I’ve been eating two frozen bags of vegetables a day, ~30-50g of carbs each bag. Couple that with the post-workout shake and the occassional dried apple ring (to satisfy the sweet tooth) and I’m getting about 140-180g of carbs every day. Is this standard for this diet? How do people call it a CKD with that level of carbs? BTW: I’m showing excellent results, mirror-wise, by coupling this with HST. I’m getting no non-green carbs except for my post-workout sandwich.
Hey, you haven’t done any light work for awhile, right? And you’re thinking of doing some AAS? You might want to consider taking a couple weeks and doing some high-rep work (15-20 reps) first. Your strength is going to shoot through the roof with the AAS anyway, and the high-rep work will prep the tendons first. With a diet as low-carb as this one, your healing capacity will be reduced already and you might not want to risk things. Sorry, just my .02
I am not sure on your stats and goals for the moment, but I too, am getting between 140-160g carbs on lifting and off days (not the carb-up, obviously). My goal is some fat loss with as much strength maintenance (or gain) as possible. At 210, 11%, this amount of carbs doesn’t seem to be hurting the fat loss effort at all so far.
I am getting between 140 and 160g carbs on lifting and off days (not the carb-up, obviously) too. Though I am not sure of your exact goals, I personally am shooting for some fat loss with as much strength maintenance as possible. This amount of carbs for me at 210 11% probably wouldn’t change too much even if I was bulking or eating at maintenance while on this diet anyway. I do plan on slowly adding some size while on this diet down the road, and I think the only thing I will change drastically will be the frequency of my carb-ups.
I was wondering the same thing. I know you’re a straight-shooter, so it seemed pretty random. What’s up? Are we mixing up acronyms here?
“I’m getting ready for a particular “12 week program” if you know the language I’m speaking, and I may use this as my training routine”
Sorry, I totally interpreted that as an extended steroid cycle. I thought you were being circumspect.
I’ve currently 183 and about 14% (at 5’6, I looked ‘muscular’). I’m mainly hoping for fat-loss and worry about my insulin quite a bit as a result. I’m mainly looking for a diet that’s not ‘trendy’ or ‘unhealthy’. I figured that a decent calorie diet that included getting 100g of carbs a day from greens fit the bill. I read once that the brain needed 125g of glucose a day to operate properly.
I’m not losing weight, but I AM doing HST right now, so I HOPE that’s the reason. Shugsy sent me an XL t-shirt (for winning the fastest forum game) and I realized very quickly that I’m a large (heh). Gonna have to put on 20lbs before I can wear that thing with pride.
Heya guys. I am wondering if I should keep my calories the same for my carb-up days as I do on my regular weekdays. I am 3 weeks into a cutting phase right now at about 5’6 172 lbs., 11% BF. I take in roughly 2400 cals on my weekdays keeping protein intake at a solid 200-220 grams. Should I hold the same caloric number on my carb days or can it all just go to hell? Actually yesterday was my first true-by-the-protocol carb-up day (I only did half a day) and I think I took in less cals than normal. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
MBE: “Well sure, ther carbs are in the cabinet, but where are all the cheap sluts? Since 1314. JADABB founder, 2002.”
-Eric
Guys, I’m feeling a bit over-traineed today (yesterday too). I’m thinking that maybe I should up my carbs (good ones, duh) today so that I can heal up? Or should I sweat the day out with fesherish muscles. Just for the record, I train almost every day for about 40 min. I’m taking today off (it’s Sunday), but would like to get back to the routine tomorrow. Extra carbs or no carbs? Oh yeah, I had my ‘carb-up’ meals on Friday and Saturday (one meal each day).
Hey, guys. Great thread, it sure got me going
with this diet plan. I’m almost 2 weeks into it
right now, and I have noticed that one day before the carb-up day, I feel drained and without energy. Should I carb-up every 4th day rather every 5th day, in order to prevent this?
Take into consideration I’m a full time athlete working out for 4-6 hours a day including weights, runs, and sport specific workouts among all. About 6-7% BF also.
