Associate Member
Aight Guys I Have A Show In 12 Weeks And Wanted To Know If Taking Cell Tech Would Mess With My Diet (questiuon 1)
If Im Taking The Cell Tech Which Is A Post Workout Supplemnt Which Has 75 Grams Of Carbs...........do I Still Need To Take The 80 Grams Of Dextrose And The 40 Grams Of Protien????????
I Really Need The 2nd Question Answered Guys!
Peace
Banned
Hell no Bro...ditch the cell tech...lower the dextrose in your PWO shake to about 40grms of Dextrose and raise the protein to about 60 grams of protein. Peace
Associate Member
thanx bro.......so quit the cell tech completetly and just stick to the dextrose and protien for postworkout? And i thught the ratio should be 2 to 1? Well thanx bro for the info
peace
Banned
You have to start cutting simple carbs and maintaining complex carbs for balance. You are not going to gain a whole lot of muscle in 12 weeks. So you must concentrate on higher ptotein due to the lesser carb intake which in the closing 6 weeks will help with cutting those last few stubborn pounds and staying anabolic. So less simple carbs and Protein...Protein...Protein...peace
Senior Member
Cell tech is garbage, its some very common compoud that I forgot the name. You can buy it not under the "cell tech" name for a fraction of the cost.
Community Veteran
Originally Posted by jbigdog69
That is completely wrong........ 40grms of protein 80grms dextrose was correct the first time. Leave it as is.
<<LMO>>
Senior Member
Agreed. Those simple carbs will have little to absolutely no effect on fat gain. They're there only for an insulin spike, to help shuttle to protein to the muscles.
Member
and to add to what have been stated...you might also want to play around with fat ratios and protein ratios..too much protein would probably cause you to lose LBM too...
Made Up Of Wires
huh?
Senior Member
WHAT??! You're joking....right??
Banned
Cell-Tech is dextrose. All the carbs in it are dextrose, so if you are going to have dextrose pwo, you can use the Cell-Tech.
Banned
Something you have to remember Bro...I am a competting bodybuilder. 80 grm's of dextrose is way to much and not necessary at this time. This is great for adding muscle but water as well. I am sure he wants that hard look with thin skin when he goes into competition. So therfore, I am right for what works for me which should not be far off for someone else. BTW...everything that I say is from experience not something someone else has stated. Now, when I get closer to my contest I will post some pics which will include this theory of PWO drinks. How many competitions have you done???
Vet@ BigdogBodybuilding
Vet@ Anabolic Impact
Last edited by jbigdog69; 08-20-2004 at 06:00 AM.
AR Hall of Fame
Well, my opinion (not to start sh*t) is that being TWELVE weeks out, dextrose is more than okay.
We usually don't cut that out until 3 - 4 weeks away. If in the proper amount, it does not hurt you going into a show, and there is no reason to take this out after training being that it's purpose/reason for inclusion does not change simply because one is doing a show.
Upping the protein so it's HIGHER than the dextrose pwo, makes no sense. May as well take NO dextrose, as it'll be about just as productive. The 2 to 1 ratio serves a purpose, no matter what the amounts of each ratio.
~SC~
Banned
I generally follow up my PWO drink with a PWO meal that has carbs so that is why I am saying to cut back on the dextrose. Now, SC...is there a study that determines how much dextrose will spike insulin. Is there a study whcih says that 40 grms of dextrose will not be sufficient to shuttle the protein???Please let me know.
AR Hall of Fame
Well, the 2 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein pwo, no matter if it's a liquid meal or solid one to follow, is common knowledge amongst bodybuilding enthusiasts. Reason being, the goal pwo is glycogen replinishment which sets the stage for muscular recovery. Including aminos (protein) at this time is okay, but should be at half of the amount of the carbs, so that the carbs are not obstructed in any fashion, and can complete their task which is to replinish lost muscle glycogen and prep the muscles for recovery/on-going growth. Too much protein and not enough carbs pwo does not allow this to happen, you don't get the full spike, and you don't get the benefits of the body being able to absorb/utilize what you've just fed it optimally. The focus pwo is actually carbs, and protein second. All other times of the day, protein is #1 on a bodybuilders list of things to eat, but pwo it should be carbs as the focus, with some protein there as well to be utilized.
I don't have studies on this issue, as to myself and those I work with (colleagues), it's common knowledge. It's like proving that protein builds muscle, we know that already.
I suppose a search for "glycogen replishment" or "optimal post-workout carb/protein ratios" on Google will yield a lot of informative information, and perhaps some studies of some sort.
~SC~
Banned
Here ya go guys...Peace
A collaboration of the research brings about a general consensus for the macros needed in the post-workout cocktail:
Carbohydrates: .25-.50g/lb of lean body mass.
Protein: .25-.30g/lb of lean body mass.
These numbers are calculated based on Lean Body Mass. It is evident that a 300lb. man with 25% body fat will not need 150 grams of carbohydrates post-workout. Instead, he should find his LBM and compute his requirements from those numbers.
(To calculate lean body mass, take body fat percent minus total weight. See: The Ultimate Guide to Body fat Testing! )
Provided here are standard ranges; the maximums and minimums should be the starting points of personal ideal intakes.
Again, recognize these are relative ratios, and that the intake of carbohydrates post-workout needs to stay consistent and reflect the athletes daily macro nutritional percentages along with the athlete’s insulin sensitivity (See: 13 Weeks To Hardcore Fat Burning - " The Diet ")
For example, during a mass phase, carbohydrate intake tends to be higher. During this time, the upper end of the scale should be adhered to.
When cutting body fat, daily carbohydrate consumption is more liable to be reduced, thus the lower end of the range would be a desirable starting point.
