While training for competition in 2010, I followed a very simple carb-cycle meal plan that was laid out for me by my coach, Dan Kelsey. I would kept protein consistent on all days, M-Su (approximately 300-340g). On training days (M/W/F), I would keep carbs moderate to high (250g) and fats trace; on non-training days (Tu/Th/Sa/Su),
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As a child, I used to play this game at the pool where I would hold my breath under water as long as I possibly could. I would make one of my parents stand by (I’m sure agonizingly) and count off the seconds, shooting for 20, then 30, then 40, then 50 seconds, then a
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Do everything you can to put the body into a caloric deficit, while simultaneously doing everything possible to keep the metabolism high. If you achieve this, you’ll achieve your health and fitness goals.

You may have heard that muscle mass burns a lot of calories, and this is true. Muscle is what we call metabolically active. A lot of muscle on a body is like a big engine in a car– it burns a lot of gas, or food. Fat, on the other hand, is metabolically passive. It’s like a real efficient 4-cylinder– great gas mileage. So what happens when you put the body into a caloric deficit for an extended period of time?

There’s a very fancy buzz word that you hear all of the time nowadays– metabolism. Everybody talks about how important it is to have a high metabolism, but nobody seems to really know exactly what the metabolism is.

Most of the information that has been written on “nutrient timing” has to do with pre and post workout nutrition. The reasoning behind this stems from serious gym-goers and bodybuilders that are most concerned with optimizing performance and nutrient intake. The same would hold true, of course, for more serious athletes—pro football players, Olympians, etc. Nutrition timing is also extremely important for anyone trying to lose weight or get in shape.