BigTex
Well-Known Member
Chris Aceto is one of the most well know nutrition gurus and bodybuilding contest prep coaches in the industry with a number of athletes like IFBB Pro Jay Cutler achieving great success under his watch. Not only was Chris a very good bodybuilder but he was also at one time he was married to Laura Creavalle, who was one of the best women bodybuilders in the world. Chris is the guy who started getting bodybuilders away from the keto diet in the last two weeks and geared them more towards a carbohydrate cycling diet the whole contest cycle. I feel like diets of this type can easily be tailored to the non-competitive weight trainer. Carbohydrates are so important for Type II muscle fibers and resistance training we need them to optimally grow, but too much can spill over into fat. I made a shortened version of Chris' diet showing how you can tailor it for either gaining mass of cutting fat. I have used this diet for many years and able to keep on a substantial amount of muscle mass while keeping the body fat down to pretty low levels. Plus you are generally able to eat a variety of health foods.
Protein and fat intake remains constant during the week. Only carbs fluctuate up and down. During high carb day are 2g/lb of body weight. During medium carb days, intake is lowered to 75% (1.5g/lb) and low carb is lowered 25% (1.12g/lb). Since protein gives the body the building blocks of muscle growth, you need to consume at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. The fat should be kept at 0.55g/lb of body weight.
When trying to lose fat
Protein and fat intake remains constant during the week. Only carbs fluctuate up and down. During high carb day are 1.5g/lb of body weight. During medium carb days, intake is lowered to 75% (1.12g/lb) and low (er) carb is lowered 25% (0.84g/lb). This time because you are in a negative caloric balance protein will be kept at 1.25g/lb of bodyweight in hopes of not losing any hard earned muscle mass but greatly increasing the thermic effect of food. The fat will also be lowered to 0.33g/lb.
Example of a weekly cycle: the days can be arranged any way you like
Monday – high carb
Tuesday – high carb
Wednesday – medium carb
Thursday – medium carb
Friday – medium carb
Saturday – low (er) carb
Sunday – low (er) carb
I will use a 200 lb guy as an example:
1) When trying to gain mass: (no cardio)
High carb days = 1g/lb (200g protein), 2g/lb (400g Carb), 0.55g/lb (110g Fat)
Moderate days = 1g/lb (200g protein), 1.5g/lb (300g Carbs), 0.55g/lb (121g Fat)
Low (er) carb days = 1g/lb (220g protein), 1.12g/lb (224g Carbs), 0.55g/lb (110g Fat)
2) When trying to lose fat: (add cardio)
Using the 200lb guy as an example again:
High(er) carb days = 1.25g/lb (250g Protein), 1.5g/lb. (330g Carbs), 0.33g/lb (73g Fat)
Moderate days = 1.25g/lb (250g Protein), 1.12g/lb (Carbs), 0.33g/lb (73g Fat)
Low(er) carb days = 1.25g/lb (250g protein), 0.84g/lb (206g carbs), 0.33g/lb (73g Fat)
TIPS
Eat Six Meals A Day
I know it is a pain to eat so often, but gaining mass on four meals a day is simply not going to work for most people. Schedule each of your six meals every two to three hours. This installment plan allows you to increase the absorption and assimilation of your precious nutrients.
1. Minimize dietary fat. When you follow a higher-carbohydrate diet to cut up, you must minimize calories derived from dietary fat. There are two reasons for that. First, you have to create an energy deficit to spark fat burning. By eliminating as much dietary fat as possible, you'll gain control over your caloric intake. Since many protein foods are also sources of dietary fat, you should emphasize very low-fat protein sources, such as egg whites, protein powders and turkey breast. Good seafood choices include flounder, tuna, hake, scallops and shrimp.
The second reason to avoid dietary fat concerns insulin. Insulin helps drive fatty acids from dietary fat into fat cells. With an extremely low-fat diet, the body is starved of fatty acids, making it difficult to gain fat as long as calories remain lower.
2. Choose the right carbs. The best carbohydrates for controlling and shedding bodyfat are slow-burning carbs. Slow burners help sidestep insulin bursts. Instead of dramatically kicking up insulin levels--which can cause fat storage--slow-burning carbs take longer to digest. That favors muscle growth and retention without stimulating the body's fat-storing machinery. Oatmeal, oat bran cereal, red beans, buckwheat noodles, buckwheat pancakes and red potatoes are some of the best slower-burning won't-make-you-fat carbs around.
3. Add vegetables to the mix. How can you get slow-burning carbs to digest even more slowly? One way is to consume plenty of vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, green beans, wax beans and asparagus. The fiber content of these vegetables can dramatically slow the passage of carbohydrates from the stomach into the intestines, where the carbs are absorbed. Moderating your insulin release will help you lean out your physique.
A good rule of thumb is to add one cup of vegetables for every cup of rice, pasta or potatoes you eat. Although rice, pasta and potatoes don't fit the bill as ideal slow-burning carbs, including the right amount of vegetables will slow down the absorption process, allowing for greater fat loss than when eating starchy carbs on their own. Plus, vegetables are filling and low in calories.
