Educate me on carb cycling

[a_ahmed]

Seriously. From A to Z.

What I do now more or less is eat less calories/carbs on non work out days anyways and i try to shift my calories mostly around pre-intra workout and have more calories on those days. I am getting descent results all the time but, I never really learned about the whole magic science of 'carb cycling'. I heard a variety of things but never a concrete scientific break down on it. Enlighten me.

I heard of eating fat and protein on some days and carb and protein on other days.

[latiuss]

Carb cycling is eg 150 100 150 100 250 150 100 75 150 300 100 200 75 300 Those are the amount of carbs you would have each day in grams. The amount will depend of your body weight and your goals though.

[latiuss]

Another would be 150 75 75 50 75 50 150 100 75 75 100 75 75 200. So its good for getting ripped whilst holding your mass. Its like a modified atkins ala the anabolic diet where the days you have less carbs more fat and proteins are consumed.the days you have more carbs like less fat is consumed. The above numbers are more for a carb based diet though as for me thats what i prefer. If you were using the anabolic diet it would be more like 30 60 30 30 30 150 200. With mon to fri being eg. 55%fat 40%protein5%carb then sat to sun switching to 55%carb 40!%protein 5%fat.

[dyslexic]

You don't have to use numbers to "Carb Cycle" ~


You could just eat carbs pre and post-workout and limit them the rest of the day. Your attitude would be geared along the lines of utilizing bodyfat to energize you for the most part.

After a week of this, you could ad one day where your carbs were extremely high... maybe even two days. This would still be "carb cycling"


If you decided to completely deplete yourself of blood sugar, you could try to operate in a state of ketosis for as long as you (or those close to you) could tolerate it. Once you add carbs back to your diet, you have just "cycled" ... once. If you continued this process, you would continue to "cycle" your carbs much like a Pro bodybuilder would "cycle" his... uhmmmmmm... yeah.


"cycling" can be done with anything in life. There is no special objective science or protocol. If it works for you, then do it, but most people don't dig it too much.


Most people don't even like change. Hence "same old, same old" ~


You could just try something simple like eating carbs (starting with breakfast) all day along with protein and moderate/light fats, and then the next day cut carbs completely and only eat protein and fat. That would be a two day cycle.


?

[Borracho]

I go for as long as I can without having an all out carb attack if dieting. If I'm trying to gain I'll allow myself a higher carb day more frequently but if I don't go low/no carb most days I put on fat too quick.

[dyslexic]

Are you certain you are not just holding extra subcutaneous water under the skin as opposed to gaining fat?


Carbs do have a high water retention ratio much like sodium.

[Borracho]

Are you certain you are not just holding extra subcutaneous water under the skin as opposed to gaining fat?


Carbs do have a high water retention ratio much like sodium.

Yeah the extra water retention that comes along with the carbs for me is another reason why I avoid them as well. Having done things both ways I've figured with less carbs I can stay looking leaner for longer even when over eating ("bulking"). I used to "bulk" with less calories but with more carbs the water and fat gains would come along way too soon. In the end, I spent most of my time trying to take off the fat... being counter productive when ones goal is trying to grow lean muscle.

Some guys can get away and even need higher carbs but after trying all sorts of different methods on myself this is what works best for me.

[dyslexic]

If that is the case, you are obviously carb sensitive. Choose your carb sources wisely. When it comes to "complex" carbs, there are not a lot to choose from.

Stick to pre and post workout carbs then and try for the most part for your body to rely on fat as it's main energy source.

If that sounds contradictory, what I am implying is that the insulin spike and blood glucose with protein will not only refill a depleted muscle, but will also perform an act called "protein-sparing"


Keeping meticulous track of your nutrient timing and calorie count would be a good option if you want this to become a second-nature "science" to you.

[jadenmiller]

Carb Cycling is a low/no-carbohydrate diet with  high or moderate carbohydrate consumption.You are cycling your carbs to achieve a desired result. It is helpful for keeping  hold on to the muscle you already have and shed body fat.

[SamoanIrishman]

Cool thread..I almost posted the same question.

[Montague]

You don't have to use numbers to "Carb Cycle" ~


You could just eat carbs pre and post-workout and limit them the rest of the day. Your attitude would be geared along the lines of utilizing bodyfat to energize you for the most part.

After a week of this, you could ad one day where your carbs were extremely high... maybe even two days. This would still be "carb cycling"


If you decided to completely deplete yourself of blood sugar, you could try to operate in a state of ketosis for as long as you (or those close to you) could tolerate it. Once you add carbs back to your diet, you have just "cycled" ... once. If you continued this process, you would continue to "cycle" your carbs much like a Pro bodybuilder would "cycle" his... uhmmmmmm... yeah.


"cycling" can be done with anything in life. There is no special objective science or protocol. If it works for you, then do it, but most people don't dig it too much.


Most people don't even like change. Hence "same old, same old" ~


You could just try something simple like eating carbs (starting with breakfast) all day along with protein and moderate/light fats, and then the next day cut carbs completely and only eat protein and fat. That would be a two day cycle.


?

Good advice. No need to "split hairs" by being too specific. But, it is nice to have a good idea of quantities you want to and are taking in.