Carb Cycling for Muscle Mass. By Darren Bain. Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 1

Carb Cycling for Muscle Mass By Darren Bain Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 1

Achieving significant hypertrophy (muscle mass) gains and fat loss at the same time can be tricky business. As you now know carbs can essentially make us fat if not consumed in the correct amounts and at the 'right' times, but on the flip side are essential for gaining muscle. Insulin is a very important hormone for muscle - it is very anabolic. It is responsible for transporting amino acids and the amount of glucose to the muscle cells, the more of these 2 key components you get to your muscles the more you will grow. Insulin ensures an anabolic not catabolic (muscle breakdown) state. Your head is probably spinning; I can hear you thinking you re telling me in the Introductory Metabolic Switch Nutrition Plan to consume no carbs now you're telling me to consume carbs? Let me be clear the most important thing to drop is body fat, the leaner you are (of course 'healthy' lean) the healthier you will be. I can guarantee you this a male at 20% will not have the same estrogen type problems at 10%. So if you are carrying too much fat your first priority is to drop the fat and the best way to do this generally is low carb as per the Introductory Metabolic Switch Plan. Once you drop the fat then you can look to a more hypertrophy focused plan such as this, remember the leaner you are the more carbs you can consume. For individuals wanting to pack on the muscle you need carbs. This is where it gets tricky and a well structured carb cycling routine is necessary to achieve a lean but muscular physique. There's one thing that all physique enhancement specialists agree upon the more body fat you have the fewer carbs you should consume. This goes both for the quantity and frequency of the carb intake. The leaner you are the more carbs you can have on a day- to- day basis and the more frequent carb- ups you should use. If you're carrying high amounts of body fat you will need to stay away from carbs as much as possible and following the metabolic switch plan and cheat meal(s) guideline will produce a better result for your health and body composition. Once you get lean you can then move over to the Carb Cycling Plan. The structure of this plan will help you gain maximum muscle mass without gaining too much fat at the same time. There is many different ways and reasons to structure the inclusion of carbs for optimal results, one thing all the experts agree on is that getting the carb balance right is the key to long term success. Dr Lonnie Lowery an expert in physique enhancement and nutrition states that incorporating carbs will help physiologically, psychologically and with thyroid maintenance, leptin maintenance, anti- catabolism, glycogen replenishment and performance boosts. Summing Up To ensure maximum muscle mass is achieved you need carbs and a fair amount. On the other hand if you are carrying too much body fat eating them at the wrong times in excessive amounts will increase body fat. What do you do then? Introducing the carb cycling method This method involves not consuming many carbs and fats together, consume carbs when your body is most insulin sensitive, which is post weights sessions and first thing in the morning. Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 2

It's quite simple; you essentially have 3 meals with carbs and 3 without. Christian Thibaudeau recommends carb cycling in a format of a high carbs, moderate carbs and low carb days. These days are split relative to you training schedule. We are going to use this high, moderate, low carb format but with my modifications and daily allowances and recommendations. The weights sessions with the highest volume and demand warrant the high carb days, you are allowed 2 high carb days per week; these will be referred to as your priority sessions. Two - Three other training days will be moderate carb days and non training days will be low carb days. Carbs from your veggies don't count towards the daily allowance, except for the starchy ones like potato. Exceptions If you are not gaining muscle at the rate at which you desire add an extra high carb day, if you are gaining fat cut out the high days or reduce the amount of carbs on the high carb days. If you are female I recommend not completing the high carb day and use the medium day as your high day. The tables below are for trainees who train in the afternoon after work, the tables can be easily adjusted to suit the time of day you train. High You want to be having your carb intake for the first part of the day as your insulin sensitivity is higher in the first part of the day as opposed to later in the day. This will maximize muscle glycogen storage and minimise fat storage by having your carb intake early rather than later in the day - This means carbs for breakfast including fibre. Why Fiber? Fiber blunts post- meal insulin and glucose levels, slower and lower production of insulin by the pancreas, provides a sensation of fullness, decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) & will help eliminate Xenoestrogens. Aim for 30grams of fiber per day in divided doses Word of warning; implement slowly. Carb Intake Summary: Consume More Carbs... Upon awakening Immediate Post Workout 60-90 Minute Post- Because carbs and fat both provide energy, it's important to manage the amounts of each that you consume. Remember fat intake should be low in these meals to avoid providing your body with too much available energy at one time, which would cause some energy to be stored as body fat. This means as carb intake goes up, fat intake should come down, and vice versa. Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 3

To work out your protein requirements is quite simple: Shoot for 2g of protein per kg of bodyweight. High Template Meal Protein Carbohydrates Added Healthy Fat 1 20-50g 100g <5g 2 20-50g 100g <5g 3 20-50g 0g <5g 4 Immediately Post Workout 5 (60-90 minute Post Workout) 20-50g 70g <5g 20-50g 100g 0g 6 20-50g 0g <5g REMEMBER DON'T SKIP YOUR POST WORKOUT DRINK! Getting quality protein and carbohydrates into your system immediately post is crucial, within 30 minutes is recommended. This is referred to as the window of opportunity. The ability to replenish glycogen stores decreases by 50% if you wait two hours after training to refuel the body. Medium Day The focus remains on your medium day to ensure your carbs are consumed at the right times in the allocated amounts, just in a reduced amount: Breakfast Immediate post 60-90 mins post Fat intake is increased a little on this day to accommodate the meals where carbs are low. Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 4

