Just finished first week of CBL, how am I doing?

[cookieb]

I'm always commenting, but think it's time for a post before things get out of hand or I start spinning my wheels. I always have so many questions, and I am sure I complicate this more than I need to. Guess I need reassurance, so, here goes. Goals & stats at the bottom…Stopped doing CNS because I tried it twice for 6 weeks with no fat loss (in fact, I may have gained - was constantly bloated). This time around, the day after my first backload, I de-bloated! Amazing!I work out early AM, not ideal I know, but a must. 6am - 7:30. (I tried a late day workout per week when I was doing CNS once a week, and my training suffered - I lose drive as the day wears on, and training after having eaten is what I think the problem is). Plus, I don't have as good a day mood wise if I don't start it with lifting. I always start with a 10-20 minute light cardio with resistance warmup, because it helps at that hour. I was bummed about not getting any results after several attempts to tweak many different aspects of eating and training on CNS since May. So when I decided to switch to CBL, I also completely changed my training to allow for more intensity and am now lifting Mon-Fri, backloading Sunday through Thursday nights. So far, so awesome. I hit a bunch of PR's this week, and am seeing great definition in my back, shoulders, and arms. As usual, lower half is not catching up (that's pretty much where all my fat is) Ridiculously enough, I woke up this morning and feel like  I MUST sprint (I kicked off the running shoes after reading someone else's post about hiit, but second guessing the choice because I have been thinking about it since I got home from work last night. I know - I'm a freak). I was looking forward to hitting the track today - seriously.I am keeping my backloads to a 2 hour window, and basically eating whatever (one of my goals is to not micromanage - a huge stress-er for me). The biggest struggle here is that dinner doesn't happen till about 7:30, and I have to be in bed by 10-10:30 the absolute latest. Everything is Gluten Free - I am not a celiac, but gluten definitely affects me badly in a number of ways. I was also hardcore Paleo before this, so I struggle with having to eat so many products, as plants are not gonna cut it for carb sources. Some of the stuff I ate this week during the CBL portion of the nite: Homemade Country fried steak with GF all purpose flour, rice, super low fat cookies that I had custom made for me when I was CN, double choc. muffin, white potatoes (mashed & pan fried), f/f vanilla ice cream w/nerds (dextrose), Gluten free nutrigrain bar (jelly filled), Domino's GF Pizza (amazing after not eating pizza for a year), homemade battered chicken fingers, chocolate rice cake (garbage) and GF Snickerdoodles.Other stuff I eat/buy for carbs: Plantains, sweet potatoes, Talenti Gelato, baked potato chips & salsa. I've made bunches of GF baked goods, including apple pie and banana bread/muffins. This week I had bought Jello, but read the ingredients after I got home and tossed it. No GMO cornstarch for me thanks. Planning a trip to whole foods today for dextrose and non-gmo jello, but from the list above looks like I need more ideas.I train completely fasted. I previously was not able to leave the house without slamming a coffee with HWC, but have successfully been able to save it for after the workout this week. I can't drink it black. When I get to work, I take about a tbsp of coconut oil, and have 2 cups of coffee with HWC till lunch. Lunch this week (for convenience) was a chicken breast with about a tbsp or more of KerryGold butter on it, super tiny amount of spinach cooked in bacon, and I love mayo and hot sauce, so that went on the chicken too. I only snacked one day before leaving work, and it was mac nuts, but typically don't need to (so I'm guessing I need more food!)Today I feel really good. I am still itching to get out of the house and go be super active, but common sense tells me I should take advantage of rest (especially as I adjust to all the changes this week, and specifically because I suck at sleeping).Supps: Right now I take:Just started 1MR pre-workout (used in the past and loved, replaced my first cup of coffee- given the PR's this week, I love it all over again after a 3 month break from pre-workout stuff)an awesome multi, fish oil, and vitamin D with lunch. 5HTP and complex b's with dinner On Thursdays, I train arms. No compound moves this day, but I do 3 exercises to failure. The other 4 days are brutal (but I like it that way!)I would guess that this weeks CBL nights consisted of about 120-160 g's of carbs, and at least 3 nights I was stuffed STUPID.Stats:32 Year old Female5'4140LBSSquat: 170 x5Deadlift: 215 x3Bench: 120 x1Military Press: 70 x 1Chin-ups: 3 (have a reoccurring shoulder injury so taking a break from practicing wide grip pullups)Barbell hip Thrust: 320 2x4Low row -150 x 3Lat pulldown - 130 x 2Goals:Lean out enough for bottom half to match the top half. I don't want to gain anymore muscle. So far, I am not a hard gainer, and a little encouragement is all it takes. Although my legs are super muscular, the definition is not showing. Top half is pretty much where I want it, with the exception of a little pocket of fat around my belly button.Strength increase always a welcomed thing.Have lost 120 lbs low carb dieting (over 6 or so years), and used to be a cardio and machine junkie. Have been lifting real weights since January, and have made some decent progress without a trainer/coach.Huge concern: What is the absolute lowest number of carbs I should take in? It's a fine line with meAdvice? Changes I should consider? Additions?Help is appreciated!

[Richard Schmitt]

Sorry to hear about the bad rep running CNS. However I am really glad you're making great gains with CBL! Keep it up! Also really glad you didn't give up on this program altogether! Changes I wouldn't make anything because if you're progress why change something that isn't broken. I would try and stick to more fatty cuts of beef for the ULC meals with bacon and/or eggs. Save the chicken during the backloads or lean meats for the backloads. The 1MR is amazing, I've used it before too, just be careful because I believe it has Ace-K in it which halts fat burning but since training is done fasted and I believe it such a small amount it wouldn't matter that much. The ULC meals play a pretty big role when trying to lose or define the more difficult parts of the body. Once that is in order, and once the backloads are in order, everything should start smooth sailing. Good luck and keep up the great work!

[cookieb]

Hey Tex,Thank you. I've been hanging out on the DH page on facebook, and kinda catching a bad rap for not taking protein post workout, but I don't feel I need it. Wanted to make sure it's not hurting my efforts. I switched to CBL on a whim (made the choice 2 nites before it would have been my carb nite, so wasn't fully prepared)...YUM bacon and eggs omelets for ULC is where I wanna be.What do you think about the HIIT? Do you think it would be too much to add a sprint day on top of 5 day's of lifting? (still in my workout clothes itching to go)  ;D

[Richard Schmitt]

One time sprinting a week wouldn't bra bad idea. I would stick to the Kiefer split if you wanted. I do it twice a week on CNS.

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