Huge money and huge efforts are spent all over the world on the search and production of potent anabolics. Numerous Scientific research to search for anabolic drugs that do not fall under the classification of doping. Sports pharmacology has become an independent branch of science. All over the world, the illegal trade in anabolic steroids is already approaching the drug trade in its scope. Meanwhile, there is a very simple and very effective method for a qualitative and quantitative breakthrough in the set muscle mass. And this is achieved through the manipulation of certain types of food.
We are talking about carbohydrate unloading - loading. Americans call carbohydrates carbohydrates. A beautiful term, similar to a scientific one. That is why it has taken root all over the world.
What is the essence of the method. The fact that the body is completely deprived of carbohydrate food for a certain time. Carbohydrates are then reintroduced into the diet at a time when the body has already adapted to the absence of carbohydrates, and this leads to a sharp increase in strength and muscle mass.
The body gets most of its energy from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are oxidized in the mitochondria of cells and the energy released in this way is stored in the form of ATP. Some of the energy is dissipated as heat and maintained as heat and maintains body temperature at a constant level. This is necessary for the body, because. all biochemical reactions in it require a certain temperature regime. Carbohydrates are formed in plants by photosynthesis from carbon dioxide and water. Hence they got their name. All carbohydrates can be divided into simple (sugar) and complex.
Simple carbohydrates:
Monosaccharides: glucose, fructose, galactose.
Disaccharides: sucrose, lactose, maltose.
Complex carbohydrates:
Polysaccharides: starch, glycogen, pectins, fiber.
Monosaccharides have the simplest chemical structure and are therefore very easy to break down and digest. Simple carbohydrates are highly soluble in water. They have a pronounced sweet taste, but their sweetness varies. Fructose (fruit sugar) has the greatest sweetness. It is almost twice as sweet as regular sugar. Honey is sweeter than regular sugar precisely because it contains a lot of fructose. Fructose is followed in terms of sweetness by sucrose (regular or cane sugar), glucose (grape sugar), maltose (malt sugar), galactose, lactose (milk sugar). Fructose is absorbed more slowly in the intestine than other simple carbohydrates. However, it is faster and easier than other carbohydrates to convert to glycogen in the liver and muscles. Glucose is the most rapidly absorbed compared to other sugars. In quantitative terms, glucose is the main source for the synthesis of glycogen in the liver and muscles. Glucose is the main source of energy for the entire body. The brain consumes glucose to the greatest extent, followed by the liver, muscles, kidneys, heart, and other organs in terms of the amount of glucose absorbed per unit of weight. All complex carbohydrates, entering the body, are first broken down to glucose and only then absorbed by the body. Glucose is the main energy metabolite of the body.
Theoretically, fat oxidation can provide twice as much energy as glucose oxidation. However, fat with great difficulty penetrates the cell membranes of mitochondria and is hardly oxidized. Glucose, on the other hand, penetrates into the cell very easily and is oxidized very quickly, therefore, glucose is considered by us as the main energy substance. Glycogen in the liver and muscles also first breaks down to glucose and, only then, is included in energy metabolism.
Since the role of glucose in energy metabolism is very large, in the process of evolution, mechanisms have arisen and consolidated that protect the body from a shortage of this main fuel.
In the body of an ordinary person, with a lack of glucose, it is synthesized from amino acids and fats, however, the proportion of such glucose is very small, and the body's ability to synthesize glucose from other food components is small. The body of an athlete is quite another matter. The main effect of any training is to create an energy deficit in certain neuromuscular structures. This is the main incentive to strengthen protein synthesis and adaptation of the body to high physical exertion. Among the huge number of adaptive reactions, there are also the following: the body learns to extract more glucose from amino acids and fats. The process of glucose synthesis by the body itself is called gluconeogenesis, i.e. neoplasm of glucose. The higher the qualification of an athlete, the stronger the mechanism of gluconeogenesis is developed in him, the more glucose the body can synthesize. The intensity of gluconeogenesis is the main mechanism that ensures the endurance of the body, both in aerobic and anaerobic sports. The ability of the body to recover after competitive loads also depends on gluconeogenesis.
For the penetration of glucose into the cell, insulin is necessary - the main hormone for the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. It is curious, however, that many organs can also absorb glucose by the non-insulin route. First of all, this is typical for the brain and liver. The body repeatedly insures its metabolism against a possible deficiency of insulin and other hormonal factors. This allowed man to survive and win in the animal world.
In our daily diet from simple carbohydrates, we mainly use granulated sugar, with which we drink tea, which we add to confectionery and drinks. In the digestive tract, sucrose easily breaks down into glucose and fructose, and they are directly oxidized in the mitochondria to form ATP.
Lactose is milk sugar found only in milk. Its typical feature is poor digestibility in the body of an adult. If in the body of children lactose is broken down and absorbed almost instantly, then in an adult body it passes in an unsplit form to the very large intestine. In the intestines, lactose begins to ferment with the formation of a large amount of toxins, gases, etc.
Poor digestion of lactose is the reason why many adults cannot tolerate whole milk. In fermented milk products, lactose has already been destroyed by lactic acid fermentation bacteria, which is why they are absorbed so easily even in the body of an adult. Complex carbohydrates in our food are represented mainly by starch. The proportion of starch in the average person's diet far exceeds that of simple carbohydrates. Starch makes up on average 80% of the total amount of carbohydrates consumed. Starch is a polymer that cannot be dissolved in water. With water, it is able to form a colloidal solution. The simplest example of a colloidal solution is the well-known jelly. IN gastrointestinal tract starch is first broken down to dextrins, then dextrin is broken down to maltose, and then to glucose. And only glucose is again included in the energy metabolism.
Glycogen as a food source of carbohydrates has no practical value.
In the body, glycogen is used as a depot of carbohydrates in the muscles, liver, heart, kidneys, etc.
As needed at the time of completion muscle work glycogen is broken down again to glucose, and already glucose burns out with the release of energy.