Sample Medium Day Meal Protein Carbohydrate Added Healthy Fat 1 20-50g 40g <5g 2 20-50g 0g 5g 3 20-50g 0g 15g Immediate Post Workout 60-90mins Post Workout 20-50g 50g 0-5g 20-50g 50g 0g 6 20-50g 0g 5-10g Low Day Fat intake is higher on this day, due to carbohydrate allowance being low. Low day is to be for non training days. Sample Low Day Meal Protein Carbohydrates Added Healthy Fat 1 20-50g 35g <5g 2 20-50g 0g <5g 3 20-50g 0g 10g 4 20-50g 0g 10g 5 20-50g 0g 5-10g Carbohydrate Guidelines: Carbs from your salads and vegetables do not go towards your high/medium/low carb day allowance: you can have as much salad and vegetables as you require, excluding starchy vegies like potato. High fructose fruits are more suited to breakfast when liver glycogen is lowest rather than post - remember fructose is processed through the liver rather than the muscles having priority. Post we want our muscles to soak up the glucose. This means non fructose carbs are superior for post work out. Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 5

Muscle Mass Carb Cycling Plan Monday: High Carb Day Tuesday: Medium Wednesda y: High Thursday: Low Carb Day Friday: High Saturday : Medium Sunday: Low Carb Day Breakfast Supplements: 2 x fish oil, 2 x zinc?, 4 x testolibre. 2 Poached Eggs, 2 slices sol pumpkin rice bread, 1 cup spinach leaves 2 cup cooked oats Protein Smoothie = 1 cup strawberries, 1 teaspoon flaxseeds, 2 scoops WPI. 1 slice sol rice/pumpkin bread 6 egg omelette with capsicum & spinach + 2 slices rice& pumpkin toast Coconut milk with raspberries & macadamia nuts, 10g LSA 150g 2 Poached Eggs, 2 slices sol pumpkin rice bread, 1 cup spinach leaves 2 cup cooked oats Protein Smoothie = 1 cup strawberrie s, 1 teaspoon flaxseeds, 2 scoops WPI. 1 slice sol rice/pumpki n bread Coconut milk with raspberries & macadamia nuts 150g Snack Supplements: 5g creatine Protein Shake on 2 cups rice milk, 10g pshyllium husk1 x nectarine ½ cup almonds, 1 x peach. 100g turkey 1 cup Protein Shake on 2 cups rice milk, 10g pshyllium husk,1 x nectarine Protein shake on water, ½ cup walnuts Protein Shake on 2 cups rice milk,10g Pshyllium Husk, 1 x nectarine ½ cup almonds, 1 x peach. 100g turkey 1 cup Protein shake on water,n10g LSA, ½ cup walnuts Lunch Supplements: 5g creatine, 2 x fish oil 200g chicken breast, green salad, ½ avocado Left over s (no rice) +1/2 avocado 1 cup quinoa, 1 cup sweet potato, vegetables, 200g. greens, ½ avo, 1tbl spoon olive oil, 300g 200g chicken breast, green salad, ½ avocado Left over s (no rice) +1/2 avocado greens, ½ avo, 1tbl spoon olive oil, 300g Pre/Post Protocol Handful walnuts, 1xpunnet blueberries + pre &post Pre/post Pre post protocol I cup sliced 200g Handful walnuts, 1xpunnet blueberries + pre &post Pre/post I cup sliced 200g Dinner 1 cup brown rice, unlimited steamed non starch veg, 300g grass fed steak greens, 1tbl sp olive oil 300g. 1 cup brown rice, unlimited green salad. 200g salmon steamed veg with 1tsp organic butter 300g 1 cup brown rice, unlimited steamed non starch veg, 300g grass fed steak greens,1tbl sp olive oil 300g. steamed veg with 1tsp organic butter 300g Pre supplements Nitrovol x 2 scoops on 2 cups rice milk, 3 x javastim capsules, 5 xbcaa s capsules During Workout Supplements 10 x BCAA capsules Post Workout Supplements Nitrovol x 4 scoops, 5x BCAA capsules Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 6

Recommended Supplements. Creatine 15g- 20g 14days and then 5g per day for 8 Weeks BCAA S 15 capsules throughout session. Nitrovol Javestim Uber Zinc Fish oil Carb Cycling Summary: Allows you to still be social. If you ve got an event or gathering make that day a high- carb day. Once you become accustomed to the plan you can modify to suit; if you are not gaining muscle at the rate at which you desire add an extra high carb day, if you are gaining fat cut out the high days or reduce the amount of carbs on the high carb days. Pretty simple. Carb cycling allows for variety, if you don t feel like a certain meal feel free to substitute it for another as long as you stick to the allocated substrate guidelines for that day and is based on natural, unprocessed, whole food. Be mindful that your High- Carb is not a whatever I feel Like, blow out day. A packet of chips is different to a baked potato. Training on an empty tank can be hard, that s why your toughest training sessions should be accompanied with a high day. Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved Page 7