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Carb Cycling - RF
Carb Cycling - RF
CYCLING
LIFESTYLE
By: Ryan Fischer
First off, congratulations on making an official commitment to
changing your body or learning something new! I have owned
a gym for almost 10 years and I have been training people and
competing as an athlete for over 15 years. In all of that time, I
have tried just about every protocol you can think of in terms
of dieting and eating styles (personally and for my clients). And
this particular style was by far the easiest for everyone to fol-
low and also the most sustainable in the long term (which is the
most important factor).
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Step 3: The calculator will give you all the numbers you need to
follow for the goal that you have. While there is a carb timing
section for each meal, just hitting your macros throughout the
day at ANY time is going to be the absolute MOST important
factor. All of the precise timing is more geared towards ath-
letes who want better performance and recovery. If your goal is
weightless or weight gain, it’s all about JUST HITTING THOSE
NUMBERS by the end of the day.
Step 5: The true earn your carbs principle that I always talk
about is simply eating your prescribed number of fats and pro-
teins throughout the day and leaving your carbohydrates for
pre and post exercise. While it is not mandatory to do it this
way, think about it from a sustainability factor. No matter where
you are (at home, out with friends, on vacation, etc..) , you
know you’re always on track if you’re sticking to fats and pro-
teins throughout the day. Because most likely you’re not going
to be going over on protein or fats. However, going over on
carbohydrates is very easy to do and it just happens to be the
biggest reason people fail to achieve their ideal body type.
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What starts as too much carbohydrates, quickly turns into not
enough protein and then the cycle of why “this isn’t working”
begins. To make this as easy as possible to follow, I highly sug-
gest using the earn your carbs principle and surrounding your
workouts with your prescribed number of carbohydrates for
each day. Doing so will also give you higher energy levels going
into the workout and aid in better recovery after the workout.
If you workout multiple times a day, just split the carbohydrates
up so that you’re getting a little before and after on each work-
out or just save all of them for the more strenuous workout that
day.
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While this is predominantly just a nutrition guide, I like to offer
workouts in the event that you do not have a solid routine to fol-
low. The free month access to my app is currently followed by
over 10,000 people around the world and is considered one the
top training programs on the planet. So, using it conjunction with
your new nutrition regimen is only going to help you, but is not
mandatory. In fact, you can still get results with this guide even if
you don’t workout at all. Slower results of course ;)
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2.) A Strength & Conditioning program that emphasizes 1-2
strength pieces for the day (Also in a progressive overload for-
mat), followed by a 15-20min. high intensity interval piece. Ideal
for pretty much all body goals, but favors the people who love
high intensity training, as well as advanced movements like the
clean and jerk and snatch. You need all the equipment required
for the full body program above plus access to an assault bike
and C2 rower.
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Your Free Month of CHALK ONLINE
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Carb Cycling… What Is It?
Carb cycling is a dietary modality where you strategically and
intentionally manipulate carbohydrate intake to optimize key
metabolic hormones in order to maximize fat burning while
simultaneously protecting muscle & strength. By strategically
with-holding & re-feeding carbohydrates, you ensure your body
has the exact nutrients it needs, at the exact right time, to per-
form it’s absolute best, while never feeling restricted or deprived.
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CAN YOU BOTH LOSE FAT & GAIN MUSCLE
BY UTILIZING A CARB
CYCLING STRATEGY? YES, YOU CAN!!
(1). On low carb days, you’re keeping your insulin levels nice
and low to allow your body to tap into its fat stores for
energy
(2). You still get some carbs on these days, and they should
be strategically placed throughout the day to maximize
muscle and energy balance (I will show you exactly how
to do this properly).
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Carbohydrate cycling and calorie cycling also help optimize
both Leptin & Grehlin levels in our bodies. Leptin & Grehlin are
hormones that play an important role in weight loss, weight
gain, and the ability to maintain body composition after a fat
loss phase.
So, now that I’ve explained why carb cycling works, you’ll
understand why it’s been my preferred method of eating for a
few years now.
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How to Make Your Meal Plan
Using Carb Cycling Principles:
The Most Important Part of This Whole Thing!
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Getting all of your macros in is so important that it’s personally
responsible for about 80-90% of the results you get in dieting
or as I like to say your new “lifestyle” because that’s what it
should be. It should be a new style that you genuinely want to
start adding into everyday to your life.
