Taraxatone and pre-show Carb Up

[akrama]

Do you guys think Taraxatone would interfere with my pre-show carbing up cycle?

If so, how would Taraxatone fit in this equation? Or is it a bad idea overall?

My show is in less than two weeks and I want to get rid of all subcutaneous water in order to look as sharp and defined as possible. I will be using cutting gel and I have just quit my topical yohimbine application. I have also cut out creatine. I will be cutting down on sodium and upping my potassium soon.

Any info from the pros is appreciated !!!

akrama

 

[wilson6]

This has been covered in other threads, but here it is again.

From my perspective.

Keep the water in.

For example, I believe brickgirl was consuming a gallon or so a day if not more (prejudging on Sat.) up until Friday. Cut the water to 1/2 gallon on friday then a pint or two before prejudging on Sat. Don't mess with sodium. Keep it in your diet (about 2 grams a day minimum, that's 4 grams of table salt). Then cut it to 1 gram total on friday (1-2 grams table salt). Don't mess with potassium. Glycerol may help 36 hours out to keep water in the vascular compartment.

Keep the carbs low glycemic index while carbing up. Too much insulin will cause sodium retention by the kidneys.

No last minute quick fixes or you'll screw everything up.

Drop the Taraxatone and let your body adjust, or leave it in because you're body is used to it. Dropping it at this point and you may rebound. If you're fat at this time, there is nothing you can do with water that is going to make you look harder because fat contains very little water. You'll just look fat and flat.

W6

 

[BrickGirl]

I was taking in 2 gallons a day, and I took wilson6's advice, and I got first place It worked perfect

 

[VooDoo Lady]

I was taking in 2 gallons a day, and I took wilson6's advice, and I got first place It worked perfect

FIRST PLACE?!?!?!

Congratulations!

 

[akrama]

Wilson ... You make sense

Wilson,

You are absolutly correct... I have actually been thinking a lot about it. I don't see how Tarax. would be beneficial. As a matter of fact, I see it hindering my carb up efforts. I have been taking Taraxatone for two days only. I think I'm going to cut it out totally.

I am already drinking 3 gallons of water a day and was planning to keep as you suggested.

As far as the sodium, I will keep it in my diet as it's essential to my carb up efficiency. I will decrease it slowly as Friday comes. However, I am currently supplementing with potassium but not in a "loading manner." It's just to keep my elctrolytes in order and let my body handle the balancing.

As far as the type of carbs, I have been planning on low glycemic any way. However, my very first four meals will be carbs from Ultra Fuel by Twin Lab. I am following the Dan Duchaine "Body Opus" type of carb depleting/loading mechanism. What do you think??

And Finally, I would like to assure you that I am a lean mean machine as I stand right now and been ready for my show for the past 3 weeks....

I would like to thank you for your advice and your time. I will post you with my contest results soon.

I appreciate your help Wilson.

akrama

 

[wilson6]

Your body takes 36 hours to come into sodium balance. If you're going to cut sodium, do it 36 hrs from pre-judging, but don't cut it to zero, half will be plenty.

Outline the Body Opus regiment for me. What is the carb content of Ultra Fuel? My guess is that it is maltodextrin and that will convert to pure glucose in the gut and be absorbed as such. You might get some good insulin surges from that and retain water as a result. When are the first four meals and how many grams of carbs are in each? The supplemental potassium as described should be fine.

W6

 

[jnuts]

Cut the water to 1/2 gallon on friday then a pint or two before prejudging on Sat.

What about after pre-judging? Do you still have more water before the night show or is that cut out?

thanks for the info.

-nuts

 

[akrama]

My carb up routine

Well... Wilson.... You're right. Ultra Fuel is mostly maltodextrine and fructose. My first four meals are in two hour increment following a 2 hour total glycogen depleting workout. The workout will involve a circuit style where I would hit every muscle to depletion with many reps but low weight. The objective is to not cause any muscle trauma but just use up all the glycogen left in the muscles. Here is the breakdown....

Friday (8 days before the show) : I will do my regular workout and regular diet.

Saturday: My last traditional workout. Stop eating carbs totally.

Sunday: No carbs.... Mild cardio

Monday: I will check my glucose level in my blood using my glucometer. I should be around 50'ish and totally in ketosis.

