Health & Fitness
Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin cheesecake. Stuffing. Turkey. More pumpkin cheesecake. There’s no ignoring the fact that it’s tough not to take in a serious amount of excess calories this time of year. But, here’s some really great news: You can totally indulge and get huge in a good way. “You can deliberately and strategically use the holiday feasts to increase muscle mass,” says Jake Hicks, MS. Ed., XPS, Performance Specialist with EXOS. “The key is depleting and replenishing glycogen and allowing optimal rest days between the training of muscle groups.” Here’s how it works: When you deplete glycogen through resistance training, you increase insulin sensitivity. And that puts your body in a position to handle an ample amount of carbs while minimizing fat gain, says Hicks. “In order to take advantage of the enhanced sensitivity after resistance training, elevated calories and carbohydrates are necessary and beneficial to replace glycogen,” he explains. The key: Chose the right methods of training to maximize glucose uptake. “The more you deplete glycogen stores, the more room you have and the more you need to eat to maximize the benefits of increased calories this holiday season,” says Hicks. To build more mass the concept is to lift heavier loads for longer amounts of time. “Clustering heavy weight with compound movements is the best way to pack on the most muscle when consuming high amounts of calories,” says Hicks. Try a complete glycogen depletion routine before you indulge in the holiday treats. Glucose Depletion Workout Tips: *Lift a few hours prior to a big holiday meal to take full advantage of your anabolic window and excess calories.*Utilize the extra energy with heavy compound movements followed by simple and effective compound sets.*Maximize the rep schemes by using the highest loads possible to successfully complete the target rep range.*Perform all reps in a continuous tempo to utilize and incorporate maximum muscle fiber activation. *Longer rest periods are necessary when using clusters. The Workouts: Lower Body Emphasis Activation Superset: 3 setsLeg Extension- x20Prone Leg Curl- x20 Rest Interval- None Working Sets for Strength: 8 setsFront Squats- x3 Rest Interval- 3-4 minutes Working Supersets for Strength/Hypertrophy: 4 setsRDL’s- x6Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats- rep and a half x 12 Rest Interval- 2-3 minutes Drop Sets to failure: 3 setsLeg Extension- 12-18 repsProne Leg Curl- 12-18 reps Rest Interval- 1-2 minute Upper Body Push Emphasis Activation Superset: 3 setsTriceps Rope Extension- 20 repsChest Fly’s- 20 reps Rest Interval-None Working Sets for Strength: 8 setsFlat Barbell Bench Press- 3 reps Rest Interval 3-4 minutes Working Compound Sets for Strength/Hypertrophy: 4 setsInclined Dumbbell Bench Press- 6 repsCable Fly’s- rep and a half x 12 Rest Interval- 2-3 minutes Compound Sets to Failure: 3 setsTriceps Push Down- 12-18 repsDumbbell Lateral Raise- 12-18 repsStanding Dumbbell Over Head Press- 12-18 reps Rest Interval- 1 minute Upper Body Pull Emphasis Activation Superset: 3 setsStanding Straight Bar Bicep Curls- 20 repsStraight Arm Cable Pull Downs- 20 reps Rest Interval- None Working Compound Sets for Strength/Hypertrophy: 8 setsNeutral Grip Pull Ups (Weighted if needed)- 5 repsBent Over Reverse Dumbbell Fly- 12 reps Rest Interval- 3-4 minutes Working Compound Sets for Strength/Hypertrophy: 6 setsSingle Arm Bentover Dumbbell Row- 5 repsCable Close Grip Pulldown- 12 reps Rest Interval- 3-4 minutes Working Compound Sets for Hypertrophy: 3 setsDumbbell Bilateral Bicep Curl- 15 repsReverse Bicep Curl- 15 repsDumbbell Bilateral Hammer Curls- 15 reps Rest Interval- 1 minute For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
When your body needs energy, it can draw on its glycogen stores. The molecules, made from glucose in the food you eat, are mainly stored in your liver and muscles. From these storage sites, your body can quickly mobilize glycogen when it needs fuel. What you eat, how often you eat, and your activity level all influence how your body stores and uses glycogen. Low-carb and ketogenic diets, as well as strenuous exercise, all deplete glycogen stores, causing the body to metabolize fat for energy. Most of the carbohydrates we eat are converted to glucose, our main source of energy. When the body doesn't need fuel, the glucose molecules are linked together in chains of eight to 12 glucose units which form a glycogen molecule. The main trigger for this process is insulin:
Most glycogen is found in the muscles and the liver. The amount of glycogen stored in these cells can vary depending on how active you are, how much energy you burn at rest, and the types of food you eat. Glycogen stored in muscle is primarily used by the muscles themselves, while those stored in the liver are distributed throughout the body—mainly to the brain and spinal cord.
Glycogen should not be confused with the hormone glucagon, which is also important in carbohydrate metabolism and blood glucose control. At any given time, there is a set amount of glucose in the blood. When the level begins to decline—either because you have not eaten or are burning glucose during exercise—insulin levels will also drop. When this happens, an enzyme called glycogen phosphorylase starts breaking glycogen down to supply the body with glucose. Glucose derived from liver glycogen becomes the body's primary energy source. What you eat and how much you move around also influence glycogen production. The effects are especially acute if you're following a low-carb diet, where the primary source of glucose synthesis—carbohydrate—is suddenly restricted. When first starting a low-carb diet, your body's glycogen stores can be severely depleted and you may experience symptoms like fatigue and mental dullness. Once your body adjusts and starts renewing its glycogen stores, these symptoms should begin to subside. Additionally, any amount of weight loss can have the same effect on glycogen stores. Initially, you may experience a rapid drop in weight. After a period of time, your weight may plateau and possibly even increase. The phenomenon is partly due to the composition of glycogen, which also contains water. As such, rapid depletion of glycogen at the onset of the diet triggers the loss of water weight. Over time, glycogen stores are renewed and the water weight begins to return. When this happens, weight loss may stall or plateau.
Gains experienced in the beginning come from water loss, not fat loss, and are only temporary. Fat loss can continue despite the short-term plateau effect. For endurance athletes who burn a lot of calories in a couple of hours, the amount of stored glucose can be an impediment. When these athletes run out of glycogen, their performance almost immediately begins to suffer—a state commonly described as "hitting the wall." If you're undertaking a strenuous exercise routine, there are several strategies endurance athletes use to avoid decreased performance you may find helpful:
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