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The carb-load: Two methods

There are essentially two methods for carb-loading on the CKD. The first is to ignore
specific macronutrient ratios and simply consume a large amount of carbohydrates for the time
period chosen. This approach, while more haphazard than paying attention to specific ratios,
works well for many individuals. In fact, it is this aspect of the CKD that draws many individuals
to the diet: you can essentially eat whatever you want during your carb-load phase. Having a 24
to 36 hour time period where you can consume whatever foods you want, without paying
attention to calories or nutrient percentages, makes dieting psychologically easier. For those
individuals who find that haphazard carb-loading leads to a lack of results in terms of fat loss, a
more exacting approach can be used. Guidelines for optimizing the carb-load period appear below.

Nutrient intake

During the first 24 hours of carb-loading, carbohydrate intake should be 10 grams per
kilogram of lean body mass or 4.5 grams of carbs per pound of lean body mass. This will
represent 70% of the total calories consumed. The remaining calories are divided evenly between
fat (15% of total calories) and protein (15% of total calories). Table 2 gives estimated amounts of
carbohydrate, protein and fat for various amounts of lean body mass.

Table 2: Nutrient intake during first 24 hours of carb-loading

LBM Carb Fat Protein Total

(lbs) (g) (g) (g) calories*

100 450 43 98 2600

120 540 51 115 3100

140 630 60 135 3600

160 720 68 153 4100

180 810 76 172 4600

200 900 85 193 5100

* The total calories consumed during the first 24 hours of the carb-load should be approximately

twice what was consumed during the lowcarb week.

During the second 24 hours of carb-loading, carbohydrates will make up 60% of the total calories,
protein 25% and fat 15% as shown in table 3.

Table 3: Nutrient intake during second 24 hours of carb-loading

LBM Carb Fat Protein Total

(lbs) (g) (g) (g) calories

100 227 20 90 1448

120 270 25 108 1737

140 310 30 126 2014

160 360 35 144 2331

180 405 40 162 2628

200 450 45 180 2925