My Log of Maximising Muscle Protein Synthesis and Insulin Sensitivity

[showdownhero]

Now reached an acceptable body fat % (~17%) so I'm looking to do a clean bulk of sorts and most importantly add some strength. For these goals keto is far from ideal and I've come up with a new eating plan.

After some increased reading on insulin and looking back at previous eating plans I think my body undergoes a significant shift in insulin sensitivity when I'm completing 2 24 hour fasts per week (with a lunch time BP coffee) as my body composition takes on a unrivalled "shredded" look when that is my eating plan (compared to other eating plans I've followed).

So with that in mind and as I make the switch to maintenance calories I've devised a new eating/workout routine.

4 lifting days
2 cardio days
1 rest day

per week (not in that order )

150g of carbs on lifting days. Ideally consumed post workout. Because I lift in the early morning, this does pose a slight fasting issue as I normally have a BP coffee post workout and don't eat a fast breaking (insulinogenic) meal until lunch time thus sticking to a 16/8 fast/feed window. However I'm determined to experiment with insulin spiking meals post workout to see if it creates any anabolic benefits for me.

Morning cardio combined with a 24 hour fast on cardio days.

16/8 fast/feed window on rest days

Ketogenic/LCHF eating plan on all rest and cardio days

We'll see how I go.

keto log here - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=165144611
lifting log here - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=164163411

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

12th October Heavy Weight/Low Rep Pecs and Biceps Workout 85.3kg

Barbell Bench Press 100kg 2,2 90kg 3,3
EZ Bar Bicep Curl 45kg 3 42.5kg 3,3
Incline (28 degrees) Barbell Bench Press 80kg 4,3,3
Hammer Curls 20kg each 6,5,4
Dumbbell Pec Fly 16kg each 7,4,4

Nutrition:

Pre-Workout

USP Labs Jack3d 2 scoops

C-----C-----F-----P
60----3----0----11

Intra-workout

3.5g Beta Alanine
3.5g AAKG

C----C----F----P
23----0----0----6

Post workout

10g BCAA

C-----C-----F-----P
41----0----0----9

Breakfast

125g Frosties in Skim Milk
50g WPC in Skim Milk (drank this 1 hour later)

C-----C-----F-----P
843--136---4----62


Lunch

Naked Burrito with Cheddar

C-----C-----F-----P
584----5----46----37

Dinner

2 meals
Cheesey Omelette and Bacon

C-----C-----F-----P
460----1----36----31

Red Chicken Curry

C-----C-----F-----P
472----15----32----31

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2483-160---118--187

 

[simo74]

Training:

Breakfast

125g Frosties in Skim Milk
50g WPC in Skim Milk (drank this 1 hour later)

I just realised you are in the UK, I read the word Frosties and fck did that give me a mad craving for a big bowl with ice cold milk. There probably not the healthiest breakfast choice but boy are they yummy. mmmm Frosties mmmmmm

 

[Fadi]

However I'm determined to experiment with insulin spiking meals post workout to see if it creates any anabolic benefits for me.

I know you're well aware of the carbohydrate/insulin hypothesis, and if that line of thinking was true, we could then deduce from it that foods that are extremely insulinemic would be uniquely fat promoting correct? The answer (on the surface at least would be) yes of course that would be correct. Yet, what many don't realise is that dairy foods are among the most insulinemic foods out there, yet dairy foods are not fat promoting. I'll make it clearer in a sec...

Do a check up on the glycemic index, and what you'll find there is a trend showing low ratings for all things dairy. That is translated as having or causing a low blood sugar effect in our body. Despite this low blood sugar responses, dairy products create a very large insulin responses/spike. Hence, when I take my creatine, I do not rely on carbohydrates (as many do), but rather on whey protein as the main driver (or spiker if you like) of my blood insulin levels. There's wisdom in all of these information, indicating that dairy products are king when it comes to help transport the main building blocks of our body (the amino acids) into our blood stream and into our cells.

Contrast the above with white bread (I realise you don't eat it but...), and you'll find not only you've got yourself one hell of an insulin spike created by it, but also (and that's where the critical difference comes in), your blood sugar levels also goes through the roof, creating a fertile environment for fat gains.

 

[showdownhero]

I know you're well aware of the carbohydrate/insulin hypothesis, and if that line of thinking was true, we could then deduce from it that foods that are extremely insulinemic would be uniquely fat promoting correct? The answer (on the surface at least would be) yes of course that would be correct. Yet, what many don't realise is that dairy foods are among the most insulinemic foods out there, yet dairy foods are not fat promoting. I'll make it clearer in a sec...

