workout schedule and zigzag diet

[jtsisyoda]

Lots of people seem to lift MWF and do cardio on other days. Tell me what you think of this variation instead, to build muscle and lose fat:

M, T, W (or any three days in a row)
Cardio - HIIT and/or traditional, possibly AM+PM
Diet: cutting

Th, F, Sat (or any three days in a row)
Lift - full body workouts per HST, possibly AM+PM
Diet: bulking

Sunday
Rest
Diet: cheat?

I was thinking you could maximize the 36-48 hour protein synthesis window after lifting by eating and lifting like mad for three days in a row. Throw in the summation effect for that period and you should get good gains. Then you can cut and burn fat three days in a row, taking advantage of zigzag dieting. Something you might have to look out for is making sure you're not carb-depleted for your first lifting session of the week.

Any thoughts/critiques?

 

[jtsisyoda]

tiny little bump

 

[Fausto]

jtsisyoda

I think Vicious is more qualified to answer this thread, however I would not fiddle too much with zigzagging diet, rather if you want bulk all the time, and do cardio the other three days, that way you don't "freak" your metabolism out

And you should be able to get a decent build that way, cutting then should be done for certain periods mor extended and with reduced load, that is the way I view it.

I have never been one to agree with fidling too much with what the good Lord built as is, and I don't think doing it is going to be benefitial, I could be wrong though and I am open to criticism (hopefully positive )

Ciao

 

[noah]

That is similar to my current experiment - 4 days dieting, 3 days overeating, and 4 days in a row hst-like workouts (starting the night before the overeating days).  Sorta continuing the previous UD2 pattern I was in with the 4/3 split.  Hoping this will be good to accomplish some of both goals (fat loss, muscle gain), while avoiding slowing metabolism.  However, the verdict is still out on it.  I think perhaps it is working, but too early to tell, no hard results yet.  I might just be spinning wheels going nowhere.

One disadvantage of such an approach is that feedback is tougher.  If you're just cutting, you can look on the scale and see if you lost weight.  If your trying both, then you dont know as easily if you're weight stayed about the same because of gaining muscle AND losing fat, or because there was no change.