The actual amount each individual consumes is subject to fall between the max and min range given.
In the Journal of Sports Sciences, January 2004, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 15-30, Burke L., Kiens B., and Ivy J. recommend the following advice in their entry, “Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery”:
An important goal of the athlete's everyday diet is to provide the muscle with substrates to fuel the training programme that will achieve optimal adaptation for performance enhancements. In reviewing the scientific literature on post-exercise glycogen storage since 1991, the following guidelines for the training diet are proposed. Athletes should aim to achieve carbohydrate intakes to meet the fuel requirements of their training programme and to optimize restoration of muscle glycogen stores between workouts. General recommendations can be provided, preferably in terms of grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of the athlete's body mass, but should be fine-tuned with individual consideration of total energy needs, specific training needs and feedback from training performance… Carbohydrate-rich foods with a moderate to high glycaemic index provide a readily available source of carbohydrate for muscle glycogen synthesis, and should be the major carbohydrate choices in recovery meals.
This is sound counsel.
Furthermore, total daily carbohydrate and protein calories percent ratios should be factored into the equation. The post-workout formula is considered a full meal.
My personal recommendation is to keep a detailed training journal, paying close attention to post-training nutritional intake and compare that with success rates and goals reached at the end of a bulk-up or cut-down cycle (See: Muscle Mind Doctrine - Theoretical Concepts of Strategization ).
If needed, this can help hone in and tweak a more precise number of adequate carbohydrates for each individual’s needs.
In general, I recommend a 2:1 Carb/Pro ratio during a mass gaining phase and a 1:1 Carb/Pro ratio during a cutting or maintenance phase in the brew, which will be consumed over the space of one hour (tapering discussed in the next essay).
For pre-contest or carbohydrate depletion, refer to: Pre Contest Week - An In Depth Analysis
I advocate using the maximum number of .50g of carbohydrates per pound of LBM for a mass cycle, and the minimum number of .25 carbohydrates per pound of LBM for a leaning out/ maintenance cycle as solid starting ratios.
Begin with those macro proportions, and adjust accordingly based on individual circumstances, using a personal training journal to tweak the macro nutrient percentages further.
I also recommend utilizing the lower end of the spectrum for a less intense or lower volume training session. Logically, the more severe the body builder’s training session is, or even the greater the amount of volumes which is used, the greater the demand your body would place on glycogen restoration due to depletion and the post-workout shake should reflect that.
Banned
More helpful info if you guys don't mind reading...lol
13 Weeks to Hardcore Fat Burning " The Diet "
by Jacob Wilson
Important Editors Note: Before I begin, I would like to remind you that our site has two fat burning articles and a nutritional assessment sheet that can also be applied to the 13 week workout. Moreover, the members in our forums have provided an endless supply of fat burning information. The advanced diet presented here is an overall option to the ones already posted on the site. If you have not read the others, I suggest you do, so that your overall knowledge pertaining to getting shredded is that much more complete! ..... Enjoy! .....
For those of you who do not live in California, I'd just like to let you know that its a warm and perfectly sunny day over here! What's that? The weather sucks where you live? That's no problem, because spring is two months away and summer just 2 months after that. You know what that means right? Exactly, it means its time to kick back on the beach and work on your tan while everyone who passes by, admires your body! Taking into consideration that you have 4 months to prepare, you can just sense that its time to get your fat burning act in gear! And that my friend, is exactly what this diet will do for you! Lets get into it!
Diet Principles & Guidelines
Below I will discuss principles and guidelines that are geared to accomplish the following:
1. Burn Fat at an extremely efficient rate
2. Keep metabolism at an optimal rate throughout the diet
3. Promote optimal recovery
4. Maintain Muscle Mass
5. Emphasize Your ability to Maintain a High energy level in the Weight Room
No Fructose Allowed! + How You Will Maintain Your Energy Levels in The Gym
The first aspect of this diet that I will address, is that it will be completely void of fructose. You will not be allowed to eat fruit throughout its duration. I am not attacking fruit, however my goal here is to optimize your energy levels in the gym and in order to do this, I want you to focus on foods that promote this vital aspect. You see, if you are able to keep a solid energy level in the gym, you will maintain a higher percentage of muscle mass.
note: fruit has its place in bodybuilding, just not in the particular combination of macronutrients presented in this diet.
Fructose is primarily stored in the liver to be used as energy at a latter date. While it is less likely to be stored in your muscle cells. You only have so many calories to work with, and therefore will not use them on a macronutrient that does not optimize our muscular energy stores, as we will need them in the gym to maintain our strength and endurance. By following this rule you will also maintain a better pump, even when dieting, than compared to a diet centered around fructose based foods. Therefore your carbohydrates will be derived from slow burning starchy carbs, and fibrous greens. We will get into more detail over this further along in the article.
Insulin Control and an Explanation of Glucagon and Its significance in Burning Fat!
One of the most frequently asked questions is, " when does the body burn fat at an optimal rate? " The answer, is when your body releases an optimal amount of the hormone Glucagon! So what exactly is this substance that our body releases/secretes?
I first learned about Glucagon when I was a teenager. My old man is a firefighter, and I remember him injecting this hormone into a patient that was hypoglycemic. I asked him why and he explained what glucagon did and why he injected it. The reason was to release the stored energy in the patients body and get him out of this hypoglycemic state. ( You learn all kinds of cool things as a kid when your Old Man is a firefighter! )
Glucagon is the exact opposite of insulin. The latter is a storage hormone, while the former is an un storage hormone. Glucagon steals fatty acids away from your fat stores and instead readies them to be burned as energy. This hormone also stimulates the process which releases fat that has already been stored( most likely during your bulk!). In other words, Glucagon promotes fat burning! ( As a side note, they are both produced in the pancreas )
However, the key to its release is insulin control! Or should I say insulin suppression, because it is when this hormone is at its lowest in your body that its counter part is at its highest. This subject is much deeper than suppression though. You see insulin also has several vital aspects that are key to success in this diet. Which is why we must address this hormone if we are to open the door to Glucagon release, without damaging the positive effects it possesses!
