Introduction
Modern food concepts base their being on calorie control, based on the real energy needs of a given individual.
This involves an accurate, and often laborious, drafting of detailed nutritional programs, with well-defined percentages of macronutrients to be followed every day. That said, it cannot be taken for granted that each system respects identical methodological rules of calculation and evaluation.
On the contrary, with the exception of those who follow an "academic" line - which "should" in some way standardize the modus operandi - everyone has their own way.
In the following article we will talk about the so-called "cyclical power supply", a nutritional system designed to maximize the physiological development of lean mass and, at the same time, reduce the amount of body fat.
We will obviously discuss the principles that regulate it and, above all, the real one effectiveness o applicability that can demonstrate in the field of fitness and bodybuilding.
For further information: Hunting Pig Out: What does it consist of?Nutritional balance
General information on nutritional balance
The official guidelines on nutrition of the general population recommend following a normocaloric diet - useful for maintaining constant weight - characterized by an intake of carbohydrates of approximately 50-60% of the total daily kilocalories (kcal), while fats should reach 25-30% respectively and proteins would occupy the remaining share.
In athletes, the recommended protein quota should rise, in particular following a low-calorie diet - necessary to reduce weight - reaching a count of even more than 2,2 g of protein per kilogram (kg) of body kg.
The point is that, for the most part, the energy share taken with food and the breakdown of macronutrients remain unchanged of time - logically contemplating meals or days of "cheating".
Food Evolution and Mathematics
However, it would be objected that, from the evolutionary point of view, diet is also for man DON'T has ever been normcaloric ed isocaloric (same energy input) over time. This is because in the past, in addition to the fact that its impact on the metabolism was not known, there was never the possibility to preset and manage it - let's not forget that in the 900s your country spent most of the time as a Third World country; for many the problem was finding something to eat, certainly not "choosing".
The current "food math"- used by us for less than half a century - it was basically created to protect the population fromobesity and by diseases of interest metabolic (type 2 diabetes mellitus, primary arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, etc.); today however, this approach is also supported by important "aesthetic needs".
This is how establishing a precise quota of food and drink has become a necessity more than ever necessary for survival. Unfortunately, the pandemic attitude to obesity is still difficult to stop.
Theory of cyclicality
But how today it would be fundamental to understand that the human being is still - more or less - the same as hundreds of thousands of years ago, predisposed to live according to cyclical rhythms.
These rhythms include:
- ipo- and hyper- supply;
- orthosympathetic autonomic hyper-activation and parasympathetic autonomic calm;
- depleted physical activity and supercompensation rest.
It is on this theory that the innovative concept of cyclical power supply, which should prescind from the assignment fixed of calories and breakdown standardized macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats).
For many, reorganizing food life on a cyclical basis makes it possible to recover the naturalness of rhythms, such as the regulation of the nervous system, energy systems, hormonal flows.
We could reconsider the way we eat by extending the patterns on a daily basis to real periods (several days, or even weeks).
All of this is exploited extensively in the system Hunting Pig Out (H-PO), where the share of energy taken over the week remains the same, as is the distribution of macro energy, also right for sportsmen, bodybuilders and fitness lovers who wish to improve their body composition.
the clash
Let's take a practical example in order to analyze the two different working methods in comparison: traditional and cyclical.
Let us consider a subject of 85,0 kg, a ratio between the masses that identifies a physiological condition (normal weight), an energy consumption without desirable activities of about 1950 kcal / the and an expense from physical motor activity of about 350 kcal / the to 2 days per week. The total energy to be assumed would be 14350 kcal per week (/ week), that is 2050 kcal / the, for an absolute maintenance.
Considering the "classic" management of the diet, one would attribute the 50-60% di carbohydrates, 25-30% di grassi and remaining di protein. Or, you could start from the protein quantity on a g / kg basis (we do not go into the merits of the coefficient, which depends on various factors), transform it into calories, add those of fats and finally obtain the remaining energy of the carbohydrates from which to obtain the grams .
Obviously, we could consider slightly different percentages, but in principle we are on these parameters.
