Carb Cycling for Muscle Mass
By Darren Bain
© Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved
Page 1
Achieving significant hypertrophy (muscle mass) gains and fat loss at the same time can be
tricky business. As you now know carbs can essentially make us fat if not consumed in the
correct amounts and at the 'right' times, but on the flip side are essential for gaining muscle.
Insulin is a very important hormone for muscle - it is very anabolic. It is responsible for
transporting amino acids and the amount of glucose to the muscle cells, the more of these 2
key components you get to your muscles the more you will grow. Insulin ensures an anabolic
not catabolic (muscle breakdown) state.
Your head is probably spinning; I can hear you thinking you’re telling me in the Introductory
Metabolic Switch Nutrition Plan to consume no carbs now you're telling me to consume
carbs?
Let me be clear the most important thing to drop is body fat, the leaner you are (of course
'healthy' lean) the healthier you will be. I can guarantee you this a male at 20% will not have
the same estrogen type problems at 10%. So if you are carrying too much fat your first
priority is to drop the fat and the best way to do this generally is low carb as per the
Introductory Metabolic Switch Plan. Once you drop the fat then you can look to a more
hypertrophy focused plan such as this, remember the leaner you are the more carbs you can
consume.
For individuals wanting to pack on the muscle you need carbs. This is where it gets tricky and
a well structured carb cycling routine is necessary to achieve a lean but muscular physique.
There's one thing that all physique enhancement specialists agree upon the more body fat you
have the fewer carbs you should consume. This goes both for the quantity and frequency of
the carb intake. The leaner you are the more carbs you can have on a day-to-day basis and the
more frequent carb-ups you should use. If you're carrying high amounts of body fat you will
need to stay away from carbs as much as possible and following the metabolic switch plan and
‘cheat’ meal(s) guideline will produce a better result for your health and body composition.
Once you get lean you can then move over to the Carb Cycling Plan.
The structure of this plan will help you gain maximum muscle mass without gaining too much
fat at the same time.
There is many different ways and reasons to structure the inclusion of carbs for optimal
results, one thing all the experts agree on is that getting the carb balance right is the key to
long term success. Dr Lonnie Lowery an expert in physique enhancement and nutrition states
that “incorporating carbs will help physiologically, psychologically and with thyroid
maintenance, leptin maintenance, anti-catabolism, glycogen replenishment and performance
boosts”.
Summing Up
To ensure maximum muscle mass is achieved you need carbs and a fair amount. On the other
hand if you are carrying too much body fat eating them at the wrong times in excessive
amounts will increase body fat.
What do you do then?
Introducing the carb cycling method
This method involves not consuming many carbs and fats together , consume carbs when your
body is most insulin sensitive, which is post weights sessions and first thing in the morning.
© Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved
Page 2
It's quite simple; you essentially have 3 meals with carbs and 3 without. Christian
Thibaudeau recommends carb cycling in a format of a high carbs, moderate carbs and low
carb days. These days are split relative to you training schedule.
We are going to use this high, moderate, low carb format but with my modifications and daily
allowances and recommendations.
The weights sessions with the highest volume and demand warrant the high carb days, you
are allowed 2 high carb days per week; these will be referred to as your “priority sessions”.
Two -Three other training days will be “moderate carb” days and non training days will be
“low carb” days.
Carbs from your veggies don't count towards the daily allowance, except for the starchy ones
like potato.
Exceptions
If you are not gaining muscle at the rate at which you desire add an extra high carb day, if you
are gaining fat cut out the high days or reduce the amount of carbs on the high carb days.
If you are female I recommend not completing the high carb day and use the medium day as
your high day.
The tables below are for trainees who train in the afternoon after work, the tables can be
easily adjusted to suit the time of day you train.
High Carb Day
You want to be having your carb intake for the first part of the day as your insulin sensitivity
is higher in the first part of the day as opposed to later in the day. This will maximize muscle
glycogen storage and minimise fat storage by having your carb intake early rather than later
in the day - This means carbs for breakfast including fibre.