Do a check up on the glycemic index, and what you'll find there is a trend showing low ratings for all things dairy. That is translated as having or causing a low blood sugar effect in our body. Despite this low blood sugar responses, dairy products create a very large insulin responses/spike. Hence, when I take my creatine, I do not rely on carbohydrates (as many do), but rather on whey protein as the main driver (or spiker if you like) of my blood insulin levels. There's wisdom in all of these information, indicating that dairy products are king when it comes to help transport the main building blocks of our body (the amino acids) into our blood stream and into our cells.

Contrast the above with white bread (I realise you don't eat it but...), and you'll find not only you've got yourself one hell of an insulin spike created by it, but also (and that's where the critical difference comes in), your blood sugar levels also goes through the roof, creating a fertile environment for fat gains.

Interesting, certainly something to keep in mind.

Thanks as always mate

 

[showdownhero]

I just realised you are in the UK, I read the word Frosties and fck did that give me a mad craving for a big bowl with ice cold milk. There probably not the healthiest breakfast choice but boy are they yummy. mmmm Frosties mmmmmm

lol yep the perks of an unhealthy breakfast, smashing some skim milk and frosties delish

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

13th October Cardio Workout 85.3kg

Total time: 30:23
Calories Burnt: 400

Run
Distance: 2km
Incline: varied
Time: 11:15 minutes
Pace: varied

Started with a pace of 5:15 km and incline of 1.5 but was seriously labouring through that, slowed down to 6:00 km and zero incline which was much more enjoyable

Cycle
Distance: 3km
Resistance: varied
Time: 7:00 minutes
Speed: varied

The tabata rowing I did on Monday has left me with a weird pain in my right ankle, not bad enough to stop me from training but enough to make me avoid the rower this morning.

Just gonna take it easy and I think it will get better on it's own, not sure if it's a muscular or joint related issue. Strange that it would happen on a rower with zero lateral movement which makes me think it's muscular.

Nutrition:

Morning fasted cardio and then a 24 hour fast (BP coffee doesn't count)

Lunch

Bullet Proof Coffee and 3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
279----0----31----0

Dinner

250g pan fried halloumi
58g salted cashews
Red Curry with Chicken
50g WPC with 200ml Almond Milk

C-----C-----F-----P
1861-38---128---138

Dessert

Normally I wouldn't do this but I wanted to do a mini carb load for my weights session tomorrow, cardio should normally be below 50g carbs in order to maximise insulin sensitivity.

Bar of Milka Chocolate

C-----C-----F-----P
560--55----35----6

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2700-93----194--144

Training:

14th October Light Weight/High Rep Back and Triceps Workout 84.9kg

Wide Grip Pullups 12,6,6
Narrow Grip Tricep Dips 12,8,8
Double Overhand Grip Barbell Rows 70kg 9,8,6
Double Overhand Grip Barbell Shrug 100kg 9,6,6
EZ Bar Skull Crushers 27.5kg 10,8,7

Nutrition:

Pre-Workout

3.5g Beta Alanine
3.5g AAKG

C----C----F----P
23----0----0----6

Post workout

10g BCAA

C-----C-----F-----P
41----0----0----9

Breakfast

125g Frosties in Skim Milk
50g WPC in Skim Milk
Plum
Apple
Kiwi Fruit

C-----C-----F-----P
717--117---3----54

Lunch

Red Curry with Chicken

C-----C-----F-----P
497--19----32----33

Dinner

Went out for Thai Food banquet with my GF had entree main and dessert and shared a bottle of wine

Som Sa in Spitalfield for anyone who cares, legit amazing

C-----C-----F-----P
1211-68----47----56

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2488-204--82----159

Happy with 200g of carbs on a lifting day although I'd prefer to be eating them all post workout in was fun going out for dinner

Training:

15/10 Rest day

Nutrition:

Breakfast

Bullet Proof Coffee and 3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
339----0----39----0

Lunch

Went out for lunch with some family friends

Burger Fries and a Pint of Beer... and some dessert

C-----C-----F-----P
1634-160--66----54

Dinner

Went out drinking with some mates, 5 beers and a couple of vodkas

C-----C-----F-----P
1010--79----0----5

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2983-239----105----59

Training:

16/10 Rest day

Nutrition:

Lunch

Roast Pork with roast potato, carrot and yorkshire pudding

C-----C-----F-----P
823----63----18----62

Dinner

Red Curry with Chicken

C-----C-----F-----P
472---15----32----31

Dessert

Myprotein High Protein Chocolate 70g

C-----C-----F-----P
380----18----25----19

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
1675--96----75----112

 

[Stiffy]

Morning fasted cardio and then a 24 hour fast (BP coffee doesn't count)

Doesn't anything other than pure Black Coffee break the fast?

 

[showdownhero]

Doesn't anything other than pure Black Coffee break the fast?

A fat only meal like BP coffee does not provoke an insulin response but does induce the production of ketones. Keeping insulin levels at fasted levels has numerous benefits but the consumption of fat calories protects my body from catabolism.

