CBL – deficit/maintenance/surplus?

[Garreth Bucknall]

Hey everyone,

I’m currently doing the CNS and eating in a deficit in the week and having my big carb day once a week with a large surplus.
It’s been going well, but im struggling to get below 14% body fat and I’m considering trying CBL.

Question is… for continued fat loss, should I stay in a deficit or go with maintenance or even a surplus of calorioes some days?

I know Keifer says calories don’t matter so much, but I seem to do a lot better when i keep an eye on them.

Any advice/experiences would be appreciated

[JDM]

I was having the same issue getting below 14% so I know the frustration.

What worked for me is upping my protein intake from leaner meats. i.e Chicken, having smaller backloads and increased HIIT to 2-3 times a week.

I think what truly did it for me was the leaner meats and increasing protein to roughly 1.5g/ lb.. My thought is lowering the fat intake my have lowered my overall calorie intake.

Been doing CBL for 2 years and have not seen better results or gym performance.

[Garreth]

Thanks for the tips!

I’ve actually started doing something similar with the lean meats and easing protein/lowering fats, I’m still probably having the around same calories, just played with ratios. It’s early days to say how it’s working though.

I’m just weight training at the moment at around 6pm 4/5 days a week. I was thinking about incorporating s hiit session, but yet to implement anything.

When so you do your hiit sessions? Do you do them before/after weights or split sessions? What’s your average weeks training. Could you also give me an average days nutrition for your training/non training days including types of carbs and amounts used for backloaded?

Sorry for all the questions, but with you being in s similar boat to what I am, it’s good to have some first hand info to teesk my regime!

Much appreciated! 🙂

[JDM]

Typical training day meal/ supplement:
7:30 AM: T3, Fish Oil, Multi vitamin, B12, Vit D, drink as much water as possible.
8:00 AM: Black Coffee
9:00 AM: 3 Eggs, 2 slice bacon (some times skip, depends if I feel hunger)
11:00 AM: Chicken Breast, as much spinach/ asparagus I can eat, full fat ranch, sugar free ketchup, chipotle Tabasco. (Condiments used sparingly), drinking water
1:00 PM: Repeat Lunch, water
3:30 PM: Repeat Lunch, water (I get hungry through the day, so I bring 2lbs of chicken everyday and eat periodically through day ~200g protein)
6:00PM: Training, drinking as much water after finished

Typical Backload around 8 PM: Lots of Chicken, Jasmine white rice/ instant mashed potatoes/ low fat ice cream/ pancakes/ cereal. (Been seeing better results when keeping sugars lower)
Backloading in small meals periodically throughout rest of night. I try to get all my fiber in PREWORKOUT, so there is little fiber in my dinner or backload. Drinking water through out.

Some of the things that I tell myself must do everyday: Over gallon water, Hit 250g of protein with real food. Again trying to increase my protein to 1.5g/ lb body weight.

Training: Was previously doing 5/3/1. Recently switched to more Shockwave type workouts and increased volume. Focused on resistance training with ELECT reps. I still use my percentages from 5/3/1 and work in strength set every other workout.

HIIT: Do whenever you can. I had great progress with doing a session for preworkout or warmup. Ill run the prowler and exhaust myself. Hangout for 30-60 minutes to recoup and then go lift.
Weekend: Go to the track first thing in the AM. Run 200M x 6 or 100M x 6 sprints. Takes 30 Mins. But great benefits.

Play tennis 1-3 times a week. At work will eat lunch at desk then go for 30-45 min walk. Be active.

[Garreth Bucknall]

Thanks for the response! I think I’m going to look at adding a hit session somewhere in the week and see how that works. So you don’t have a shake after workouts and go with just whole foods were possible? Have you now managed to get your body fat much lower with this regime? And what are your body stats and rough calories? Sorry for the million questions, just trying to get a good comparison for myself haha.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Garreth Bucknall.

[JDM]

I am not reliant on a post workout shake. Again, just real foods and eating high protein from leaner sources.
I did purchase carb shock, but don’t use it routinely. Do see benefits when using, and will likely use it again come pool season.
Forgot to mention that I supplement creatine nightly after dinner.

Not currently counting calories in the colds seasons. Only counting I do is measuring protein being sure to get 250g from real food.
Other than that I’m not slamming big backloads nightly like previous, and keeping my backloads low fat. Back loads are likely 100g – 200g carbs.

Very rough daily estimate: 250g P / 50g F / 100 G C

Body Measurements:
Male / 28 / 205-210 lbs / 11% BF

[JDM]

Just calculated those macros, and those are incorrect. Was a guess using the eyeballs.
Getting more calories than that. But again, not tracking.

[Garreth Bucknall]

Thanks,gives me something ringing about! I’m guessing you feel you get better results from Whole foods? I’ve always had a shake, but may try your method and see how I get on, thanks again. I’m actually still doing carb nite solution with one massive night but I’m going to see how I get on with smaller daily backloads soon

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Garreth Bucknall.

[JDM]

I feel that I do better with my macros being overly high on protein and moderate carbs for CARBBACKLOADING.

I do not want to confuse you and suggest leaner meats for carb nite as I am not following that protocol.
Carb nite also does not work overly well with excessive weight training and HIIT. Carb nite is more focused towards less active people trying to lose body fat.

If you are weight training 4-5 times a week, you may want to reassess your eating.

What are your body stats?

[Garreth Bucknall]

Hi there, my body stats are male 5ft9, 172lbs, 13-14% body fat. I’m pretty much stuck at this level, so want to start backloading after each session to see if it can kick start me again. I currently just take carb shock creatine and protein then have a low carb meal after each session. I’ve been having one massive carb night each week (up to about 700g) thinking of doing more like 150g after each session when I start backloading.

[Garreth Bucknall]

Did my last carb nite Sunday, going to do the 10 days 30g carbs and start backloading from next Wednesday. My plan at the moment is to keep my calories around the same and change macros upping carbs to 150g after training atvthe expense of fat calories. See how my body reacts and then considering upping calories slightly. Didn’t think it was the best idea to up calories and carbs at once, try one step at a time perhaps?

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Garreth Bucknall.

[JDM]

If you have been doing carb night, I wouldn’t think you would need to do the 10 day reorientation phase again.

If you are still weight training I would just try carb backloading on training days and see how it goes.

Remember when reintroducing carbs you may retain water so give it some time before you get discouraged.

[Garreth Bucknall]

I was thinking I’d see how I went over a few weeks before getting disheartened. I’m guessing ill probably gain the first week, but get a better idea how I’m actually getting on by the following couple of weeks once things level out. I tend to put on about 5lb after each large carb nite so was expecting to put something similar on over a week of smaller carb meals, not sure what will happen after that, Interested to see how things work out

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