Post workout carbs/CKD/Atkins/weight loss help

[Alexoc949]

Hello,
I have found sucess with keeping weight off using low carb diets. I have fallen off the wagon over the last year due to excessive drinking, not being strict with the diet and inconsistance in the gym. These are my new stats.

27 male
5'11
220lbs
bf%?

naturally stocky wide shoulders. use to have visible abs between weight of 185-200. I'm looking to get to a lean 190.

These are some questions I have, I searched through others posts and can't determine where I should start.

When on atkins, ckd or any other low carb diet... does having a post workout shake consisting of whey, amino powder and dextrose directly after the workout slow down the weight losing process? Dextrose being sugar carbs.

I would like to give the CKD workout a try but i'm thinking I should drop down to maybe 200-205 first. Does anyone have an opinion on that?

Any opinions are greatly appreciated. I will be sure to return to this thread often and keep it updated with my progress.

Thank you,
Alex

[IdahoSpud]

Hi Alex,

That was a thoughtful post, so I'll try to do the same :) I can't comment on CKD. I'm a shift worker, so these weekly programs simply won't fit into my life.

My experience has been that I've been unable to shed fat with a significant (80-100g/day) level of carbs in my diet. I'm talking about good complex carbs like oatmeal and brown rice, with dextrose and whey shakes PWO.

That seems to be all very good stuff for bulking up, but I've not been able to get the cut up look you are after while eating like that. Admittedly, I'm older than you, and my BMR is probably somewhat lower - But I also exercise pretty hard.

I'll share what I've started doing very recently though, and I'm very happy with the results so far: Atkins Induction for a week to get into ketosis, then back up to 40-60g/day carbs.

For breakfast, bacon or sausage and eggs. Small cheese, meat or cottage cheese meals all day. At dinner, a big salad with taco-seasoned meat, chicken, or tuna.

PWO, I've stayed away from dextrose entirely, and do only a 40g whey shake (Just the protein, thanks!) BTW, fast-digesting protein like whey or soy will give you a small insulin spike. The dextrose does it better, but if you're trying to cut, lose the sugar.

Lastly, before bed, have some cottage cheese. It's very slow-digesting protein (it gels in the gut) and will keep your amino levels higher all night, and decrease the likelihood of muscle loss while you're sleeping.

I'd also suggest a thermogenic ephedrine/caffiene/yohimbine regimen to crank up your metabolism. And cardio, of course!

I hope you find this helpful. Best wishes, Spud

[watcher16]

I have no answers to your questions, but I hope to learn from others on this issue, very interesting!

[dug]

most folks that I have talked to about post workout shakes tell me they use dextrose or malto dextrin with the whey so that the protien gets used more efficiently. It is my understanding that they return to ketosis before the day ends.

[Alexoc949]

Hi Alex,

That was a thoughtful post, so I'll try to do the same :) I can't comment on CKD. I'm a shift worker, so these weekly programs simply won't fit into my life.

My experience has been that I've been unable to shed fat with a significant (80-100g/day) level of carbs in my diet. I'm talking about good complex carbs like oatmeal and brown rice, with dextrose and whey shakes PWO.

That seems to be all very good stuff for bulking up, but I've not been able to get the cut up look you are after while eating like that. Admittedly, I'm older than you, and my BMR is probably somewhat lower - But I also exercise pretty hard.

I'll share what I've started doing very recently though, and I'm very happy with the results so far: Atkins Induction for a week to get into ketosis, then back up to 40-60g/day carbs.

For breakfast, bacon or sausage and eggs. Small cheese, meat or cottage cheese meals all day. At dinner, a big salad with taco-seasoned meat, chicken, or tuna.

PWO, I've stayed away from dextrose entirely, and do only a 40g whey shake (Just the protein, thanks!) BTW, fast-digesting protein like whey or soy will give you a small insulin spike. The dextrose does it better, but if you're trying to cut, lose the sugar.

Lastly, before bed, have some cottage cheese. It's very slow-digesting protein (it gels in the gut) and will keep your amino levels higher all night, and decrease the likelihood of muscle loss while you're sleeping.

I'd also suggest a thermogenic ephedrine/caffiene/yohimbine regimen to crank up your metabolism. And cardio, of course!

I hope you find this helpful. Best wishes, Spud

hey spud,

I think i like the idea of cycling carbs in some way. From what I read it makes sense to me as far as your metabolism is concerned.

when i was consistantly doing low carb the problem i had when i wasn't doing a post workout shake without sugar carbs is that my muscles felt and looked a little flat. I kind of want to see if there is a way around this.

first and foremost is to drop an intial 15lbs. My weight is 215 in the morning and close to 220 at night on eat whatever and kind of watch what you eat diet. I'm thinking i'll manipulate things around 200-205lbs.

I use to love ephedrine stacks. I recently tried getting back on it and have problems sleeping. I get heart palpatations {sp?} and keep waking up as i fall asleep. I'm gonna try and take some again in the future, maybe start off on a half of a half a dose or something. I have some sypherine, green tea, HCA stacks which some say are garbage but I like sypherine which is like bitter orange and who doesn't think green tea has benefits.

I suppose for now i'll go with no carbs after my workouts until I hear that i'll be able to handle them. I feel so much better after a post workout shake though, less sore more energy.

today shall be my first day back. Eggs and sausage for breakfast w/a protein shot.

[Alexoc949]

most folks that I have talked to about post workout shakes tell me they use dextrose or malto dextrin with the whey so that the protien gets used more efficiently. It is my understanding that they return to ketosis before the day ends.

i'm hoping i could do something like that. tough to get responses on this question as i've had it for quite sometime.

[kbfunTH]

To tell you the truth, IME, post workout shakes are mostly Bologna. During the 10 years of bodybuilding type training and eating, I noticed virtually know difference between taking, or not taking post workout shakes. I experimented with taking them during workouts, within 30 minutes after and even waiting for 1-2 hours later. I tried Arnold’s recipe and every other recipe I could find. Now, I just make sure to get something to eat within a couple of hours after a workout. During this period, I maintained around 7-8% body fat and went from 158 to around 175.

Reading all the articles in all the different muscle magazines over the years really did nothing but make things more confusing. Sometimes, two different articles in the same issue would have contradicting information. I just finally gave up on reading these and realized most of the junk was just used for filler space.

If you’re concerned with the timing of your post workout shakes, wait about an hour before drinking it. Elevated calorie burning is back to normal by now anyway and you’re supposedly still within the magic window for maximum muscle intake.

[Alexoc949]

To tell you the truth, IME, post workout shakes are mostly Bologna. During the 10 years of bodybuilding type training and eating, I noticed virtually know difference between taking, or not taking post workout shakes. I experimented with taking them during workouts, within 30 minutes after and even waiting for 1-2 hours later. I tried Arnold’s recipe and every other recipe I could find. Now, I just make sure to get something to eat within a couple of hours after a workout. During this period, I maintained around 7-8% body fat and went from 158 to around 175.

Reading all the articles in all the different muscle magazines over the years really did nothing but make things more confusing. Sometimes, two different articles in the same issue would have contradicting information. I just finally gave up on reading these and realized most of the junk was just used for filler space.

If you’re concerned with the timing of your post workout shakes, wait about an hour before drinking it. Elevated calorie burning is back to normal by now anyway and you’re supposedly still within the magic window for maximum muscle intake.

with post workout shakes i have felt much differently. Definitely less sore using whey protein, sugar carbs and glutamine. I guess people react differently to it.

with health and fitness magazines they always contradict themselves in articles. It all depends on the source. The best thing, or at least what i do is take the information give it a try and see what works best for me. That's ultimately what it boils down to.