Carb Back Loading

[SoundEng]

Evening,

I have been reading around about carb back loading and I am wanting to start it, I have never stuck to a strict diet plan before (which is mainly the reason I'm doing this as I have been putting on a bit too much fat, as well as muslce.)

Because of this I am not completely sure what sort of meals would be best for the first 10 days of low carb intake. I am assuming lots of proteins (chicken beef etc) and vegetables? No bread/cakes/pastry/pasta etc?

Can anyone point me in the right direction for what to be eating in the first low carb bit? The issue I also have is that I'm still in 6th form (upper sixth) so still have to try and contend with school lunches. Although I could probably take stuff in.

Anyone able to help?

Cheers,

Ali

 

[SoundEng]

Train hard and eat big, imo you don't need something as specialised as CBL @ what 16/17 years old? Plus the chances of sticking to it are slim if you're reliant on school food occasionally.

Also Syla5 doesn't do CBL really, carb cycling I'd call it . Think only ice & dom do actual CBL.

18. Yeah, but the issue I'm having is that I'm trying to gain muscle weight but in doing so (training hard etc) I'm always hungry and just end up eating ALL the time.

I'm looking a bit too 'fat' for my liking. Around the chest and sides mainly, just trying to work out how to keep gaining muscle without gaining too much fat. I wouldn't say I was 'fat' exactly, just a bit too much loose flab for my liking.

I weigh about 105kg but have no idea what my body fat % is.

 

[SoundEng]

You'll be hungry all the time on CBL aswell then . And even worse you might go mad during the refeed (I've hit an easy 4000kcals in one meal before).

Go ahead and try it I guess, meat fish veg nuts eggs cheese - basically.

Hmm yeah, but then I've got a goal to work towards rather than just not caring.

Ok thanks.

 

[SoundEng]

Do you count calories or macros currently? You still need to do this with CBL, you just shift the carbs around a bit to suit your training schedule.

What's your current diet/macros look like?

No I don't. Never really been sure how to/been serious enough to

 

[SoundEng]

I would class eating your daily carbs PWO (High GI/moderate proportion of junk) and up to that point low/no carb as back loading.

Would agree that backloading isn't necessary for the OP. Controlling the macro's of his existing diet would be a more beneficial starting point.

How would I go about doing this then?

 

[SoundEng]

Thanks for the input.

So just under a week since I've started, I seem to have gotten into a routine and cutting down on carbs seems to be a lot easier than I was expecting. (Except the lack of fruit, I always find myself craving fruit) over the past 6 days I have been averaging around 70g of carbs a day. However most of this has come from fruit. (Also on thursday, yesterday and today I have had a banana after exercise). About 100g of fat and about 260g of protein.

How does that look?

I am doing resistance training every Monday or Tuesday and Thursday. And from yesterday will be cycling as many days as I can. About 30mins @ ~avg 15mph

Does that all sound ok ish? Not CBL as first intended but better than my previous diet/lack of exercise. (Previously did no cardio and ate about 300g carbs/90g fat and 90g protein a day)

Cheers

 

[SoundEng]

That to me, looks to be low enough carb to feel low on energy but not low enough to get any of the benefits of low carb! It's better than 90/300/90 (p/c/f) but something like 180/180/80 would probably be better if you're not going to carb cycle/backload properly.

Hmm, I was still intending to do a backload after the first 10 days and then once a week. My the last 6 days have been for carbs: 104, 42, 68, 103, 63, 70.

As I said, i've mainly been finding it hard to cut out fruit. The only carbs I have eaten have been from fruit.

The first couple of days I did feel low on energy (espcially when I got home around 5 having not eaten since 12:45 (school lunches) ) but the last few days I have felt much better.

 

[SoundEng]

apologies if not listening is how it has come across. It was not my intention. I have read the stickies.

I have been trying to be below 30g but being at school/relying on family food its not that easy. Everyday I have been eating as little carbs as I have physically been able to without not eating. I was under the impression that eating more like this 'eat less cr4p and moar Maximuscle' as you put it. (Not taking any shakes as I am allergic to a lot of raw dairy) would be much better than what I was eating before.

