[quote]Spartiates wrote:
All the guys dismissing the muscle-wasting impact of long workouts (2+ hour sessions), I’ve got a question…
…or a concern with what you’re saying.
Sure, an event wont be that much strain/breakdown, but if 5-6 days a week you’re training 2-4 hours a day, would you still feel the same way?
I ask because I’ve really ‘re-embraced’ carbs to keep my energy levels up training so much, but I don’t have it
“down” yet, as I’ve ended up gaining too much weight (not fat… if only I were lanky enough to move up a weight-class).
I really need to figure out how to eat enough to feel energized through a multi-hour training session, without putting on weight. I think pretty clearly my body wants to be 10-15 pounds heavier than I try to walk around at.
Just to put those numbers out there, I try to stay under 190, usually right around 187, so I can pretty easily make my cut to 170 for a fight.[/quote]
Well, there are too possible options in your case.
1.) Learn to cut better. I can’t help you here. I do not even know if it is a good option since dropping 20 pounds seems pretty good to me.
2.) Weigh less prior to the cut. Lets focus on this one since you wrote “gaining too much weight”
It is possible that you need to lose both fat and muscle in order to stay down a weight class. This may mean shifting/altering your weight room work.
You can certainly eat “less” of something. The issue is how is that going to work for your training. I am of the mind that it is ok to “suck” a bit in practice. I realize you want to never have an off day, but hard work is tiring and it is ok to be tired.
If you think adding more cabs are causing both your increased energy and your weight gain how realistic is it to cut back on them by half of what you “embraced”. Short term goal of losing a few pounds from your walking around weight.
For this purpose lets set the parameters for energy loss at “I feel more tired deep into the training session, but I am still able to participate fully.” Meaning, dragging by the end and feeling exhausted is fine. Having to dial back weightroom intensity is ok, may even help. Having to sit out times in training is not ok. Getting injured is not ok.
If you think cutting down carbs, especially not around workouts is degrading recovery can you swap them with other methods such as foam rolling, massage, stretching, etc.?
Does this sound workable?
Regards,
Robert A