Speaking from a position of total ignorance and absolute skepticism, I have been around the block too many times to believe in having your cake and eating it too (puns intended).
Congrats on your journey to figure model status Jack!
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
My understanding is that CBL is for muscle gain with minimal fat gains, if any, and “carb night” is for fat loss with minimal muscle lost, but one is for cutting and one is for gaining and that you can adjust to something in the middle depending on how your body responds and your goals. I don’t think I’d use CBL if fat loss was my primary goal. Carb night is basically CBL one day a week as opposed to refeeding every time you hit the gym, at least that is the impression I get without having read the books.[/quote]
You can achieve body recomposition with CNS or any other type of VLCD. Hell, I think what you are doing now from a dieting perspective has been pretty darn effective and I wouldn’t change a thing unless you find your strength going in the crapper. In that case, I’d just do a refeed meal every 5 days instead of 7.
I think we are on the same page. I am getting pretty close to my fat loss goals and I don’t think my squat is going to move north much without some more carbs and a calorie increase. I agree VLCD is the way to go for fat loss, it just sucks balls, and I don’t want to do it forever. But I also don’t want to gain it right back after I hit my target.
Very good insight guys…I was trying not to drink the Kool Aid and this has helped
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
I think we are on the same page. I am getting pretty close to my fat loss goals and I don’t think my squat is going to move north much without some more carbs and a calorie increase. I agree VLCD is the way to go for fat loss, it just sucks balls, and I don’t want to do it forever. But I also don’t want to gain it right back after I hit my target. [/quote]
I think you could transition to a simple cycling method like Shelby Starnes and others recommend. The Troponin Nutrition Comprehensive Performance Nutrition Q&A Guide is pretty useful in setting up the basics and then go from there. FWIW, I actually feel pretty good with low carb intake. Granted, my energy levels on higher-rep work take a hit, but everything else is alright.
I’ve heard good things about Shelby Starnes, I’ll check out the Q&A guide for sure. Thanks.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
I’ve heard good things about Shelby Starnes, I’ll check out the Q&A guide for sure. Thanks. [/quote]
Word of warning, he’s a little pricey. If you read into it enough, you can probably put together a very sound plan from all the e-books he has produced and the Q&A.
JJack just zig-zag your diet.
Find your maintenance level on your current VLC Diet. That is your baseline IE: low days.
Now if you slowly want to get more muscle:
medium day is an additional 50g grams of Carbs and 50 grams of protein over maintenance.
High day add in 100 grams carbs and 100 grm protein over maintenance.
Adding size and weight: 2 lows/3 mediums/2 highs.
Losing weight: 5 lows/1 medium/1 high.
Carb cycling de-mystified! LOL
Remember to take your fish oil and ZMA especially!
The additional calories work real easy in the form of shakes, 1 shake on medium days and 2 shakes on high days.(50grms protein/50 grams carbs in each shake)
No bloat and very easy to implement without any hassle.
But Rick, when do I get to just blow out the cupcakes?
Seriously, thanks for that.
Deload screw around day.
Press: worked up to 135, 5x5.
Overhand, wide grip pullups. 10, 8, 7, 7.
NG Chins: 7, 7.
Dips: 20, 20.
Pushups: 20, 20.
Notes: I did this while i got my wife going on a routine. I may ski tonight if I can find a driver.
[quote]FISCHER613 wrote:
JJack just zig-zag your diet.
Find your maintenance level on your current VLC Diet. That is your baseline IE: low days.
Now if you slowly want to get more muscle:
medium day is an additional 50g grams of Carbs and 50 grams of protein over maintenance.
High day add in 100 grams carbs and 100 grm protein over maintenance.
Adding size and weight: 2 lows/3 mediums/2 highs.
Losing weight: 5 lows/1 medium/1 high.
Carb cycling de-mystified! LOL
Remember to take your fish oil and ZMA especially!
The additional calories work real easy in the form of shakes, 1 shake on medium days and 2 shakes on high days.(50grms protein/50 grams carbs in each shake)
No bloat and very easy to implement without any hassle.[/quote]
Pure Genius, when you think of it that way…
Collin, Rick’s the man. Morning BW: 203.2.
HIIT: Skied 1 set, 8 passes. I’m trying to dial in a new stick, which is a pain in the ass. The good news is, I don’t feel winded at all between passes and conditioning isn’t really a factor impeding my skiing. I’m in hog heaven as far as that goes.
Morning BW 202.0.
Geez man, I know it’s summer and all, but you might want to stop melting away like this. 
Looks like you’re headed for the 181s by mid-August. How’s the strength holding up for you?
I’ll find out today, starting a new cycle. I personally feel like I’ve got better leverages for deads, but that my squats are suffering. My bench has always sucked, so whatever. I don’t have much more to lose, so hopefully I can get back to focusing on my lifts a little more in a few weeks, and maybe do a local meet in December. I am also probably going to switch training up considerably next cycle.
What do you plan on doing? How about a 10x10/Crossfit Hybrid?
Enquiring minds and all…so what type of lifting program?
Programing to be determined. I am curious about the conjugate method and I would also consider Sheiko, and I may even run a squat program by that crazy Russian whose name must never be spoken. I’m open to suggestions, but I know I want to squat more frequently.
Why not run a hybrid of all three? Teh gainzz would be huuuuuuge.
In all seriousness, though, there is a full-body 5/3/1 that I’ve been wanting to give a run. It’s in the 2nd edition of (you guessed it) 5/3/1. I’m partial to some of the old-school routines and they typically included higher frequency squatting.