Insulin is the most significant aspect of any diet program. Whether your goal is to gain or lose weight, the manipulation of this hormone will ultimately be the deciding factor of how quickly you reach your goals in either direction. As I discussed in my article " take your fat burning to the next level " insulin is a storage hormone. It helps store vital nutrients in our muscle cells, and unfortunately also stores fat. So you see this issue is a two sided coin. Lets briefly outline the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of this hormone. ( And yes, for those of you who have watched the movie, I am a Client Eastwood fan! Click here! )
Good
Shuttles anabolic nutrients such as carbs, amino acids, and creatine into our muscle cells,
Suppresses Cortisol Levels( the hormone that bodybuilders hate most! Cortosol literally gobbles up our muscles and slows the metabolism ).
Places us into a state of Anabolism( Growth )
Bad and Ugly!
Suppresses our ability to burn fat
Stores Fat!
Too many high bursts can lead to insulin resistance ( discussed further into the article )
With all of the above in mind, our goal is twofold:
1. Keep insulin levels relatively low so that Glucagon can be released
2. Use Insulin at key points during the day to Suppress Cortisol when it is at its highest, and enhance recovery/lower muscle wasting.
Game Plan!
In order to accomplish these two difficult and very much opposite goals, we will need to analyze two more concepts. The first is insulin sensitivity and the second is insulin resistance.
Muscular Sensitivity Explained - The higher your muscular insulin sensitivity the better off you will be! Simply put it means that your muscle cells are more sensitive to the effects of insulin and therefore your body does not need to release as much after a meal, in order to carry nutrients to your cells.
Muscular Resistance Explained - This is the complete opposite! Insulin resistance refers to your muscle cells being resistant to the effects of insulin. In turn your body must release more insulin in response to the consumption of food. The more insulin resistant your muscle cells are, the more insulin your body will release from its pancreas to promote storage of nutrients in them.
Seeing how our goal is to keep insulin levels to a minimum, we will want to promote insulin sensitivity and manipulate it to our benefit! The question of the day is, how can we accomplish this?
Step One: It has been proven that a diet moderate in highly fibrous carbs can increase insulin sensitivity in the muscle cells. Which is why we will stick with foods such as oatmeal, and fibrous green vegetables. The reason for this, is that your body will not overproduce insulin in response to these slow burning carbohydrates. Remember, the less fiber and the more processed the food you eat is, the more likely you are to cause an overproduction of insulin, because of how quickly the food is digested. If you continually do this, your muscle cells will become more and more resistant to the effects of insulin. However, the opposite also holds true. Your cells will become more and more sensitive when exposed to slower burning carbs.
note: as a side note, by increasing insulin sensitivity, you will get a much greater anabolic response to food consumption when you go back onto your bulk!
Step Two: Omega 3 Fatty acids also increase insulin sensitivity. Therefore this diet must contain them. You can get these types of fats from flax seed oil, olive oil and fatty fish such as salmon.
Step Three: Another factor involved in manipulating insulin, is to understand when your muscles are most sensitive to its effects and when they are more resistant. The answer is that during the first half of the day and within 30 minutes following a workout they are more sensitive and during the last part of the day you tend to be more resistant. So we will take advantage of the periods in which our muscles are highly sensitive and take heed when they are not! By doing so you will reap the muscle sparing effects of insulin, while keeping insulin levels relatively low throughout the day.
In other words, during breakfast and lunch you can have starchier carbs because your insulin sensitivity is higher and your body will not have to secrete as much insulin. Mind you, these carbs will all be extremely fibrous and slow burning, so don't get what I am saying twisted. Finally during your post workout meal, you will ingest some simpler carbs, again, not a numerous amount, but enough to suppress cortisol while your insulin sensitivity is high. The rest of the day will be essentially carbless, with the exception of one meal that will contain fibrous greens that burn slower than anything else on earth!
Step Four: It is important that you supplement with the mineral called chromium everyday! Its a fact that chromium increases insulin sensitivity and the lack there of will do the opposite! There is no RDA for chromium; however, most experts agree you need at least 200 mcg/day. A recent study which showed positive results used 1,000 mcg/day. Hard-working athletes may want to make sure they get at least 400 mcg/day.
Exercise: This aspect is covered in 13 Weeks to Hardcore Fat Burning " The Workout "
Sum Up The Plan
Our goal is to increase muscular sensitivity so that our bodies need not release a high amount of insulin in response to carbs. This will increase the anabolic effects of ingesting carbs, while keeping insulin levels relatively lower, which will raise glucagon levels. We will also raise glucagon levels, by essentially eliminating carbs for half of your six meals. By eliminating carbs from these, your insulin levels will be much lower, while glucagon levels will raise. In addition we will increase our omega 3 fatty acids and chromium intake, which is proven to benefit our goals!
