Musclemania

'12 MM Europe Junior Champion Tavi Castro is getting leaner as he's gaining muscle. At 5'7", 178 lbs., the 21 year old engineering student is at his biggest and leanest since starting to bodybuild two years ago. How's he doing it? "I use calorie deficit carb cycling as my main contest and photo shoot prep method," Tavi explains. "I found long stretches of low carb depletion without an occasional refeed depleted my muscles too much and the risk of muscle loss increases. During the lowest carb days of the cycle I gradually increase BCAA daily intake from 10g to approx 30g on the no carb days. This helps protect the precious muscle mass which is keeping your lean body mass higher and your metabolism burning! I also lift heavier even through the depletion." Tavi will be making a guest appearance at MM Europe in Rome and MM Universe in Miami Beach.