Packing quality muscle in the off-season is a common goal for Men’s Open bodybuilders. John Jewett is familiar with this challenge and recently shared his tactical guide to carb cycling.
Jewett is the 11th-best bodybuilder in the world, a distinction earned thanks to his 2024 Mr. Olympia performance. As a 212-turned-Open competitor, Jewett understands diet adherence. Peaking for shows is a calculated effort, and leveraging macros to display full potential is a prerequisite for success.
Jewett’s Off-Season Carb-Cycling System
- Adjust Carbs to Match Calorie Expenditure
- Monitor Body Weight
- Training Timing Matters
- Implement Slight Carb Rotations
Carbohydrates are a bodybuilder’s best friend. They supply the muscles with glycogen to promote muscle protein synthesis and fuel workouts. (1) Alternating between high, moderate, and low carbs, or carb cycling, can also help with fat loss and energy maintenance. (2)(3)
Jewett manipulates carbs when his training frequency increases. He takes note of his body weight daily, a metric he uses to adjust his intake. Workout timing is crucial for recovery. If carbs are low and training duration and intensity are high at night, that could hinder performance during the following next workout. (4)
If you’re training in the evening, keep in mind that follows into the next day with recovery.
—John Jewett
Rather than adjusting carb intake with high variance, Jewett aims for slight rotations. Gradual changes can accumulate over time.
You don’t need to go from 1,000 to 150 grams of carbs. In the off-season, adherence and enjoyability are important.
—John Jewett
Common Carb Cycling Mistakes
Jewett warned that carb cycling can negatively impact training or recovery on rest days if intake is too low. High food days and excessive carbs can disrupt digestion and cause waist distention. (5)(6) He’s seen others adjust their intake based on hunger instead of energy expenditure.
Where Next?
Jewett’s grasp of nutrition lends to a bigger and sharper physique. He currently trains two-time 212 Olympia Shaun Clarida with a high-volume program ahead of the 2025 Mr. Olympia, set for Oct. 9-12, in Las Vegas, NV.
References
- Ivy JL. Regulation of muscle glycogen repletion, muscle protein synthesis and repair following exercise. J Sports Sci Med. 2004 Sep 1;3(3):131-8. PMID: 24482590; PMCID: PMC3905295. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3905295/
- Silverii GA, Cosentino C, Santagiuliana F, et al. Effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets for long-term weight loss in obese individuals: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022;24(8):1458-1468. doi:10.1111/dom.14709 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35373905/
- Cochran AJ, Myslik F, MacInnis MJ, et al. Manipulating Carbohydrate Availability Between Twice-Daily Sessions of High-Intensity Interval Training Over 2 Weeks Improves Time-Trial Performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2015;25(5):463-470. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0263 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25811132/
- Sakamoto T, Ueda SY, Nakahara H. Effects of Short-Term Nighttime Carbohydrate Restriction Method on Exercise Performance and Fat Metabolism. Nutrients. 2024 Jul 4;16(13):2138. doi: 10.3390/nu16132138. PMID: 38999884; PMCID: PMC11243291. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11243291/
- de Oliveira EP, Burini RC. Carbohydrate-dependent, exercise-induced gastrointestinal distress. Nutrients. 2014 Oct 13;6(10):4191-9. doi: 10.3390/nu6104191. PMID: 25314645; PMCID: PMC4210913. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4210913
- Romaguera D, Angquist L, Du H, Jakobsen MU, Forouhi NG, Halkjaer J, Feskens EJ, van der A DL, Masala G, Steffen A, Palli D, Wareham NJ, Overvad K, Tjønneland A, Boeing H, Riboli E, Sørensen TI. Dietary determinants of changes in waist circumference adjusted for body mass index – a proxy measure of visceral adiposity. PLoS One. 2010 Jul 14;5(7):e11588. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011588. PMID: 20644647; PMCID: PMC2904387. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2904387/
Featured image: @johnjewett3 on Instagram
