Weight gain with carbohydrate rotation

Strategy to increase muscle mass

Selecting the type of carbohydrate rotation for weight gain, bad food and general tips

According to many that used the carbohydrate rotation in periods for muscle mass increase, the result is “pure” weight gain. The carbohydrate rotation diet is very promising and threatens to replace the high carbohydrate diet by popularity.

Bonuses of the carbohydrate rotation over other diets

Compared to the High Carbohydrate Diet (HCD) the rotating dining brings the same benefits at a lower risk of synthesis of fat. Periodic increase of insulin levels is enough to guarantee an anabolic effect. With better distribution of trainings in high carbohydrate and moderate carbohydrate days muscles grow even in the day without carbs.

Evenly Balanced Diet (ЕBD) is very similar to rotating. Unlike the balanced model, however, in the carbohydrate rotation model those who are gaining mass often have access to foods with a high glycemic index, such as potatoes, bananas, white rice and dried fruits in muesli. Those who are rotating carbohydrates can combine fast and slow or fast and moderate carbohydrates accurately, as well as those who are feeding on Evenly Balanced Diet (EBD), but the number of high-carb fast foods here is not limited to after the training and breakfast. In the high carbohydrate day those who are gaining weight can make another one, even two quick bites to the already listed.

High fat-low carbohydrate diet (HF-LCD) is very different from the rotating meal. The strategy and composition of the training there is different from the strategy of training in carbohydrate rotation. The common is in the shorter and highly intensive workouts in low carb days. In the other days, however, training opportunities are more similar to Evenly Balanced Diet (ЕBD) and High Carbohydrate Diet (HCD). Hence the possibility of the one who is feeding on a rotating basis to build better vascularised (bodybuilders type) muscularity with mass workouts. It is important to mention that the one rotating carbohydrates is not in ketosis, he just regulates his insulin levels. Those eating in HF-LCD often need to resort to oktakozanol in order to make better muscle growth and better utilization of carbohydrates consumed at low insulin levels, something which would be meaningless for a person rotating his carbohydrates. The last one can achieve the same by increasing the amount of training and the level of fast sugars consumed in a high carb days. I will mention also the taste differences. Many of those who eat by the HF-LCD recipe book will disagree, but for people with preference for foods such as potatoes, corn, bread, pasta, bananas, fruits and others. taste may be the most important factor. As a menu the rotating nutrition is the richest of all diets. The range of recipes is greater even than that Evenly Balanced Diet (ЕBD).

Disadvantages of carbohydrate rotation

In carbohydrate rotation you should not miss workouts. Since this is circulating regime, the ability to catch up workout will appear after the whole cycle spins. Same is with the violation of the diet. The Weight Gain through Carbohydrate Rotation Diet requires discipline. If you think you have this and know how to plan your days, you’ve overcome the disadvantages of the carbohydrate rotation.

Selecting the type of carbohydrates rotation

Carbohydrate Rotation 3-3-3-1-2-1

(1-low, 2-medium, 3-high carbohydrate day)

Such scheme of rotating carbohydrates in similar series suggests that it is a kind of high-carbohydrate diet. Suitable for all types ectomorphs.

Distribution of training by day:

Days Type 1: workouts with 18 series, high intensity and big breaks (50 minutes)

Days Type 2: training with up to 25 series, alternating moderate and high-intensity and moderate breaks (70 minutes)

Days Type 3: training with up to 30 series, high and moderate intensity and moderate breaks (80-90 minutes)

Minimum need of training 270 minutes per week:

Suitable schemes:

2 x 50 min. at low carb days + 1 x 80-90 min. + 2 x 70 minutes

3 x 80-90 min. + 70 x 1 min.

2 x 80-90 min. + 70 x 1 min. + 50 x 1 min.

The options are many and vary.

Carbohydrate Rotation 1-2-3-2-1-2-3

(1-low, 2-medium, 3-high carbohydrate day)

In this type of rotation there are only two low carbohydrate days in the week. This suggests that the pattern is suitable for the increase of weight in people with lower sensitivity to insulin –  ectomorphs and mesomorphs.