4. Eat complex carbs in the morning. Carbs are less likely to be deposited as bodyfat when you consume them in the morning, because blood sugar and glycogen levels tend to be lower at that time. Lower blood sugar and glycogen levels typically mean the carbs you eat will primarily be stored as muscle and liver glycogen, not bodyfat. For this reason, you can get away with eating more than your fair share of carbs at breakfast, say 75-100 grams (g). Again, emphasize slow-burning complex carbs, such as oatmeal, buckwheat pancakes and whole-grain breads.
5. Eat slow burning carbs before training. Slow-burning carbs, also referred to as low-glycemic carbs, can help maximize fat loss. Gram for gram, they elicit less of an insulin response than many other carbohydrates.
Insulin, the storage hormone released in response to eating carbohydrates, can impede the mobilization of fatty acids from fat cells.
TIP: EAT HIGH-GLYCEMIC CARBS AFTER TRAINING
High-glycemic carbs are typically refined, meaning they've undergone some type of processing, and they create a larger insulin surge than unrefined varieties. Bagels, mashed potatoes, white rice, muffins, cookies and cold cereals are all high-glycemic.
High-glycemic carbs help halt potential muscle loss, and holding onto muscle will keep your metabolic rate elevated. This type of carb also helps the body quickly enter an anabolic state by carrying amino acids into muscle.
Slow-burning carbs: Yams * Buckwheat noodles or pancakes * Beans * Rye bread * Whole-grain bread * Oatmeal * Cream of Wheat * Peaches * Oranges * Nectarines * Apples
Fast-burning carbs after training: Bagels * Baked potato * White rice * Rice cakes * Muffins * Cookies * Cold cereals * Orange juice * Watermelon * Pasta * Pancakes
6. Eat more carbs after your workout. Implementing point five ensures both an increase in fat burning and lower glycogen stores. When glycogen stores fall, carbs are rarely stored as bodyfat. Therefore, include 75-100 g of carbs at the meal following hard training to jump-start recovery and help drive amino acids from protein for muscle repair. Emphasize simple sugars such as dextrose, commonly found in workout shakes, at this time.
7. Avoid carbs at night. When following a higher-carbohydrate diet to reduce bodyfat, glycogen levels begin to elevate as the day progresses. The closer your glycogen levels are to being "full," the more readily carbohydrates are stored as bodyfat. For this reason, stick with lean protein and vegetables or a carb-free protein shake for your final meals of the day.
8. Include intense cardio. Unless you have a tremendous metabolic rate, you'll need cardio work to augment your progress. I recommend only high-intensity cardio to create the greatest calorie burn possible and to stimulate glycogen-storing enzymes. The harder you work, the more calories you'll burn--plus, you'll increase the activity of glycogen synthase, the enzyme that stores carbohydrates as muscle glycogen. The more you can coax the body to store carbohydrates in muscle, the less likely it will store them as bodyfat.
*Build up from your current level to performing cardio at least five days a week for 30-45 minutes. If you have a sluggish metabolic rate, you may need to do even more.
Carbohydrate Cycling
When trying to gain mass
Protein and fat intake remains constant during the week. Only carbs fluctuate up and down. During high carb day are 2g/lb of body weight. During medium carb days, intake is lowered to 75% (1.5g/lb) and low carb is lowered 25% (1.12g/lb). Since protein gives the body the building blocks of muscle growth, you need to consume at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. The fat should be kept at 0.55g/lb of body weight.
When trying to lose fat
Protein and fat intake remains constant during the week. Only carbs fluctuate up and down. During high carb day are 1.5g/lb of body weight. During medium carb days, intake is lowered to 75% (1.12g/lb) and low (er) carb is lowered 25% (0.84g/lb). This time because you are in a negative caloric balance protein will be kept at 1.25g/lb of bodyweight in hopes of not losing any hard earned muscle mass but greatly increasing the thermic effect of food. The fat will also be lowered to 0.33g/lb.
Example of a weekly cycle: the days can be arranged any way you like
Monday – high carb
Tuesday – high carb
Wednesday – medium carb
Thursday – medium carb
Friday – medium carb
Saturday – low (er) carb
Sunday – low (er) carb
I will use a 200 lb guy as an example:
1) When trying to gain mass: (no cardio)
High carb days = 1g/lb (200g protein), 2g/lb (400g Carb), 0.55g/lb (110g Fat)
Moderate days = 1g/lb (200g protein), 1.5g/lb (300g Carbs), 0.55g/lb (121g Fat)
Low (er) carb days = 1g/lb (220g protein), 1.12g/lb (224g Carbs), 0.55g/lb (110g Fat)
2) When trying to lose fat: (add cardio)
Using the 200lb guy as an example again:
High(er) carb days = 1.25g/lb (250g Protein), 1.5g/lb. (330g Carbs), 0.33g/lb (73g Fat)
Moderate days = 1.25g/lb (250g Protein), 1.12g/lb (Carbs), 0.33g/lb (73g Fat)
Low(er) carb days = 1.25g/lb (250g protein), 0.84g/lb (206g carbs), 0.33g/lb (73g Fat)
TIPS
Eat Six Meals A Day
I know it is a pain to eat so often, but gaining mass on four meals a day is simply not going to work for most people. Schedule each of your six meals every two to three hours. This installment plan allows you to increase the absorption and assimilation of your precious nutrients.
