Over the years I have tried many different things when it comes my nutrition. It is through research and trail that I have discovered what works well for me today. I currently follow a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet. Three great books describing this form of diet are "The Ketogenic Diet", "Body Opus" and "The Anabolic Diet". Using these books and with the guidance of Josh Dickinson from www.physique-essentials.com I have developed an eating plan that fits in well with my lifestyle and helps me achieve my goals. It is important to keep in mind that what works for one may not work for another. There are many options when it comes to nutrition, the following outlines my techniques.

The diet I currently follow is designed with two things in mind, building muscle and losing fat. It falls into the category of a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet. It is a high fat, high protein and low carbohydrate diet. Due to the lack of carbohydrates in the diet, it forces the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrate. Normally, the carbohydrates in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body for energy. However, if there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies replace glucose as an energy source.

I stay in this state of Ketosis from anywhere between 5 and 7 days, depending on how I look and feel. At which stage my last meal of the day will be very high in carbohydrates, with minimal fats and proteins. Using this technique of Carbohydrate Loading it drives nutrients into my muscles, which inturn builds the muscles. It also fills carbohydrate stores, which are needed for energy. Others that follow a similar diet often have periods of 24 to 48 hours of carbohydrate loading. I find however that if am to do this it takes me out of ketosis for serval days, until all glycogen stores are depleted. Which inturn prevents me from using fats as my energy source. In only having the one carbohydrate meal, I find that I am back into ketosis and burning fat the following day.

The post workout meal is probably the most important meal of the day for bodybuilders. Many athletes incorporate carbohydrates into their post workout meal. They do this to create an insulin spike which helps to move nutrients into the muscle tissue quicker. With my diet however I wish to control my insulin levels and keep using fats as my energy source. Therefore my post workout nutrition is high in fast digesting protein and fats. I get my insulin spike when I do my carbohydrate loading (as explained above). Because it isn't as regular as most, I find I get an extreme insulin spike which gets all the proteins and nutrients into my muscles.