Glycogen makes up to 3% of muscle mass and up to 20% of liver mass. Already from here it becomes clear what role he plays in these organs.
Pectins are divided into protopectins and pectins. Protopectins are the main component plant cell walls. They also consist of intercellular layers. This is the framework of plant tissues. Protopectins by themselves cannot serve as a source of energy. They are, however, able to break down into pectins and cellulose.
Pectins are able to break down in the intestine to glucose and tetragalacturonic acid. But the main role of pectins is not this. Pectins in an aqueous solution turn into a jelly-like, colloidal mass. Some berries and fruits (red currants, apples) can be used to make jelly without any gelatin. Colloidal masses of pectins are able to bind cholesterol, bile acids, toxic substances in the intestine and remove them from the body. Recently, many new dietary products with a high content of pectin have been proposed for use to reduce cholesterol in the body and remove salts of heavy metals (tetraethyl lead, etc.)
Phase #1 Carbohydrate unloading.
How is carbohydrate unloading carried out? Carbohydrate unloading implies a one-time refusal to eat any carbohydrates: simple or complex. All types of sugar, confectionery and flour products, potatoes and other products containing starch are excluded from the diet. All types of vegetables and fruits are excluded: nuts, peas, beans and other legumes, mushrooms, due to some misunderstanding, sometimes classified as protein products contain a large number of complex carbohydrates. In short, no plant foods should be consumed.
What then should the diet consist of? In the phase of carbohydrate unloading, the diet should consist exclusively of protein products of animal origin. What protein products are most preferred? The ones that are easier to digest. Of all protein foods, egg protein is the most easily digested. He should be given preference. The amino acid spectrum of egg white is ideal in its composition. All the essential amino acids are optimally balanced in the egg. The World Health Organization (WHO) has adopted egg white as its standard. When it is necessary to evaluate the qualitative composition (amino acid balance) of a protein product, this comparison is made with the amino acid balance of egg white.
The egg, among other things, does not have a tissue structure. The whole egg is one large cell, which means that there are no cell membranes that need to be digested. Eggs must be eaten boiled. Denatured boiled egg white is easily broken down by digestive enzymes, quickly absorbed and leaves no waste behind. Raw egg white is digested and absorbed extremely poorly, because. it contains a special antitrypsin enzyme that destroys trypsin, one of the main digestive enzymes. In addition, raw egg whites contain avidin, an antivitamin substance that irreversibly binds vitamin H. Egg yolks are absorbed worse, and if financial opportunities allow, it is best to eat only egg whites. Following egg whites are lactic acid products: kefir, yogurt, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese (low-fat varieties). Proteins of fermented milk products are represented mainly by casein, which, being already partially denatured by lactic acid bacteria, is relatively easy to digest, although not as completely as egg white.
Casein (caseinogen) is a phosphoprotein, in the molecule of which phosphorus in the form of phosphoric acid is associated with amino acids. Just as in a person's life there is never a lot of money in the body, there is never a lot of phosphorus.
The main energy accumulator is adenosine triphosphoric acid, the main structural component of all cell membranes without exception - phospholipids, by the way, and teeth are composed of phosphorus and calcium salts, the inclusion of many vitamins in the metabolism is impossible without the addition of a phosphorus residue, etc.
It is especially good that casein is associated with milk calcium and forms active casein - calcium phosphate complex. Milk calcium is the most easily digestible calcium found in nature. Dairy products are the main source of calcium in our diet. Muscle contractions are not possible without the participation of calcium ions. The fats of fermented milk products contain deficient arachidonic acid, which takes part in the construction of cell membranes and removes cholesterol from cholesterol plaques. Only dairy products contain a biologically active protein-lecithin complex. The overall balance of all substances that make up milk is characterized by an anti-sclerotic orientation, which has a normalizing effect on the level of cholesterol in the blood serum.
All dairy products are a good source of vitamins. Vitamins are formed due to the activity of lactic acid bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria not only produce vitamins, but also secrete a special kind of antibiotics that suppress putrefactive bacteria in the intestines. Products made with the use of acidophilus bacillus have the greatest ability to suppress the decay of proteins: acidophilic yogurt, acidophilic paste, cottage cheese. Having an acidophilic starter, you can easily prepare all these products at home from ordinary milk. Only before fermentation, milk must be pasteurized in order to destroy all foreign microorganisms. You can pasteurize milk by heating it to 60 degrees, or by bringing it to a boil. Dry acidophilic sourdough is sometimes sold in pharmacies, but you can do without it if you simply ferment milk with some kind of acidophilic product.
According to the ability to suppress putrefaction in the intestines, acidophilic products are followed by kefir. Kefir is nothing more than a real fungal culture, because. it is made with the help of lactic acid fungi. In the experiment, volunteers took 1 glass of kefir per day at night. After 7 days, all toxic decay products disappeared from the urine, which indicates the complete cessation of putrefactive processes in the intestines.
After kefir comes curdled milk, made in the factory with the help of pure cultures of lactic acid streptococci. Ordinary homemade curdled milk from sour milk contains wild lactic streptococci, but even it is able to suppress the decay of proteins in the intestines.
Fermented milk products are followed by fish and seafood in terms of amino acid value and lightness. Fish proteins are digested, but worse than the proteins of lactic acid products, because. fish meat already has a tissue structure and consists of muscle fibers. To start digesting fish muscle proteins, the body must first digest the shell of the muscle fiber, and it is much more difficult to digest than directly muscle proteins. Fish proteins have the ability to reduce the content of cholesterol and neutral fats in the body, tk. contain a large amount of lipotropic amino acid - methionine.
