Not Enough Carbs?

I’ve just started this diet by Dr. Berardi but I feel low on energy all the time and hungry even though I’m eating way more. I was thinking it could be because there aren’t many carbs which I’m used to. I thought carbs where good for bulking anyway? Also I’m concerned about the amount of fish oil recommended, why so much when bottles say 2-3 a day!? Can you help me out?

Meal 1:3 egg omelate with mixed veg and cheese +2 fish oil and 2 flax oil capsules
Meal 2:yoghurt+casein+2 fish oil capsules
Meal3:turkey sausages+spinach+carrots++2 flax oil and 4 fish oil capsules
Meal4:yoghurt+casein+fruit+oats
Meal5:beef+spinach+carrots+quinoa+fruit
Meal6:beef+spinach+carrots+tablespoon olive oil+2 fish oil capsules+cashews

Is your goal to bulk or cut? Either way,you should eat enough carbs to get you through the day.I never go too low on the carbs too because I usually feel like crap and my workouts suffer(which is something I don’t want) when I cut too many carbs out of my diet.If you’re cutting ,consume enough carbs to get you through your workouts and the day.The main focus should be enough protein and cutting calories low enough so you can lose fat without risking muscle then,if you want,lower your carbs.I’ve been cut on a high protein high carb low fat diet before. Just make sure you consume enough carbs so your workouts don’t suffer.

Sorry I’m actually looking to bulk up and using a diet from the Scrawny to Brawny book which is about 4000 cal on non-workout days which is a lot more than I’m used to. I don’t understand why there are so few carbs when its a bulking diet for hardgainers?

Then keep your calories constant but change the macro-nutrient breakdown until you start to feel more energetic. A load of oats in the morning might be a good start. You could through a few slices of wholegrain bread in around lunch-time too.

If you feel like crap then whatever you’re doing isn’t working for you - there’s a definite sweetpoint. Be careful about diet change too. If you suddendly go from loads of carbs to a diet like you just posted then that could be why you feel bad, keep changes fairly gradual.

Howdy,

I havent read S2B, but I have Precision Nutrition and have read a lot of the Dr’s articles.

I venture to guess that the reason Dr.B has you eating so many calories from protein and fat is because the body handles CHO much better in the few hours after a workout.

Im sure his reasoning here is that you are taking in MUCH more food than you are used to, and to keep the body from storing it, he times your carbohydrate intake to times when the body handles CHO the best (During/the hours that follow excercise)and can do what it should with those carbs!

Josh

So do I up the carbs or will my body adjust to the new diet with its increased proportion of fat?

[quote]Creasy wrote:
So do I up the carbs or will my body adjust to the new diet with its increased proportion of fat?[/quote]

How long have you been doing it? If a short time keep at it for say a month or two, measure yourself before and after that period, and if by the end of a month you feel shitty and your body hasn’t adjusted to more quality fats and less twinkies, then look at altering it. Otherwise keep doing it, cuz if it works then it works.

OK thanks I’ll try and stick it out for a while. What about taking 10 fish oil capsules per day, the warnings on the bottle must be there for a reason?

You’d think that wouldn’t you!

It’s pretty much the same as the ‘Don’t Tumble-Dry’ tag on clothes. It’s not that you can’t tumble-dry it - it’s just that the company couldn’t be arsed taking responsibility just in case you screw up your washing.

[quote]Creasy wrote:
I’ve just started this diet by Dr. Berardi but I feel low on energy all the time and hungry even though I’m eating way more. I was thinking it could be because there aren’t many carbs which I’m used to. I thought carbs where good for bulking anyway? Also I’m concerned about the amount of fish oil recommended, why so much when bottles say 2-3 a day!? Can you help me out?

Meal 1:3 egg omelate with mixed veg and cheese +2 fish oil and 2 flax oil capsules
Meal 2:yoghurt+casein+2 fish oil capsules
Meal3:turkey sausages+spinach+carrots++2 flax oil and 4 fish oil capsules
Meal4:yoghurt+casein+fruit+oats
Meal5:beef+spinach+carrots+quinoa+fruit
Meal6:beef+spinach+carrots+tablespoon olive oil+2 fish oil capsules+cashews
[/quote]

Hey Creasy,
I haven’t bought JB’s new program yet, but i’m pretty familiar with his writings and thinking over the years.

Just taking a look at your daily breakdown, i can say pretty confidently that you are not getting nearly enough protein.

You’re trying to bulk and your first meal of the day is a 3 egg omlete? No way.

Look at some sample meals posted by some others on here and you’ll find 6-8 eggs in the morning…and pretty much this level of protein at all six meals throughout the day.

You haven’t given a breakdown of your protein intake. All you’ve said is “Yogurt and Casein” which really tells us nothing.

You should be getting at LEAST a gram of protein per pound of body weight. Actually the thinking is 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.

That means if you weigh say 180, you should be getting about 200 grams of protein a day.
That means 33 grams of protein per meal for 6 meals a day.

Now let’s look at your first meal:
3 eggs. An egg has about 6 grams of protein.
Thats 18 grams. Half of what you should be eating, and this is breakfast! A critical meal!

How much do you weigh and how much protein are you taking in daily?

In my experience,carbs are just as important as protein when bulking.You want to get enough water into those muscles.Carbs will help.Up your carb intake and I can tell you from personal experience you’ll put on quality mass.Pasta is my favorite thing to eat when I’m on the quest for mass.Try some Surge.It’s filled with quality post workout nutrition/carbs.