Carb cycling in a growth phase

[weedle]

Justin Harris says eat as much meat and rice as you can without getting fat, and progressively get stronger over time. If you do this on a consistent basis then you will get bigger.
He also is very big into carb cycling for both weight loss and weight gain.
Every time I’ve tried to gain lbm I have just used a generic moderate surplus on a daily basis. Focusing on carbs and protein with very little added fat. The more I’ve done this the better I’ve gotten with it learning from past mistakes.

This time I would really like to carb cycle while trying to grow lean.
I’ve listened to a lot of his podcasts and read the book he wrote with Shelby.
The book basically says:
2 low days with around .75g of carbs per lb of bw.
2 or 3 medium days with upwards of 1.5g of carbs per lb of bw.
2 or 3 high days with around 3g of carbs per lb of bw.

I can understand the low days being so low, but the medium days confuse me. I would still be in a deficit on 1.5g of carbs per lb.
The high days also don’t really seem that high to me.

Can I please get some feedback from you guys that have actually had success with this method.

I would like to know how many low, medium, and high days you incorporated.
Also how many grams of carbs per lb of bw were you using on each day?

How long did it take for you to increase the carbs over time?

I know everyone reacts differently to food/calories/carbs, but I’d really like to see some real world results.

 

[weedle]

I forgot to mention that he really suggests being as lean as possible before you start this type of diet.

 

[bbxtreme]

Yes it can absolutely be effective. The thing to keep in mind when reading a book or hearing a podcast is that those numbers are just baselines. Your metabolism and BMR may be lower or higher. You have to adjust it to what works for you and your metabolism.

I used a bit different approach which I learned while working with Milos. Same concept but takes it a bit further. I base my carb intake and insulin usage around my training and weaker body part days. So if legs are weak, it’s a high day with more insulin, shoulders would be a low day with lower insulin. Or an off day would or course be a low day.

There’s a lot of factors to dial in, but isn’t rocket science at the end of the day. You just need to be in a net caloric surplus at the end of each week. The low, medium and high days balance that out. If you’re competing and trying to minimize fat while maximizing muscle it’s great, but many coaches just care about standard surplus amounts at the end of each week and don’t cycle either with very good results.

May be worth hiring Justin as a coach if something you’re truly interested in to dial in. Find what works for you and stick with it as that’s what really counts.

 

[b-boy]

Video talks about fat loss and MUSCLE GROWTH

 

[supermofo]

I have my guys do medium days on all training days except 1 or possibly 2 high days (if in a gaining phase) on either leg and or back day and low days on all off training days. This may need modified depending on how many days per week you train and results. Essentially you are "building" your metabolism. High days, I use 3gr of carbs per lb of body weight, med 2gr, low 0-1gr... The simplest thing to do is purchase Justin's e-books Massive and Shredded. He literally gives you a template for each that tells you exactly how much to eat based on your body weight along with approved foods.

 

[livinlean]

Those numbers are just a starting point. I was above 3g per lb on high days with Justin.

 

[weedle]

I have my guys do medium days on all training days except 1 or possibly 2 high days (if in a gaining phase) on either leg and or back day and low days on all off training days. This may need modified depending on how many days per week you train and results. Essentially you are "building" your metabolism. High days, I use 3gr of carbs per lb of body weight, med 2gr, low 0-1gr... The simplest thing to do is purchase Justin's e-books Massive and Shredded. He literally gives you a template for each that tells you exactly how much to eat based on your body weight along with approved foods.

Yeah those numbers seem to fall in line with the e book he and Shelby did. The medium day is a little higher in your version which I like.

 

[weedle]

Those numbers are just a starting point. I was above 3g per lb on high days with Justin.

Yeah I think that’s just what I will have to do. Start with those numbers and adjust. I have a feeling I can handle a little bit higher carb intake than what is mentioned in the book.
I think I’ll start with 2 low, 3 medium, and 2 high days.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

Those numbers are just a starting point. I was above 3g per lb on high days with Justin.

Echoing this as I work with Justin now.

All of these numbers are just starting points and highly individual. If u have the funds, hire Justin. No info you’re gonna get here is gonna be exaaactly right for u.

