? for People Who Have Carb Depleted/Loaded for Competition

[cg2333]

Hey guys,

I'm working on learning how to carb deplete and load and there are a couple of questions that I've been unable to find clear-cut answers for so far.

1) How did you decide how many carbs to eat per day while depleting? Does anyone know of a formula or a rule of thumb for this? Currently, on a regular day I eat 171 grams of carbs and I'm leaning towards beginning my experimenting with 50 grams of carbs per day while depleting.

2) If you replaced the carb calories that you cut out while depleting did you replace them with protein, fat or a combination of the two? Again, is there a formula or rule of thumb for the best way to replace those calories?

Thank you,
cg2333

 

[Sassy69]

I'm not sure I can help much as far as an absolute ratio or anything but if you have time to experiment and find out what it takes to deplete your body - e.g. when I deplete I go 4 days w/ no complex carbs - just veggies. Then my carb up I usually start on Thurs before a show (Saturday). For me, it looks like at leasts 300 g carb each day. I carb'd up on white potatos this past yr eating 2 oz every other hour.

If you have time, I'd suggest you see how a carb depletion works for you as far as pulling out all the glycogen (carb deplete + burn whatever you have left) and also how well your body responds to the carb up-- do you fill out quickly - or how much does it take to fill you out.

 

[Quadsweep]

What do you weigh, has bearing. I usually do a big carb load initially like 1.5 cups oats (precooked) 12 ozs sweet potato and 2 pieces of high glycemic fruit. I do that as their last meal on thurs for a say comp. I then do 50% of this friday morning. Then I see them and determine where they are. I may do another carb meal or two if they are flat still. I then swith them over to Beef and grapefruit to keep them from spilling. I use simple carbs 40min before stage time. Hope this helps.

Quad

 

[Lifterforlife]

I'm not sure I can help much as far as an absolute ratio or anything but if you have time to experiment and find out what it takes to deplete your body

This is an excellent post....I usually suggest to folks about 6-7 weeks out to do a trial run...to see how your body reacts.

- e.g. when I deplete I go 4 days w/ no complex carbs - just veggies.

See, a bit of difference here...I usually can do it in 3 days, using a 3 day depletion workout to of course assist.

Then my carb up I usually start on Thurs before a show (Saturday). For me, it looks like at leasts 300 g carb each day. I carb'd up on white potatos this past yr eating 2 oz every other hour.

Yeah, I like this...very much parallels what I do, except I do it again 3 days. Start my depletion on Sunday, M and T, start carb up on Wednesday and thursday, and taper back on Friday, leading up to the show on Saturday.

If you have time, I'd suggest you see how a carb depletion works for you as far as pulling out all the glycogen (carb deplete + burn whatever you have left) and also how well your body responds to the carb up-- do you fill out quickly - or how much does it take to fill you out.

Again, excellent advice...carb depletion and carb up can be tricky, and the last thing you want is to ruin months of hard diet by "spilling over".

 

[Lifterforlife]

Beef and grapefruit to keep them from spilling.

Sounds like an old Beverly trick?? Done it many times myself, works very well.

I use simple carbs 40min before stage time. Hope this helps.

Quad

Yep, simple carbs and fats pre stage. Muscle goo works well.....protein, honey, peanut butter, and M&M's. Use rice cakes to spread it on if you like.