Patterns | powerbuilding

Eating Patterns

MEAL TIMING

Meal timing is where you have multiple (5-8) small meals a day and you have the at timed intervals. The reason behind this is to provide your body with a steady stream of energy and protein to help build and repair muscle steadily while keeping you full throughout the day. People also say it speeds up your metabolism but I have found this to be a load of bollocks. It works for bulking, not so good for weight loss because in my experience you reach weight loss plateaus very quickly.

INTERMITTENT FASTING

This is what I'm doing as of month 2 on my latest cut. The premise is that you don't eat for 16-24 hours and you consume all your calories for the day within a 0-8 hour window. The best way to incorporate this is making your workouts early morning when testosterone is at it's highest and break your fast as a post workout. This let's your body have more time to burn fat instead of the energy from food and it also releases more growth hormone which burns fat and preserves and build muscle. I did a lean bulk once, this worked VERY well.

ALTERNATE DAY FASTING

I also do this on my current cut. The day before my cheat day I eat my regular diet with absolute minimal carbs and fats. If you realize that calories consumed isn't limited strictly to one day but more of a short/long term average then you can see how under eating one day can allow you to almost gorge on foods the next day with little to no side effects. Consume under 1000 calories and make it all protein and the next day, carb up like a motherfucker. I would say only do this once a week though.

CHEAT DAYS/MEALS

We all have stress and pressure that builds up if no release is utilized. That's what a cheat day/meal is. On a diet whether it is a clean bulk or a weight loss diet program you're probably going to get bored or sick of the food you're eating. Cheat days/meals are a pressure release valve that let you get any food cravings out of your system. This will help you maintain your diet the other 6 days of the week. According to "getleanin12" on youtube which is run by Shawn Hanson, having a cheat day will help you loose more weight. The theory is that when you diet for 5-7 days your fat burning hormones get suppressed so having a day where you not necessarily eat tonnes of bad food but simply load up on food will reset those hormones and keep you a fat burner those other 6 days. My suggestion: Cheat meals over cheat days unless you have a ridiculously high metabolism and do a bulking routine that day to make the most of the extra energy. For me my chest is a lagging body part so every sunday which is my cheat day is chest day. Overweight people probably shouldn't have problem with weight loss plateaus so no cheat days for you! What i do is a clean carb up before my workout then have my post workout after then I have my cheat meal. I don't have a cheat day but my cheat meal is HUGE. Listen to your body find out what does and doesn't work. Personally I can grow my chest on a cheat day and loose weight the other 6 days. You might be different.

CARB CYCING

Carb cycling is ONLY for the already very lean. 8-10% bodyfat on guys.
The idea is simple. If you already have a 4 pack and you have just that tiny tiny lower belly fat left, have either this:
7 Day Cycle:

1 no carb day, 2 low carb days, 1 high carb day,
3 low carb days, 1 high carb day
8 Day Cycle:
3 low carb days, 1 high carb day, 3 low carb days, 1 high carb day

Ratios for both:

No carb days:
45% protein, Under 10g carbs, 45% fats
Low carb says:
45% protein, 10% carbs, 45% fat
High carb days:
30% protein, 50% carbs, 20% fats (800-1000 more calories too)

This over a max of 2 months will let you drop from 8-10% down to 4-6%