WD> Do you think most people have more trouble properly
WD> implementing the "increased calorie" phase, or the
WD> "decreased calorie" phase? Or the different carb
WD> phases, as in the case of CKD's?

Actually, both.  If the increased calorie cycle were kept lower than what
Akerfeldt recommends, I can see where some positive things would happen.  In
addition, the two weeks of increased eating and two weeks of decreased
eating are a bit much.  I have had some clients who had reduced the calories
on the bulking cycle, increased the calories on the cutting cycle, and then
cut back each cycle to only a week; they've had some good results when
coupled with the proper training and rest.

On the CKDs, a lot of folks tend to go WAY overboard once they start eating
carbs again.  The best results with CKDs involve a structured "carb up" for
24 to 36 hours and then right back to the lower carbs for the next 5 and a
half days.  It's been my experience that eating a lot of junk (doughnuts,
cake, etc) will cut the carb up time down to around 24 hours.  If you focus
instead on vegetables and fruits, you can usually go from 36 to 48 hours on
the carb up before returning to the lower carbs.

(One thing that is important is the depletion workout just before the carb
up.  This is really necessary if you want to make progress.  It's purpose is
to deplete muscle glycogen down to 25 to 40 mmol/kg before beginning the
carb up.)

Fran