However, later on we will follow a much more "dear" method to sportsmen, doing the calculations by reasoning about grams per kg (g / kg).
Example of daily feeding
The example, we recall, is set considering the total mass (85 kg), DON'T the lean one. The coefficients that can be superimposed on the percentages mentioned above are approximately the following:
- Proteins (P): 1,5 g / kg;
- Fat (L): 0,75 g / kg;
- Carbohydrates (CHO): xg / kg (remaining share to reach 2050 kcal / day or 14350 / week).
At this point, wanting to think on a weekly basis and not on a daily basis, we would have:
- P / week: 127,5 gx 7 days = 892,5 g (3570 kcal);
- L / week: 63,8 gx 7 days = 446,3 g (4016,7 kcal);
- CHO / week: 14350 - 3570 - 4016,7 = 6763,3 kcal / 3,75 kcal (energy coefficient of 1 g of CHO) = 1803,6 g.
Example of cyclic power supply
With reference to the principle of cyclical nutrition, we will structure a diet relating to the days of training and rest, therefore not identical between day 1, day 2, day 3 etc., but respectful to the workout expected.
In the days of training (2300 kcal), the share of protein e grassi would remain low, respectively 1,0 g / kg (therefore 85 g) and 0,5 g / kg (therefore 42,5 g); consequently, making the resulting calculation, i carbohydrates will be the share prevailing (420,7 g), or nearly 5 g / kg.
At the meal immediately following the last workout and throughout the next day, you could raise up in an important way the amount of proteins, lowering consequently i carbohydrates (and, for some, even the little fat that remained), to maximize the muscle-building and recovery effect.
Proteins can reach 2,2 g / kg (therefore 187 g) and - keeping fats constant - 3,7 g / kg carbohydrates.
But be careful, the calculation must take into account that this last variation intersects the caloric intake of the training days with a breakdown instead referring to the recovery of the following day. So, for those who don't want to go crazy, they could concentrate all the proteins of the workout day at the evening meal and apply the re-calculation to the next day (Sunday).
Monday to Thursday (rest days with 1950 kcal / the), it would be possible to maintain a normal protein quota, i.e. 1,5 g / kg (therefore 127,5 g / day), a quota of grassi top to the previous ones, equal to 1,0 g / kg (therefore 86 g / day) and the remaining carbohydrates:
g CHO / the = 1950 kcal - P kcal (510) - L kcal (774) = 666 kcal / 3,75 (kcal / g) = 177,6
For our subject, 177,6 g / day of carbohydrates equals 2,1 g / kg.
The weekly caloric amount is the same, but the distribution of energy and energy macronutrients changes.
Other important points to follow in cyclical nutrition would be those of a healthy and correct diet; first of all, it is good to favor natural and not industrially processed foods, learning to cook.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages and disadvantages of cyclical feeding
The first advantage of cyclical nutrition is that, on weekends, you can enjoy being at the table without excessive restrictions, obviously choosing the right foods and without abusing.
The first disadvantage, on the other hand, is that of the complexity of the method. Not bad, readers will say. But no, because every time the card and the seasonality of the foods are changed, it would be necessary to pick up everything and recompose the scheme.
Moreover, as the most recent studies show, the metabolism is smarter than we think. It is true that there are rhythms and mechanisms to "make the most of", such as the well-known post-exercise anabolic window. But it is equally true that the construction and demolition processes stop when they have finished their work; they certainly don't have a timer.
Get less protein after your workout, though DON'T having a logic, it would not nullify what was done in the gym. Of course, the recovery would be slower, more postponed so to speak; but sooner or later it will happen anyway.
It is different if we talk about calories. It is in fact right to concentrate more energy with food on workout days, but only if the gap is impossible to manage efficiently.
For example, an amateur cyclist who runs 300 km between Saturday and Sunday, and who works as an employee by profession, undoubtedly finds an advantage in increasing his energy intake on training days rather than by averaging the week.
On the contrary, a subject who trains with weights 3-4 days a week, can safely stabilize the dietary intake, obtaining the same results in terms of well-being and results as with a cyclic diet.
