that takes a lot of planning- is the timing really so important or just the concept to carb load in the 3 hours just before working out
In our last post on gaining muscle and losing fat we discussed that while these goals do indeed require different training and nutrition strategies, these strategies are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
Meaning: You CAN lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously provided you use a strategic, timed approach.
Also in that post, I loosely gave mention to several different methods to achieve both goals simultaneously, and in these next few posts I want to take a deeper, more specific look at each.
Today’s method: MEGA Carbohydrate Loading
With this type of carb loading, you will consume 50% of your total daily caloric intake and 95% of your daily carbohydrate intake within 3 hours of beginning your muscle building workout.
By doing this, you provide your body with a massive surge of carbs and calories at the exact time that it is most responsive to suck up all those nutrients and use them for muscle repair and recovery.
NOTE: In order for this to work, you’ve got to be doing INTENSE, high volume workouts.
Go with a macronutrient breakdown of 30% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 30% fat.
Assuming a 45-minute workout, the Mega Carbohydrate Load starts with your pre/during workout beverage, followed by your post workout beverage, followed by a carbohydrate containing protein shake 1/2 hour later, followed by two whole food meals.
The first whole food meal should be consumed 45 minutes after the carb containing protein shake, and then the second whole food meal another 45 minutes later.
The rest of the meals of the day should be protein + fat + veggies (with minimal carbs).
Also, by doing this the bulk of your calorie and carb intake comes at the most anabolic time of the day, and the rest of the time you are actually in a caloric deficit while limiting insulin and carbohydrate.
Here’s an example:
8:00 am: Low-carb protein shake with added fiber; 2 tablespoons of olive oil
10:30 am: 3 eggs plus 4 whites scrambled with 2 slices of cheese; 4 strips of bacon; 1/2 package of spinach
1:00 pm: Low-carb protein bar; 2 oz of dry roasted nuts
3:00 pm: 8 oz Cheeseburger (no bun, wrapped in lettuce); large salad with very low-calorie dressing
5:00 pm (immediately pre-workout): Quickly digested protein/carb beverage
5:45 pm (immediately post-workout): quickly digested protein/carb beverage
6:15 pm: Protein/Carb shake with Skim Milk
7:00 pm: 2 oz of pasta (dry weight); 4 oz of chicken breast; 2 slices of 12-grain bread; package of broccoli
7:45 pm: 2 oz of pasta (dry weight); 4 oz of chicken breast; 2 slices of 12-grain bread; package of asparagus
10:00 pm: Low-carb protein shake with added fiber; 1 tablespoon of olive oil; 2 cups of green beans; 20 grams of fish oil
NOTE: Do not directly copy my diet as it likely calls for far too many calories for your size and build. Instead, copy the structure and the overlying principles based on your own calorie needs. Also, it is fundamentally important to consume just as many green veggies throughout the day in non-workout meals, as is apparent in my example above.
How’s THAT for free content?
Want Method #2? At least 250 comments and I’ll post the “Anabolic Burst Cycling method” tomorrow!
Talk to you in the comments section!
Joel
P.S. Want to know ANOTHER brand new technique for simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain right now?
Check out the below video from my buddy Kyle explaining one of the NEWEST methods we’re using:
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271 comments - add yours
Can’t wait for the next part!
So…you are basically not following the Cheat your way Thin diet because you are combining different protocols within one muscle building day? Very low carb except around the workout when it is high carb? And this would be for 3-4 days a week typically? What do you recommend for the other days? A cheat day and 2-3 low GI/GL days?
Joel,
I really appreciate your responces built into these posts. As many of the other posters, I have a few concerns about some of the ingredients and the amount of food, but my biggest question is about the eggs. I don’t understand the idea of throwing away any of the egg yolks. Why not eat all whole eggs? Fat content doesn’t seem to be a concern for this diet and the yolks have an awful lot of very beneficial nutrients in them.
If you only have say the last 5-10 lbs left to lose, couldn’t you just rely on a muscle building diet and have your resting metabolic rate burn the rest of your fat off? (from your lean muscle mass). This is a little confusing..
Looking forward to Method #2!!!
I am more interested in the ABC diet.After reading an article on anabolic burst cycle, it seems easier to bulk up for the 2 weeks then switch to an ultra low calorie intake. But how can you calculate how much calorie intake you should be feeding your body for the release of IGF-1 for the, and what amount should be consumed for the burning of fat on the low calorie intake?
That’s a day of serious eating!
I’d be interested to see what you recommend for someone that’s vegetarian or nearly vegetarian. As always, interesting approaches to fitness and weight loss.
Joel… can you post any studies that support this concept? Sounds like a couple people have confirmed results from this method but it would be nice to see where you got the idea from.
Thanks
hey joel,
how do you feel about, L-Carnitine and Creatine?
thx,
CCC
torbjorn Akerfeldt did he ever write a book?
Wow, this sounds great!
I need programs like this in order to my body to bulk up. It’s a good thing to do after trying other gain-muscle programs.
I don’t have enough time right now to follow this program as I should, but when I got it I’ll do it.
Great job Joel!
That’s interesting. I always train between 5pm and 6pm, which fits in nicely with a large meal about an hour afterwards when the hunger kicks in. I also take a protein shake immediately after my workout.
I currently follow the 14 minute version of 7 minute muscle, but if you include the warm up and shoulder stability beforehand and then follow up with intensive interval cardio, it takes it closer to the 45 minutes you suggest. It certainly gets the heart rate up!
I’ll see if I can fit this into the EODD that I’m also following as this keeps the calorie intake lower during the day.
Looking forward to the next post, Joel. Keep them coming.
sounds great!
give us more stuff!
@Joel Marion – So, taking will creatine increase my fat loss/muscle gaining progress. Sorry to beat a dead horse, but its just that I have gone from 223 to 207 in about 6 wks and all though its not earth shattering its the most I’ve lost in years, and I don’t want to stop losing! My goal is 155lbs @ 5% body fat and I know the CTL diet will take me their!
Thx,
Joel
I couldn’t even finish reading your post when I saw the word McDonald’s in the food list. Are you completely insane? Don’t you know what kind of meat they use?
I wasn’t sure about your method, but now I know I’ll stay away from you e-book.
I skimmed most of your posts but did not get the answer to this question:
If you workout at 5:15 AM what would the carbo-load look like? I only want to drop a couple pounds of fat and add a couple of muscle.
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...