I believe it is advantageous to stay in a fasted state (i.e. low insulin levels) for as long as possible, this has a 2 benefits.

1) Studies show after an insulinogenic response the burning of fat stores is blunted as your body moves into food burning mode instead of fat store burning mode

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-and-exercise-fasting-23/

Insulin’s main action is to inhibit lipolysis. This means that it blocks fat burning. The incoming flood of glucose from food is sent to the rest of the body to be used as energy.
So what happens during a fast? First, your body burns the stored glycogen in muscles and the liver, then it burns the stored fat. In essence, during feeding you burn food energy. During fasting, you burn energy from your stored food (glycogen and fat)

So combined with a calorie deficit my body is more effective at buring fat with low levels of insulin for extended periods of time.

2) Studies also show that carb cycling is key to increasing your levels of insulin sensitivity, the preimse of carb cycling (high carb lifting days and low carb resting/cardio days) is that you deny your body the heavy insulin response that a carb laden meal induces when you don't need it. I'm effectively doubling this mechanism by going without protein or carbs for 24 hours at a time (amino acids particularly leucine are still insulinogenic) whilst still having an intake of calories and protecting myself from catabolism.

Greater insulin sensitivity means lower body fat and improved muscle mass and strength gains aka winning

 

[Stiffy]

OK. Cheers for the detailed response.

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

17th October Heavy Weight/Low Rep Legs and Delts Workout 84.8kg

Barbell Squats 110kg 3 100kg 3,3
Mixed Grip Deadlift 140kg 4,3,3
Seated Barbell Press 55kg 4,3,3
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 16kg each 8,6,5
Dumbbell Front Raise 12kg each 6,5,4

Really enjoying eating a few more calories and carbs, feel like I'm progressing really well.

Think I might switch to a PPL program for a few weeks before I start 5/3/1

Nutrition:

Pre-Workout

USP Labs Jack3d 2 scoops

C-----C-----F-----P
60----3----0----11

Intra-workout

3.5g Beta Alanine
3.5g AAKG

C----C----F----P
23----0----0----6

Post workout

10g Myprotein BCAA

C-----C-----F-----P
41----0----0----9

Breakfast

3 Slice of Toast with Strawberry Jam
50g WPC in Skim Milk

C-----C-----F-----P
614---85----5----54

Lunch

Naked Burrito and a Stroopwaffle for dessert

C-----C-----F-----P
839---67---46----40

Dinner

Red Curry with Chicken
58g Cashews
50g WPC in Almond Milk
3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
1072-31----68----81

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2648-186---119--202

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

18th October Light Weight/High Rep Pecs and Biceps Workout 84.7kg

Barbell Bench Press 80kg 9 ,7,6
Barbell Bicep Curl 35kg 8,7,6
Incline (28 degrees) Barbell Bench Press 60kg 10,9,7
Hammer Curls 16kg each 10,7,6
Dumbbell Pec Fly 14kg each 10,6,5

Nutrition:

Pre-Workout

3.5g Beta Alanine
3.5g AAKG

C----C----F----P
23----0----0----6

Post workout

10g BCAA

C-----C-----F-----P
41----0----0----9

Breakfast

3 Slice of Toast with Strawberry Jam
50g WPC in Skim Milk

C-----C-----F-----P
614---85----5----54

Lunch

Chicken with Pumpkin mash

Side of Thai Pork Cakes

C-----C-----F-----P
326---14----8----51

Dinner

50g Cashews
Red Curry Chicken
3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
807----27----59----41

Dessert

Chocolate Muffin
154g of Oreos

C-----C-----F-----P
982---142--41----9

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2792-268---113---171

Went high carbs due to back to back lifting days, will be going super low carbs today.

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

20th October Heavy Weight/Low Rep Back and Triceps Workout 85.7kg

Wide Grip Weighted Pullups +20kg 5,4,3
Weighted Narrow Grip Tricep Dips +20kg 6,5,5
Mixed Grip Barbell Rows 100kg 3,3,3
Mixed Grip Barbell Shrug 120kg 8,6,6
EZ Bar Skull Crushers 35kg 5,3,3

Strength continues to build, great workout

Nutrition:

Pre-Workout

USP Labs Jack3d 2 scoops

C-----C-----F-----P
60----3----0----11

Intra-workout

3.5g Myprotein Beta Alanine
3.5g Myprotein AAKG

C----C----F----P
23----0----0----6

Post workout

10g Myprotein BCAA

C-----C-----F-----P
41----0----0----9

Breakfast

75g Frosties in Skim Milk
35g WPC in Skim Milk

C-----C-----F-----P
529---83----2----41

Lunch

Had to grab a quick lunch between meetings then snacked on some junk foodthat we had catered for us

C-----C-----F-----P
1314-171---59----21

Dinner
Mexican Chilli Beef with Cheddar
3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
779---9----60----50


Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2746-266--121---138

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

19/10 Rest day

Nutrition:

Breakfast

Bullet Proof Coffee and 3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
279---0----31----0

Lunch

Red Curry Chicken
35g Myprotein Impact WPC in water

C-----C-----F-----P
605---17---34----58

Dinner

50g Cashews
Mexican Chilli Beef with Cheddar and Guacamole

C-----C-----F-----P
1528-38----123--73

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2412-55----188--131

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

21st October Light Weight/High Rep Legs and Delts Workout

Barbell Squats 80kg 8,7,6
Standing Barbell Press 50kg 8,5,4
Double Overhand Grip Deadlift 100kg 10,8,6
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 14kg each 7,6,5
Barbell Lunge 20kg 7,5,5

Nutrition:

Breakfast

Bullet Proof Coffee and 3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
279---0----31----0

Lunch
Chicken Skewers and mayonnaise

C-----C-----F-----P
393---1----18----55

Pre-workout

3.5g Myprotein AAKG
3.5g Myprotein Beta Alanine

C-----C-----F-----P
23----0----0----6

Dinner

Large Pizza
Garlic Bread

C-----C-----F-----P
2752-222--157---92

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
3447-223--206--153

Went to the gym after work for the first time in god knows when, good workout tho

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

22nd October Cardio Workout 85.2kg

Total time: 34:42
Calories Burnt: 379

Run
Distance: 2km
Incline: 1.5
Time: 10:44 minutes
Pace: 5:15 p/km

Did a cycle and slow jog warm up, really wanted to be able to push through this 2km with maximum intensity.

First time I've been able to maintain the 1.5 incline for the 2 whole kilometres, was also great to sit at the 5:15 p/km pace for the full 2km too

Decided to do some leisurely rowing as a cool down, considering I did a bit of damage to my ankle on 10/10 after an intense tabata row I thought I'd take it easy on the rower and see how my body responds

Nutrition:

Morning fasted cardio and then a (slightly less than) 24 hour fast (BP coffee doesn't count)

Lunch

Bullet Proof Coffee and 3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
339---0----39----0

Late Lunch

Cheesey Omelette with back bacon
35g Myprotein WPC in Almond Mi

C-----C-----F-----P
593---3----34----66

Dinner and Drinks

Had a boozy night out with some mates, ate and drank way to much

C-----C-----F-----P
3376-312--83----69

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
4308-315--156---135

 

[Shrek]

2700 cals for pizza and garlic bread....Luv it.

 

[showdownhero]

2700 cals for pizza and garlic bread....Luv it.

So god damn delicious

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

23rd October Heavy Weight/Low Rep Pecs and Biceps Workout 84.5kg

Barbell Bench Press 100kg 3,2,2
EZ Bar Bicep Curl 45kg 4,3,3
Incline (28 degrees) Barbell Bench Press 80kg 4,3,3
Hammer Curls 22kg each 4,3,3
Dumbbell Pec Fly 16kg each 7,4,4

Nutrition:

Pre-Workout

USP Labs Jack3d 2 scoops

C-----C-----F-----P
60----3----0----11

Intra-workout

3.5g Myprotein Beta Alanine
3.5g Myprotein AAKG

C----C----F----P
23----0----0----6

Post workout

10g Myprotein BCAA

C-----C-----F-----P
41----0----0----9

Breakfast

75g Frosties in Skim Milk
50g WPC in Skim Milk

C-----C-----F-----P
621---88----3----55

Lunch

Fruit Salad

C-----C-----F-----P
120----27----0----1

Dinner
Mexican Chilli Beef with Cheddar and Guacamole
3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
1367-22----109--79

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2232-140---112--161

 

[showdownhero]

Training:

24th October Light Weight/High Rep Back and Triceps Workout 85.1kg

Wide Grip Pullups 13,6,5
Narrow Grip Tricep Dips 13,8,8
Double Overhand Grip Barbell Rows 70kg 10,8,6
Double Overhand Grip Barbell Shrug 100kg 9,6,6
EZ Bar Skull Crushers 30kg 9,7,6

Nutrition:

Pre-Workout

3.5g Beta Alanine
3.5g AAKG

C----C----F----P
23----0----0----6

Post workout

10g BCAA

C-----C-----F-----P
41----0----0----9

Breakfast

75g of Frosties in Skim Milk
50g WPC in Skim Milk

C-----C-----F-----P
555---87----2----44

Lunch

Roast Chicken Breast, Broccoli and 1 boiled egg

C-----C-----F-----P
267----5----8----41

Dinner

50g Cashews
Pan fried Halloumi
Burger Pizza
3 Fish Oil Caps

C-----C-----F-----P
1819-24----139--115

Total

C-----C-----F-----P
2705-116--149---215

Probably slightly less carbs than I would like, I had 2 high carb breakfast meals today to compensate