Anyway, what about that other 10-20%? Well ... That’s where
“Carb Timing” comes into play. I’m not going to lie to you ...
This particular part of getting leaner is on the harder side and
does change things quite a bit. You will be a little more
annoying to yourself and your friends, BUT it’s definitely worth
doing if you’re looking for that little extra something in your
physique.
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1st Off: Get your TDEE!
The starting place for figuring out how much food you
should be eating on a daily basis is your ‘Total Daily
Energy Expenditure” (TDEE). Use the website listed
below to get your numbers. This is by far the best
calculator I have found as far as how accurate it is. It’s
never steered me wrong before.
https://tdeecalculator.net
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How to Utilize a Carb Cycling Strategy
to Lose Fat
Here’s how to create your own macros using your
TDEE score:
• On low-carb days, you need to create a 25% caloric deficit of
your TDEE.
• On high-carb days, you need to create a 10% caloric deficit
of your TDEE.
Need help estimating your body fat for the TDEE calculations?
Well, although there are many options to choose from, I always like to start with free ones
to keep your financial barrier as low as possible, so let’s start with picking yourself out of
one of these photos.
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If you still want to spend the money to get it a little more
accurate reading, I will list some options below in order of my
personal preference. Even the best options shouldn’t cost more
than $100 nowadays and it is nice to know when you’re on the
leaner end. However, on the higher end of the scale, just using
the photo scale above does work pretty good!
Participants lie still on a table while a machine arm passes over their
entire body. This arm emits a high- and a low-energy X-ray beam.
By measuring the absorption of each beam into parts of the body,
technicians can get readings for bone mineral density, lean body
mass, and fat mass. Also, because the machine scans body parts
individually, the test can also break down body composition per limb.
That means you can confirm suspicions that your right leg is indeed just
a bit stronger than your left (like me).
The Pros
DEXA scans are hands down the best out there for accurately measuring
body composition. This is the current “Gold Standard.”
The Cons
Getting a DEXA scan nowadays is actually easier than ever, but will still
most likely require you to make an appointment and dish out between
$100-$200. Definitely the highest priced option on this list, but for
obvious reasons. It’s the best out there.
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2. Hydrostatic Weighing
Hydrostatic weighing. When I was in college, this was the “gold standard”
of body-fat testing, but now it is second to DEXA. This method compares
a persons normal bodyweight (outside the water) to his or her bodyweight
while completely submerged. Using these two numbers and the density of
the water, operators can accurately calculate the persons density. This
number is then used to estimate body composition.
The Pros
Hydrostatic weighing is a great technique that uses tried and true variables
with a very low percentage of error. I have done this one many times and
have always had measurements that seemed spot on!
The Cons
Unless you happen to have an underwater scale at home, you’re going to
have to find a lab or a performance center for this. And like the DEXA scan,
make an appointment. Slightly less convenient than the options I will list
below, but for the price, it’s going to be your best option accuracy (ranging
from $40 to $60).
3. Air-Displacement
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4. Skin Calipers
Probably the most accessible method for measuring body fat and most
widely used in gyms and at home.
The Pros
You can usually buy a pair for about $10. Learning how to use them is fairly
easy and you can get readings in just a few minutes.
The Cons
This method relies on readings from only a handful of body parts, so margin
for error can vary. The most important thing is to use the exact same spots
every time to keep your readings consistent.
5. Bioelectrical Impedance
These are the scales you see with electrodes under the feet. Sometimes
there’s also a handle for your hands to get an additional reading, but
regardless of the machine, the devices work by sending tiny electrical
impulses through the body and measuring how quickly those impulses
return.
The Pros
You can buy these almost anywhere. They are pretty affordable (more
than calipers, but less then the other options on this list). You can get
measurements in a matter of seconds.
The Cons
The feedback on these are notoriously all over the place. Mainly because
they can easily be affected by variables like hydration, meal times (when
you ate your last meal), and workouts (when your work was). If you want to
go this route and try to get the most out of it, be sure to take it at the
exact same time under the exact same conditions!
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“Pages 18-27 are going to go over exactly
how how everything works if you were to
write your own numbers out. Obviously,
I have a calculator that does all of this for
you, but for those of you who like to know
where the numbers are coming from…
These pages are for you :)”
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How to Utilize a Carb Cycling
strategy to Lose Fat:
Here’s how to take those calories from your TDEE score and
create your high and low carb day macros for fat loss:
• The rest of your calories each day will come from fat (“use”
the calories left after calculating protein and carb intakes).
