# Carbless post-workout?



## njc (May 7, 2012)

Just wondering if any of you have tried this ever and if so how it worked with you.  I dont have a perfect understanding of it up to this point yet but have been doing A LITTLE bit of reading on it and am prepared to give it run pretty soon for a month or two.

It essentially involves not taking in carbohydrates for a MINIMUM of 5 hours after a weight training session.  Plenty of protein is encouraged in this time frame of course.  The basis of thought being that weight training causes an increase in receptor sensitivity to insulin for some time after weight training. This is why the post workout drink (of course) is so popular.  This promotes an elevated uptake of amino acids and other anabolic substrates by muscle tissue during this time frame.  Now, aparrently, this time frame can be as long as 12 hours or so SO LONG as carbohydrates are not consumed.  When carbs are consumed it will silence the insulin receptors within 20-40 minutes or so and you will losethe enhanced ability to extra-efficiently shuttle amino acids and other substrates into the muscle tissue.  However, should you remain in a carbless state for some time following your workout you will retain this heightened ability to uptake nutrients into the muscle tissue.

Of course after this period is up you will need to sufficiently carb-up in order to fuel your muscles before your next exercise session.  I have spoken online with a couple of BRILLIANT individuals online, one of them the inventor of CPWO (carbless post-workout), and they both SWEAR by it as to a couple others whom I have spoken to about it.

Interesting, no?


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## hypo_glycemic (May 7, 2012)

IMO You must re-store glycogen after using up any carbs for energy . Carbs are -for me- a must post training or I have a tendancy to ho catabolic ...


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## njc (May 7, 2012)

Im really looking forward to seeing how I react to it.  Ill let you guys know how I respond to it.  Its gonna be hard giving up my delicious homeade PWO shake.  Two frozen bananas, coconut milk, 8 icecubes, half cup of oats,and 50g or vanilla Isopure.....ah......Heaven


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## VolcomX311 (May 7, 2012)

njc said:


> Im really looking forward to seeing how I react to it.  Ill let you guys know how I respond to it.  Its gonna be hard giving up my delicious homeade PWO shake.  Two frozen bananas, coconut milk, 8 icecubes, half cup of oats,and 50g or vanilla Isopure.....ah......Heaven



Damn, that shakes no joke.


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## Calves of Steel (May 7, 2012)

Insulin translocates GLUT4 to the surface of a cell essentially making that cell more receptive to taking in nutrients. GLUT4 is the transporter that pulls glucose and amino acids into the muscle cells. I would HIGHLY recommend consuming carbs post workout, raising insulin, translocating GLUT4, and and sucking in nutrients where you need them most. If you remain in a carbless state, there is little insulin activity, and less nutrients will enter the muscles just trained. I would ONLY recommend avoiding carbs post workout if you are trying to cut bodyfat really fast and aren't worried about sparing muscle.


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## njc (May 7, 2012)

Calves of Steel said:


> Insulin translocates GLUT4 to the surface of a cell essentially making that cell more receptive to taking in nutrients. GLUT4 is the transporter that pulls glucose and amino acids into the muscle cells. I would HIGHLY recommend consuming carbs post workout, raising insulin, translocating GLUT4, and and sucking in nutrients where you need them most. If you remain in a carbless state, there is little insulin activity, and less nutrients will enter the muscles just trained. I would ONLY recommend avoiding carbs post workout if you are trying to cut bodyfat really fast and aren't worried about sparing muscle.




Actually, I SHOULD have mentioned that a small amount of exogenous insulin is needed in this protocol.  However, since i do not wish to take insulin, apparently there are variations that can be made without doing so, just less optimally .I suspect that my explanation is probably somewhat insufficient and doesnt actually do it justice. Im going to read up some more and post back. Apparently, people have gotten good results with it.....apparently.


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## Calves of Steel (May 7, 2012)

Thanks for sending me the article by the way. Idk from personal experience I have seen less of a growth effect without the carb spike, however growth is really hard to measure. As far as actual protein entering the cell, insulin sensitivity is important, and prolonging it can prolong the duration of insulin activity, however I'm sure the degree of insulin sensitivity reduces over time, and while it may be above preworkout levels for 48 hours or so, I can't help but feel like the point at which it is highest is the best time to raise levels. How is exogenous insulin used in the protocol? (I love exo insulin)


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## Cork (May 8, 2012)

It would take a lot of anectdotal evidence to convince me that anything works better than using carbs to capitalize on the process calves of steel mentioned.  

Is there only 1 article that talks about this protocol?  I feel as though the theories in carb back loading protocols are more believable than this method.


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## tinyshrek (May 8, 2012)

I prefer carbs and protein post workout. BUT I think it's highly overrated as far as effectiveness( unless u take slin preworkout then u must have carbs, pre,intra,post). When I diet I find I recover just as well with just protein and no carbs. Farah actually recommends this as fat burning is optimal after workout then have carbs and protein an hour after


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## 32bulkcycle (May 8, 2012)

Personally I think it's a bad idea to deprive your body of balance. I try to eat a good balance in all of my meals of fats, carbs and proteins. The only time i dont eat carbs is right before bed as I don't need any energy to sleep. If you're trying to cut though i don't think trying this would be that big of a deal but if you're trying to pack on muscle I definitely wouldnt avoid carbs post workout


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## 32bulkcycle (May 8, 2012)

Ps. People are always trying to come up with new diets and workouts and it always comes back around to balanced eating and balanced workouts with good rest and sleep.


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## juiceball44 (May 8, 2012)

hypo_glycemic said:


> IMO You must re-store glycogen after using up any carbs for energy . Carbs are -for me- a must post training or I have a tendancy to ho catabolic ...



Both of these points get highly over exaggerated ... it takes a very long time to actually use all your glycogen stores and even longer to become catabolic ... its very unlikely for these to happen after a workout if you have not been starving yourself


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## Standard Donkey (May 8, 2012)

juiceball44 said:


> Both of these points get highly over exaggerated ... it takes a very long time to actually use all your glycogen stores and even longer to become catabolic ... its very unlikely for these to happen after a workout if you have not been starving yourself



this.

i have employed the above strategy and it worked quite well. I dropped a shitload of water weight and fat, and put on muscle..
my overall body composition improved .

of course im on gear tho


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## SPF (May 9, 2012)

Post-training is the one time of day that eating carbs actually makes sense. Not sure why you'd want to cut the carbs at that crucial time unless you're planning something ridiculous like 5-20% carbs for your diet.

BTW, the only reason those ultra low carb diets work is because a half-ass diet is better than no diet at all.

And just to drive the point home, dieticians have told me that 2-4:1 ratio carbs to protein is optimal post-workout. Plus professional athletes and bodybuilders have told me 40% carbs MINIMUM.

But if you know more than dieticans and the pros go ahead and try it.


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