Sat-Low
Sun-Low

I would like to use the keto strips before my High Carb day on Wednesdays.

A. First, the abbreviation for Wednesday is "Wed." Second, to steal a line from Simon, that "plan" is horrific. Its one of the worst I have ever seen. Why don't you actually try "cycling" the days some, if you want to "Carb Cycle." I know the plan I offer has a great deal of flexibility, but come on man. Third, if memory serves the very first paragraph of the first article clearly states that this is NOT a ketogenic diet. I have to ask, did you read it? This diet has far too many carbs and not enough fats to be ketogenic unless you mutate it into something ludicrous, as you have done. Fourth, let's say we go with your "plan." You may actually enter into ketosis for a fleeting moment before you eat any carbs on Wednesday. But I have to ask, why in god's name do you give a rat's ass if you do? Do you have any clue what, in fact, ketosis is? And why it "might" be beneficial to a dieter? Fifth, let's assume for shits and giggles that you actually enter ketosis, and it matters (for what, I have no idea). What the hell are you doing buying keto test strips for on this diet? Here is my advice to you. GO READ THE ARTICLES. Then go buy Lyle McDonald's book The Ketogenic Diet. Then read it (I know that might have seemed obvious but....). Then figure out what it is you want to do to lose the blubbering fat that has insulated your brain for so many years.

Q. I read the article about Carb Cycling and I'm planning to start it today but in the article [Twin Peak] is not clear about how much fat one should take in. On my No Carb day I have to take in about 130 grams of fat. Is that acceptable?

A. Actually, the first installation does discuss it, and make recommendations, but you are correct, I don?t give exact numbers. Instead, it provides guidelines about how you should consume dietary fat in conjunction with EFAs (essential fatty acids ? like fish oil).
Thus, when you add up:

    * Fat from lean protein
    * Fat from (low-fat) carb sources
    * Fat from the two higher fat protein meals
    * Supplemental EFA's

You should be in the range of 40-60 grams of fat, depending on your bodyweight (as this will determine how much protein and carbs you are consuming). This is each and every day. Fat intake does not increase on No and Low Carb days ? and that is intentional. Due to the title of these articles most people seem to overlook the fact that a significant part of this diet is calorie cycling as well as carbohydrate cycling. So to answer the question, no, 130 grams of fat is not acceptable. It is neither necessary, nor desirable.

Q. Is the fat from fish oil taken at 10-20g/day, counted as part of the Carb Cycling diet? I.e., using the Basic Plan (4 meals of lean protein, 2 of a higher fat protein), does taking 10g of fish oil substitute for other fat sources that you would otherwise take (PB, flax, mayo, etc)?

A. No. This diet allows for a small amount of dietary fat (derived from either the two fatty protein sources allowed daily, or from an added source like flax oil, olive oil, natural peanut butter, mayonnaise, etc.) and supplemental EFAs, and again, with a strong preference for fish oil.

I am changing my current recommendation of fish oil, however, as follows:

Endomorph ? 10+ grams of oil per day.
Mesomorph ? 6 grams of oil per day.
Ectomorph ? 2 grams of oil per day.

Further, this dosage would be halved, if supplementing with sesamin (available soon through Avant Labs), as everyone should. Lastly, as my dosage recommendations have gone down some for Mesomorphs and Ectomorphs, both should add one extra higher fat protein meal daily.

Q. What is the difference between Carb Cycling and the Atkins diet? Basically on Atkins you eliminate your carbs, is that what you do with Carb Cycling? Does Carb Cycling burn fat?

A. What is the difference between heavy metal and Jazz? They are nothing alike. Period. And no, it does not ?burn fat.? I am not even certain what does burn fat, but a blowtorch might be a good start.

Q. What are good refeed foods when Carb Cycling?

A. You don't refeed per se when you follow this form of Carb Cycling. Or rather, there are built-in higher calorie days. In addition, these higher calorie days are higher because of increased carbohydrate consumption. As well, the types of carbs you are permitted to eat are limited and are fully outlined in my first installment ? so shame on you for asking.

Q. With Carb Cycling what do you mean by carb meals?

A. I?d answer this question, but I am too busy banging my head against the wall. Go read the articles.

Q. Do you supplement with fish oil with your carb meals or do you take it with your protein only meals on Low and High Carb days?

A. I don?t believe that there is an appreciable difference either way so long as you take it daily.

Q. Can you get most of your carb sources from veggies, other than pre and post workout (when I eat oatmeal or oat bran)?

A. I wouldn't rely solely on veggies for carbs, unless you are eating high carb vegetable sources such as corn, peas, spinach, squash, etc. However, if you are consuming sufficient quantities of these types of vegetable and eating plenty of oats pre and post workout, I don?t see why this should not work. My only concern would be whether you were packing away enough calories on your High Carb days.