Maybe CBL isn't the best/easiest thing for me to do given my current situation of school/exams and family food (and not being able to afford to buy my own food). Is there something similar that anyone can recommend that may be easier to do considering the circumstances?

 

[SoundEng]

Ok, the issue I was finding was that when I exercised (which I am doing most days see above post) I felt dead afterwards which is why I had a banana. Should I not be eating any fruit even after a workout/cycle?

 

[SoundEng]

Have you read the book? If not, read the book. In answer to your question, no! No bananas!!!

After your prep phase, post workout then yes. During the prep phase/on off days, little/no carbs. That means no bananas!

Ok, I will have a read of the book. So it will be normal to feel really low on energy/sugar for the prep phase?

I assume I should start the 10 days prep phase from now then?

 

[SoundEng]

I really don't think CBL is for you. Good lord, how can you not even have read the book...

Are you even lifting weights?

Also, no cheese and no berries.

Thanks for your incredibly helpful input.

Start now. Brief your family on what you're doing and they may even be supportive. However, if you struggle to follow a strict regime, CBL really is not for you.

Days 3-6 are the worst, spending on workload and diet.

Thanks. One more question which someone brought up - Is this a good idea during exams? Someone mentioned to me how the brain only runs on sugar...

 

[SoundEng]

No need to get upset. I'm making a serious point.

Are you lifting weights? You definitely shouldn't be doing CBL if you aren't.

Yes I am, currently twice a week

 

[SoundEng]

What is your exact routine? What weights were you lifting last week?

Last week I did two days of

Bench Press: 4x10 reps 70kg
Jerk: 4x8 reps 50kg
Barbell Curls: 3x10 reps 40kg
Overhead squat: 3x10 reps 30kg
Decline Situps: 4x10
Rollouts: 2x10

The book makes for a very interesting read. It does sound doable, but possibly not when doing exams or relying on school food. It might be easier for me to attempt this over the summer holidays when I don't have many time constraints and should be able to eat properly. For the mean time is there anything else I can try to get leaner? Calorie deficit?

 

[SoundEng]

Your routine makes for a very interesting read.

What are you actually trying to achieve? Because I'm not sure what you're going to achieve with either the selection of exercises or the rep ranges...?

That was set by our strength and conditioning coach for rugby last season. So I've just stuck to it

 

[SoundEng]

Hmmmmm... I'd dispute a number of the exercises on your list, and then again for their rep ranges (which, I suppose, means I'm questioning the credentials of your SnC coach). But if your coach told you to do that, then good luck.

That routine will not get you where you need to be for either:

- Rugby;
- CBL.

Ok, well what should I be looking to do then? I followed His advice assuming he would know. Though tbh he was a graduate and used to go to the school.

 

[SoundEng]

Ok - what is rugby about? Legs, core, shoulders and probably a bit of arms, too. And you need strength with endurance, too.

Your routine doesn't really do much of any of those things.

You're hardly doing anything for legs (more squats), nothing for your back (30kg overhead squat doesn't count), some for your core with your rollouts (decline situps are for skinny guys in the gym with an iPod shuffle strapped to their arm) and some weird stuff for your arms and shoulders (I'm not going to comment on the use of the jerk for that or barbell curls, although 40kg BB curl is good work ,regardless).

CBL will just make you fatter, as you'll binge on the carbs after a workout without triggering the necessary signalling.

And I - and I'm sure a lot of other more knowledgeable posters on here - will be happy to help you with a more suitable routine once you tell us what you're actually trying to achieve from an athletic perspective, not just in terms of cutting your weight.

Ok, thanks, Well last season I was finding that I definitely was not fit enough to be sprinting around the pitch for the whole 70 mins. So I am looking to increase my endurance. I haven't yet decided if I want to to do rugby at uni but it is a strong possibility. If I don't do rugby then I would be looking to do rowing. So basically looking to increase my endurance as well as shift some fat and turn it into lean muscle.