CSN CSN Macronutrient Timing & Periodization 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How should protein intake be distributed across the day to optimize muscle protein synthesis?
- Consume most protein in one large evening meal
- Distribute 20–40 g of protein evenly across 4–5 meals (Correct answer)
- Consume only protein shakes and avoid whole-food sources
- Limit protein to the post-workout window only
Correct answer: Distribute 20–40 g of protein evenly across 4–5 meals
Distributing protein intake of 20–40 g per meal across 4–5 feeding occasions maximizes the muscle protein synthesis response throughout the day.
Question 2: What is the rationale for recommending a casein protein source before sleep for athletes focused on hypertrophy?
- Casein is rapidly digested, providing an immediate amino acid spike
- Casein is slowly digested, providing a sustained overnight amino acid supply to support MPS during sleep (Correct answer)
- Casein reduces cortisol better than whey
- Casein lowers blood glucose and promotes deep sleep
Correct answer: Casein is slowly digested, providing a sustained overnight amino acid supply to support MPS during sleep
Casein's slow digestion rate provides a prolonged amino acid release that sustains muscle protein synthesis during the overnight fasting period.
Question 3: During an off-season mass-gain phase, by how much should an athlete's caloric surplus above maintenance typically be set to minimize fat gain?
- 500–1,000 kcal/day surplus
- 100–300 kcal/day surplus (Correct answer)
- 2,000 kcal/day surplus
- No surplus; caloric balance is sufficient
Correct answer: 100–300 kcal/day surplus
A modest surplus of 100–300 kcal/day promotes lean mass accrual while limiting excess fat deposition during a hypertrophy phase.
Question 4: In a fat-loss phase for an athlete, which strategy best preserves lean muscle mass?
- Maintain high carbohydrate intake and reduce protein to the RDA
- Increase protein intake to 1.8–2.7 g/kg/day while maintaining resistance training (Correct answer)
- Reduce all macronutrients equally by 50%
- Eliminate dietary fat entirely to maximize the caloric deficit
Correct answer: Increase protein intake to 1.8–2.7 g/kg/day while maintaining resistance training
Elevated protein intake (1.8–2.7 g/kg/day) during a caloric deficit, combined with resistance training, is the most effective strategy to preserve lean mass.
Question 5: An athlete performing twice-daily training sessions should prioritize which refueling strategy between sessions?
- High-fat snack to promote ketosis between sessions
- Rapid glycogen resynthesis with 1.0–1.2 g/kg carbohydrate per hour for the first 4 hours (Correct answer)
- Fasting between sessions to improve metabolic efficiency
- Hydration only; macronutrients are not needed between sessions
Correct answer: Rapid glycogen resynthesis with 1.0–1.2 g/kg carbohydrate per hour for the first 4 hours
Consuming 1.0–1.2 g/kg/hour of carbohydrate immediately after the first session accelerates glycogen resynthesis to prepare for the second training bout.
Question 6: Which term describes the practice of strategically reducing carbohydrate intake on easy training days while increasing it on hard training days?
- Carbohydrate loading
- Carbohydrate cycling (periodization) (Correct answer)
- Ketogenic cycling
- Glycemic indexing
Correct answer: Carbohydrate cycling (periodization)
Carbohydrate cycling (periodization) deliberately varies carbohydrate intake to match training intensity and volume on a day-to-day basis.
CSN CSN Macronutrient Timing & Periodization 2
How should protein intake be distributed across the day to optimize muscle protein synthesis?