Fish oil, which consists of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, has high biological properties. These fatty acids are chemically similar to vegetable fats. Evolution did a good job with the fish. If their body contained fat similar to meat fats, then they would simply freeze in water, because the fat obtained from meat becomes solid at a certain temperature. Fish, on the other hand, do not freeze and do not harden even in the most cold water. The lipotropic effect of fish proteins is enhanced by the lipotropic effect of fish fat. In those countries where the basis of the diet is fish and seafood, the cholesterol content in the body is much less than in countries where they eat mainly meat. Japan is an example of such a “fishy” country. The content of cholesterol in the blood of an average Japanese is more than 2 times lower than in the blood of an average European. Atherosclerosis in the Japanese, of course, develops (it develops in everyone with age), however, it develops a decade later than in other nations. Therefore, life expectancy in Japan is much higher than in other countries. The Japanese proudly say to themselves that they eat fish, not meat. If a Japanese moves to another country and begins to eat meat, then he ages even faster than the indigenous population. From this it becomes clear that the longevity of the Japanese is due solely to their diet, and nothing else. Fish, especially sea fish, contain many mineral elements necessary for a person. First of all, iodine. Interestingly, pollock is the cheapest fish we have, in Japan it is considered a delicacy and is very expensive. And red fish, quite the contrary.
Meat proteins occupy the last place in the hierarchy of animal proteins. Although they are well balanced in their amino acid composition, they are difficult to digest, because. muscle fibers meat have a very strong, thick and hard to digest shell. Meat is never digested and absorbed in the body completely. Microscopic examination of the feces of people eating meat always finds undigested muscle fibers.
So, in the phase of carbohydrate unloading, the entire diet consists of only one protein food. The menu is not that varied, but quite tolerable. As for fats, it all depends on what goals the athlete sets for himself. If the goal is to simultaneously get rid of excess adipose tissue, then no fats, with the exception of 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, should not be consumed. There is no fat deficiency in the body even when fat is 100% excluded from the diet. First, all animal protein products contain some amount of fat. Meat and dairy products contain fat from saturated fatty acids. Fish and seafood contain fat from unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
It's hard to do without sweets. There are habits that are very difficult to overcome. And here artificial sugar substitutes come to our aid - saccharin, slastilin (aspartate). Saccharin is a derivative of benzoic acid. Saccharin is 500 times sweeter than regular sugar. Saccharin does not have any side effects on the body. In case of an overdose, instead of a sweet taste, bitterness appears. Slastilin is a substance less sweet than saccharin and is a derivative of aspartic acid. It does not have a toxic effect, but unlike saccharin, it does not give a bitter taste in case of an overdose.
In addition to saccharin and sweetilin, there are also other sugar substitutes, such as xylitol and sorbitol, but they have a certain calorie content and are included in carbohydrate metabolism, so they cannot be used for carbohydrate unloading.
Protein diet in the absence of carbohydrates initially leads to a very significant drop in blood sugar levels. Those glycogen depots that are contained in the liver and muscles are enough for less than a day. After that, blood sugar drops quite noticeably. This leads to a sharp decrease in performance, both mental and physical. Muscle strength and endurance are sharply reduced. Athletes sometimes can't even handle half of their normal training load. The reaction of the blood is shifted to the acidic side due to the accumulation of ketone bodies - underoxidized products of fatty acids. Fat cannot be fully oxidized without the energy supplied by carbohydrates. As a result of acidosis, general lethargy increases and drowsiness appears. During the first few days there is a complete depletion of glycogen depots in the liver and muscles. Lethargy, weakness and lethargy gradually increase and reach a maximum by 7-10 days. On the 7-10th day, there is a sharp improvement in well-being, the complete disappearance of lethargy, weakness and drowsiness. This is due to the fact that all the required amount of glucose is now synthesized from amino acids and fats. Synthesis of glucose from fat and amino acids - glucogenesis begins almost immediately after the exclusion of carbohydrates from the diet. In the liver, a special kind of short-lived proteins begin to be synthesized, which are enzymes of glucogenesis, i.e. regulate the flow of fatty acids and amino acids into the mitochondria of the liver, as well as into those structures where glucose is newly formed. The formation of gluconeogenic enzymes is stimulated by acidosis. The stronger the previous acidosis, the more actively glucose synthesis will subsequently be carried out. After the disappearance of ketone bodies from the blood, not only weakness disappears, but also a gradual restoration of sports performance occurs. The longer the phase of carbohydrate unloading lasts, the less amino acids are consumed for energy needs, and the more fats are consumed. The two main adaptive mechanisms of the human body in this situation are the increased oxidation of fatty acids and the new formation of glucose directly from fat. During the first days of fasting, glucose is synthesized in the liver, then the kidneys turn on in the process of glucogenesis, and after a few days, the intestines.
There is a gradual restoration of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, only this glycogen is synthesized not from food glucose, but from glucose formed from fats and amino acids.
Acidosis compensation and subsequent restoration of glycogen stores in different muscles advancing in different dates, from one to three weeks from the start of the unloading period. At the beginning of carbohydrate unloading, as a rule, you really want sweets, you want bread and flour products. Sweets and cakes can even be a dream at night. However, in the future, as gluconeogenesis is activated, the craving for sweets disappears and the person forgets about the existence of carbohydrate products, as if they did not exist at all.
Full adaptation of the body to a carbohydrate-free diet is a signal that it is time to move on to the second phase - carbohydrate loading.
Carbohydrate loading is no less important than unloading. Carbohydrates have the ability to bind water. 1 gram of carbohydrates retains about 4 grams of water in the body. If during the loading period you immediately start eating the usual amount of carbohydrates, then there is a water overload: swelling, headache, increase arterial pressure etc. In people with an excited nervous system, general arousal may appear, sometimes turning into aggression, insomnia. The loading period is therefore carried out very carefully. In the early days, carbohydrates are taken in small portions, in the following days their amount gradually increases. And so on until it reaches the usual values.
