Carb Backloading Results

I think I got a few raised eyebrows when I quietly announced I was going to try Carb Backloading.  There was a little bit of a shock factor.  Here are my carb backloading results.
There’s something so glamorous about swimming upstream contrary to the popular opinion and there is perhaps something unglamorous to being moderate or preaching the current theme of the decade.
But I sure am having fun with it!  So I figured I’d document and post my carb backloading results including a photo, blood work and body composition using the hydrostatic method.
A wise man once said “Results speak for themselves.”
This should compliment my previous carb backloading review which goes into the details of the program.
What kind of results can you expect from carb backloading?

My Carb Backloading Results

Carb Backloading Results Before and After

The gold standard for body composition has been the hydrostatic method.  I took the test at the end of the 10 Day Prep Phase (highly recommended for my situation according to the book) and as you can see below.
Pre-Carb Backloading: 11.4% body fat
Post-Carb Backloading: 14.4% body fat; 10.55 lbs of muscle
My goal was to put the pedal to the metal and push the muscle building efforts to the maximum.  When you are in a daily surplus, short of taking drugs, you are going to gain fat. I wasn’t looking to do a body recomposition but get myself to a solid 200 pounds without getting too fat or putting on more fat than muscle.
Are you serious?
10.55 lbs of muscle in 4 months?  
Those are drug like results for an individual who’s been working out for 20 years.  Most people are very happy with 5 lbs of lean mass in a year.
I think my carb backloading results speak for themselves?

Were My Carb Backloading Results Healthy?

When I started to explain how this would work to friends and family, not a single person would seriously listen.  They just couldn’t condone eating bacon for breakfast or sugar sweets after a workout.  In effect, they had been brainwashed into thinking that health is black and white.  If you are curious, check out the carb backloading meal plan post which gives insight as to what I ate during this experiment.
Carb Backloading is…

• Shift calories to later in the day
• Eating lighter in the morning and early afternoon, and
• Feast at night
• Awesome for skinny people who can’t gain weight
• This may include skipping breakfast

Carb Backloading is not…

• an excuse to eat junk food all day
• fasting

Nobody I talked to had a baseline blood test in which to measure any concept of health.
Frankly, people don’t know what it is to be healthy and if I learned one thing during my carb backloading experience, it was that definition of health is not black and white nor is it so simple to define.
While I admit to having a lot of leeway on this program, you do not have to eat junk food. The program allows you to do so without much consequence but there’s no reason why you cannot eat very “healthy” foods that are high in carbohydrates (grapes, white potatoes, jasmine rice) and steer clear of refined sugar items.
The carb backloading diet is all about timing.  In this case it was everything.  Waking up and having a sugary cereal for breakfast is an entirely different context than working out intensely in the late afternoon and having that same sugary cereal.  Same foods, entirely different results.
I used my blood work from 2010 (following a very strict and healthy typical bodybuilding diet).  I compared that to 2012 after I’d been doing carb backloading for 4 months.
Blood Work 2010

and my Carb Backloading Results Blood Work 2012

Check out this before and after:
Cholesterol/Total
118 before
158 after
Triglycerides
81 before
75 after
HDL (good cholesterol)
43 before
60 after
LDL (bad cholesterol)
59 before
83 after
Total cholesterol/HDL ratio
2.7 before
2.6 after
(I’ve been told this ratio is the most important indicator of potential cardiovascular problems)
Reference: Finding the Ideal Cholesterol Ratio
In my non-medical opinion, my carb backloading results seem to say I’m doing better now than when I was into a strict, lower fat, high protein, moderate carbohydrate diet.  In no way am I saying this method of eating is healthier than another when properly done.
If I had to adjust anything, it would be to add more healthier fats.  That might lower my LDL and bump up my HDL  I’d get more fats but increase the good sources.  The next round to improve my carb backloading results, I would ditch any refined sugars and just load more healthy carbohydrate sources and not eat so much junk food.
I admit to not being strict about taking my Omega-3 Fish Oil on a daily basis.  I do eat fish but 3-6g a day of Omega-3 would help.  I’ve switched to walnuts and lowered the amount of almonds.
I picked this quote up from a blog I follow which defines health as more than being free from disease.

Health: “A life of ABUNDANT energy, vitality and strength.” ~Shawn Phillips, author of Strength for Life

At this time, I believe I meet that definition.  10.55 lbs of muscle in 4 months is incredible.
If you want to try a very controversial nutritional program, I would recommend taking a look at carb backloading.

Be Fit, Stay Strong!
Marc David – CPT
P.S. – If you have tried this program, tell me your carb backloading results!