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Now, let’s look at a LOW CARB
A low-carb day for this same person would look like this:
160 grams of protein (Their bodyweight)
94 grams of carbs
96 grams of fat
(For a total of about 1,875 calories. This is the 25% deficit)
Once you have your numbers worked out, simply create a meal
plan for both days and stick to them, alternating according to the
* Protein powder is definitely not required, but it can make things easier for most of you
busy people out there. If you’re good about your food prep game, you may swap this
out for any protein you want. Like maybe some shrimp or a few egg whites or
something. Egg whites usually make me feel pretty full.
* I try to get all my carbs for the day in my Post Workout window. It definitely produces
the best results for me and most people I have coached in all my years of coaching
(Especially for FAT LOSS). If it’s NOT a post workout day (like a day off) I would typically
add small servings of fruit to all of my meals throughout the day or something with
about 20-259 of carbs per serving. Could be anything between one of my favorite
protein bars, the whole milk I add to my coffee, or a few bites of “Smush” oatmeal. I
love that stuff:) (More on this in the ‘meal timing’ section of the guide).
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How to Utilize a Carb Cycling
strategy to Lose Fat (Continued):
When carb cycling for fat loss or ‘cutting,’ you will follow a 3:1
pattern low carb to high carb days. Where exactly you place your
high-carbs day during the week doesn’t matter too too much
because it will naturally move around week to week if you stick
to the 3:1 pattern.
* You still need to track your calories & macros & plan
your meals. Simply attempting to eat high carb or low
carb on each given day will not suffice. This takes
planning, preparation and dedication. I’ve outlined
how to do this later on in the guide, so please read
through it carefully.
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How to Use A Carb Cycling Strategy
to Maintain Your Weight:
If you are going to carb cycle to maintain your weight (per-
haps after a cutting phase), you will need to follow a slightly
different strategy.
• The remainder of your caloric intake each day will still come
from fat
That being said, your low days and high days don’t
necessarily have to be ordered exactly in a 3:2 Ratio. For
example, some people might do 3 low-carb days and then
immediately follow with 2 high-carb days.
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Someone else might stagger them slightly different
depending on what they’re doing in the gym or what their
general activity level is like on a day-to-day basis, while
others will stagger them differently yet based on how
they’re feeling or what their workout routine is each week.
For example, doing one high-carb day, one low-carb day,
one high-carb day, and two low-carb days.
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How to Use A Carb Cycling Strategy
For Bulking / Building Muscle:
Your % splits will be very similar to they would be for a fat loss
phase but you will NOT be in a caloric deficit:
• The remainder of your caloric intake each day will still come
from fat
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Here’s how that would break down into your
daily macros using the 2500 example:
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Once again, you may spread these days out however you like, as
long as you are getting 3 low and 2 high carb days per every 5 day
period.
Again, once you have the daily calories & macro numbers sorted
out, all that’s left to do is eat! Create meals that you love
(that fit your macros) and stick to it! A great way to keep yourself
accountable for each and every meal is to download a macro app
like “Mikes Macros”(set your own macros, do not use suggested)
and it will tell you exactly how much of everything you are eating!
Just plug in the portion size and it will tell you how much of that
macro you have left for the day and how much you ate.
MyFitnessPal is also a great tool.
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If you need help, I’ve created a macro
calculator that will give you your
macro numbers...
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CARB TIMING: Here’s how to organize your Carbs into
your meals throughout the day to maximize your physical
results. All of these numbers will be broken down for you
automatically inside the macros calculator on the previous
page
You will notice a change pretty quickly and it will also for-
ever change how you look at food. You will now be look-
ing at food for purpose thinking, “what do I need and
why am I going to eat this.” The simple “I need a healthy
meal” will never suffice again. “I need fat and protein” or
“I need carbs and protein” will now be your thought pro-
cess. Once you “get it” — you’ve reached one hell of a
milestone in your journey to getting shredded.
* These guidelines are applicable to both, high and low, carb intake
days. They will simply just be smaller numbers on low carb days,
but the percentage eaten at each meal is the same. If you’re eating
less meals than in the example, just try to distribute your carbs in
the same fashion (pyramid affect after your workout with majority
being in the immediate meal after).
