Nearing the end of HST 1, some interesting stuff.

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imported_etothepii

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Well, I began my first HST cycle about 8 weeks ago. My last workout is tonight. I went from a fat loss plan to, of course, muscle gain. During the 15's, I steadily increased my caloric intake. I just wasn't sure how much to eat, and after dieting for so long, I didn't want to jump right to 3000 calories and pack on fat faster than muscle. Into the 10's, I hadn't made any gains. Then, I boosted calories up to the 2700 to 2900 range, and almost over night (it seems anyway) pounds and measurements started to go up!

Now in the negatives, I'm thinking of my up coming vacation, and the inevitible days spent pool side, and I wanted to look OK. So I spent the past week or so zig-zagging my diet. That is, hyper-caloric for the 24 hours surrounding my lifting workout, and hypo-caloric for the 24 hours surrounding my cardio (HIIT) workout.

What has happened over this week is that I have lost about 3 - 4 pounds, and my biceps, for example are retaining the .5 inch in growth! Mean while, my abs have popped out like I haven't seen since before I stated eating the 2700 calories.

Very Pleased!
 
etothepii,

Congratulations on the gains and on maintaining muscle during fat loss. Sounds like you're well on your way to your appearance goal.

What days are you lifting and cardio? What kind of cardio?

How many calories on your hyper and hypo days? Are you limiting carbs on hypo days?

Keep up the good progress.
 
I lift sat, mon, wed, do HIIT cardio on sun, tues, thurs.

I've been going +/- 400 calories on the zig-zag diet. I haven't done anything in terms of macro-nutrient. I just make sure my fat and protein intake are both between 25 and 30%.

I think much of my sucess is due to the fact that I am a beginner. My wight gain was 6 lbs before I lost the 3-4. I'm going to do another weighing because 3-4 pounds seems like too much. Some of it had to be water. Still, if I put on more muscle than fat, then cut more fat than muscle, I'll be very pleased.
 
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(etothepii @ May 24 2006,12:23)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I think much of my sucess is due to the fact that I am a beginner. My wight gain was 6 lbs before I lost the 3-4. I'm going to do another weighing because 3-4 pounds seems like too much. Some of it had to be water. Still, if I put on more muscle than fat, then cut more fat than muscle, I'll be very pleased.</div>
Likely, some the loss is water, but not all of it. Also you are seeing your abs come out. That's really what I look for personally. If your abs are getting more defined and your maintaining your muscularity, then you're on the right track. Your appearance will improve in that case, and BF% is probably going down some.

BTW, funny signature.
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(etothepii @ May 24 2006,10:05)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Into the 10's, I hadn't made any gains. Then, I boosted calories up to the 2700 to 2900 range, and almost over night (it seems anyway) pounds and measurements started to go up!</div>
I had a similar experience. No gains even in the start of the 5's. I thought caloric intake was OK. Then I saw many posts indicating, no weight gain (fat or muscle) means not enough calories. So, I began to really eat big (the house) &amp; almost overnight the weight &amp; new size came on.

As I see it, the body needs to be careful about growth. Sure the stimulus is there to grow, however, if not enough food/calories, it would be making a mistake in growing larger, which of course now requires more food to maintain.
Having experienced this for myself, I think in future cycles, I will really kick up the calories &amp; food intake in either the mid 10's or start of the 5's .

Just my .02 cents
 
More...
Based on this, I think that a rather fast bulking (eating the house) at times it is needed most, is better than a slow bulking, which might be providing too many calories (thus fat) at times when is not needed. Also, a slow bulking may have the body &quot;adapting&quot; (like plateauing) and becoming accustomed to the continuous caloric availability. Perhaps, caloric intake should be cycled in much the same way as HST, to prevent an eventual adaptation &amp; desensitivity to it.

Well this must be at least .03 cents now.
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I didn't gain a single pound during the entire cycle...I mean...I did go up and down, but in the end, I'm pretty much right where I was when I started.

But I'm very noticiably bigger. Go figure.

I did conclude that I'm not eating enough (thanks to fitday) so hopefully, I'll have even more gains during my 2nd cycle as I build up a diet regime.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">But I'm very noticiably bigger. Go figure.</div>

Yep, I did, its called metamorphosis, body fat - muscle ratio changes big time, and hell...it is a welcome change.

I have been quite through the same, but I think I will now start doing like Omega (eating the house) I think I'll leave the foundations intact though
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Results for my first HST cycle (also posted in the results thread):

Before:
Biceps L 13, R 13
Chest 38 1/4
Waste 32 1/2
Thigh L 21 1/4, R 21 1/4
Calf L14 3/4, R 14 7/8
Shoulders 43

After:
Biceps L 13 1/2, R 13 1/2 + 1/2 inch each!!
Chest 39 + 3/4 inch!!
Waste 32 1/2 No Change!!
Thigh L 22, R 22 +3/4 inch each!!
Calf L 14 7/8, R 14 7/8 + 1/8 on one.
Shoulders 43 No change*

* Wife says she thinks she may have measured wrong the first time, as I appear broader to her.

This is outstanding. I transitioned from a cutting diet to a bulking diet throughout the 15's and part of the 10's. Then, in the last week or so, I went to a semi-cutting, or zig-zag diet to prep for vacation. So, I only really bulked for about 5 weeks or so. My weight went from 148, up to 154, then back to 151.
 
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