Muscle & Fitness UK – August 2019

AUGUST 2019 / MUSCLE & FITNESS 29

By Tom Day

TOM’S CUTTING

DIET

Non-Workout Day:

Meal 1: 200g egg whites,
3 chicken sausages, spinach

Meal 2: 180g chicken,
½ avocado, salad

Meal 3: 180g 5% fat steak mince,
green beans

Meal 4: 180g chicken,
200g sweet potato, broccoli

Meal 5: 250g Greek yoghurt,
100g mixed berries

Meal 6: 2 scoops whey isolate,
20g peanut butter

Workout Day

Meal 1: 100g oats, 1 banana,

2 scoops whey isolate

Meal 2: 180g chicken,

250g white potato

Meal 3: Pre-workout: 2 rice krispie squares,

1 scoop whey isolate

Intra-workout: 20g EAAs,

50g cyclic dextrin,

5g creatine,

5g creatine

Meal 4: Post-workout: 2 scoops whey isolate,

1 cinnamon bagel and jam

Meal 5: 180g chicken,

80g basmati rice

Meal 6: 180g white fish,

green vegetables

DIET TIP:

Timed Carbohydrates

Consuming fewer carbohydrates on non-workout
days and more on training days can improve
performance and muscle gain. Carbohydrates
around the workout window will help increase
muscle recovery, glycogen replenishment and
nutrient delivery. This is particularly true of simple
carbohydrates which are used easily by the body
for energy. They also help release a large insulin
spike, which can promote muscle growth.

Low-carb days are reported to switch the

body over to a predominantly fat-based

energy system, which may improve the

body’s ability to burn fat as fuel. I keep

my carbs lower on days I don’t train,

as carbs are easy fuel for the body to

use. When glycogen levels are lower,

the body uses fat more efficiently. I then

up my carbs around training, choosing fast

digesting ones for energy, muscle growth

and recovery. I also increase my fat intake

on non-training days to replace the

energy lost by dropping my carbs.