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HEY! What about my Fat intake?!?
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Bottom Line...
For fat loss, you must maintain a caloric deficit. For mus-
cle gain, you have to be in a surplus. Protein is the most
important nutrient to maintain and gain muscle, but it
doesn’t need to be sky-high for either goal. Simply stick
to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight and you’re taken
care of.
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It’s that simple!
(Read it a FEW times if you’re spacing out.
It will click in no time, I promise!)
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Food Choice Recommendations
Meat: Seafood:
- Chicken breast - Calamari
- Ground Turkey - Crabmeat
- Bison - Salmon
- Ground Beef (100% - Sardines
grass-fed if possible) - Scallops
- Canadian Bacon - Swordfish
- Duck - Shrimp
- Lamb - Tuna Steak
- Pork - Canned Tuna
- Whole Eggs (pasture (low mercy)
raised if possible)
- Egg Whites
** These are not the only foods you are allowed... This is just a sample
list of foods I personally eat on a regular basis
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Top Choices for Carbs
Your goal here is to always stick to LOW glycemic index carbs for ALL
parts of the day except Post Workout. Then you may have something
that is HIGH glycemic index.
This website does a great job of showing you some examples and giving
you just enough knowledge to be dangerous.
https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/nutrition/glycemic-index-chart/
Here’s a better resource if you want nerd out and get into glycemic load
as well, which is definitely worth looking into if you don’t fully understand
glucose levels.
https://ultimatepaleoguide.com/glycemic-index-food-list
* ANY CARBS that you don’t see on this list is probably because it has a high
glycemic index or it is an unfavorable carb source. That doesn’t mean that you
should NEVER eat them, but rather they should be consumed post workout
out only as they spike insulin and create more fat storage
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Condiments that I LOVE and
APPROVE of!
Mayos:
Click Here
Salad Dressings:
Click Here
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Supplements:
As far as supplements go I know they can get confusing
and over the next 30 days, I want your primary focus to
be on getting everything you need from whole foods ...
because without proper nutrition, the workouts and the
supplements won’t matter. Results really are built in
the kitchen and there are no shortcuts around it!
That being said, there is always a time and place for
nutritional supplements and I do want to give you a
little insight to what I take. Since the FDA does not
regulate the supplement industry, there are tons of
companies out there that do not opt to abide by any
regulation or testing standards with their products.
Due to this, I have always been hesitant to make many
supplement recommendations. I personally use and
recommend a handful of 1st Pho rm products, because
they are one of the only companies in the industry that
make their products in an FDA inspected facility. They
don1 t bullshit their products, 3rd party test everything
they make, and back everything up with a 110% mon-
ey back guarantee. This guarantee allows people to try
their products for 30 days, and if they are not 100% in
love with them, then you can return them not only for
a refund ... but an additional 10% more than what you
spent with them! Pretty dope.
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Below are a few of the nutritional
supplements that my clients and I use and
love! If you have any other supplement
related questions, please do not hesitate to
ask.
POST WORKOUT:
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PRE-WORKOUT:
I’ve tried everything out there and this stack right here
blows everything out of the water. I literally hate working
out with out it. Each alone are pretty good, but the two
together will have you taking mirror selfies post workout for
sure! They already have sufficient amounts of creatine for
those of you trying to build muscle, endurance compounds
for those of you looking for more reps or better cardio, and
again - together they have given me the biggest muscle
pumps I’ve ever had without question. I also feel great the
entire time, since some pre-workouts can typically mess with
your stomach a little. Highly recommend this stack together
if you can!
ALPHA SURGE
Click Here
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MULTI-VITAMIN:
MICRO FACTOR:
Click Here
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GREENS:
OPTI-GREENS 50:
Click Here
FOOD SCALE:
https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multifunction-Stain-
less-Bat teries-lncluded/dp/B0113UZJE2
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“Hey Ryan! What do you
think about supplement ‘x’?”
Answer: Check out
examine.com
It’s an excellent and
unbiased resource on
supplements
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Alcohol Considerations
Alcohol has calories with 1 g containing 7 cals and that is usually
combined with carbs (either from fruit as with wine,
hops/wheat/barley as with beer, or sugar from carbonated drink
mixers).
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Should I Skip Breakfast Or Not?
