# How long does it take to "refill" the muscles after a cut?



## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

How many days of eating carbs does it take to "refill" flat muscles after a low-carb diet?

I know that you get considerable fullness after just 1-2 days, but do you continue to get fuller after that? Especially if you're still on cycle and training hard, presumably high volume to get decent pumps going.

Ultimately, I want to know: If I want to look my absolute best for a photo shoot, how many days before the shoot should I start eating again?


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## Colin (Sep 28, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> How many days of eating carbs does it take to "refill" flat muscles after a low-carb diet?
> 
> I know that you get considerable fullness after just 1-2 days, but do you continue to get fuller after that? Especially if you're still on cycle and training hard, presumably high volume to get decent pumps going.
> 
> Ultimately, I want to know: If I want to look my absolute best for a photo shoot, how many days before the shoot should I start eating again?


 If I am dieting doing keto, it might take a couple of days for my glycogen levels to be fully saturated. But this is taking a moderate amount of carbs with every meal.

If you go low carb and then once your competition/ photoshoot is over and binge for a day or even a good few meals you won't be far off fully compensated.


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

Colin said:


> If I am dieting doing keto, it might take a couple of days for my glycogen levels to be fully saturated. But this is taking a moderate amount of carbs with every meal.
> 
> If you go low carb and then once your competition/ photoshoot is over and binge for a day or even a good few meals you won't be far off fully compensated.


 Thanks mate. Actually I didn't mean after the event, I meant the days leading up to it. When should I start carb loading to look best for the day?


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## Colin (Sep 28, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> Thanks mate. Actually I didn't mean after the event, I meant the days leading up to it. When should I start carb loading to look best for the day?


 If you haven't done it before and the photo shoot is Saturday for example I would just add carbs with every meal as you normally would say (40-50 grams) on the thursday and friday. Keeps things simple.


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

Colin said:


> If you haven't done it before and the photo shoot is Saturday for example I would just add carbs with every meal as you normally would say (40-50 grams) on the thursday and friday. Keeps things simple.


 Ok thanks mate. So just 2 days is enough? I thought maybe it takes longer.

What about dehydration, where does that fit in?


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## Colin (Sep 28, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> Ok thanks mate. So just 2 days is enough? I thought maybe it takes longer.
> 
> What about dehydration, where does that fit in?


 Everyone is different depending on how they react to carbohydrates. But the above is what I have used in the past and worked well, and its simple to follow for most no need to over complicate it.

I usually load up on water until the evening before, and then just take sips until after the event.


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

Colin said:


> Everyone is different depending on how they react to carbohydrates. But the above is what I have used in the past and worked well, and its simple to follow for most no need to over complicate it.
> 
> I usually load up on water until the evening before, and then just take sips until after the event.


 Thanks mate. So nothing crazy then.. I hear stories of people drinking alcohol to dehydrate or what not.

Do you eat carbs on the day?


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## Colin (Sep 28, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> Thanks mate. So nothing crazy then.. I hear stories of people drinking alcohol to dehydrate or what not.
> 
> Do you eat carbs on the day?


 No nothing crazy, having said all that water manipulation and carb loading will make a difference no doubt but not as huge as people think it will.

Yes carbs on the day and eat as I would normally eat, have a look in the mirror in the morning and if you think you look good just be moderate with your intake.


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

Colin said:


> No nothing crazy, having said all that water manipulation and carb loading will make a difference no doubt but not as huge as people think it will.
> 
> Yes carbs on the day and eat as I would normally eat, have a look in the mirror in the morning and if you think you look good just be moderate with your intake.


 Ok thanks again mate, much appreciated.

I heard someone talk about how there's a window of opportunity after a cut to make fast lean gains for a few weeks, is that true? Or is that just carb loading mistaken for gains?


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## Colin (Sep 28, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> Ok thanks again mate, much appreciated.
> 
> *I heard someone talk about how there's a window of opportunity after a cut to make fast lean gains for a few weeks, is that true?* Or is that just carb loading mistaken for gains?


 In my opinion the majority is just water retention and fat gains.

I'm not saying a very small percentage won't be a bit of muscle but for the whole part its just the above.

Slow reverse dieting is another thing which takes alot of discipline coming out of a severe calorific deficit as most people just wan't nice food again.

But at the end of the day after a shoot/ show your body is wrecked and its one of the best opportunities to take a bit of time off.


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

Colin said:


> In my opinion the majority is just water retention and fat gains.
> 
> I'm not saying a very small percentage won't be a bit of muscle but for the whole part its just the above.
> 
> ...


 OK, cheers. I expected it would probably be water retention and fat, as well as some strength/endurance gains from having more glycogen in the muscles.

What about regaining lost muscle though? Say you dieted too hard and lost weight too fast, can muscle memory and a slight surplus help you regain some of that muscle in the days after the cut, or is it best to just wait until the next cycle/blast?

I can handle reverse dieting.. how effective is it?


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## Colin (Sep 28, 2015)

Tomahawk said:


> OK, cheers. I expected it would probably be water retention and fat, as well as some strength/endurance gains from having more glycogen in the muscles.
> 
> What about regaining lost muscle though? Say you dieted too hard and lost weight too fast, can muscle memory and a slight surplus help you regain some of that muscle in the days after the cut, or is it best to just wait until the next cycle/blast?
> 
> I can handle reverse dieting.. how effective is it?


 I don't think you are going to gain muscle within days after a severe cut. But if you did indeed lose a bit of muscle, sure you can again it back again in your next blast/ cycle.

Reverse dieting is basically just a way to slowly add calories back so you don't lump on weight straight away. See it as a slow bulk phase.

Just remember per cycle if someone who has been training a while gains 4-5lbs of legitimate muscle in a longish cycle they should be very very pleased as not too many people can achieve this.


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## Tomahawk (Dec 24, 2014)

Colin said:


> I don't think you are going to gain muscle within days after a severe cut. But if you did indeed lose a bit of muscle, sure you can again it back again in your next blast/ cycle.
> 
> Reverse dieting is basically just a way to slowly add calories back so you don't lump on weight straight away. See it as a slow bulk phase.
> 
> Just remember per cycle if someone who has been training a while gains 4-5lbs of legitimate muscle in a longish cycle they should be very very pleased as not too many people can achieve this.


 Thanks mate, yeah I usually only gain about 2-3 kg per cycle once I get back to same level of bodyfat.. I always thought that was a very poor result, considering people claim they're up 10kg after PCT.


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