In a week I’m starting max effort (90%-100%) and eccentrics (115%-130%) and I’m wondering what the caloric requirements generally are for heavy CNS training. From what I think I know, I don’t need to eat as much as, and as many carbs as, I would if I were looking to gain mass. Am I way off? Where can I find more information on diet and CNS training?
As well as the general case I’d like to ask about my special case. I’m currently cutting and my lifts and mass still are going up every week still (I’m a beast! haha, or maybe its just muscle memory and beginners luck since I’m an ex-athlete recently back from a long medical layoff). But whatever’s responsible for it I’m hoping that it will allow me to continue cutting with my new plan. Anyone have any experience similar to this that you can share?
texass, what are your goals, and how do you eat currently?
For CNS recovery, I’m not really inclined to change someone’s diet by that much. I would want to make sure that you’re eating optimal amounts of protein (1g x TBW), and I would like to make sure you’re eating optimal amounts of GOOD fat (0.4g x TBW is a favorite of mine). But what I would do is make sure you’re taking in some of that fat number in the form of flaxseed oil and olive oil and also canned sockeye salmon or other coldwater fish high in EPA & DHA. I’d also like to see taking Flameout at the max dosage. EPA & DHA and Omega 3s are brain food.
Optimize PWO nutrition, meaning go ahead and include some healthy starchy carbs in your PWO meal. Include them at a 2:1 ratio of starchy carbs to protein.
Make sure you’re well hydrated on a daily basis.
I know your questions were about food, but supps that would be supportive of the type of demands you’re going to be making on your CNS are Spike before and Power Drive following.
Finally, make sure you’re getting to bed earlier and getting plenty of sleep. It’s how the brain repairs itself and rebalances/replaces neurotransmitters. Along those lines, ZMA would be an excellent choice. If you have trouble sleeping from too much CNS stimulation, consider melatonin, a great sleep cycle regulator and antioxident.
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! (grin) Hit me over the head with a PM if I miss your reply.
[quote]Tampa-Terry wrote:
texass, what are your goals, and how do you eat currently?[/quote]
CNS training = neuromuscular strength
Cutting = fat loss
I don’t count calories but whatever I do eat is enough for me to never be hungry and have lots of energy while losing 1-2 pounds/week.
What?
[quote]I would want to make sure that you’re eating optimal amounts of protein (1g x TBW), and I would like to make sure you’re eating optimal amounts of GOOD fat (0.4g x TBW is a favorite of mine). But what I would do is make sure you’re taking in some of that fat number in the form of flaxseed oil and olive oil and also canned sockeye salmon or other coldwater fish high in EPA & DHA. I’d also like to see taking Flameout at the max dosage. EPA & DHA and Omega 3s are brain food.
Optimize PWO nutrition, meaning go ahead and include some healthy starchy carbs in your PWO meal. Include them at a 2:1 ratio of starchy carbs to protein.
Make sure you’re well hydrated on a daily basis. [/quote]
Thanks but I think you’re misunderstanding me. I know how to eat to support gains but I don’t know how to tweak my diet to this goal.
Why would Spike be good? What part of recovery would it help and what would you recommend to someone unable to take it and the like? (heart problems, stimulants are a no-no)
This is awesome advice! I keep ZMA around for occasions when I need it, and I’ll invest in some melatonin too. Thanks.
For CNS recovery, I’m not really inclined someone’s diet by that much.
…should have read…
For CNS recovery, I’m not really inclined to change someone’s diet by that much.
Re your goals, I’d prefer to see you go back and forth, rather than doing both at the same time. Even though I love working with people who have dual (and sometimes contradictory) goals, this is a situation where you need to put performance (and recovery) first.
Eat at maintenance. Eat for performance. Eat for repair & recovery. Have you read the Double Dose Surge Project by Shugart? At your body weight I’d probably recommend 3 liters of Surge. One before, one during, one after.
I know how to eat to support gains but I don’t know how to tweak my diet to this goal.
Are you talking about performance gains or LBM gains? I probably am missing what you’re saying/wanting. Could you hit me again?
Why would Spike be good? What part of recovery would it help and what would you recommend to someone unable to take it and the like? (heart problems, stimulants are a no-no)
Spike is a stimulant, yes, so if you have health issues, you’d want to check with your doctor and/or pharmacist. But in answer to your question, Spike helps with alertness, focus (a locked-on, tunnel-vision kind of thing for me, at least) and it also seems to improve/enhance work capacity. There is a caffeine free version, but as I said, it would probably be better to discuss your situation with your doc.
Well thats awesome, Spike’s benefits are the same benefits I get from meditation, so I won’t be needing anything like it.
Thanks for all your help. I’m going to continue to eat what my body tells me it needs and hopefully combined with some of the advice I’ve received, I’ll have a good starting off point.
Hi, I am also trying to increase my max strength while not gaining fat.
I eat about 120-150g carbs per day and limit them to breakfast and pre/post-workout solid food meals. I also try to get in alot of good fats because I believe they play a role in the formation of the nervous system.
The reason I am not using Surge post workout is because of the extremely low volume of my workout program.
I do use 2 scoops of Power Drive with 300mg of caffeine 45 min before my workout, and take 5-10g of creatine per day. I also use ZMA every night.
[quote]JMoUCF87 wrote:
Hi, I am also trying to increase my max strength while not gaining fat.
I eat about 120-150g carbs per day and limit them to breakfast and pre/post-workout solid food meals. I also try to get in alot of good fats because I believe they play a role in the formation of the nervous system.
The reason I am not using Surge post workout is because of the extremely low volume of my workout program.
I do use 2 scoops of Power Drive with 300mg of caffeine 45 min before my workout, and take 5-10g of creatine per day. I also use ZMA every night.
I hope this helps.[/quote]
That helps a lot! Thanks.
May I ask how many calories you are taking in? Like below/at/above maintenance?