During high-intensity phases, a lower volume of training means less energy expended. It’s important to reduce calories at this time or you’ll end up storing them as body fat. This is accomplished by reducing carbohydrate intake, particularly after your workout. In fact, if body composition is an issue, you can go with zero carbs post-workout and use amino acids instead (see page 17 of Mass Explosion).

According to Dr. Mauro DiPasquale, author of The Metabolic Diet and founder of the MD+ nutritional supplement line, if no carbohydrates are given post-exercise, the muscle will maintain a capacity to fully compensate or supercompensate glycogen stores until enough glucose (sugar) is available either through the diet or by gluconeogenesis. By keeping carbs low and protein high with amino acids, you can increase protein synthesis over a prolonged period and get a long-term anabolic effect.

If you’re interested in gaining muscle size and strength but you’re not interested in gaining body fat, then give this approach a shot and see how it works for you.