It has become part of bodybuilding culture and folklore. You hear promoted relentlessly by the pros and local guys at the gym. In fact, it's probably one of the most engrained and understood concepts for power athletes and bodybuilders the world over.
You need to bulk. Then cut. "Your body simply isn't very good at doing both at the same time."
To be fair to the masses, the actual physiology behind this is actually close to being completely accurate.
You might be sitting back thinking, "hang on, I remember days when I first began training with weights, I got bigger and leaner without to much trouble." It's true. Newbie trainers can pull off huge body composition transformations without much difficulty. The body is simply adapting to a new external stimuli at a great rate of knots. In my first year of training I had reduced my waist by 1.5 inches but had put on 8 Kg – this is before I even knew how to train!
But as trainers become more experienced and advanced, gaining additional mass while reducing body fat becomes more and more difficult - to the point where it's almost impossible. Most of us usually have to focus purely on muscle gain (accepting that some fat will come with it) or fat loss (accepting that you'll lose some muscle).
The reasons why this occurs is beyond the scope of this article, suffice to say that the some of the simplest explanations are evolutionary; your body is very good at keeping you alive (i.e. storing energy), and fat storage happens to be one of the easiest storage mechanisms to help you survive if you suddenly had no access to food.
Some others:
- The caloric requirements to build muscle, generally, are enough to encourage fat gain.
- The reduction of calories to encourage fat loss usually result in muscle loss - that and the body's constant desire for the status quo (homeostasis)...the list goes on.
OK, so the above are very simple explanations. The physiological reasons why we struggle to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously can get quite complex, this however doesn't change the outcome. I'll sum up by saying that underfeeding is necessary for fat loss but will always have a negative impact on muscle mass. Dieting also induces a number of adaptations that tend to prevent further fat loss. Overfeeding is necessary to gain muscle but will always have a negative impact on fat mass, however, it can reverse many of the adaptations that occur with dieting.
You see, in our quest tobecome leaner and bigger, we are up against the odds. But this doesn't mean we can't do it. We just have to know how to "trick" our bodies.
THE SECRET LIES IN "GOAL TRANSFERS"!
Goal transfers simply means you rotate between gaining muscle - and losing fat, with the net result of achieving both. We now understand that you can't do both concurrently (unless you're a rank beginner). They both need to be done separately.
Often lifters will gorge on food and lift heavy for long periods of time, sometimes 3 months, often a year. This is a traditional bulk. Many times there are no plans on when to lose fat; this all changes when they look in the mirror and notice that all their muscle definition and leanness have gone.
They then diet for 3 months or until they are very lean. They call that cutting. Unfortunately they have probably lost as much muscle dieting down, as they gained when bulking. Hardly ideal.
Although we have two phases in a traditional bulk and cut --- just as you do when you goal transfer, the traditional bulk and cut isn't a goal transfer because momentum from one of the phases is no longer available to carry you (or add value) to the follow on phase. A goal transfer is a pendulum swing. It can be half the week muscle gain and half the week fat loss. It can even be a week or two (or three) before swinging back the other way.
The beauty of the goal transfer is that it re-sensitises your body to your overall goal. If your goal is fat loss, when you overfeed your body relaxes its defences to allow further loss. If your goal is muscle gain, a period of under eating will keep you lean but also provide you with an anabolic rebound once you resume overeating.
OK, onto the program:
What I am about to describe is an INTEGRATED diet, SUPPLEMENTATION AND TRAINING program. The three are synergistic. This means that 1+1 = 4, not 2. The take home message is USE THEM TOGETHER. Some of you reading this may notice similarities to Lyle Mcdonald's Ultimate Diet 2.0 and you would be correct. I have personally used this dieting method with great success (when most others have failed – I experiment a lot!).
Goals: Modest muscle gain, significant fat loss
Supplement agents to be used
Fat Loss
USP Labs Oxy Elite Pro, Viridex XT, CLA (6-12g), L-Carnitine (this could beneficial during a carbload).
Anti-catabolic agents
Muscle Building agents
Goal Transfer timeframes
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are designed for Fat Loss.
Thursday AM is for Fat loss.
Thursday PM we see a swing in the pendulum to Muscle Gain.
Friday Saturday and Sunday are muscle gain / metabolic restoration days – this ties in nicely with the weekend, as you can really load up on the carbs / calories.
A LITTLE DISCLAIMER: ALL of the below supplementation, nutrition and training routines are designed FOR A REASON. You can not simply pick and choose which elements you like and expect the same results.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday start with a 12 – 16 hour fast. So if you go to bed a 10pm Sunday night, your first meal will at around 12pm Monday. Contrary to popular believe, fasting has been shown to do a whole heap of wonderful things for your health. I find the fast is manageable if taken with oxy elite pro. This product has been shown to be a very powerful appetite suppression tool.
Some dieticians will tell you something along the lines of: "eat six small meals per day to stoke the metabolic fire which will aid in Fat Loss". This is bunk. It takes a lot longer than 16 hours to slow your metabolic rate and I won’t bother to explain why; if you don’t believe me you can look up the study for yourself.
Read here on the benefits of fasting and some other common myths on dieting.
Avoid anything but water until your first meal (diet soda and sugar free gum are acceptable); this will minimise insulin which blunts fat loss.
The remainder of the day will be low carbohydrate (20 -50grams max). YOU WORK THIS OUT BY READING LABELS. Aim for lower calories – about 30 - 40% below your maintenance. If you don’t know what your maintenance is - work it out. Google is your friend.
