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The Randle Shield

The Randle Shield Protocol

The 4-day metabolic periodization protocol for simultaneous muscle gain and fat loss
What is LFFL? Read the Book

The Problem with “Balanced” Nutrition

Section titled “The Problem with “Balanced” Nutrition”

Every diet tells you to eat “balanced macros”—40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein. The result? Metabolic interference.

Your body has two enzymatic gates that control fuel oxidation:

  • CPT-1 (the fat gate) — controlled by insulin
  • PDC (the glucose gate) — controlled by Acetyl-CoA from fat oxidation

These gates are mutually inhibitory. When you eat carbs and fat together in every meal, neither gate operates efficiently. The result: both substrates get stored as body fat.

The LFFL Solution: Signal Segregation

Section titled “The LFFL Solution: Signal Segregation”

LFFL (Lifting-Fasting-Fat-Loading) is a 4-day cycle that eliminates metabolic interference by operating one fuel pathway at a time:

Days 1-2: Pure Anabolism

Section titled “Days 1-2: Pure Anabolism”
  • Macros: High carbs (8-10g/kg LBM), high protein (3g/kg LBM), trace fat (<30g)
  • Training: Heavy resistance training (Day 1), high-volume hypertrophy (Day 2)
  • Metabolic State: mTOR dominant, CPT-1 closed, PDC fully active
  • Result: Maximum muscle protein synthesis, glycogen replenishment

Day 3: The 36-Hour Dry Fast

Section titled “Day 3: The 36-Hour Dry Fast”
  • Macros: Zero (complete abstinence from food and water)
  • Metabolic State: AMPK dominant, CPT-1 fully open, autophagy activated
  • Result: Fat oxidation (100-120g/24hr), ketosis (3-5mM), cellular cleanup

Note: Day 3 requires the Functional Dry Fasting magnesium method to prevent the acidosis crisis. Learn the complete FDF protocol →

Day 4: The Randle Shield

Section titled “Day 4: The Randle Shield”
  • Macros: High fat (3g/kg LBM), high protein (3g/kg LBM), trace carbs (<30g)
  • Metabolic State: PDC maximally inhibited (Acetyl-CoA flood)
  • Result: PDC remains inhibited 12-18 hours into Day 1, forcing glucose into glycogen storage (not fat synthesis)

This is the Randle Shield: enzymatic armor that prevents catch-up fat storage when you return to high carbs.

Why This Works: The Research

Section titled “Why This Works: The Research”

The LFFL protocol is built on peer-reviewed mechanisms:

  1. The Randle Cycle (Randle et al., 1963) — Fat oxidation inhibits glucose oxidation via Acetyl-CoA accumulation
  2. mTOR/AMPK Antagonism (Gwinn et al., 2008) — AMPK directly phosphorylates and inhibits mTOR
  3. PDC Inhibition Persists (Sugden & Holness, 2003) — High-fat feeding inhibits PDC for 12-18 hours via PDK phosphorylation
  4. High-Fat Refeeding Prevents DNL (Marcelino et al., 2013) — Fat refeeding after fasting reduces de novo lipogenesis enzymes by 70-80%

This isn’t bro-science. This is first-principles metabolic engineering.

Who This Protocol Is For

Section titled “Who This Protocol Is For”

✅ Intermediate to advanced lifters (2+ years consistent training)
✅ Athletes who plateau on conventional diets
✅ Individuals who want body recomp (muscle gain + fat loss simultaneously)
✅ Biohackers tracking biomarkers (insulin, HbA1c, lipids, ketones)

❌ NOT for beginners (you’ll get 90% of results from basic progressive overload)
❌ NOT for those with eating disorders (Day 3 dry fast is contraindicated)
❌ NOT for “quick fixes” (requires precision and consistency)

Get the Complete Protocol

Section titled “Get the Complete Protocol”

The book includes:

  • Complete macro calculations (based on your LBM, not bodyweight)
  • Training periodization (Days 1-2 programming)
  • Day 3 execution timeline (hour-by-hour breakdown)
  • Day 4 meal plans (200-260g fat meals)
  • Biomarker tracking protocols
  • Troubleshooting guides for common issues

Get “The Randle Shield” on Amazon →

Price: $9.99 • Instant Access • 30-Day Guarantee

Section titled “Day 3: The Critical Link”

Day 3 is where most people fail. The 36-hour dry fast triggers what traditional fasting calls the “acidosis crisis”—racing heart, extreme fatigue, metabolic collapse.

I solved this with the Functional Dry Fasting magnesium method.

By using biometric-driven magnesium citrate dosing (based on heart rate and stress scores), you can execute Day 3 without the crisis. This makes permanent LFFL cycles sustainable.

Learn the complete FDF protocol: functionaldryfasting.com

The Integration: FDF + LFFL

Section titled “The Integration: FDF + LFFL”

This is the complete metabolic engineering system:

  • LFFL provides the body recomposition framework (4-day cycle)
  • FDF provides the Day 3 execution method (magnesium protocol)
  • Together, they enable permanent metabolic periodization without plateau or rebound

I’ve been running continuous LFFL cycles using the FDF magnesium method since [date]. The results: [your data summary when ready].

Digital Altruism Notice

Section titled “Digital Altruism Notice”

The LFFL protocol and Randle Shield mechanism are published in the public domain. This document establishes prior art to prevent patenting of these biological mechanisms by pharmaceutical or supplement companies.

You are free to use, teach, and share this protocol. Just don’t claim you invented it.

Published: January 2026
License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal (Public Domain)

Next Steps

Section titled “Next Steps”
  1. Understand the science → Start with The Randle Cycle
  2. Learn Day 3 execution → The Magnesium Method
  3. Get the complete protocol → The Randle Shield book on Amazon