1. Minimize dietary fat. When you follow a higher-carbohydrate diet to cut up, you must minimize calories derived from dietary fat. There are two reasons for that. First, you have to create an energy deficit to spark fat burning. By eliminating as much dietary fat as possible, you'll gain control over your caloric intake. Since many protein foods are also sources of dietary fat, you should emphasize very low-fat protein sources, such as egg whites, protein powders and turkey breast. Good seafood choices include flounder, tuna, hake, scallops and shrimp.
The second reason to avoid dietary fat concerns insulin. Insulin helps drive fatty acids from dietary fat into fat cells. With an extremely low-fat diet, the body is starved of fatty acids, making it difficult to gain fat as long as calories remain lower.
2. Choose the right carbs. The best carbohydrates for controlling and shedding bodyfat are slow-burning carbs. Slow burners help sidestep insulin bursts. Instead of dramatically kicking up insulin levels--which can cause fat storage--slow-burning carbs take longer to digest. That favors muscle growth and retention without stimulating the body's fat-storing machinery. Oatmeal, oat bran cereal, red beans, buckwheat noodles, buckwheat pancakes and red potatoes are some of the best slower-burning won't-make-you-fat carbs around.
3. Add vegetables to the mix. How can you get slow-burning carbs to digest even more slowly? One way is to consume plenty of vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, green beans, wax beans and asparagus. The fiber content of these vegetables can dramatically slow the passage of carbohydrates from the stomach into the intestines, where the carbs are absorbed. Moderating your insulin release will help you lean out your physique.
A good rule of thumb is to add one cup of vegetables for every cup of rice, pasta or potatoes you eat. Although rice, pasta and potatoes don't fit the bill as ideal slow-burning carbs, including the right amount of vegetables will slow down the absorption process, allowing for greater fat loss than when eating starchy carbs on their own. Plus, vegetables are filling and low in calories.
4. Eat complex carbs in the morning. Carbs are less likely to be deposited as bodyfat when you consume them in the morning, because blood sugar and glycogen levels tend to be lower at that time. Lower blood sugar and glycogen levels typically mean the carbs you eat will primarily be stored as muscle and liver glycogen, not bodyfat. For this reason, you can get away with eating more than your fair share of carbs at breakfast, say 75-100 grams (g). Again, emphasize slow-burning complex carbs, such as oatmeal, buckwheat pancakes and whole-grain breads.
5. Eat slow burning carbs before training. Slow-burning carbs, also referred to as low-glycemic carbs, can help maximize fat loss. Gram for gram, they elicit less of an insulin response than many other carbohydrates.
Insulin, the storage hormone released in response to eating carbohydrates, can impede the mobilization of fatty acids from fat cells.
TIP: EAT HIGH-GLYCEMIC CARBS AFTER TRAINING
High-glycemic carbs are typically refined, meaning they've undergone some type of processing, and they create a larger insulin surge than unrefined varieties. Bagels, mashed potatoes, white rice, muffins, cookies and cold cereals are all high-glycemic.
High-glycemic carbs help halt potential muscle loss, and holding onto muscle will keep your metabolic rate elevated. This type of carb also helps the body quickly enter an anabolic state by carrying amino acids into muscle.
Slow-burning carbs: Yams * Buckwheat noodles or pancakes * Beans * Rye bread * Whole-grain bread * Oatmeal * Cream of Wheat * Peaches * Oranges * Nectarines * Apples
Fast-burning carbs after training: Bagels * Baked potato * White rice * Rice cakes * Muffins * Cookies * Cold cereals * Orange juice * Watermelon * Pasta * Pancakes
6. Eat more carbs after your workout. Implementing point five ensures both an increase in fat burning and lower glycogen stores. When glycogen stores fall, carbs are rarely stored as bodyfat. Therefore, include 75-100 g of carbs at the meal following hard training to jump-start recovery and help drive amino acids from protein for muscle repair. Emphasize simple sugars such as dextrose, commonly found in workout shakes, at this time.
7. Avoid carbs at night. When following a higher-carbohydrate diet to reduce bodyfat, glycogen levels begin to elevate as the day progresses. The closer your glycogen levels are to being "full," the more readily carbohydrates are stored as bodyfat. For this reason, stick with lean protein and vegetables or a carb-free protein shake for your final meals of the day.
8. Include intense cardio. Unless you have a tremendous metabolic rate, you'll need cardio work to augment your progress. I recommend only high-intensity cardio to create the greatest calorie burn possible and to stimulate glycogen-storing enzymes. The harder you work, the more calories you'll burn--plus, you'll increase the activity of glycogen synthase, the enzyme that stores carbohydrates as muscle glycogen. The more you can coax the body to store carbohydrates in muscle, the less likely it will store them as bodyfat.
*Build up from your current level to performing cardio at least five days a week for 30-45 minutes. If you have a sluggish metabolic rate, you may need to do even more.
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