For meals think chicken Caesar salad, Tuna wraps, Steak and steamed Veg; Basically lots and lots of lean meats with vegetables and fairly small amounts of fat.
Be sure to get in plenty of protein – I see no problem with anywhere as high as 2.5g per Kilogram on these days – as you will benefit from the so called thermogenic effect. Note: going this high on protein will not be easy whilst keep calories low – this is why a low calorie casein shake is so effective on these days (casein has shown to be the best protein on a diet).
Training sessions on Monday and Tuesday are glycogen depletion workouts. Glycogen depletion is required as the body tends to use fat as its primary energy source when Glycogen levels are diminished.
The most effective way to deplete glycogen for bodybuilders/athletes is through high reps – high volume full body workouts. This is going to be strange for those of uswho like to move big weights (me included), but remember; this is a goal transfer. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are principally concerned with fat loss; the only other consideration worth mentioning is muscle sparing - and we are doing this through non training methods.
The combination of both low carbs and the glycogen depletion workouts will put your body in an optimal environment for fat loss. LOW CARBS AND GLOYCOGEN DEPLETION WORKOUTS ARE THE CRITICAL FACTORS ONTHESE DAYS.
Friday Saturday and Sunday
Friday, Saturday and Sunday are your metabolic restoration / glucose repletion days. This allows you to eat carbs freely and gives you are good chance to eat all of those foods you normally wouldn’t on a diet. It is also the portion of the week where youshift from fat loss as the primary goal, to muscle acquisition.
Daily Plan Monday
Diet / Supplements
Upon waking: 1-2 caps Oxy Elite Pro.
12pm: First Meal (try to avoid carbs in the pre-workout environment) – 2g CLA.
3pm: 30 grams Casein with water.
Immediately Pre-workout – Scivation Xtend
Training
FULL BODY GLOCOSE DEPLETION WORKOUT
Reps: 12 – 15
Sets per Muscle group: 6 (arms can get less if they are tired).
I recommend you stick primarily to compound movements i.e bench, pullups, rows and leg presses or squats.
Postworkout: Optimum Whey / Casein Protein Shake, 1 Serve Viridex XT.
Postworkout meal – (most of your 40g of carbs should be taken in here, this won’t replenish glycogen but will help maximise the training effect) – 1 – 2 g of L Carnitine could be a worthwhile addition here.
Pre-bed – Optimum Nutrition Casein, 2g CLA
Daily Plan Tuesday
If you are an inexperienced trainer, then fasted cardio will be of benefit on this day. If you are advanced trainer (3+ years of lifting) I would save it until after you have eaten.
EVERYTHING ELSE SAME AS MONDAY (Training, diet and supps).
Daily Plan Wednesday
Upon waking: Oxy Elite Pro, Viridex XT (if you are an inexperienced trainer, some cardio will be beneficial).
12pm: First Meal– 2g CLA, 1-2g L Carnitine.
NO TRAINING
3:00pm – 30g Casein shake with water.
Pre-bed – Optimum Casein, 2g CLA.
Daily Plan Thursday
Diet / Supplement
Upon waking: Oxy Elite Pro (Cardio is recommended on this day).
12pm: First Meal (you can introduce SOME carbs – 15 – 25 g) – 2gCLA, 1g L-Carnitine.
Immediately Pre-workout – Scivation Xtend, Green Magnitude, 20-30 grams carbs (2 pieces of fruit).
Training
Full body workout
Sets for chest, shoulders, triceps – 2 (reps: 5 – 7).
Sets for Back, Biceps, Legs – 3 (reps 9 – 12).
Postworkout: Optimum Whey / Casein Protein Shake, Viridex XT, (100g carbs) L-Cartinine 2g
Post workout meal – Load up on carbs and protein – minimising fat if possible.
Pre Bed Meal – Load up on carbs and protein – minimising fat if possible.
Friday and Saturday
This is where all of the work you have put in earlier in the week pays off. The pendulum starts to swing the other way. YOU BEGIN TO GOAL TRANSFER!!
These are your gorge / carb load days – you don’t really have to worry about getting fat, following the low carb days and depletion workouts during the first 3 ½ days, your body’s first priority is glycogen replacement. Glycogen replenishments take priority over fat storage when you’re in a depleted state.
During these days it should be high carb --- I personally love pasta, home made pizza and deserts. It’s amazing to think that you can actually continue to lose fat eating these things. Because our goal is moderate muscle gain and significant fat loss, you should try to eat reasonably clean; but don’t be scared of satisfying your cravings.
L-Carnitine does some very cool things if you can manage to get your body to absorb it appropriately - for it to do so, you need insulin. Your body’s insulin output is regulated by carbohydrates. So be sure to take 2g on your high carb days (with meals).
Friday
Diet / Supplements
Upon waking: food -
Every other chance you get: Food, food and more food.
Green Magnitude, L-Carnitine – be sure to get 2g (taken with food).
Anything else you like to use.
Saturday
Diet / Supplements
Repeat of Friday
Training
Today is a power session, full body workout. (You can choose to specialise on push movements in week1, pull movements in week 2 – this will allow for increased work for a particular muscle group(s) if your tolerance is high).
Pre workout – Green Magnitude, 10g Scivation Xtend, Beta Alanine (if you wish).
Reps – 3 – 5 (all performed explosively).
Sets per muscle group 5 – 10 these should be done in a ramping fashion (you can wave load if you desire extra volume).
Sunday
I personally like to lower my caloric intake to just below maintenance on Sunday. It helps prime you for the week to come and ensures that fat gain doesn’t ensue.