How long should the download period be? Its duration depends on the duration of the unloading period preceding it. If the unloading period lasted a month, then the loading period should take at least a month. During this month, we should begin to consume carbohydrates and gradually bring their amount to the usual level. Since the usual amount of carbohydrates taken is strictly individual, we will not dwell on grams and calories in this article. Having calculated in advance how many carbohydrates we consume in a normal, Everyday life, divide this number by the number of days of the recovery period. Let's say we eat a total of 30 grams of sugar, 300 grams of bread and 300 grams of potatoes per day. If the recovery period lasts 30 days, then we should divide the usual daily carbohydrate diet by 30. It turns out that for one day of loading there are 3 g of sugar, 10 g of bread and 10 g of potatoes. On the first day of the loading period, we consume 130 of the daily carbohydrate diet. Those. those same 3 g of sugar, 10 g of bread and 10 g of potatoes. And further, adding 130 every day, in a month we will already eat our entire daily allowance. The entire daily carbohydrate diet has been restored.
Since, during the unloading period, the body adapts to a carbohydrate deficiency and restores glycogen stores (glycogen in the liver, muscles, heart, etc. internal organs constantly self-updating. If we are talking about the fact that glycogen stores are restored due to the constant synthesis of glucose from fats, then this means that glycogen is constantly consumed and constantly signed by glucose of fatty origin), then with the start of loading, glycogen begins to be synthesized from two sources at once: from glucose "fat origin” and from dietary glucose. The activity of enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of glycogen is very high, and the amount of newly synthesized glycogen is limited mainly by sources of glucose. Therefore, from the very beginning of the loading period, glycogen is synthesized in increased quantities. If the unloading and subsequent loading periods were large enough (at least 1 month), then the amount of glycogen in the liver and muscles can be brought up to 200% of the usual level. This is a very high figure. No drugs, including anabolic steroid and insulin, we can't raise liver and muscle glycogen levels that high. This means an almost twofold increase in endurance and a one and a half times increase in muscle strength. About such increases in strength and endurance before, when there was no proven methodology for carbohydrate unloading, loading could only be dreamed of.
At the very beginning of the loading period, there is sometimes a slight lethargy and pleasant drowsiness. Then, as the amount of carbohydrates in the diet increases, the inhibition disappears and is replaced by a state of emotional and physical recovery. Subjectively, this is felt in the form of an increase in mood, the appearance of a thirst for activity. The speed of thinking increases and the motor reaction increases. The resistance of the whole organism to a lack of oxygen and to all adverse environmental factors increases. IN better side the endocrine balance changes and the absorption of vitamins by the body increases.
To the greatest extent, carbohydrate unloading - loading increases the endurance of the body. It is especially popular among athletes, skiers, rowers, swimmers and skaters. Recently, more and more weightlifters, wrestlers and high-class bodybuilders are using carbohydrate unloading - loading in their arsenal. Professional athletes who earn their sportsmanship big money, try to use every opportunity to improve their sportswear. Professional boxers, masters hand-to-hand combat, tennis players and football players - all appreciate the positive impact of carbohydrate unloading - loading on the body and on sports performance.
In addition to increasing endurance and strength, emotional and mental recovery, carbohydrate unloading - loading is accompanied by many beneficial changes in the body. In the process of unloading, while eating only protein food, fast loss adipose tissue. This is not surprising, because adipose tissue is 90% supported by carbohydrates from food. The rate of fat loss can depend on many factors, including motor activity. With intense aerobic exercise the body can lose up to 500 g of fat daily. The more excess fat mass, the faster man losing weight. As you lose weight, the loss of adipose tissue slows down and can reach 100 g per day. During carbohydrate loading, we achieve supercompensation of carbohydrate energy reserves, but we never achieve full recovery of adipose tissue. Partially, of course, it is restored, but only partially. Even if carbohydrate unloading - loading on was accompanied by no positive energy effects, then the loss of adipose tissue alone is worth it. Adipose tissue lives its own life. This is far from a passive dead balance. It is constantly self-renewing, constantly requires an influx of glucose, amino acids and vitamins.
The pancreas of a normal person produces an average of 40 units per day. insulin. Extra 5 - 6 kg. Fat require more insulin. The pancreas works under double load due to some insignificant 5 kg. Fat! What happens in the body of a person who has an extra 50 kg. Fat? It's scary even to think about what violence is being done to the pancreas, which is forced to produce 10 times more insulin. The pancreas of such people is depleted and so-called “obese diabetes” or type 2 diabetes develops, which does not require insulin for its treatment. It requires only one thing: weight loss. Many people who lose weight make a full recovery. To many, but, unfortunately, not to all. If part of the pancreas has died due to chronic overload, then it can no longer be restored, it remains defective and produces little insulin, and this is another extreme, fraught with many serious diseases.
Adipose tissue is able to bind up to 60% of sex hormones, both in male and female organisms. But without a normal level of sex hormones, normal anabolism is impossible. There is a myth that in people with fat, muscles grow faster. This is a deep delusion. Take a closer look at people who are rapidly progressing in sports. All of them look quite thin. If a thin person progresses slowly, then this indicates more likely the presence of some kind of disease. digestive system. In itself, thinness is a brake on sports career can not be.
The unloading phase is accompanied by the inevitable intake of more than usual amounts of protein. This has a positive effect on the nervous system. If there was an exhaustion of the nervous system or overtraining, then they disappear. The nervous system is strengthened and becomes more resistant to all stress factors without exception.
Eating carbohydrates causes the release of serotonin, an inhibitory neuron, into the bloodstream. Serotonin enhances inhibition in the central nervous system and counteracts the effects of sex hormones, causing inhibition of sexual reflexes. With age, the amount of serotonin in the body increases. This negatively affects not only sexual function, but also general condition organism. If earlier it was believed that serotonin improves mood, then in recent years more and more evidence has accumulated that serotonin, on the contrary, has a depressing effect on the nervous system. Serotonin increases inflammation and allergies. Many chronic inflammatory and allergic diseases are caused precisely by an excess of serotonin. Even a temporary exclusion of carbohydrates from food significantly reduces the release of serotonin into the blood. This leads to a reduction in inflammation, microbes, in general, are very fond of carbohydrates. In the case of carbohydrate unloading, microbes are deprived of a good nutrient medium) and allergies, to the activation of sexual function and an increase in overall activity.
