Focusing Calories with HST

Mindwraith

New Member
I've been thinking of ways I could possibly improve the ratio of muscle to fat increases during bulking periods. I thought about the fact that if protein synthesis lasts 36 hrs after working the muscle then perhaps focusing all the calories into that 36 hr period might be the key.

For instance, my mantainence calories are 2800. So I was thinking If I were to eat 3100 or so on HST days and 2400 on aerobic days things might work well. Then I realized hey, if there's a 36 hr period of growth then why not do just that, except concentrate the calories to that time period.

So say its an HST day, I work out from 16:30 to 17:30. If on that day prior to that time I only ate around 1100 cals, then after that time I ate 2000 cals for the remainder of the day. Then the next day I ate 2000 cals at the beginning of the day up until aerobics at 16:30, then only ate 400 calories for the remainder, I will have only taken in 2400 but offset the calories and compressed the load into that 24 hour time period. Since I sleep the remainder of that time I suppose that would end up taking up the remaining 12 hrs when I get up at 6 the next morning. Then I'd repeat.

Would that have any better effect? Just one of those obsessive compulsive brainstorms all of us bodybuilders have trying to strive for better results.
 
Not a bad idea at all. I think many of use have thought about that same thing.

I would suggest that you don't eat carbs for 6 hours before your cardio. Other than that I don't see why your idea wouldn't be a good idea. I don't know if I would expect miracles, but eating more when you need more is logical. Just focus mainly on protein when protein synthesis is highest, and carbs right after having burnt the most carbs.
 
Or you could split your HST routine in half (2day split) and train 6 days a week. Hey presto, youre almost permanently within this 36hr post-workout window.

The main reason I put up with the hassle of going to the gym and training 6 days a week is for the nutrient partitioning benefits (the other benefits being that I can cope with slightly more volume and that Im a lot fresher for what would have been the second half of the workout had I worked my whole body in one go)
 
Heheh, solution for those of us w/o a 7 - 4 work day and a need for an obscene amount of sleep. Otherwise I'd definately be trying that given everything was convenient. I'd have to live pretty close to the gym.
 
Mindwraith, Please let us know how it works!

I'm very curious!


I also can't/don't want to workout 6 days a week.





JWJ
 
I'll be trying it all next week, I started trying it yesterday, just hoping I can stick to it for the most part. I already grew my thighs a quarter inch this first week of my 10th cycle. Or is it the 11th? dang I've lost count.
 
Your question about Focusing Calories with HST Is really interesting. Bryan's advice seemed good also—avoiding carbs before a cardio workout would avoid the "blunting effect" that carbs have on fat burning.

That question and your earlier one Total Weekly Calories vs Daily Is there some biological clock involved? made me think you and others might be interested (more generally) in this information on Caloric Staggering.

Essentially the idea is that, while eating fewer calories overall on a weekly basis, you can decrease the metabolic slowdown that your body might ordinarily experience, by eating fewer calories, say, on Day 1 and 2, and eating more calories on Day 3. According to this article, there is a delay in when your body responds to fewer calories. It seemed as if your Total Weekly Calories vs Daily question was touching on just this point.

I haven't seen this concept of "caloric staggering" mentioned elsewhere so I'm not sure how much validity, if any, it has. I'd be curious if anyone had any information or experience in how well, if at all, it worked (or why it wouldn't work).
 
Mindwraith: I’ve actually experimented with such a “diet”. But it was hard to say if the fat/LBM ratio was really different than the previous cycles. I might try it again during the summer.

(Generally speaking, I always eat more during the 36 hours post workout, and less afterwards...And I'm pretty satisfied with my fat/LBM ratio)

M.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Pauly @ April 15 2004,5:55)]Or you could split your HST routine in half (2day split) and train 6 days a week. Hey presto, youre almost permanently within this 36hr post-workout window.
The main reason I put up with the hassle of going to the gym and training 6 days a week is for the nutrient partitioning benefits (the other benefits being that I can cope with slightly more volume and that Im a lot fresher for what would have been the second half of the workout had I worked my whole body in one go)
Is there any evidence that supports a 6 day routine over a 3 day routine for better nutrient utilization? It seems to make the most sense considering all we know about hypertrophy.
 
It is more easily done then you might think, the 12 hours just need to be coordinated with the time you get up in the morning - i.e. the end of the 12 hours (48 between workouts -36 for increased protein synthesis) being upon wakeup :)
 
I've experimented with it this cycle, and thus far it really hasn't shown to be any different as far as fat gain vs muscle gain. So much for that idea heheh. I will try the experiment again soon but I need to get rid of the belly I just formed.
 
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