So, get most of your carbohydrates early in the day (up to nearly 60-80 grams at breakfast), while your later meals are mostly protein and moderate levels of carbs. This gives your body the amino acids it requires without too many carbs it won?t necessarily need at this time of day. Since insulin sensitivity tends to be lower later in the day, avoiding carbs helps to prevent fat gain. Protein intake stays the same on both days(training and non-training)- (almost 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight), so the drop in carbs also means a much-needed drop in calories. On workout days you need about 18-20 calories per pound of bodyweight, but on rest days you require only about 12-14 calories per pound. Swapping these days will spur muscle growth without seeing your midsection grow as well.
THE SCIENCE OF TIMING Three cups of rice, pasta or even a couple of bagels at a single sitting? Sounds like it?d make you fat, right? Not if you consume it along with lean protein following a training session. Carbs remain the mismanaged nutrient. While they have the ability to be stored as bodyfat, they?re crucial to the muscle-building process. When you eat a lot of carbohydrates after training, it sets off a cascade of hormonal changes that favor the rebuilding of muscle mass. This includes a rise in insulin, which not only forces protein into muscles for growth but also stabilizes testosterone levels, which often fall as a result of too few carbs after training. On the flip side, if you eat too many carbs and just sit around being fairly inactive, some of those carbs might end up as bodyfat. That?s why you should eat fewer carbs on days you don?t train. While you need them to grow on days you work out, your need for them goes down considerably on days when you don?t hit the iron.
Non-Training Day Menu
Meal 1: 8 a.m. 6 egg whites/ 2 yolks 2 slices whole-grain toast or 3/4 cup oatmeal Meal 2: 11 a.m. 6 oz. chicken breast 1 small to medium potato
Meal 3: 1 p.m. Whey protein shake (2 scoops)
Meal 4: 3 p.m. 6 oz. turkey breast 1 cup brown rice 2 cups mixed vegetables
Meal 5: 6 p.m. 6 oz. ground beef (95% lean) or lean steak 1 cup cottage cheese plus some green veggies Meal 6: 9 p.m. 6 oz. chicken breast Medium green salad w/ fat-free dressing