Nutrient and Macronutrient Balance And Tricks To Maintain The Metabolic Rate
You will never reach your goal of becoming shredded, if your body does not receive a proper balance of macronutrients and micronutrients. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing good can come out of this article! In other words, if you try and force your body into a state of fat burning, by starving it of one or more nutrients you will hit a plateau in a head on collision that won't be easy to recover from! That being said it is my intension to include everything in your diet so as to keep your body running at 100 percent of its capacity, and in turn it will reward you by maintaining a high metabolic rate. Lets analyze these concepts:
Macronutrients
Proteins - You will get plenty of protein this diet. Each meal will be chalk full of this vital food source. Too many people make the mistake of lowering their protein when they go on a cut. This is one of the most costly things you can possibly do! Without adequate protein you will lose your muscle at an extremely high rate and sabotage your fat burning efforts! note: a high protein intake also facilitates glugacon release. Your body secretes more glucagon after a protein rich meal.
Fats - We will also emphasize essential fatty acids here, both from omega 3 and omega 6 sources. As I have stated before in other articles, these maximize testosterone levels, increase anabolism, decrease catabolism, increase growth hormone secretion, decrease total serum cholesterol and increase our HDL (good cholesterol). They also improve fat burning, increase insulin sensitivity and to top it off are anti-inflammatory which you will need for the workouts you will be on!
Carbs - All of your carbohydrates will come from fibrous sources. You will not be allowed any simple sources unless you are taking in your post workout shake. The role they will play is to spare protein, maintain energy levels in the gym and also induce the release of insulin post workout. Remember after you workout your body releases cortisol ( see take your fat burning to the next level ) at an unmatched rate! Cortisol has been "proven" to lower thyroid hormone output. The lower your output in this area, the slower your metabolic rate will become. ( note: further on I will discuss why some athletes elect to go non carb post workout meal )
Micronutrients
A game that many athletes play with their diets, is to lackadaisically take their vitamins. In other words, they take them when they feel like it, and that is a rarity! You need to take a multivitamin and multimineral everyday without fail! You also need to take chromium everyday and 3 grams of vitamin C.
Supplements - I discuss this in detail in my nutritional assessment sheet, which can be found in the nutritional section of the site. However I will emphasize two, that I feel everyone should take.
Glutamine - I would personally recommend that each of you take in 10-20 grams of glutamine a day, half of which is with your post workout meal. If you can only afford a small amount, then reserve it for your post workout. This amino acid will enhance your ability to recover dramatically, maintain a better pump in the gym and also maintain a much higher percentage of your muscle mass!
Creatine - This will help maintain your energy levels and pump in the gym.
Water Intake - You need to drink a minimum of the following amount of water using this formula. Take your bodyweight and multiply it by .55. That is about how much water you should drink in ounces every day. For example a bodybuilder who weighs 202 lbs; should drink 111 oz ( 202 x .55 )of water every day. If you are a long-distance runner or are exercising in a hot area, multiply your bodyweight by .66
Putting It All Together
If you take each of the micro and macro nutrients into consideration, and give them their proper dues, then you will get the following out of the diet:
1. A higher metabolic rate throughout the diet
2. A better pump in the gym
3. You potentially will maintain all of your muscle mass
4. You will recover faster
5. You will feel more refreshed
6. You will not be as sore
7. The list can go on and on, but suffice it to say that the above concepts are vital to your success!
How To Find Your Caloric Needs
It is important to understand that your caloric needs are different than mine, or the next person you come in contact with. This is a personal endeavor, that you must carefully calculate for yourself.
Take The Average
Taking your average calories per day is extremely simple. I personally do not like to list formulas, because they apply differently to everyone. What you do is count the total amount of calories you eat in a day for the next 3-5 days or so, then average out that amount. If you neither gained nor lost a pound, then that is your maintenance. Its important to find a regimen that maintains you. This is purely a testing method. Most bodybuilders already know how many calories they need to maintain. Which is why so many of you will like this as you have a good idea of what your maintenance calories are. For example, lets say you ate 3, 500 calories today, 3, 300 tomorrow and 3, 400 the next day and maintained your current weight. That's an average of 3, 400 calories a day. Therefore this is the total you need to remember, because this diet will force you to subtract calories from this amount.
For assistance you can find the sites calorie counter by clicking here
important note: Last time I discussed this method, I received several emails saying, that they ate the amount of calories that I discussed in the article exactly as I wrote it. This is understandable, because an example is easy to misread. However, it was still an example. Nothing more, nothing less, so it's important that you apply the principle to yourself, not by consuming exactly what I wrote down( I.E. 3,400 calories ), but by counting exactly what you consume to maintain your current weight.
Other Formulas
I'm sure many of you would like to know what formulas people end out using in this case. As I stated I prefer the athlete to get to know his or her body and calculate from there. However, I will list the 3 most popular methods for calculating your caloric needs, aside from the one listed above.
Method I - Method one for finding ones maintenance calories is to simply multiply your current body weight by the following numbers:
12-14 if your metabolism is slow
15 if you have an average metabolism
16-18 if you have a fast to super fast metabolism
For example, if you weigh 200 pounds and have an average metabolism, general maintenance for you would be 3, 000 calories. 200 x 15 = 3, 000 You can see how this can vary for many individuals, but it may give you a broader base of where you are at. If you have a super fast metabolism multiply this times 18. If you have a slower metabolism multiply your weight by 12-14, depending on how slow it is.
Method II - This is a method that calculates your basal metabolic rate, based on your height, weight and age. You expend energy no matter what you are doing, even when sleeping. Thus your Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day - that's my kind of day!
Women: 661 + (4.38 x weight in pounds) + (4.33 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age) = BMR
Men: 67 + (6.24 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.9 x age)= BMR
Lets take a 200 pound male who is 22 and is 5-10.
67 + (6.24 x 200) + (12.7 x 70) - (6.9 x 22) - ( 6.9 x 22 ) = 1986
Next you need to calculate your activity level for the day by multiplying your BMR x's the following number that suites you.
