Has anyone used carb back loading successfully while on a cycle? I have read a lot on it, have the book, and heard a bunch of success stories, but not specifically on cycle. Would there be any disadvantages to this type of dieting to bulk up while on cycle?
Only disadvantage I would see is crashing during your workouts but if u can manage then you should give it a go
No crash during workouts, whether you are “on” or “off” - assuming you are following the protocol. I have been doing CBL for about 3 1/2 months and I love it. I feel great during the day without carbs. I too thought my workouts would suffer, but not at all - quite the opposite.
OP - I don’t have the book, but I have read everything I can find online regarding CBL. The whole point (or at least one of the points) of CBL is to AVOID bulking and make consistent lean body mass gains over time, thereby eliminating the need to alternate between bulking and cutting phases.
I initially used CBL to cut - I dropped about 18 LBS and 5% BF - and now use it for maintenance (500 mg domestic UGL test blend ran throughout). It should honestly work great in a “gain” phase (replacing “bulk” here). If you follow the protocol you should experience LBM gains without the BF gains associated with a normal gear/bulk cycle.
Hope that helps!
Ya I guess bulk isnt the proper word lol. But I bought the book a couple days ago, went on sale or something for 37 bucks. I’ve read through most of it. It sounds amazing, the science is solid, the testimonials are great. Thank you for the info, glad to see someone using this to great affect. And ya from what I’ve heard about the amazing feeling in the gym, Keifer calls it the Hulk Effect, where your adrenaline and hormones kick into overdrive when you dont have carbs before the gym. I am excited to start this. I am just going to get in as many calories as I can at night, and this should limit most fat gain. Thanks for the input guys.
Yeah keep your net carbs during the day (pre-workout) less than 30 grams and take in plenty of lean proteins and healthy fats, then carb load immediately following your workout, all the way til bed time. Honestly I am in a maintenance phase right now, not by choice, but I am financially strapped and really limited in what I can spend on food, gear and supplements.
I am 6’3" 268 LB and take in 4500 K on non-training days, 5500 K on training days, and have one super re-feed day once a week (6000+ K)…and I am just maintaining my weight, lol. Do you plan on logging your cycle? I would be very interested to see the details (cycle dosage/length, training schedule, daily K) as well as the results (BW, BF, etc).
Good idea, I will try and get a log going when I start, probably about a month, I will be starting the diet portion on monday though. Cant wait!
Hey OP,
Jus FWIW, I’ve technically been CBL for a while now and not even knowing it… Not intentionally, but I only have carbs post gym (and due to my schedule I cant lift till 7pmish, so my post gym meal is my last meal of the day), and I dont have my 1st meal till atleast 3-4 hours after waking. My experience has been fantastic, and fat has been kept to a minimum.
Also Serge Nurbet (One of my most personally respected body builders) also somewhat followed a CBL protocol. He never ate breakfast, and only had carbs at night after his lifting (his carbs were only beans and rice though) and look how great he looked!
Anyways hope this helps, and pls do make a log, I for one would follow it, and im sure others wld be interested too! Good luck!
Thank you for the reply. I will be doing a log when I start, probably 3-4 weeks. The more I keep reading on this, listening to podcasts, reading articles, references, etc, the more this diet seems like the “perfect” diet, at least for me, since I lift early evening and I hate having to worry about food ALL THE TIME. I also read Arnold did cbl a bit, which is awesome. I will let you guys know when I get the log going.