Why You Might Consider Skipping Breakfast:
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EYEBALLING PORTIONS
This is especially helpful when you’re having
meals out and aren’t using your food scale
2.) Always order rubs or spices for your food. Sauces will
always be a terrible choice. Sauces on average are full of
sugar.
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5.) Beware of added sugar in almost anything.
6.) Ask what they cook with if you’re concerned about it.
Statistically speaking, over 70% of restaurants who
advertise that they cook with olive oil, actually cook
with olive oil/vegetable oil blends to save money.
When in doubt, grilled stuff is always the best bet.
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Macro Cheat Sheets
PROTEIN CARBOHYDRATES
4 OZ OF RAW MEAT FRUITS & BERRIES SERVING
SIZE= 100G
PROTEIN + FAT Plantains = 31 c
Ground Lamb = 24p 21 f Banana = 23c
NY Strip Steak = 23p 18f Grapes = 16-18c
Atlantic Salmon = 23p 15f Nectarines = 13-15c
Ribeye Steak = 23p 14f Apples = 13-15c
85% Ground Beef = 21 p 17f Blueberries = 14c
90% Ground Bison = 24p 11f Raspberries = 12c
90% Ground Turkey = 21 p 11f Strawberries = 8c
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EASY STAPLES GROUND MEAT *Little more specific
140g Jasmine Rice ** = 40c
4 OZ OF RAW MEAT
185g Brown Rice ** = 49c
BEEF
185g Quinoa ** = 39c
85% Ground Beef = 21p 17f
56g Black Bean Pasta = 3Sc
93% Ground Beef = 20p 7f
56g Red Lentil Pasta = 32c
96% Ground Beef = 24p 4f
40g GF Oats = 26c
150g Regular Potatoes = 26c TURKEY
130g Sweet Potato = 24c 8S% Ground Turkey = 20p 17f
GF Breakfast Cereal = 19-24c 90% Ground Turkey = 21 p 11f
**Cooked 99% Ground Turkey = 25p 2f
FAT BISON
8S% Ground Bison = 21p 18f
JUST FAT:
90% Ground Bison = 24p 11f
SERVING SIZE = 1T
96% Ground Bison = 25p 3f
Ghee = 15f
Extra Virgin Olive Oil = 14f CHICKEN
Coconut Oil = 14f 99% Ground Chicken = 24p 3f
Avocado Oil = 14f SEAFOOD
MCT Oil = 14f 4 OZ OF RAW MEAT-JUST PROTEIN
Grass-Fed Butter = 12f Tuna Steak = 25p 1f
PROTEIN + FAT Mahi Mahi = 21p 1f
4 oz 8S% Beef = 21 p 17f Chilean Sea Bass = 21p 5f
4 oz 90% Bison = 24p 11f Atlantic Cod = 20p 1f
4 oz Salmon = 23p 1Sf Tilapia = 20p 2f
Whole Egg = 4.5p 6f Albacore Tuna = 20p 1f
Thick Bacon = 5p 5f Shrimp = 19p 0f
Sea Scallops = 14p 1f
FAT+ FIBER
1 T Chia Seeds = 3f, 5g fiber PROTEIN + FAT
1 T Flax Seeds = 5f, 4g fiber Sardines = 20p 16f
1 OOg Avocado = 15f, 7g fiber Atlantic Salmon = 23p 15f
Sockeye Salmon = 25p 8f
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FAQ’s
Here are
the most
common
questions
that people
have when
completing
this program
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2.) How do you get all the fat in your diet?
What?! Fat is the EASIEST macro to get in. First of all, make
sure you’re accurately calculating your cooking oils and
nut butters. You can always take a few scoops of peanut
butter or coconut oil.
If you’re having a hard time getting all your protein in, get
a protein supplement! Something low-carb and very high
quality is key.
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It is a PRIVATE Community, please click the link to join
CLICK HERE
Thank you!
All contents copyright @ 2019 Gym Ryan, LLC. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this document or related files or content
may be reproduce or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior
written permission of Ryan Fischer The credited photos are the sole property of Ryan Fischer & Gym Ryan, LLC.
The information contained in this document is solely for general educational and informational purposes only. The information has
been prepared based upon our general educational background and our practical experience over the past 15+ years. The products
and information provided on this website have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration, or any other
governmental authority. Gym Ryan, LLC. is not a physician and the information and products provided are not medical advice and
should not replace medical advice.
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