Tuesday: same as monday. Early evening, I would break out of ketosis by supplying around 25g of fructose. Bananas are my favorite. Then shortly after, I would hit my 2hr. depletion workout.

After the work out I would start my carb up regimen which involves eating every two hours:

Meals 1 - 4 : 150 grams of ultra fuel at every meal.

Meals 5 - 8 : 115 grams of liquid carbs and solid high glycemic carbs such as rice cakes.

Meals 9 - 12 : 40 grams of carbs but I would switch to more solid starches since my insulin sensitivity is declining by now.

and so on and so forth..... The rest of my meals will be solid low glycemic carbs......

My total carb up should be done within three days... Wed thru Fri.

On Friday towards the evening, I am planning on fat loading using MCT's.

Well.... That's about it... I hope I didn't miss anything. Oh.. Of course, I will be taking in whey protein along the way....

By the way... the carbs grams are computed based on my lean body mass. This would differ from person to person. This carb up routine is what I've used in the past while I experimented with body opus. Therefore, water retention was not figured in the equation. However, what you've said about Maltodextrine and sodium retention is very important to me now.

Wilson. What do you say my first meals should consist of if not simple sugars?

I appreciate your knowledge and expertise.

akrama

 

[wilson6]

First, you don't need zero carbs to carb load/deplete. There has been considerable work done in this area with endurance athletes. Generally cutting carbs to about 30 - 40% of the total intake is low enough in conjunction with a depleting workout, then load (70% carb intake) for 24 - 48 hrs.

I estimate that over 12 meals you'll be consuming 1220 grams of CHO. For most athletes to completely reload after glycogen depletion, it takes about 500 - 600 grams over 24 hrs. 1200 is overkill and that's assuming you actually deplete all the muscles and that is unlikely.

To glycogen deplete the quads for example, one would cycle at 75% VO2 max (about 85% max HR) for about 90 minutes then perform a series of sprints. That would result in very low glycogen concentrations. Given the fact that your liver will be depleted, I really doubt if you're going to be able to deplete the muscles because you'll be so systemically fatigued and hypoglycemic.

Simple sugars are fine for the first few meals. Generally with endurance athletes the recommendation is simple sugars for the first 24 hrs then complex for the next 24 hrs.

Having said all of this, if you've had success with this before, then don't change anything. Experiment later.

I question the fat loading with MCT. MCTs do not get into circulation as fat. You'll find your ketone bodies increase considerably when taking MCT oil, even with plenty of carbs. MCT does not escape in chylomicrons as LCTs do. The resulting catabolism of MCTs by the liver may increase VLDL production but only LCTs will make it out. Better off with a fatty sirloin steak or two than MCTs. Tastes better and is less likely to cause metabolic acidosis and make you feel like crap the day of the show.

Keeping insulin down the day before is a good idea to reduce sodium retention. Once muscles are glycogen loaded, if they are not used, they will retain their glycogen unlike the liver. Keep the water up but cut in half on friday and drop the sodium by half 36 hours out from prejudging. That should do the trick. If you're feeling a little flat in the morning, a little simple sugar and water should fill you out and increase vascularity, but not blur you out. A light mixed meal and some fluids between prejudging and finals is fine, but do not exceed the level of sodium you consumed the day before.

Just my two cents.

W6

 

[NY Muscle]

Re: Wilson ... You make sense

As far as the type of carbs, I have been planning on low glycemic any way. However, my very first four meals will be carbs from Ultra Fuel by Twin Lab. I am following the Dan Duchaine "Body Opus" type of carb depleting/loading mechanism. What do you think??

take it from me a BodyOpus expert..do NOT do this....

the liquid sugar drinks Dan D. has you drink in the diet is if you are trying to gain LBM while you lose fat( and will slow BOTH goals, fat loss and lbm gain..since you are trying to do both at the same time which is very very hard)..at this point you arent going to be gaining anything if you are close to a contest...all those simple sugars are gonna slow your fat loss progress..stick to complex carbs only with your weekend bodyopus carb up and add some fat to each meal, like 3-5gms.

if you want to have a carb drink as your 1st carb meal after your carb depletion full body workout in the MORNING..then fine..but thats it.