Those Who are Carb Sensitive Get in Here!

[tjax03]

So the last time I bulked I followed the standard practice of increasing complex carbs as the main source of the extra calories I consumed over baseline. Despite keeping my meals clean (ie brown rice and chicken breast) I still gained more fat than I would have liked given that I was taking 500mg of test per week. On top of that, I feel that my body just doesn't like to be given a ton of carbs. I feel bloated, sweaty etc whenever I eat too many.

For my next bulk I was thinking of getting those extra calories in primarily from healthy fat sources rather than carbs. I would still be eating a "maintenance" level of carbs and more than enough protein for a given body weight though. I want to see how my body responds to this type of energy source and I have often read that an appropriate level of healthy fats are necessary for muscle building.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who reacts like this to carbs. Have any of you done something similar to this? How did it work for you? Do you have any advice for me while I work out the details of this proposed diet? Let me know if you have any questions for me.

Thanks for your help.

[gbrice75]

Ahh, the age old fat vs. carbs debate.

Without a doubt, there are people whose bodies react better to one macro over the other. I may be in the same boat with you; i'm really not sure yet as I've never had the opportunity to all out bulk. I do feel that abuse to my body over the years has caused me to become very insulin resistant (more accurate then carb sensitive IMO). I really don't know if it's possible to 'retrain' your body to become more insulin sensitive, and if so, how long that might take. I believe there are many different things that would factor in.

At the end of the day, nobody will be able to answer this for you as everybody is unique, and what works well for one won't necessarily produce the same results for another. You're doing the right thing - through trial and error, you will eventually learn what works best for you. Keep us posted, i'm very interested to see how you make out!

[Damienm05]

All I can say is that my first cycle was like 400/150/150 pro/carb/fat and I was up 30 lbs at the peak of it. After the water subsided and I finished my PCT, I still maintained a 20 lb increase in body weight without any noticeable increase in body fat. I have also responded well to a 350/350/75 type of thing too but like you, do feel sweaty and bloated. Honestly, total calories have proven to be the deciding factor in my case and I think you should do what seems wise based on what your body tells you. There's plenty of info available right here that explains the effectiveness of fat as a tool for increasing protein synthesis and recovery just as well as carbs. Ultimately, it depends on the individual.