1.2-1.3 = Very Light
1.5 for Moderate -
1.6-1.7 for Heavy -
1.8-2.1 for Insanely Rigorous -
If his energy expenditure is moderate than I would multiply 1986 by 1.5 and get 2,979 calories to maintain his current bodyweight weight.
Method III - This method is based on your lean body mass and your activity level. In order to find out your lean body mass simply purchase a pair of calipers and get a measure of your current body fat percentage. The calipers will have instructions. You can also have someone measure it for you at the gym. Its a rather simple process. Here are the steps to finding your daily maintenance needs.
1. Measure your Current Body fat. For example, lets say that you are 180 pounds and 12 percent body fat.
2. Calculate the amount of lean body mass that you have. Like so: 180 x .12 = 21.6 pounds of fat. Now subtract that from your weight. 180 - 21.6 = 158.4 pounds of lean body mass
3. Next in order to properly determine this formula you need to change your pounds into a measure of kilograms. This is simple, just divide your lean body mass weight by 2.2. So your lean body mass in kilograms is 158.4 / 2.2 = 72
4. The next thing you will do is calculate your Resting metabolic rate.
So we will calculate the calories you would need to maintain your weight if you were to lay on your behind and watch soap operas all day! In other words, if you did absolutely nothing. In order to do this
you would take the number 500 + ( 22 x your lean body mass ). Or 500 + ( 22 x 72) = 2084 calories
Next you need to calculate your activity level for the day.
1.2-1.3 = Very Light
1.5-1.6 for Moderate -
1.6-1.7 for Heavy -
1.9-2.1 for Insanely Rigorous -
Now multiply your caloric needs times the number that fits you best. Lets say this particular person has a moderate activity level during his day. Then you would multiply 1.5 x 2084 = 3126 calories a day to maintain his weight.
These are the three of the most popular formulas. Again I prefer the averaging of calories per day. But these will certainly give you a better base to work with.
Average Calories You Will Consume On The Diet
This is where things get tricky. In order to tap into your fat stores you will need to lower your overall caloric intake. The key here is to not lower it all at once, or lower it too drastically. Here is my recommendation:
weeks 1-3 Lower calories by 250 calories a day on average. If your maintenance is 3, 000 calories, you will drop them by 250 to average 2, 750 calories a day.
weeks 4-6 Lower calories by 250 a day on average.
week 7 Raise calories this week to increase metabolism. We will get into more detail on this latter.
weeks 8-10 Lower calories by 250 calories a day on average.
Weeks 11-13 Lower calories by 250 calories a day on average.
This is the end of the diet. Once you reach the end of it. I would suggest again resetting your metabolic rate.
I will discuss this in an article in the near future.
What you notice here is a gradual lowering of your macronutrient intake over the 13 week span. This is to compensate for your bodies possible adaptation to the diet. This is a general guideline, however I want you to watch yourself carefully on this diet. If you do not hit a plateau, then do not lower your calories. Instead leave them as is until you reach a plateau. This is why it is important to monitor yourself carefully.
Caloric Cycling Implemented, Maintained Thyroid, Week 7 explained and Brief Points on The Immune System
We have discussed insulin and glucagon control, the following techniques will stress the manipulation of your thyroid gland. What you need to understand is that our thyroid mostly secretes/produces the hormone T-4. It also produces T-3, but not nearly as much.
Our bodies take T-4( thyroxine ) which is inactive and change it into T-3(triiodothyronine) which is extremely active(1). It's important to understand that T-3, like insulin and glucagon is greatly responsible for controlling our metabolism. In fact they are all classified in what is called the endocrine system. With this in mind you should also note that under times of dieting and stress the conversion of T-4 to T-3 is actually lowered, which in turn means that your overall T-3 output will be lowered, and with it your metabolism. This, as I stated is because T-3 plays an extremely high role in this regard.
Moreover, T-4 is turned into a substance known as Reverse Thyroxine or RT-3 (2) which stimulates the blocking out of T-3 from its normal course of action! In times of stress T-4's conversion to reverse T-3 increases!!!!!!!!!! So, not only do T-3 levels drop, but its evil counter part is enhanced! Of course, being that fat loss is the goal, we would like to maintain a metabolic rate that is efficient and high throughout the span of this diet!
Overview
Our Thyroid Gland Produces T-3 and T-4. T-4 gets turned into both T-3 and RT-3. Under normal circumstances the body has no problem dealing with RT-3 and the T-3 does a fantastic job of maintaining an efficient metabolism. But! If we shock/stress our body too severely T-4 to T-3 conversion lowers and RT3 heightens!
Why?
One of the main reasons is that our bodies produce more cortisol( see take your fat burning to the next level )
and cortisol slows the conversion of T4 to T3 and favors the conversion of T4 to RT3.
Note: You can see why depression can lead to obesity. Depression causes stress and does exactly what I discussed above.
references
1. Spaulding SW, et al. "Effect of caloric restriction and dietary composition of serum T3 and reverse T3 in man." J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1986 Jan;42(1):197-200
2. Goglia F, et al. "Action of thyroid hormones at the cellular level: the mitochondrial target." FEBS Lett 1999 Jun 11;452(3):115-20
What does this mean?
It simply means that we do not want to over stress our bodies, because this is when cortisol is released in greater abundance. Remember, our bodies become overly stressed when calories are lowered too quickly. This is why I have you lower your caloric intake by 250 calories every 3 weeks. Compared to other diets this is a relatively small deficit and won't set off many stress alarms. Our second weapon employed against stress will be caloric cycling!
