Maybe this question has been discussed before in the issues, but I could not find much information on it. I am currently in my 8th week of cutting calories/carbs taking in approximately 2000kcal, 65-70g carbs, 200g protein, 85g fat per day following mostly the John Berardi school of thought (P+C/P+F meals). I have also been supplimenting my diet with 6 each of the old MD6 (the kind with PPA) and T2 per day. I am satisfied with the results thus far as I started at 206 and now check in at 190 pounds on my 6’2" frame. Honestly I could not give you a BF% estimate, although the percentage is much lower than before. My workouts have been mostly weight training 5 days a week, usually lifting between 8-10 reps per set maybe 12-15 sets per workout, with probably less cardio than I should be doing considering my goals. It is my desire in a week and a half to start on a cycle of Mag-10/finasol (fina in isopropyl only) and hit the weights harder for 2 weeks in an effort to pack on muscle. I am planning on ending my cutting at the end of this calendar week (Saturday). I plan on targeting 4200kcal, 350g carb, 300+g protein, 95-100g fat during my bulk phase (estimate). My question is as follows: What is the best way to effectively transition from my low-carb diet I am on to a diet with much higher carb and caloric intake? As I understand it in the period following a carb-cutting phase the body is primed for fat gain. I do not wish to put back on the fat I strived so hard to lose. That is why I was thinking of taking a week in between my cutting and bulking to just run maintenance levels of macronutrient intake, so as to make a slower transition. Is my thinking anywhere close on this? Is there any tips anyone might have on how I could most effectively transition from one end of the dieting spectrum to the other (so to speak)? Sorry for such a lenghty question and I appreciate the time anyone will take sharing their ideas. Thanks.
I asked that question a while ago. The consensus was to take about two-four weeks putting carbs back in. I think they said add 250 cals from good carbs for a week, then add 250 more for about two weeks, and then head back to maintainence. search for ‘post diet question’ under T-forums. Not too many responses but they were consistent.
Seems like my planned one week would be a little short then. I’ll probably give it a two week transition and not four, because my whole point of bulking is to get muscle put on before the end of summer (I am way too vain). By the way, lol at the “Oprah Winfreying” terminology in your post, jodgey.
i have always been sceptical with the idea that post diet “you will be primed to put on fat”.
its a double edged sword, you can put on serious muscle and strength too.
I try to get all of my bodybuilders training hard/frequent within 10 days of a show and they tend to ballon up, in a good way.
If you are worried slowly up you P+C number ie add a P+C meal every 4 days and then slowly up your carb content in those meals over the following 3 weeks.
oh and get into the mag10 mate, losta fun…
Thanks, glad it made someone laugh.
And, yes, whetu, mag-10 dost kick ass mightily.
Whetu, I think you are right. I THINK people feel that they have ‘reached the finish line’ when they finish cutting and head to the celebratory buffet line at Shoney’s and Cici’s pizza. and they never go home. The evidence shown here points to the fact that it is easier to put on mass after a cut cycle. I guess intelligent dieting is the key.
I’ve personally never heard of this “rebound fat gain” unless it was in relation to a purely ketogenic diet. For me that would probably mean as close to 0 carbs as possible. I think its probably possible to keep your carb intake below 20g per day if you really watch things. 60-70g is very low and with your training, you might well be in ketosis when you are concentrating on P+F meals; this might be relative to whether you are consuming these carbs from starches or from fiber. It seems to me that even when I’m in deep ketosis, all it takes is about 25g of carbs to get me out of that state, so with that I could guess you are hovering right above it which is perfect.
Given that, I would still take the 1-2 weeks to introduce carbs simply to keep from shocking your body. Everything I’ve read from experienced bodybuilders suggests that the body’s nature is to remain the same and in order to change you have to take baby steps; anything more is counterproductive. That could mean fat gain, or more probably falling asleep after lunch.
I always gauge my carb intake when starting a new diet on how I feel after eating. If I’m falling asleep at my desk after a meal, I know I consumed more carbs than my body wanted and I need to up the protein and fat and reduce the carbs for that meal. It only takes me a few days to get things “dialed in”.
I imagine you’ve already read the Growth Surge Project Part I. That’s where I first read the “primed for fat gain after ketogenic” idea.
Let me preface this by saying I haven’t had the opportunity to try this myself yet, but it looks like the two week Priming Stage coincides with your schedule and is probably the recommended way to prepare yourself for the onslaught.
Thanks for the replies. No, I was not going ketogenic. I was staying above that level on purpose because going ketogenic makes me feel like absolute shit, and too unmotivated to function. I am trying to take the consensus advice here and gradually work in carbs here and it seems to be working. I ate about 100 cals Sunday and 150 today, with no noticible effects (including on the scale). I am really looking forward to trying the Mag-10. I’ve tried the finasol thing before and had good results so I got some iso-heet and made some more (although not with the 4-ad like before…any chance on bringing that back? lol), but I am looking forward to Mag-10 based on the opinions of people on the board. One thing I have learned from this whole ordeal: it’s really tough to map out a long-term plan that involves 8 weeks of dieting and another “buffer” week before starting on the bulking and the suppliments you wanted to take all along…hopefully this is gonna be fun! hahaha.