During carbohydrate loading nervous system human is activated even more, despite a slight decrease in the proportion of animal protein in the diet. The qualitative composition of carbohydrates during the loading is of no small importance. Glucose, of course, is most quickly absorbed in the intestines and oxidized of all sugars, however, fructose is stored more in the form of glycogen in percentage terms, and if it is possible to replace regular sugar with honey, where the fructose content is high, then this must be done. Maltose (malt sugar) can be stored as glycogen to an even greater extent than fructose and malt sugar concentrates, which are sold as raw materials for making dark beer, can be used for carbohydrate loading. A good source of glucose is grapes, in which glucose is almost the only carbohydrate A in watermelons, for example, there are no other carbohydrates other than fructose.
As products for carbohydrate loading, it makes sense to use dried fruits, which are not only a carbohydrate concentrate, they good source vitamins. Surprisingly, it is a fact: many dried whole fruits contain many times more vitamins than fresh ones. Recent studies have shown that when fruits are dried, peculiar ripening processes occur in them, somewhat similar to the process of cheese ripening. There is a multiple increase in the content of vitamins and, no less important, the content of dicarboxylic acids, in particular succinic and malic, increases. Dicarboxylic acids are not only very easily included in the processes of biological oxidation, they enhance the process of oxidation of other energy sources: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, lactic and pyruvic acids. There are even avant-garde methods for obtaining natural juices. Whole berries and fruits are first dried and then ground and mixed with water, thus obtaining juice with pulp. Yogis have noticed thousands of years ago that the effect of dried fruits on the body is different from the effect of fresh ones. They recommend, regardless of the time of year, even in summer, to consume at least 300 gr. dried fruits. India 0 tropical country. It is difficult for its residents to complain about the lack of fresh fruit. And if they already recommend including dried fruits in their menu, then you need to listen to their recommendations.
The effect of dry fruits on the body is different from the action of fresh ones. This is also explained by the fact that in addition to vitamins, all fruits also contain antivitamins, which, when fresh fruits are consumed, neutralize vitamins. When fruits and berries are dried, antivitamins are destroyed, but vitamins are not. This should also be taken into account when analyzing the effects of dried fruits on the body. Dried fruits, among other things, are a real pantry of trace elements, especially potassium. The penetration of potassium into the cell stabilizes its charge. Potassium enhances the process muscle contraction, without it, normal anabolism is impossible. Potassium is valuable for its dehydrating properties: it removes excess water from the body. In the loading phase, the appetite for everything sweet wakes up. People often go overboard on carbohydrates. As a result, excessive water retention and edema occur. Recall that 1 g of carbohydrates holds 4 g of water. Using dried fruits as a boot material, we are less likely to earn edema and headache than when using sugar and bread.
Recently, a variety of commercial food products have appeared that are designed specifically for carbohydrate loading. They are arranged in the form of tablets or capsules, each of which contains a strictly defined amount of carbohydrates, measured in grams or calories. This facilitates dosing and correct loading. The qualitative composition of such products also differs from ordinary sugar. If finances allow, then such products should be used. If finances do not allow, then the most common products will do, you just need to understand what and where you upload.
In the phase of carbohydrate unloading, some changes in the structure of cell membranes occur and the cells become more permeable to glucose and other carbohydrates. This increased permeability is maintained throughout the loading period, and even for some time after it. The body continues, as if by inertia, to gain carbohydrates in excess of the norm. After the loading period is over, and the carbohydrate diet is equal in quantity to the original one, you can continue for some time in the same proportion to increase the proportion of the carbohydrate diet daily. If the loading period is long, for example, 30 days, then you can continue to increase the carbohydrate diet for about 15 more days, i.e. half of the loading time. At this time, the “open carbohydrate window” in the membranes of muscle cells will still be preserved. muscle strength and endurance in this period of "overload" will continue to increase. However, side effect there may be an increase in excess fat mass. In some cases this is justified and in others it is not. And here an individual approach is needed.
Sugar substitutes such as sorbitol and xylitol deserve special mention. Xylitol in its structure is a pentahydric alcohol. It is obtained from corn cobs and is available as a powder. Taking xylitol does not increase blood sugar, but xylitol has the ability to be stored directly as glycogen. This is a very valuable dietary product that has a beneficial effect on the condition of the liver and heart. The choleretic effect of xylitol allows it to be used as a choleretic agent as a medicine. Sweets and confectionery products made with xylitol have a pleasant refreshing taste, they do not have the cloying taste inherent in ordinary sugar. Xylitol is also available in its pure form, and it deserves more widespread use than as a simple substitute Sahara. During carbohydrate overload, xylitol can be used as a means to increase glycogen depots. Xylitol to some extent reduces the content of lactic acid in the blood. Sorbitol, like xylitol, is an alcohol, but not five, but six-atomic. Oddly enough, they get it from rotting fruit. The raw material for the production of sorbitol is most often the squeezes of rotten apples. Sorbitol is available in the form of granules. Sold as a sugar substitute for diabetics. Sorbitol, like xylitol, is able to integrate into carbohydrate metabolism and increase the content of glycogen in tissues. Sorbitol, however, is significantly inferior in this capacity to xylitol. Distinctive feature sorbitol is a very strong choleretic and laxative effect. Sorbitol in the intestines attracts water, interferes with the absorption of intestinal juice, and ultimately acts as an osmotic laxative. Unlike saline laxatives, it does not cause irritation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa, it acts gently, although more strongly. Interestingly, the laxative effect of sorbitol is manifested only in persons with normal and low acidity of gastric juice. In persons with high acidity, sorbitol does not have any laxative effect, causing only a choleretic effect. Attempts were made to produce confectionery products using sorbitol, however, due to the strong laxative effect, these products became so notorious that they had to be abandoned. Sorbitol finds a certain market, although not in such quantities as xylitol.