Calorie Cycling - Step One To Maintain a Healthy Thyroid
Calorie cycling is a rather simple process. Its purpose is to trick your body into believing it is taking in more calories than it actually is and to not seek a water mark. You will have days in which you consume more food than others. This not only alleviates stress physically, but mentally as well. Most people do not understand how the strain of sticking to an everyday regimen takes its toll on their bodies! Lets say that you are on average going to consume 2, 600 calories per day. Rather than consume this amount directly, you will do the following.
Monday: 2, 500 calories
Tuesday: 2, 900 calories
Wednesday: 2, 700 calories
Thursday: 2, 300 calories
Friday: begin again
This averaged out to be 2, 600 calories a day. But notice how I cleverly cycled the calories so that your body wouldn't adapt as severely to the change. Furthermore on the last day, when your body was stressed the most, you immediately re-raised your macronutrient intake to set it at ease!
Upped Calories Week 7 - Step Two To Maintain a Healthy Thyroid
By Week 7, even with the calorie cycling your body will start to catch on to your game plan! This is the time when the stress of dieting will be more evident. The solution is to take a week off of training and raise your calories slightly. In order to do this properly you will pick the highest day of caloric intake that you are currently on and consume this amount for the entire week! Using the example above, your highest day was 2, 900 calories. This is the amount that you will eat for week seven. After which you will again go back to lowering your caloric intake and burning fat. This will re-vamp the conversion of t-4 to t-3 and lower the conversion of t-4 to rt-3. How cool is that!? And with this re-vamped thyroid you will burn fat at an extremely high rate for the final 6 week stretch!
Immune System Boost - Step Two To Maintain a Healthy Thyroid
Another factor in lowered T-3 action is sickness. During times of dieting, our immune systems effectiveness is lowered. If you catch even a slight cold, cortisol will run ramped in your body! Therefore take care to pay extra special attention to it! This means the following:
1. 3 grams a day of vitamin C, when you feel any sickness coming on increase this to 6-9 grams!
2. High Protein Intake! Most people do not realize how much protein boosts our immune systems!
3. If possible take 10-20 grams of glutamine daily, and you can go higher than this! This free form amino acid boosts the immune system to tremendously high levels!
Post Workout Shake & Breakfast - Step Two To Maintain a Healthy Thyroid
Cortisol is prominent in our bodies when we first wake up, because of fasting all night long. It is at its highest after a workout for obvious reasons. Therefore you must give these two meals more attention than all others! You will see this in the sample meal plan below.
To sum everything up, any diet that has you starve is one to avoid! You can clearly see now, why you must work with and not against your body, if success truly is your goal! The diet also includes many other ways to reduce stress, such as meal frequency, nutrient dense foods etc. etc.
Foods Allowed on Diet
I won't make a long list of foods here. My goal is to give you an idea of what you should stick to. From here you can choose foods from these categories.
Slow Burning Starchy Carbs
You must stay away from anything that is low in fiber and refined! Stick with foods such as oatmeal, and yams. If you have bread, it must be whole wheat and fibrous! In other words iron kids bread is not allowed. It should look grainy and fibrous as well. You are also allowed no fruit. Good examples would be Barley, Beans, and a moderate amount of long grain brown rice. No pasta is allowed.
Fibrous Greens!
You will be allowed to have anything of this persuasion. Asparagus, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Green Beans, Lettuce, Zucchini etc. As long as its green and fibrous you can have it!
Fats
You will stay away from saturated fats and stick with unsaturated fats that are chalk full of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. You can cook your meals with these
omega 3 - Salmon, Flax Seed Oil, Olive Oil
omega 6 rich fats - Safflower, Borage Oil
Sample Meal Plans and Guidelines
You will consume a total of 6 meals per day. This is to maintain energy levels, increase absorption of nutrients and also induce thermogenious. Remember whenever you eat your temperature rises in response to the digestion of food! When your temperature rises you burn calories at a higher rate! This is why eating 3 meals is a huge mistake! You are literally sabotaging your metabolic rate! Below I will list the guidelines you must stay within during this diet.
Banned
Note: Your first meal should be eaten immediately after waking and each following should be consumed 2-3 hours apart.
Water Intake: You should have one to two tall glasses of water with each meal to maintain hydration and keep your body at its highest possible efficiency!
Meal One ( Breakfast )- Extremely Complex and Fibrous Starchy Carbohydrates and Proteins. The goal here is to induce the release of a low amount of insulin, but in no way an overproduction of it. This will suppress cortisol and bring amino acids to your muscles cells for their maintenance and reparation.
supplementation: One gram of Vitamin C, a Multi-Vitamin/Multi Mineral if taking. 10 grams of glutamine recommended.
Meal Two - Essential Fatty Acids Combined With a Protein Source. The goal here is to simply give our bodies an adequate supply of omega 3's and omega 6's, keep insulin levels low, and still provide an energy source in the form of fat. Last but not least our intensions are to maintain a high level of amino acids in the blood stream for muscular and immune system benefits.
Meal Three - Complex and Fibrous Starchy Carbohydrates, Fibrous Green Vegetables and Proteins. The carb source will be extremely complex and will only stimulate a small insulin release from the pancreas. The vegetables will strengthen your immune system, increase nutrient uptake and slow digestion. The protein will repair and maintain your muscular network.
supplementation: One gram of Vitamin C, 5 grams of glutamine recommended.
Meal Four Weight Lifting Day ( Post Workout Meal ) - Moderate Serving of Simple Carbs combined with liquid based protein. Even though the simple carbohydrates are counter productive to glucagon release, we will still take them in to suppress cortisol and thus maintain our thyroid gland. However, we will seek a happy medium here, so that you do not release an extreme overproduction of insulin, just enough to suppress the cortisol and also enhance recovery for your next bout with the iron jungle!
supplementation: 1-3 grams of Vitamin C, chromium, 5-10 grams of glutamine recommended.