Q. I noticed avocados are on the carb list, but they're also pretty high in fat. Should they be counted as a fat source as well?

A. Yes, avocados are fat sources too. I believe I stated this in the first installment, if memory serves. If not, shame on me; if so, shame on you.

Q. Is the high protein content in every meal a necessary aspect? Right now, my protein content for each meal (in grams) is about 20/65/10/10/10/65. Is the primary purpose of the high protein in each meal to limit appetite, at least to some degree?

A. To a certain degree yes, though it is not the sole concern. You have to remember that this diet is written as a whole, to make it easy to follow in the short and the long term. As well, it is intended to be (relatively) simple to follow. I'd certainly recommend trying to get in the minimum protein at each meal, and at a minimum would suggest doubling the three smallest quantities.

Q. Regarding fat consumption - I don't really eat meat, though 2-3 times a week I may have chicken, fish, or tuna. But on a daily basis I have protein shakes and whole eggs. So, I need to know how much dietary fat to add to my shakes. I am currently adding a tablespoon of Udo's Choice in each shake which is 100 or so calories, but I?m doing a ketogenic diet now, so I would assume that amount would be less when I switch to this diet. Also is this amount consistent across all types of days.

A. First, if you don?t eat meat, and are following a ketogenic diet, you will find this much easier. Second, you can easily follow this diet with what you have outlined. Four of your six daily meals can come from chicken, fish, tuna, protein shakes, egg whites, and any other lean protein sources you will eat. Add to that two higher fat protein meals, such as whole eggs, or a fatty cut of fish, a protein shake with a tablespoon of Udos, or even a tablespoon of peanut butter. On top of that take your fish oil, and sesamin as outlined and you?ll be all set. And yes, the amount of fat consumed is consistent across all days.

Q. Regarding a post-workout meal, under the "High Carb Day? section, you state ?The meal preceding and following your workouts must be a carbohydrate meal". This is reiterated in the "Low Carb Day" section. Fast forward to your "Post Workout Nutrition? and you mention having a protein only meal after working out, as one of the options (followed by a carb meal, on carb days). My question is, is it optional to have carbs after you workout if your goal is to lose fat?

A. Yes?and no. Which I suppose is why I seemingly contradicted myself. Ectos and Mesos should have carbs immediately following the workout. Endos however, can have a whey only shake, immediately after that last rep? so long as (1) the next meal is a carb meal and (2) that meal is no more than 90 minutes after the workout.

Q. I may get chewed out, but I really do think that I am a carb sensitive person, because I've noticed that when I do eat carbs, I get very bad headaches and generally feel like crap ? almost like a carb hangover. I'm not sure if this will be the case with a clean carb up. But I was thinking I should probably ease my way into the three-day cycle. So, in the meantime how is the following Cycle: Low, No, Hi, No, Low, No, Low.

A. Well, there is a good shot that you will fuck up your metabolism like this. However, it also sounds like your metabolism is already fucked. I am speculating that your reaction to Carbs is because you have been eating no carbs for too long, and/or when you do splurge, it is on higher GI carbs, and you aren?t responding well to those. I?d recommend that you begin with the Basic Plan and try to acclimate. I?d wager that after two weeks, you start shedding the fat. If after four weeks you see no results, then cut back.

Q. How do you account for high cortisol levels in the morning, especially on No Carb days? From my understanding, quality carbs in the morning suppress cortisol levels. On a No Carb day, could this not be detrimental in terms of maintaining muscle?

A. Cortisol schmortisol. No, seriously, the flip-side of the coin is that you are not secreting insulin and so are burning quite a bit of fat at this times. However, you can consume some whey or BCAA's (like ICE) as soon as you wake up, which should protect you from (significant) muscle catabolism.

Q. Your carb-cycling program leaves out dairy ? pretty much entirely (I hardly even count cottage cheese since I can't stand the stuff). I know most dairy products are insulin potentiators (although cottage cheese is too come to think of it), but could you replace 1 or 2 of your fruit servings with a fat-free dairy source (i.e. skim milk or unsweetened yogurt) and use galactose in lieu of fructose [to induce the Fed State?]?

A. Yes you can, if you have had success cutting with diary in the past. Many people have "food allergies" that are mostly unknowable/undetectable. Such people will find it difficult to lose fat while consuming foods to which one is allergic (absent an extreme caloric deficit). Milk is one such food item that many people have such "allergies? to. I am one. I find it very difficult to drop fat when consuming milk. I know many others with similar experiences?cut the milk, and the fat comes off.