Carbohydrate unloading - loading in sports is far from exhausting all its possibilities. There will certainly be more research to be done, new methodologies to be developed, and new products to be offered for download. I think that in the near future carbohydrate unloading - loading will be widely introduced not only in sports, but also in clinical medicine. I have been using it for many years to treat patients with a wide variety of diseases, and sometimes even just for general strengthening and health purposes.
How often and for how long can unloading and loading periods be carried out? Several decades ago, when carbohydrate unloading-loading was just part of sports practice, unloading and loading periods were carried out for no more than 2 weeks each and only once a year in preparation for especially important competitions. In the future, as positive results of observations accumulated, carbohydrate unloading - the load began to be recommended to be used more often, up to 4 times a year, and not only before competitions, but also during the period basic training for general metabolism stimulation. Now everything is gradually moving towards the fact that unloading - loading elite athletes will be used almost constantly, throughout the year with long courses, in which both the unloading and loading periods last for a long time, at least 1 month each. Methods are being developed to carry out protein unloading - loading, but in real practice, such protein unloading - loading comes down first to a gradual decrease in protein intake to a certain level in order to reduce catabolism, and then to an increase in protein intake in order to spur anabolism processes. There is a gradual merging of methods of carbohydrate and protein unloading - loading. A decrease in the amount of carbohydrates consumed is combined with an increase in the amount of proteins consumed, and then vice versa.
Briefly and clearly why contrast weeks are better than fasting ones.
Light or "deload" weeks today can be found in many strength programs. What are they needed for? Let's turn to the giants: Professor Zatsiorsky in his “Theory of Two Factors” wrote as follows: “The training effect consists of two factors - an increase in the result after exercise (a) and fatigue (b). The combination of positive and negative changes determines the end result.”
In other words, when you train hard all the time, your gains are "masked" a bit by the amount of fatigue you accumulate. When unloading, fatigue is removed, and you are suddenly faced with an increase in results.
Usually fasting weeks are prescribed in the program, for example, every fourth. Personally, I do not like to plan kickbacks, because life itself often gives us unplanned rest due to illness, injury, or other circumstances not related to training.
On the other hand, it is better not to lead to injury or illness, but to slightly reduce the working weight on the schedule, preventing these troubles.
But there is a third way: scheduled contrast weeks.
Load change and specific fatigue
When you are working hard on one program, whether it be strength training or aerobic, and you get tired, then in order to recover, you need to give up exactly what you are most tired of. This can be done in two ways:
- Refrain from any physical activity
- Choose another activity
While both will provide adequate rest, I lean towards the second option due to the "specific fatigue" principle. When you train a certain quality, the accumulated fatigue affects it more than anything else. For example, on Monday you did 5 sets of 5 reps of the high-intensity bench press, and on Tuesday you want to train again. Consider which of the following would be the hardest to do:
- Bench press 5x5
- Bench press 2x15
- Dumbbell bench press incline bench 1x30
- Squat 3x10
- Running 5 km
I have already arranged them according to the complexity of execution: the most fatigue will affect exactly the same bench press, and the least - on running. Of course, any workout will take some energy from you, but still, the 5x5 bench press is performed using the ATP / glycolytic energy system, and the aerobic energy system is responsible for the 5k run.
A contrast week gives you the opportunity to recover by trying something new and still getting out of your comfort zone. You won’t believe it, but you can also relax by increasing the load, if this load is really different. Also keep in mind that no program is perfect and cannot give everything - there is always some kind of compromise. Bodybuilding protocols do not develop maximum strength, and powerlifting circuits may not produce the desired hypertrophy. In both methods, mobility and other useful qualities are often neglected. And it is in the week of contrasts that you can work on what is missing in regular workouts.
You can also get comfortable with a new exercise before including it in the main program. For example, you want to add a kettlebell snatch or cleanup, but you're not doing them well enough to load properly. Just in weeks with a change of load, you can practice them, honing your technique.
How to Get the Most Out of Contrast Weeks
So, changing the load restores, but contrast weeks can also solve certain problems.
Cumulative injury
In narrowly focused power sports (weightlifting, power triathlon, weight-lifting and others) you can earn cumulative injuries by repeating the same movements. In this case, during the week of contrasts, try to reduce the load on problem areas, or even better, completely remove them.
Powerlifters with sore knees should skip squats for a week and focus on movements that are less tormenting. knee-joint such as hyperextensions and bridges.
For weightlifters with sore wrists, instead of lifting and holding the barbell on the chest, temporarily focus on snatch and jerk pulls. In any case, it should be remembered that it is not at all necessary to reduce the training volume or intensity. The main thing is to change the movements that cause problems.
Delayed post-workout pain
Delayed pain affects many athletes, but most often those who try new exercises and / or abuse negatives at each training session. In this case, to change the load, devote one week to well-known exercises and try to reduce the eccentric phase of the movement. You can, for example, run, ride a bike or push / pull the sled (prowler).
CNS fatigue
Pure security officials are most hindered by congestion in the central nervous system. In contrast, it's better not to give up training entirely, but switch to moderate-intensity bodybuilding protocols or GPPs. It is also useful to turn to such restorative techniques as foam roller massage, not to mention the quality isolation in bed at night.
Hateful monotony
A very important aspect that many ignore: even purposeful athletes have nerves at the limit from the monotonous repetition of one program. Therefore, for a contrast week, remember what you liked and what you haven’t done in your workouts for a long time. After a refreshing active recovery, the appetite for the usual exercises will also wake up.
Psychological stress
High-intensity strength training not only exhausts the muscles, ligaments, and joints, but also elicits a psychological “fight or flight” response. This stress also accumulates, and you are constantly in a state of agitation. In this case, in the contrast week, you need to reduce the load, relax and do light and pleasant things.