Meal Four Cardio Day - On this day I suggest a complex starchy carb, rather than a sugar spike. Just enough carbs to lower cortisol. So rather than have punch, eat a baked sweet potato with some splenda and a protein source such as whey protein or lean chicken.
Meal Four Day Off - This meal on your off day will reflect meal three above exactly, except I would like you to cut your starchy carb intake in half here and double your fibrous green intake.
Meal Five - Fibrous Green Veggies, Essential Fatty Acids and Protein Source. Insulin resistance is higher at night, which is why you will avoid starchier carbs. The greens will still provide an adequate energy source and the essential fatty acids will do their endless jobs along with the amino acids broken down from the protein.
Meal Six - Essential Fatty Acids Combined With a Protein Source. Our goal here is to simply give our bodies an adequate supply of omega 3's and omega 6's, keep insulin levels low, and still provide an energy source in the form of fat. Last but not least our intensions are to maintain a high level of amino acids in the blood stream for muscular and immune system benefits.
supplementation: 5 -10 grams of glutamine recommended.
Sample Calorie Cycling Period
I will outline how your caloric intake should look, try and stay within these guidelines.
Sample 2, 500 calorie day
meal 1 = 500 calories
meal 2 = 300 calories
meal 3 = 500 calories
meal 4 = 500 calories post workout
meal 5 = 400 calories
meal 6 = 300 calories
Guidelines Brought To Life! - Sample Meal Plan
Below I will outline a sample meal plan. For an example, we will again use a person who is currently consuming 2, 500 calories a day.
Breakfast:
1 1/2 servings of Oatmeal 250 calories
50 grams of Whey Protein 250 calories
Two Glasses Of Water
total: 500 calories, 50 grams of quality protein
meal two:
30 grams of Whey Protein 150 calories
One heaping Spoonful of a mixture of Flax Seed Oil and Safflower Oil - 150 calories ( see nutritional assessment article for explanation ) A glass of water
total: 300 calories, 30 grams of quality protein
meal three pre workout
a baked or steamed sweet potato 115 calories
small tossed green salad with safflower oil 185 calories
broiled chicken breast 200 calories
two tall glasses of water
total 500 calories, 40 grams of protein
One hour before your workout drink 2-3 tall glasses of water.
workout ( This is what its all about, so give me 200 percent effort! )
meal four post workout meal
sugar ( punch ) 250 calories
50 grams of whey protein 250 calories
5-10 grams of glutamine
2 grams of vitamin c
multivitamin/mineral
chromium 200 mcgs
2-4 tall glasses of water
total 500 calories, 60 grams of protein
Meal Five
Lean Tri-Tip Steak - 300 calories
Steamed Spinach - 100 calories
glass of ice water
total 400 calories, 60 grams of protein
Meal Six
30 grams of Whey Protein - 150 calories
One Spoonful of A mixture of Flax Seed Oil and Safflower Oil - 150 calories
A glass of water
total: 300 calories - 30 grams of quality protein
Total is 2, 500 calories and 260 grams of muscle sparing and repairing protein! In addition you get plenty of efa's and complex carbs for energy!
Supplements
I personally take 200 milligrams of caffeine before each workout with a cup of green or black tea to increase thermogenious. The eca stack is also extremely effective at burning fat! If you decide to take this route, I suggest waiting till the last 6 weeks of your diet to do so . You can find articles on both of these thermogenics in the nutritional section of our site.
Overview
There was a huge amount of info covered today! So much so, that I would like to briefly review it with you.
1. Increased Energy In The Gym - We will accomplish this by avoiding foods that are more likely to be stored in the liver such as fruit and stick with starchier and more fibrous carbs that are more likely to be stored in the muscle cells.
2. Control of Insulin - Our focus will be to increase insulin sensitivity through exercise, slower burning carbs, and the manipulation of time periods during the day. I.E. Stay away from starchy carbs at night! We will also
include plenty of omega 3 fatty acids and chromium in our diet.
3. Increase The Production of Glucagon - By lowering insulin levels, glucagon levels will naturally rise, thus releasing stored fat and prohibiting fat storage. Moreover the caloric deficit, lower blood sugar levels and a high protein intake will equally contribute to this.
4. Nutrient and Macronutrient Density - To keep your body running at 100 percent efficiency you will consume a diet that is rich in complex and nutrient dense foods! Your body will get starchy carbs, fibrous greens that are full of enzymes, rich proteins and plenty of good fats to increase good hormone production!
5. Maintain a Healthy Metabolic Rate - This will be accomplished by keeping stress and cortisol levels to a minimum. Our weapons are a slow lowering of calories, rather than a huge lowering, caloric cycling, immune system boosting, high meal frequency, and proper control of insulin release.
6. Meal Plan - The meal plan is meant to accomplish all of the above. You will eat 6 meals, in which 3 of them will be carb deficient, and in place of the carbs will be essential fatty acids. Vitamins, and minerals are essential, as well as a strict caloric regimen. You must count your calories and calculate their total to the T!
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Compliments of: http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...scientific.htm
Junior Member
thanks bigdog you gave alot of real good usefull info! real good post
Banned
I am so glad that someone else here likes to read too. lol....Peace
Senior Member
bigdog not saying your wrong but you realize that all the information you posted were not clinical trials or scientific studies proving the fact you stated about carb to protein ratio. All that is just one mans opinion and dietary approach which really proves nothing at all. There are millions of dietary approaches which all will work for different people, aspiring to reach different goals, that doesn't mean that the diet you posted will work for everybody. Try searching and finding an actual study that proves a 1:1 ratio is sufficient!
if you read the bold in one of your posts Jacob Wilson wrote this about his dietary approach "IN MY OPINION" .....i believe that totally discounts all of that as OPINION, not factual evidence!