Why Fiber?
Fiber blunts post-meal insulin and glucose levels, slower and lower production of insulin by
the pancreas, provides a sensation of fullness, decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) & will help
eliminate Xenoestrogens. Aim for 30grams of fiber per day in divided doses…Word of
warning; implement slowly.
Carb Intake Summary:
Consume More Carbs...
• Upon awakening
• Immediate Post Workout
• 60-90 Minute Post-workout
Because carbs and fat both provide energy, it's important to manage the amounts of each that
you consume. Remember fat intake should be low in these meals to avoid providing your body
with too much available energy at one time, which would cause some energy to be stored as
body fat.
This means as carb intake goes up, fat intake should come down, and vice versa.
© Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved
Page 3
To work out your protein requirements is quite simple: Shoot for 2g of protein per kg of
bodyweight.
High Carb Day Template
Meal
Protein
Carbohydrates
Added Healthy Fat
1
20-50g
100g
<5g
2
20-50g
100g
<5g
3
20-50g
0g
<5g
4 Immediately Post
Workout
20-50g
70g
<5g
5 (60-90 minute
Post Workout)
20-50g
100g
0g
6
20-50g
0g
<5g
REMEMBER DON'T SKIP YOUR POST WORKOUT DRINK!
Getting quality protein and carbohydrates into your system immediately post workout is
crucial, within 30 minutes is recommended. This is referred to as the “window of
opportunity”. The ability to replenish glycogen stores decreases by 50% if you wait two hours
after training to refuel the body.
Medium Day
The focus remains on your medium day to ensure your carbs are consumed at the right times
in the allocated amounts, just in a reduced amount:
 Breakfast
 Immediate post workout
 60-90 mins post workout
Fat intake is increased a little on this day to accommodate the meals where carbs are low.
© Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved
Page 4
Sample Medium Day
Meal
Protein
Carbohydrate
Added Healthy Fat
1
20-50g
40g
<5g
2
20-50g
0g
5g
3
20-50g
0g
15g
Immediate Post
Workout
20-50g
50g
0-5g
60-90mins Post
Workout
20-50g
50g
0g
6
20-50g
0g
5-10g
Low Day
Fat intake is higher on this day, due to carbohydrate allowance being low.
Low day is to be for non training days.
Sample Low Day
Meal
Protein
Carbohydrates
Added Healthy Fat
1
20-50g
35g
<5g
2
20-50g
0g
<5g
3
20-50g
0g
10g
4
20-50g
0g
10g
5
20-50g
0g
5-10g
Carbohydrate Guidelines:
Carbs from your salads and vegetables do not go towards your high/medium/low carb day
allowance: you can have as much salad and vegetables as you require, excluding starchy vegies
like potato.
High fructose fruits are more suited to breakfast when liver glycogen is lowest rather than post
workout - remember fructose is processed through the liver rather than the muscles having
priority. Post workout we want our muscles to soak up the glucose. This means non fructose
carbs are superior for post work out.
© Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved
Page 5
Muscle Mass Carb Cycling Plan
Breakfast
Supplements:
2 x fish oil, 2 x
zinc?, 4 x
testolibre.
Snack
Supplements:
5g creatine
Monday:
High Carb
Day
Tuesday:
Medium
Carb Day
Wednesda
y: High
Carb Day
Thursday:
Friday:
Low Carb
Day
High
Carb Day
2 Poached
Eggs, 2 slices
sol pumpkin
rice bread, 1
cup spinach
leaves 2 cup
cooked oats
Protein
Smoothie = 1
cup
strawberries,
1 teaspoon
flaxseeds, 2
scoops WPI. 1
slice sol
rice/pumpkin
bread
6 egg omelette
with capsicum
& spinach + 2
slices rice&
pumpkin toast
Coconut milk
with
raspberries &
macadamia
nuts, 10g LSA
2 Poached
Eggs, 2
slices sol
pumpkin
rice bread, 1
cup spinach
leaves 2 cup
cooked oats
Protein
Smoothie =
1 cup
strawberrie
s, 1
teaspoon
flaxseeds, 2
scoops WPI.