Contrast is better than nothing
As you can see, with a variety of problems, a simple change in load will help you recover, preventing you from getting bored from training with warm-up weights or losing shape due to a complete lack of physical activity. And the subsequent return to the main program will bring a new increase in results, so try replacing the fasting weeks with contrast ones.
sports diet with a low calorie content is suitable for all those who are actively trying to play sports. You can observe it for a long time, after the adjusted weight, you can switch to a normal diet.
Sports diet for weight loss
Diet ration - from 1400 to 1500 calories. With this diet, you will lose 1-2 kg per week. You "dry" the body, get rid of excess fluid and fat. This will give you the opportunity to admire your figure in all its glory.
After increasing the portion size, add another 500 calories to the diet if, for example, you do not need to lose weight. For men, you can make a diet - calorie content up to 3000 calories. Once a week, do fasting days, choosing mono-diets - kefir or apples.
An example of a daily diet for athletes:
Breakfast first, about 80kcal (choose 1 option):
- one banana;
- two apples;
- 1 glass of milk or kefir.
Second breakfast, about 400 kcal (choose 1 option):
- fried eggs (2 eggs), a piece of rye bread, carrot salad with honey and raisins - 200 gr and tea with lemon.
- baked vegetables with rice - 200 gr., boiled turkey, seaweed, coffee without sugar with milk;
Lunch, about 450 kcal (choose 1 option):
- vegetarian soup - 200 gr, beef with stewed vegetables - 200 gr, rye bread and tea.
- beef borsch - 200 gr, cabbage and tomato salad with vegetable oil - 200 gr, rye bread, a glass of juice.
- sea fish- 200 gr, rice - 100 gr, coleslaw with sweet pepper and olive oil - 100 gr, green tea.
Afternoon snack:
- A glass of herbal tea or juice, an apple or an orange. Maybe a little dessert
Dinner, about 350 kcal (choose 1 option):
- broccoli stewed with sunflower oil and mushrooms - 200 gr, cabbage salad with carrots in olive oil - 100 gr, tea.
- vegetable pilaf on rice or millet groats - 250 gr., a glass of tomato juice.
- oatmeal - 100 gr, cucumber and tomato salad with 1 spoon of natural low-fat yogurt - 100 gr. Green tea.
A low-fat, high-protein diet for athletes:
When lifting:
Mix lemon and orange juice, add a glass to it hot water. When the drink has cooled, drink it with 1 tablespoon of fructose.
Breakfast:
Your choice: half a grapefruit, orange, apple, prunes compote; 1-2 fried or soft-boiled eggs; cod, wholemeal bread with butter; Cup of tea.
Lunch (Second breakfast):
Mixed fruit salad (finely chop the fruits), add pitted raisins, ground nuts; 1-2 glasses of fruit juice.
Dinner:
1-2 slices of wholemeal bread with butter; tomato salad with herbs; fruit or fruit salad; a glass of fruit juice.
Afternoon snack:
A glass of tea with a cracker or cracker with butter.
Dinner:
Milk soup; to choose from: lean meat, fish, scrambled eggs with potatoes and green salad, assorted vegetable salad; to choose from: fruit salad, compote, pudding with semolina, pasta.
Diet Filatov
Filatov's diet is based on the principle of carbon alternation. It allows you to quickly reset fat mass while maintaining muscle mass. In this diet, the main thing is to clearly define how long you want to lose weight, and strictly follow the meal plan. The fact is that throughout the diet you need to change the amount of carbohydrates consumed. This must be done according to the scheme. Therefore, the entire process of losing weight will be divided into four-day cycles. In the first two days of such a cycle, carbohydrate intake is minimized. The third day is high carb, the fourth is moderate. It is also necessary to monitor the amount of protein in food. Dropping fat mass will also occur unevenly, which is a natural process. Specialists will help you choose a meal schedule and correctly calculate the carbohydrate content in it. They will talk about healthy eating, the menu of which corresponds to your age, gender and personal preferences.
Curd diet
Curd diet refers to therapeutic mono-diets and is very popular. It has a diuretic effect due to the content of calcium salts in the curd, and also promotes the breakdown and removal of fat, due to the amino acid methionine. There are several options for this diet. The daily diet in this case will be 600 grams of low-fat cottage cheese, no more than 100 grams of sugar and 50 ml of low-fat sour cream. All this should be consumed during the day, dividing the total amount of food into several meals.
For those who find this diet too complicated, there is a lighter version of it. You will have to adhere to such a diet for seven days. The main dish must contain cottage cheese and be consumed for lunch. For breakfast or dinner you will be offered dishes from a special list. It can be muesli, vegetable stew, boiled lean meat.
This diet is very satisfying and varied. And it is referred to mono-diets because the use of cottage cheese daily is a prerequisite.
If you train day in and day out, week after week, month after month... non-stop, you may notice that you are gradually losing strength, reducing your performance in training. Constant fatigue will prevent the body from exercising effectively, even if your strength training sessions are infrequent. This is a mistake that many athletes make, which over time can lead to even more serious consequences -
There comes a time when you need to give a rest to your muscles, and it should not be neglected! "Deload" week, sort of, that's part of training process, thanks to which you will not only rest, but also allow your muscles to fully recover. That is, your body will reach the optimal hormonal level, and the central nervous system will also stabilize. It's an absolutely essential part. strength training, and even, a kind of hardening of the body.
In sports, this type of unloading of the muscles and nervous system is known as tapering (recovery from heavy physical exertion). When athletes go through this period, they strive for a full recovery, which allows them to compete at such a high level.
Who needs a "load"?
For beginners who do fitness up to 2 times a week and learn the basics of squats, lunges and push-ups, such “unloading” stages are not threatened.
Fitness lovers who devote their weekends to classes and only can not worry that fatigue will overtake them, as the body has time to recover in a week.