Senior Member
In general, I recommend a 2:1 Carb/Pro ratio during a mass gaining phase and a 1:1 Carb/Pro ratio during a cutting or maintenance phase in the brew, which will be consumed over the space of one hour (tapering discussed in the next essay).
the first words brother.....IN GENERAL and I RECOMMEND
Senior Member
Just do whatever works
AR Hall of Fame
Great! This just proves everyone has a different take on how to approach dieting/contests/etc. Nothing wrong with trying ALL kinds of methods. You have to realize there are 1000's of pwo "ideals", all provided by different people. What does this mean? Nothing, you must find what works for you. I most certainly have. Never would I reduce carbs pwo to a 1 to 1 ratio, ever. The way in which muscles recover DOES NOT CHANGE merely because you are doing a show, that's ridiculous. If one is using a 1 to 1 ratio pwo before a show because he/she is weary of storing excess fat or eating too much, one should really analyze OTHER parts of the diet that could be tweaked, not the pwo offerings. Muscular recovery does not stop/cease because one is doing a show, your body has no way of understanding that. If your 2 to 1 ratios are CORRECT for your goals, you are fine. Again, I won't belabor this point over and over, as I see no reason to actually, I've proven what I know to be true in myself, my clients, and those I send on stage.
Cutting/pasting these war and peace length materials here is great, but I'd be more interested in seeing your contest pictures, as you said you compete and have a protocol you follow. I like to see what is said/prescribed set in motion, and to view the final results. In the end it all boils down to what works for you, and since you said you have your own plan of attack pre-contest, I'm amped to see what your contest pics look like. I know you must have posted those here before, possibly before I arrived 2 years ago, I dunno. Hook it up! Nothing like showing how a methodology works than to show the final results of it being applied.
~SC~
Last edited by SwoleCat; 08-20-2004 at 09:14 AM.
AR Hall of Fame
I figured all of you would catch the "obvious", so I refrained from stating this is yet just another man's opinion.
BTW, ABC bodybuilding is a JOKE!!!!! We had many threads here last week about how much mis-information is floating around that location. It's for kids!
~SC~
Senior Member
i wasn't going to say anything but bigdog seemed pretty secure in the fact that he was proving something as a fact!
Senior Member
literally, look at their stats, they're all 14 and 145 pounds!
AR Hall of Fame
He's a cool guy, and I think he's a great personality, but the FACT here is that there is NO FACT.
There is one fact, and that is that the way in which muscular recovery occurs does NOT change no matter what the current state of the athlete.
~SC~
Banned
And you know me Bro...I will bring it full fledged my Brotha...not to mention the "supplements"...cell tech...lean body...creatine...etc...etc. is what will really make the difference...lol
Senior Member
AR Hall of Fame
He should experiment and find out what his body responds best to, having read all of the different ways/viewpoints.
That is the best course of action.
~SC~
AR Hall of Fame
Cool deal, I know you'll bring it big when you take pics, you are BIG DOG!
I was asking about pics from before (you said that you compete, right?), from all your earlier shows, when you followed your protocol. I know you took pics at show time and lots of them, I know I do! Because then we gorge ourselves after and get all fat/bloated!
Right??
~SC~
Banned
He should take some time and read through the scientific data provided on that site. It will also break down or help him calculate what is best for his bf% to help him get to his goals. Or like so many other bodybuilders he can rely on common knowledge. However, like SC said, he has used the method's he described and had great success. So, it is not hard, just pick a way and roll with it. In the end it will be determination and his will to succeed that will separate him from his competitors. That is what I love about bodybuilding. There are several ways and options of getting there. It is in the end all up to you. Peace
Banned
You got a pic we can view?? Or are you a personal trainer also?? Look guys I don't want to get off on the wrong foot. It is an opinion...it is like an azzhole...everyone has one.
Banned
I do have a video of the Southern Classic I cam in 4th at. I dont know how to attach it on here though. Or you could wait until next year when I post a pic during competition time at say 240lbs.Cool deal, I know you'll bring it big when you take pics, you are BIG DOG!
I was asking about pics from before (you said that you compete, right?), from all your earlier shows, when you followed your protocol. I know you took pics at show time and lots of them, I know I do! Because then we gorge ourselves after and get all fat/bloated!
Right??
~SC~
AR Hall of Fame
Bummer!
I hate moving myself!!!! I never lose stuff though, I seem to get other people's crap on top of mine, hahahah. My pics/portfolios/trophies are the first things that I grab, I never can afford to lose those.
~SC~
Last edited by SwoleCat; 08-20-2004 at 12:22 PM.
Associate Member
daammmnnnnn ..........well thats alot of info guys ...thanx alot but im still kinda confused since im 12 weeks out i cant really afford to experiment with both of those options.........ill just go with what i got and what i do till then and see how that goes.........one more question though.........when should the dextrose start to be cut down or be taken out for the pwo 1? or should it stay the same?
peace
Banned
Swole will agree this should be done at around 4 to 6 weeks out depending on where you are at that time in your conditioning. Cardio will play a big role also...Keep researching Bro...I'm sure you will do fine. peace
Community Veteran
How would you lose pictures from a show??? $hit if / when I compete those pictures will be my prized posession. I don't know how you could lose them moving or not. Try to find some pics and read how to post em cause I want to see show pics. Not enough people post show pics up here that actually compete
<<LMO>>
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