I’ve been thinking about your question quite a bit, and to be honest, I can’t really figure it out. On the one hand, your carb-up day is going to bring your fat-burning to a screeching halt. So you don’t want to get too many calories. On the other hand, you want to fill your glycogen stores all the way up, so you don’t want to undereat. There must be some formula where you determine how much a workout depleted your glycogen stores. I just have no idea. Anyways, good question (I just ate a whole pizza and kept my protein the same).
At 6-7% bodyfat and training heavily, I would be taking a carb-up every fourth or fifth day for sure.
Just realized I read your post wrong…I really think it all depends on individual factors, so give every 4th day a try, and if you get good results, stick with it.
Eric: For my carb-up I have decided to go about 200-300 calories over the number of calories I consume on training days, and about 500 calories greater than what I consume on a regular off day. This is just high enough so that my weekly caloric deficit (recall that I am cutting with this diet right now) stays about right (I have been shooting for a 2500kcal deficit each week). I should also mention that I have switched over to one big-ass carb meal (nearly 300g carbs in it) rather than an entire carb day. I feel better, and so far, seem to have better results from this method. The rationale behind all this just comes from 1)personal experience 2)CP’s recommendations 3)studies I’ve read about carb refeeds.
Thanks guys. Incidentally, I used saturday and sunday as carb days, taking in GROW bars, Pro Lab’s Lean Mass Matrix (awesome oatmeal cinnamon flavor), and oats. Sunday I played tennis for over an hour and following this ate a lot of apples, but overall my calories were lower than on my “normal” (cutting) days. Unfortunately there was homemade apple pie (my ONE weakness) in the fridge today so it became part of my post-Surge meal. Other than that my meals will consist of protein, Udo’s or Flax caps and veggies for the remainder of the week. Should I abandon the weekend (2 Day carb-up) and do 1 every 5 days? On my carb days I’m always clean (when there’s no apple pie), though I was wondering how effective the 10% protein intake actually was. Thanks again, keep the thread burnin’.
MBE: “Ready to go with his buffalo since the Foreman Grill heats up. JADABB founder, 2002.”
-Eric
It really depends on how lean you want to get and how quickly you want to get there. If your goal is 10%, and you’re not in a huge rush, stick to a full weekend of carbing up and gradually lose that last 1%. If your goal is, say, 7%, start carbing up once every 5-7 days. As you get leaner, you’re going to need to carb up more often anyway…you may end up going back to the full weekend of carbing up down the line at some point.
Steve, yer beyutiful! Thanks for the quick response. Almost bedtime (i.e. Sccop and 2/3rds LC GROW and Flax oil) Yum. Lata.
MBE: “Flax Attax since 1331. JADABB founder, 2002.”
-Eric
Will this diet work with a small amount of oatmeal and a little less greens? I’ve never eaten greens before and I started yesterday and gag everytime I eat them. My plan is to use some oatmeal and eat small amounts of greens and maybe I will get accustomed to them and be able to eat more down the road. I can eat small amounts(around half a cup) but just can’t shovel down large amounts. I got everything else down but the greens part.
1/4 cup dry measured oats yields 75 calories. You really shouldn’t be getting any more than 40-50 calories from greens at one sitting. So, if you think 1/8 cup oats will satisfy you and enable you to meet your daily fiber needs, I can’t see a problem with it. Personally, I would be hungry all day. If you do go through with it, I would be sure to include a fiber supplement.
Bro, if I can learn to eat them (and enjoy them) anyone can, trust me. This is coming from someone who didn’t eat their first legitimate green until the age of 27. Green beans are excellent with some lemon pepper seasoning (I use salt-free). Salads…use 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed, some salt-free lemon pepper seasoning, 2 tsp. red-wine vinegar and 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil. I throw in romaine lettuce, baby spinach, cucumbers, peppers and radishes, and I cut up a chicken breast and throw it in. It is unbelievably good. I’m sure others have better suggestions, but this is what works for me. Good luck!