Conversely, athletes who diligently perform exercises such as squats, lunges, presses, and other multi-joint "base" exercises are required to alternate hard training with "deload" days.
What to do during the "unloading" week?
A "deload" week doesn't mean you have to completely relax, just that you need to lighten up your training days a lot. Over time, you will listen to your body and understand when exactly this moment will come.
There are several ways in which you can create a lightweight training program:
- Reduce the number of sets per exercise
- use more a light weight for each exercise
- Reduce the number of repetitions
- Increase rest periods
- Reduce the number training days in Week
- Cut down on strength training
For example, here is a training program with a “wave load”, which looks something like this:
Week 1: Moderately High Intensity Training (Hard Workouts)
Week 2: Medium training intensity (slight recovery from 1 week)
Week 3: High intensity training (stimulus week)
Week 4: Low Intensity Training (Deload Week)
Starting from week 5, the cycle repeats ...
A few tips to help you focus on your deload week
1. Enjoy your workouts. You don't have to train only by following tutorials... sometimes leave your comfort zone to tell something new. For example, learn a few yoga exercises that will allow you to completely “turn off” the brain and relax.
2. Take a day off and instead of working out, do something actively useful: do a general cleaning in the house or clean out the garage. The main thing is that you will also burn calories, just not in a formal setting.
3. Eat right, sleep well and rejuvenate! Exactly proper diet nutrition and sleep contribute to the achievement of great success in sports! Since training during the "fast" week is easier, use this time to full program restore your body and remove muscle strength. Go for a massage, which allows you to get rid of tension in the muscles and connective tissues, and often give yourself a warm-up during the day. Yoga or stretching is the best way to restore the body.
Do not abuse the "unloading" period!
If you go from extreme to extreme, that is, train 365 days a year, or give yourself “weakness” and turn “unloading” days into weeks and even months, you will never achieve any results! For more or less experienced athletes, a planned “unloading” week is simply necessary for the proper functioning of the body and muscle development. It will help you avoid fatigue and allow you to train at full strength to achieve your goals.
Everyone would like to believe that we can work in the gym with maximum efficiency and strength for months on end, but we know that this is not the case. You get stronger when you recover from exercise. It's a simple concept that has been the basis of exercise physiology and programs for years. In a nutshell, the basic theory behind supercompensation, in which an athlete gets stronger after rest, works like this:
- Providing a stimulus to the body (exercise)
- Remove stimulus (rest)
- The body adapts to the stimulus (next time you can pull 190 kg instead of 185 kg).
All people happily do steps one and three, but often forget about the second step, which is probably the most important. Think about it, if you never remove the stimulus for the body (for your muscles/body), the body has no way to adapt to it and starts shutting down. This is called overtraining and is one of the most common causes of injury. Your body and muscles need time to rest, recover and adapt to the stress you put on them during your workout. Rest is therefore an important part of your development as an athlete.
So, what do we know about "rest"? The first thing that comes to mind is to take a day (or two) off from the gym, or perhaps spend some time on active recovery - play basketball, swim, etc. But depending on the volume, frequency, and intensity of exercise, a day or two may not help. Obviously, you don't want to spend weeks away from the gym not working out, so what alternatives do you have? Enter your deload week.
What is a loading week?
A deload week, as the name suggests, is a week of training during which you go to Gym, but the intensity and volume of training is much less. During the deload week, it is planned to reduce the total intensity and / or volume of your training.
Why is she needed?
Strength Training Fundamentals explains the purpose of the deload week as an opportunity to "prepare the body for increased load on next step or period" and to mitigate the risk of overtraining. As I mentioned, the main purpose of the deload week is to give your muscles and joints time to recover, heal and become stronger. A properly planned and executed deload week allows your connective tissues to recover (muscles recover faster, than your joints and ligaments) and testosterone and cortisol levels.In addition, the deload week gives you a chance to get away from the intensity that hard training requires for a while.
If done right, you should come back with a more adapted, well-rested, stronger and more focused body, which is equivalent to new levels of stress (i.e. big weights, intensity, etc.), which allows you to start the process from the beginning.
Need more proof? A 2010 study by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that athletes showed best result in a "self-regulating progressive resistance training" mode (where students worked at their own pace, increasing or decreasing resistance according to how they feel) than in a linear progression model (where there is an increase in intensity and resistance from week to week).
When and how to use the fasting week?
If you are already engaged in the developed program, then your deload week is already planned. You just follow what the program says and you will see that your volumes and loads will be much easier for one week than for others.
If you are compiling own program, there are some telltale signs that provide an indication of when you should enter your deload week. This includes feeling weak or unable to lift heavy weights (which is a sign that your central nervous system is tired), joint pain, and a lack of motivation and desire to exercise.
Ultimately, a pre-scheduled offload is the best option, as you don't have to wait for these signs to show up.
The deload week is usually scheduled in the fourth week in most programs. Jim Vendler's example program:
So, how can you include a fasting week in your own training? One of simple ways is to adopt the four-week cycle method recommended by Vendler and other trainers. You do your normal rest days during the training weeks, but when you get to the deload week, you should deload. Matt Rhodes gives several options to successfully include deload weeks: Do regular workouts with normal volume (sets and reps), but reduce the weight you use to 50-60% of the working.
Use the same weight you would normally exercise with, but reduce your total volume (sets and reps) to 50-60% of your normal volume. (Please note that you must stick to the 8+ rep scheme)
Use light weight and focus on fine-tuning your form and technique. Keep in mind that the longer your program is scheduled, the more fasting days, weeks, and even months you can include in your workouts. If you or your coach have planned a macrocycle ( training plan usually lasts a year with the goal of peaking performance for specific competitions), then it is likely that a deload month or two should be included in the plan - usually after a few hard months or before the start of an intensive cycle, and then after the competition, for which you have been training (think of a deload month after the Games, for example).
