Ripper Q & A
By Chuck Rudolph, Med, RD
With
Marc Lobliner and Derek Charlebois
Authors of Game Over—The Final Showtime Cut Diet You’ll Ever Need!

     In Ripper Q&A, industry experts Chuck Rudolph, Med, RD; Marc Lobliner, President of Scivation, Inc., and Derek Charlebois answer your questions on diet, training and supplementation.

Q. I have heard conflicting information on which cardio is better while dieting, high-intensity or low-intensity. I also heard that you put a lot of your athletes looking for fat loss on programs that consist of long-duration, low-intensity cardio. I am trying to lose fat and currently weight train 5 days per week. Which should I do?

A. Cardio: Why we recommend it
While we believe that diet is 90% of getting lean and reducing bodyfat, we still recommend 30-45 minutes of cardio (130-150 Heart Rate which is equivalent to 55-65% VO2 Max age/gender pending) four to five days per week depending on body type and bodyfat percentage while on the Cut Diet. Cardio is essential for supplying oxygen to your muscles for maximum growth. Our entire approach to dieting is based on muscle preservation. Too much cardio or cardio at a high level of intensity will eat at muscle tissue. This is counterproductive because we are trying to lose fat and keep as much muscle as possible. Long duration cardio is more geared toward cardiovascular training (at or above 80% VO2 Max). Therefore, lower intensity cardio increases fat oxidation (burns bodyfat) and does not catabolize (waste) nearly as much muscle as high intensity cardio, especially on a reduced calorie/low carbohydrate diet. We usually recommend light walking on a treadmill with an incline.

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Q. I was taking glutamine during my last cutting cycle and a friend told me it is a waste of money. Should I throw my glutamine away?

A. Absolutely not. Glutamine is very essential for all athletes. When caloric intake is abnormally low, glutamine (30-60grams per day) will help preserve muscle tissue and provide glycogen to your muscles for recovery without any insulin or bodyfat concerns. Glutamine also supplies fuel to the intestinal track for optimal absorption and helps support immune health when calories are low, yet training is intense. GLUTAMINE IS A MUST!!!

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Q. During my diet, what supplements should I take pre/during and post workout to achieve optimal gains and reduce catabolism?

A. We recommend Whey Protein Isolate (WPI), Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) and Glutamine are the main staples in your training program. BCAAs provide energy as well as reduce the catabolic effects of weight training while dieting. BCAAs, especially Leucine, also stimulate protein synthesis (muscle growth). Because Glutamine accounts for over 50% of your amino acid profile and appears first in the blood during exercise, it is critical to supplement Glutamine for maximum recovery. We like using a WPI during training to provide additional amino acids along with the high Glutamine and BCAAs. Together, these help reduce muscle breakdown for faster recovery.

We recommend mixing Primaforce Substance WPI with Scivation Xtend for the ultimate workout drink.

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Q. I am following a low-carb diet. How often do I need to reefed (take in carbs) and what is the purpose of doing this?

A. We like to refeed with starchy, nutrient-dense carbohydrates and good fats with no protein every third day depending on caloric intake. This all depends on the bodytype of the individual. In our experience, 85-90% of our clients see great results with this tactic. The reason for this is to get the body in a fat-burning state but not allow it to think it is starving. One problem we have with the low-carbohydrate phase is that a person’s metabolic rate (especially thyroid) functions off of calories and carbohydrates. If you cut out carbohydrates all the way, the body begins to sense a state of starvation. This will slow down the metabolic rate as well as thyroid production and you then hit the wall, or a sticking point. What we like to do is incorporate good carbohydrates with good fats because it slows down digestion and supports healthy insulin output so there is optimal metabolism along with healthy calories and protein to preserve muscle tissue. Let’s face it; muscle preservation is the key to fat burning. If we have a person that begins at 185 pounds and is 19-20% bodyfat and after 12-16 weeks is 165 pounds and at 15% bodyfat, then we are not too happy with the results. On the other hand, if that same person is 180 pounds at the end of 12-16 weeks and is 10-11% bodyfat, then we have succeeded.

Q. I am taking anabolic steroids to gain mass before I cut down (Sustanon & Deca) and am trying to add lean mass. How should I eat?

A. The goal to healthy weight gain is optimal Nutrient Dense Calories. We always start with protein requirements first. After we get the proper amount of protein (1.8-3.0g/kg body weight), we then calculate fats. We are sticklers for High fat intake when gaining lean muscle mass. We set up all of our clients on 30% total caloric intake from fats. We don’t mean butter and grease, we mean good fats like avocado, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, almond butter, Flax oil, etc. After we get those calculations, the rest is carbohydrates. Our selections of carbohydrates are high in complex carbs and also high in fiber. The meal preparations all contain protein, carbs and fats, but as the day progresses, we reduce starchy carbs and increase high fiber vegetable carbs. This way we are controlling insulin throughout the day and especially at night time, as the body is winding down.

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Q. I have read the debate about Glutamine and I have also read the benefits of keeping the body in an alkaline state. Will Glutamine help this and why is this a good thing?

A. Research has shown that your body must be slightly alkaline in order to function correctly (maximum absorption of nutrients or a so called "happy cell environment”). If your body is acidic (pH under 7), you are probably not at optimal health. The typical American diet is far too high in acid-producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline-producing foods like fresh vegetables and good fats. Every function performed by any organ in the body depends on that range of pH level. When a body is acidic, it creates an environment where viruses and bacteria can easily grow, hence we notice a reduction in energy and an increase in sickness and pain. It is well noted that if you are constantly in an acidic state, viruses or bacteria can mutate into serious illnesses such as cancer, infection and other serious illnesses or diseases. In an alkaline environment (pH above 7), bacteria and viruses are unable to grow. Glutamine has shown to act as a buffer, meaning its negative charge can negate the net positive charge of acids (H+). Research indicates that glutamine supplements may provide additional buffering power when the acid/base balance becomes more acidic.