Before I post my routine (I will post 2morrow), I want to share what I do with calories and carbs (in a different manner, than the many posts I have provided before about it).
IMO, the body responds to consistency. Sometimes it may get to the point of obsession, but we have to have a "certain amount" of obsession in our business to reach our goals.
I believe in zig-zagging calories (or shifting, if you will) and my body responds well to it. My calories are NEVER the same each day, and my MT line is not the same (dependent soley on the activity that day). Our metabolisms do not know how much food we will consume 2morrow or the next day because simply it hasn't happened yet.
However, the trend of the last few days it does know and has adapted biologically according to its design. Therefore, I believe that a "healthy" metabolism always burns calories based on your eating habits (and stimulus in activities) during the "trend" of the last several days, and biologically, it can assume you will continue eating in this manner.
And, if one is on a deficit diet for a long length, shocking this trend by doing the opposite of what it expects could thwart off additional unwanted metabolic shifts (or slow downs), keep the furnace burning, and "could" assist in preventing tissue loss plateaus on healthy individuals.
Using myself as an example. If eat 1,900 calories (MT line for this example is 2600), add in a very low carb (say 20 grams), up the protein and good fats, and run this for about 9 days.
I expect several things (with me) within these 9 days. One an energy shift or switch. Moving from carbs as the energy source to Protein/Fats as the energy source. Likewise my body "attempts" to kick my old ass with headaches, dizziness, lethargy, etc.
Which just tells me that the body is doing its "thang" biologically, and omitting a symptom. Additionally, I lose water (as carbs carry water). After this period is over, I feel just great, energy returns, and I even have LESS hunger cravings (as eating carbs--can make one want or crave more of them-with "some" people).
At the end of the 9 days, an extraordinary thing happens. First, I KNOW my glucose stores are low. Second, I know I have been running deficits for the last 9 days. Third, I assume my body is still in the protein/fat switch. And, fourth, I believe it expects me to continue it.
However, I ROCK the boat so-to-speak. Eat in a surplus for two consecutive days, and bring carbs (and the other nutrients) up to normal, and it has no choice but to say: WTF? Its like shifting the gears in a car from 3rd gear to 5th so-to-speak. And, its going to be difficult for the body (base on its previous trend history) to do anthing bad....with this shift based on the previous trend.
A matter of fact nearly all of it will be anabolically good if the surplus is reasonably controlled. My body will be "reasonably tolerant" to a suplus and "reasonably tolerant" to an intake of carbs (or other forms of sugar).
For example, most of the carbs consumed from the calories will be "absorbed" just by the organs themselves because glucose stores were low to begin with, and will welcome the additional reasonable surplus with welcome arms. Additionally, it will have to switch back to--using carbs again. Then when you are done, you shift it again.......and so on.
That is the short version on what I do when I low-carb it.
EDIT: At the END of the 9 days.....the body is so acceptive to "sugar" I could eat a half dozen Reese's PB cups, and suffer no ill will at all (as a side note
).
I dont, but I could and it would have no bad effects on-->my goal purpose.......Now......what is this telling you?
And, my wife KNOWS THIS.........the dang.....woman...LOL. Its her way of telling me good times are coming.....STFU!!. She knows I wont eat any Reese's PB's or Hostess Ho Ho's.......She is a nut I tell ya....LOL. Did I tell ya I love her though....LOL.
Best wishes,
Chillen