So in sum, I recommend leaving dairy out (mostly) when cutting. It?s great for maintenance or bulking, though. But if you can handle milk well, go for it. If progress halts, look here first. Also, keep in mind that fruit should not be replaced completely for dairy, but once a day would be fine.

Q. As far as the carb choices go I would say that I would choose oatmeal/oat bran 95% of the time but how are things such as Cheerios or a Bran Flake type cereal?

A. Read the box, those tend to have added sugar and are not recommended. Could you use them on occasion with success, sure? But I'd start without them, and ad them in once you know how you are proceeding without them.

Q. I eat far more than 6 times a day, more towards 8-10. Would I simply keep the number of carb meals the same on the given days and eat less protein at each meal?

A. Yes. We want to limit the number of times you cause an insulin spike. By the way, do you actually have time to do things other than eat?

Q: I was wondering if you can you do two Low Carb days in a row? Or two No Carb days back-to-back? Lastly, should I be doing Carb Cycling non stop until I lose how much weight I want?

A: Yes, two Low Carb days in a row are very doable. However, you are still better off rotating the days. Two No Carb days back-to-back are not a great idea, generally. In other words, do not devise a plan that includes this. However, doing this can be a great tweak down the road, every so often if one has been dieting for an extended period, or as a contest approaches.

To answer your final question ? absolutely. Indeed, you can make Carb Cycling a lifestyle if it works for you. My second installment outlines how one can manipulate the diet for maintenance or bulking, or even during a vacation or ?off-period.? Of course, these diets are not as strict all the time with regard to food choices ? it would be impossible (for most) to live forever on the restricted lists I provide.

Q. On High Carb days is it wise to consume any additional fat beyond fish oil?

A. Wise? You could probably consume a bit less than other days, and be fine with it, but fat is relatively low to begin with so it?s not necessary to reduce it further. Also, recall that there is benefit to KISS.

Q. Is it worth using an ergogenic aid such as Kreatine Ultra or Swole2 if your main goal is fat loss? Of course any muscle gained is gravy, which is why I ask.

A. Worthwhile? That is an interesting choice of words. Well, as with any supplement one must weigh the cost (relative to ones disposable income) against the benefit. So whether it is "worthwhile" is an individual question. I will say that such products may help you maintain an anabolic environment and certainly will help with muscle maintenance. Further, many have reported significant muscle gain while Carb Cycling. So yes, such products would be very beneficial.

Q. Regarding the small serving of fruit that one is to consume with the carb meals, specifically on the Low Carb day, would it count towards that meal?s total carbohydrate grams? Like if one was shooting for 75 grams/meal and the fruit contained 15, should only 60 grams of the other sources be consumed?

A. Do you really think 30 grams of fruit carbs every three days is going to make that much of a difference? Probably not. I'd suggest not counting it toward your carb meals, and down the road, if you need to tweak things a tad (hopefully you won't) this could be one way.

Q. Even though dextrose isn?t on your approved list, would it be beneficial to consume say 30 grams of it during a workout, and then subtract 15 grams of carbs from two of my meals.

A. Well, I really don?t like to see simple sugars on this plan when cutting, unless you are an ectomorph. That said, if you are a dextrose lover, you can do this; but I'd rather not see you create an ?extra? carb meal. Instead, consume one meal?s worth during the workout and consider that a carb meal.

Q. I realize this is a rather general question, but how would you modify the basic plan if one had a goal of steady recomposition in mind?

A. This is addressed more fully in my second installment, but you need to keep in mind that it would very much depend on the individual. Generally, I would start with 3 High Carb, 2 Low, and 2 No Carb days weekly, and adjust from there. A better way to personalize this would be to vary it weekly, assuming your workout program varies.

Indeed, I am putting together a comprehensive training and diet plan (that will be tailored to body-types) in the near future. I have been working with Derek (Beast) on this very thing, and it is going extremely well.

Q. Is it best to precede a High Carb day with a No Carb day when possible?

A. Physiologically, I don?t think it much matters. Do what works best for you psychologically. For example, I prefer following my No Carb days with a High Carb day. Why? It is easier to get through a No Carb day knowing that tomorrow I get to eat up. Others find that the carry over fullness of a High Carb day helps them get through the No Carb day. See what works best for you.

Q. Is there anything wrong with splitting up the protein intake for a single meal over a pre and post workout drink (and thus considering it to be one meal)? Same would apply to carbs on carb days.

A. As to protein, feel free to split it up; for carbs I would not (for reasons that should be obvious if you read the articles, and the preceding Q&As).