And like someone else mentioned, Justin builds your metabolism over time. Medium days on a diet are very different than medium days in the off-season. Each day, depending on the goal, changes significantly.

 

[qbkilla]

I use it year round. Essentially 3k calories Ed as my maintenance intake. On arms and delts parts I want to bring up I add 300 calories. So on my 2 off days I reduce 300 calories. Then on those weak parts days I shift macros more towards carbs low fat. On the off days the opposite. Nothing fancy and I'm small but I think it helps me be content at 3k .

 

[supermofo]

Those numbers are just a starting point. I was above 3g per lb on high days with Justin

Exactly, the numbers I gave are a starting point and adjustable based on the individuals response.

 

[danieltx]

I use it year round. Essentially 3k calories Ed as my maintenance intake. On arms and delts parts I want to bring up I add 300 calories. So on my 2 off days I reduce 300 calories. Then on those weak parts days I shift macros more towards carbs low fat. On the off days the opposite. Nothing fancy and I'm small but I think it helps me be content at 3k .

This is another reason you can't grow your delts and arms - 300 calories is nothing.

 

[Sixfoottwo]

I use it year round. Essentially 3k calories Ed as my maintenance intake. On arms and delts parts I want to bring up I add 300 calories. So on my 2 off days I reduce 300 calories. Then on those weak parts days I shift macros more towards carbs low fat. On the off days the opposite. Nothing fancy and I'm small but I think it helps me be content at 3k .

You can shift calories all you want between high, medium and low days, training, off days, weekends or whatever but as long as the average intake still is at maintenance as you say you won't grow nothing.

Edit : during gaining phases I cycle as well. My legs suck so on those days it's high day with around 1000 kcal above maintenance. Rest days are like 100 or 200 kcal below and other training days are around 500 above again.

 

[Love_to_Bodybuild]

Is Justin a advocate of using insulin , pre competition and or off-season ?

 

[Wolf79]

Is Justin a advocate of using insulin , pre competition and or off-season ?

from what i know Justin uses insulin on high days offseason 2 or 3 times a day. he never recommends lantus.

 

[Bobik]

I see, Lantus is a controversial topic. One trainer recommends Lantus and another no way...

 

[Aikman56]

Video talks about fat loss and MUSCLE GROWTH

Awesome video…I think I have watched this thing 25 times!

 

[qbkilla]

This is another reason you can't grow your delts and arms - 300 calories is nothing.

You would shift more calories to those days you mean?

Or Are you referring to trying to grow at maintenance in general? Definitely are right..my primary goal is to just maintain weight/bf/be healthy. Bringing up limbs is a secondary goal/pipe dream because obviously maintenance=good luck growing. I'm just experimenting .... probably will add a surplus at some point and shift priorities.

 

[danieltx]

You would shift more calories to those days you mean?

Or Are you referring to trying to grow at maintenance in general? Definitely are right..my primary goal is to just maintain weight/bf/be healthy. Bringing up limbs is a secondary goal/pipe dream because obviously maintenance=good luck growing. I'm just experimenting .... probably will add a surplus at some point and shift priorities.

I mean you don't eat enough to grow at all.

You can't bring up limbs while maintaining. 300 calories isn't going to grow shit. Bringing up any muscle takes months and months of hard training and a big caloric surplus.

You always say you don't want to be a bodybuilder but you want to have the look of a bodybuilder. Make up your mind. My opinion is you give up trying to grow anything and stay at maintenance for life as you're not willing to push food or PEDs and you're overly paranoid about your health for no reason.

 

[JJT]

I mean you don't eat enough to grow at all.

You can't bring up limbs while maintaining. 300 calories isn't going to grow shit. Bringing up any muscle takes months and months of hard training and a big caloric surplus.

You always say you don't want to be a bodybuilder but you want to have the look of a bodybuilder. Make up your mind. My opinion is you give up trying to grow anything and stay at maintenance for life as you're not willing to push food or PEDs and you're overly paranoid about your health for no reason.

What kind of surplus do you reccomend for someone in their intermediate stage of developments say 200-220lbs lean? Rough weight gain per week?