CPWO – Rapid Fat Loss Protocol

Sure, every diet that adheres to certain guidelines (calorie control), works. However, some methods work better and faster than others. Enter – Carbless Post Workout (CPWO).

I did the prep for NPC bodybuilder who decided to compete 5.5 weeks out, what did I use? Fasting + CPWO. He got 1st place if you’re wondering. When countless other clients get stuck in their quest to drop body fat, what do I use? CPWO. I’m currently trying to get past a sticking point in weight loss and guess what I’m using? Yes, CPWO.

Why? Because it’s fast, efficient, and just gets the damn job done. As you get leaner it only becomes more difficult to drop stubborn body fat. You can only cut calories and add cardio so much before you become a literal zombie in the gym and your performance goes down the drain. That matters because less productive workouts = less muscle retained = negative impact on overall metabolism. Not what we want.

In case you missed it, I’ve written a few articles on why you don’t need carbohydrates post-workout with tons of detail and fancy nutrition studies. You can read that here:

Post-Workout Carbohydrates: Why They Aren’t Necessary

I must admit, however, that I did not invent this protocol. Back when I had a column for EliteFts I was researching the whole post-workout carb science and started to question it. At the same time, I joined a private forum where I found some highly intelligent posters who were pushing the boundaries of traditional science/physique enhancement. It was there that I started to learn about this CPWO method.

The concept is quite simple and I’ll make it really easy by putting it into bullet point form!

• Exercise increases insulin sensitivity, eating carbohydrates lowers it.
• If you train and immediately eat carbohydrates, you lose some of the benefits of increased insulin sensitivity.
• If you train and prolong eating carbohydrates, insulin sensitivity remains heightened and lipolysis (breakdown of fat for energy) is ramped up.
• In order to spare glucose in the body, fat becomes the main energy source.
• Improved insulin sensitivity = better carb metabolism, prevention of diabetes/insulin resistance, increased muscle gain rather than fat, increased longevity, etc.
• Since weight training is anaerobic it is fueled mainly by carbohydrates, pre-workout carbs are more important than post-workout.
• By always carbing up pre-workout your workouts stay productive while you still drop body fat. Win-Win.

How to do it

• Pre-workout (multiple meals) or dinner the night before + breakfast (if you train in am), you will consume 100-500g of carbohydrates. You can even include some “non-traditional” diet foods here like pancakes, or french toast because you will burn most of it in your training session AND your cells will be waiting in a heightened, insulin sensitive state where the glucose will be pushed into muscle tissue and not fat.
• Train and then post-workout you will have a low-carb whey protein shake with 40-80g of protein
• For the next 3-48 hours you will only have protein, fat, and zero carbs unless you have some green vegetables.
• Before your next training session you will repeat your “carb-up” and go back through.

Here’s what I did this week

• Had my last carbohydrate meal on Sunday night at 6pm.
• Trained Monday morning, had 60g whey protein post-workout, another 60g shake for lunch, then dinner was grass-fed steak, pork, and brussel sprouts.
• The next day fasted until lunch (this makes CPWO even more potent as your body has no choice but to run on fat), did low intensity cardio, had chicken with green beans for lunch, and then started to reintroduce carbs at dinner since I was training Wednesday morning.
• Even after 300g of carbohydrates for dinner on Tuesday, I was 3lbs less on Wednesday morning. I actually needed closer to 400-500g of carbs but wasn’t hungry.

While this is hands-down the most effective approach I’ve ever used, it is difficult. Your body will demand carbs during that time but you just need to have some discipline and get over it. It usually works so well that I don’t even have to run it very long before I’m right where I want to be. You can also do this every once in a while just to restore your sensitivity to insulin.