Distribution of training by day:

Days Type 1: workouts with up to 18 series, high intensity and big breaks (50 minutes)

Days Type 2: training with up to 25 series, alternating moderate and high-intensity and moderate breaks (70 minutes)

Days Type 3: training with up to 30 series, high and moderate intensity and moderate breaks (80-90 minutes)

Minimum need of training 240 minutes per week:

Suitable schemes:

2 x 50 min. at low carb days + 1 x 80-90 min. + 2 x 70 minutes

3 x 70 min. + 90 x 1 min.

2 x 80-90 min. + 70 x 1 min. + 50 x 1 min.

The options are again many and vary.

Carbohydrate Rotation 3-2-1-3-1-3-1

(1-low, 2-medium, 3-high carbohydrate day)

Rotation of this nature is suitable for endomorphs. After each high carbohydrate day, except the first, there is a restriction of carbohydrates. This program usually requires training 6 to 7 days a week.

Days Type 1: workouts with up to 18 series, high intensity and big breaks (50 minutes)

Days Type 2: training with up to 25 series, alternating moderate and high-intensity and moderate breaks (70 minutes)

Days Type 3: training with up to 30 series, high and moderate intensity and moderate breaks (80-90 minutes)

Minimum need of training 380 minutes per week:

Suitable schemes:

3 x 50 min. at low carb days + 1 x 80-90 min. + 2 x 70 minutes

3 x 50 min. + 90 x 1 min.

2 x 80-90 min. + 70 x 1 min. + 50 x 1 min.

The options are again many and vary.

“Bad foods” in the Weight Gain with Carbohydrate Rotation

In rotating eating any food whose composition is unclear, it is “bad.” If you decide to eat a piece of cake in a moderate carbohydrate day and it turns out that it is full of sugar, you can easily find yourself in a high carbohydrate day. Also for people who do not calculate their food in mind any food outside the calculated menu can also be defined as “bad”. There are two options on how to proceed when you whant to eat something “special”: to calculate at the moment how to change your diet or to plan this eating for another day. Best choose the second option. “Bad” is any food that shifts planned portion without overlapping and thus remains a hidden deficits of protein, carbohydrates or fat.

Simple sugars

Glucose and sugar (sucrose) are dangerous to your diet. You should watch their content in the manufactured foods you buy. Fructose is not included, but lactose (contained in the milk is half glucose and half galactose). Of course, a yogurt within 6 hours low carbohydrate diet, i.e. nearly 8 g glucose / 260 minutes is not a danger to your diet. Moreover galactose does not affect seriously insulin levels. In order to reduce the glycemic index and increase the index of milk,  add a portion of protein isolate.

Alcohol

In the presence of alcohol, the pancreas releases a greater amount of insulin to respond to glucose in the digestive tract. This can lead to a sharp decrease in blood glucose after the glucose transportation. The result is a release of glucagon, the release of glucose from liver glycogen and gradually accelerating the synthesis of fat. In a nutshell – do not drink, especially in the low-carb and high carb days!

Some tips for Carbohydrate Rotation when increasing muscle mass

The combination rapid + moderate carbohydrates (white rice + peas, potatoes, pasta +) and fast + moderate + slow carbohydrates (white + brown rice + pasta in the oven) are best for the weight gain. The first is a combination for high carbohydrate and moderate carbohydrate days.

In low carbohydrate days (carbohydrates close to 0%) avoid consumption of any source containing sugar. Replace them with diabetic alternatives with limited carbohydrates. The selection and composition of food is similar to the low carb – high-fat diet.

On days with moderate carbohydrate content (100%, which are the norm), organize your meals as in a day of evenly balanced diet. If in these days you crave for sweet and it threatens to go from moderately to high carbohydrate day, refer to the large amount of salads with plenty of protein foods and “material” for chewing. After 30 minutes the hunger for sweets will melt. In a pinch eat sugarless gum after portion.

On days with high carbohydrate content (150%),  you can loosen, but not too much. You can eat a certain weight carbohydrates, part of which (30% of the portion for the day) can be influencing insulin sugars (sucrose, glucose, dextrin or maltose). Compose your example high carbohydrate day as a day of high carbohydrate diet. You can include sugar into 3 to 4 servings of all the 5-6 that will be consumed for the day. Mandatory add carbohydrates with moderate glycemic index.

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