Q. For purposes of fueling the day's activities, it would seem best to place the High Carb days on the days I do the higher rep "hypertrophy" workouts, the Low Carb days on the strength workout days and the No Carbs on rest days. I could however also see an argument made to place the High Carbs on strength days, allowing the hypertrophy workouts to deplete glycogen to some degree, increasing fat burning. Any suggestions on this?

A. Surely debatable, but I like your first suggestion best. By far.

Q. The article was a little unclear. In the High-carb section you say ?your other two meals should be protein only?. I've been continuing to have my two meals with higher-fat protein on high-carb days; did you intend for the high-carb days to be 6 meals of lean protein (because of high insulin levels and general overfeeding) or the normal four meals lean and two meals higher fat protein?

A. T?wasn?t unclear?at least to me. I do state that fat doesn't change from day-to-day ? so to answer your question, the latter.

Q. Would popcorn (I'm thinking the "97% Fat Free" kind that's basically plain popcorn + a few chemicals) count as corn and thus a starchy veggie for High Carb days? It obviously has a decent amount of fiber, but I'm wondering since I haven't been able to find a good online listing of its GI.

A. I have seen conflicting reports, but I am pretty sure that it is a high GI food; so I'd stay away from it when cutting, save as a rare treat on the occasional High Carb days.

Q. If I include Salmon in my diet can I not consume fish oil?

A. You should be having 1-2 meals that are higher in fat regardless of the fish oil. Red meat, eggs, salmon, shark, swordfish PLUS include the fish oil caps throughout the day. However, as mentioned above, you can halve the dosing if you are supplementing with sesamin oil.

Q. Can someone recommend which brand or type of protein would be best on this diet? I heard straight whey was bad because it processes [is digested] too fast, although I do add fat to it occasionally. I currently use Ultimate Whey protein. It also needs to be low in carbs.

A. Whey is generally fine, and indeed preferable post workout. Since this plan has you eating frequently, there is no concern to be had that the whey will get absorbed too quickly ? it won?t since your next meal can?t be far away. The only exception is that if your last meal of the day will be a shake use casein based protein.

Q. When bulking is it necessary to include the small piece of fruit with the carb meals on high and low carb days in order to enhance the Fed signal? I am wondering, since the individual is already in a mild state of caloric excess, if the fructose in this case is going to be more likely to spill over into adipose stores in this instance? I have greatly enjoyed including fruit while on a cutting diet, as I have never done so previously, and would certainly welcome the opportunity to keep it in the diet while on a bulk.

A. The fruit is not as important when bulking as it is when cutting. However, you can and should keep it in, particularly on low carb days. Remember, we are talking about relatively low amounts of fruit to begin with, and the fiber and vitamins more than offset any (minimal) fat gain.

Q. What is the benefit to have Low Carbs and No carbs days? Do you think it is useful to burn more fat? Or is to deplete glycogen and get a better refeeding?

A. My thoughts on this are pretty well outlined in my first installment; in sum, there are psychological benefits to having High Carb days, as well as physiological benefits (lepton stimulation, etc) and the No Carb days offset those, and still keep you in a weekly calorie deficit. As well, those days lipolysis will be high because calories will be low, and insulin will be non-existent. So no, the point is most definitely not depletion for the sake of supra-compensation, though regular depletion in and of itself is very useful (if not necessary) to optimize fat burning.

Q. I was wondering how you would set up a Carb Cycle for an athlete, in particular a football player in-season. I was thinking of using High Carb days around game day, while having Low Carb days around the training during the week.

A. If you are looking to drop a few pounds during the season, I would have your High Carb day the day before the game, and a Low Carb day the day of the game. You'd want either a high or low carb day the day after for recovery, and then you could throw in a No Carb day the day after.

Q. If I'm taking an E/C stack while Carb Cycling, should I avoid taking it on the High Carb day due to the increased insulin resistance, or is it a non-issue?

A. Its partitioning effects would be a plus, so it?s a non-issue, as far as I am concerned. That said, what the hell are you doing with an old E/C stack when you can be using Avant?s new H.E.A.T. Stack????

Q. Sometimes I'm hungry between meals. Should I just eat a piece of protein and then continue with my planned meal later?

A. Don't eat between meals. Instead, if you are still hungry once you eat your planned meal, then just eat a little bit more protein but do not eat in between.

Q: What if I am so fucking anal retentive that I can?t do this plan without exact numbers?

A: ARRRGGGGHH!

Well folks, I hope that was helpful and at least moderately enjoyable. I am sure that you will still have many questions, so feel free to continue to post them on the forum, or email them to me at -- maybe they will make there way into a follow-up Q&A.

Originally written by Twin Peak at Mind and Muscle but the link is no longer available.


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