1 slice sol
rice/pumpki
n bread
Coconut milk
with
raspberries &
macadamia
nuts
Protein Shake
on 2 cups rice
milk, 10g
pshyllium
husk1 x
nectarine
½ cup
almonds, 1 x
peach.
Protein Shake
on 2 cups rice
milk, 10g
pshyllium
husk,1 x
nectarine
Protein
Shake on 2
cups rice
milk,10g
Pshyllium
Husk, 1 x
nectarine
½ cup
almonds, 1 x
peach.
Protein shake
on
water,n10g
LSA, ½ cup
walnuts
100g turkey
150g meat
Protein shake
on water, ½
cup walnuts
1 cup
cucumber
Lunch
Saturday
:
Medium
Carb Day
100g turkey
Sunday:
Low Carb
Day
150g meat
1 cup
cucumber
200g chicken
breast, green
salad, ½
avocado
Left over’s
(no rice) +1/2
avocado
1 cup quinoa, 1
cup sweet
potato,
vegetables,
200g meat.
Unlimited
greens, ½
avo, 1tbl
spoon olive
oil, 300g
meat
200g
chicken
breast,
green salad,
½ avocado
Left over’s
(no rice)
+1/2
avocado
Unlimited
greens, ½
avo, 1tbl
spoon olive
oil, 300g
meat
Pre/Post
workout
Protocol
Handful
walnuts,
1xpunnet
blueberries +
pre &post
workout
protocol.
Pre/post
workout
protocol.
Pre post
workout
protocol
I cup sliced
cucumber
200g meat
Handful
walnuts,
1xpunnet
blueberries
+ pre &post
workout
protocol.
Pre/post
workout
protocol.
I cup sliced
cucumber
200g meat
Dinner
1 cup brown
rice, unlimited
steamed non
starch veg,
300g grass fed
steak
Unlimited
greens, 1tbl
sp olive oil
300g meat.
1 cup brown
rice, unlimited
green salad.
200g salmon
Unlimited
steamed veg
with 1tsp
organic
butter 300g
meat
1 cup brown
rice,
unlimited
steamed
non starch
veg, 300g
grass fed
steak
Unlimited
greens,1tbl
sp olive oil
300g meat.
Unlimited
steamed veg
with 1tsp
organic
butter 300g
meat
Supplements:
5g creatine, 2
x fish oil
Pre workout supplements
Nitrovol x 2 scoops on 2 cups rice milk, 3 x javastim
capsules, 5 xBCAA’s capsules
During Workout Supplements
10 x BCAA capsules
Post Workout Supplements
Nitrovol x 4 scoops, 5x BCAA capsules
© Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved
Page 6
Recommended Supplements.
Creatine – 15g-20g 14days and then 5g per day for 8 Weeks
BCAA’S – 15 capsules throughout session.
Nitrovol
Javestim
Uber Zinc
Fish oil
Carb Cycling Summary:
Allows you to still be social. If you’ve got an event or gathering make that day a high-carb
day.
Once you become accustomed to the plan you can modify to suit; if you are not gaining
muscle at the rate at which you desire add an extra high carb day, if you are gaining fat cut out
the high days or reduce the amount of carbs on the high carb days. Pretty simple.
Carb cycling allows for variety, if you don’t feel like a certain meal feel free to substitute it for
another as long as you stick to the allocated substrate guidelines for that day and is based on
natural, unprocessed, whole food.
 Be mindful that your High-Carb is not a “whatever I feel Like, blow out day”. A packet of
chips is different to a baked potato.
 Training on an empty tank can be hard, that’s why your toughest training sessions should be
accompanied with a high day.
© Function Well Personalised Health & Fitness Training Systems. All Rights Reserved
Page 7