So to set the scene I came in at 16% body fat on the bio-signature when I went for my assessment at UP Personal Training in Mayfair last September.  I told Jonny, my trainer that I wanted to maintain my muscle mass and get down below 10% within 12 weeks.

 

First 2 weeks: insulin sensitivity

 

His advice was to do a 2-week period to improve my sensitivity to insulin by taking away starches and sugars and only eating green vegetables for my carbohydrate intake.  I was allowed up to 300 grams protein per day to meet my energy requirements and on training days I could have a 50g whey protein shake!!  To be honest I found it pretty hard to get 300 grams of protein down me each day.  I felt hungry probably because I didn’t hit my daily protein requirements and was really missing sugar during the first few days!!!

 

Weeks 3-4: Carbohydrate in shake and meal post workout!

I was worried I had lost muscle because I had lost some weight but Jonny said as long as your protein is high and you’ve been training you’re okay. What it will be is water and muscle glycogen, nothing else.

 

So because I had probably lost some body fat too, I could now add in carbs in the shake after training (40 grams) and in the meal after, another 40 grams. In the shake, you have to go for a fast release carb like dextrose, and gluten free slow release carbs in the meal after, like sweet potato or whole grain rice.

 

Weeks 5-6: Have a cheat day accept breakfast

 

So at the half way point I’m feeling like I’m not able to increase the weights on my strength exercises.  I feel weak.  So, we agree that I take a day where I have gluten free carbs at every meal except breakfast. Also, I  dropped the training volume by 50%. So I did all the exercises at the heaviest weights I could, but did 50% of the sets.

 

Weeks 7-8: 2 meals post workout I’m allowed Carbs!

 

Ok, so now I add in some sweet potato or rice in another meal post training, approx 50 grams of carbs.

 

At this point I got re-tested and here is the results:

 

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Weeks 9+: slowly re-introduce more carbohydrates

 

Now I ramp it up to 140g carbs and 70g protein TOTAL in two separate shakes post workout (70g CHO / 35g protein in each shake).  Plus around 80g CHO per meal after that.  I also have Carbs (starches/sugars)  in the evenings on non training days.

  

And now?

 

It’s July 2013 and I recently measured myself with bio-electrical impedance at 77 kg and 12.9% body fat. I’m going to post on my current work-outs which are focused on getting stronger.  I still ‘think’ about the strategies I used to get lean and as a principle I try and stick to the idea of having less starches/sugars on non-training days!!

 

Hope you found the information useful and let me know if you want any more information on the whole process!