Author Topic: where to start carbs at when dieting?  (Read 6207 times)

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
where to start carbs at when dieting?
« on: November 26, 2013, 11:04:07 PM »
Wondering how you guys go about dropping carbs while dieting. slowly drop them or what? I don't take in much carbs now (150g daily) but since I haven't been doing any cardio until a few days ago I'm unsure if and when I should lower them. I have about 20weeks until a show. anyways, should I immediately cut them in half or see how I lean up with the cardio within a few weeks and lower them according to that?

loco

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 19005
  • loco like a fox
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2013, 08:09:30 AM »
Wondering how you guys go about dropping carbs while dieting. slowly drop them or what? I don't take in much carbs now (150g daily) but since I haven't been doing any cardio until a few days ago I'm unsure if and when I should lower them. I have about 20weeks until a show. anyways, should I immediately cut them in half or see how I lean up with the cardio within a few weeks and lower them according to that?

You'll hear/read different things from different people or different "experts", but here is one way to do it:

Your carbs are too low right now, unless you are consuming large amounts of fat.  When dieting for 12 weeks or longer, your body adapts after you burn off a few pounds of fat and then it stops.  For some people it happens every two weeks or so.

To counter this and keep the fat loss going, you must gradually decrease the calories a little, or increase exercise a little, or do a little of both.  Your choice.  But you have to be careful not to decrease calories too much, or increase exercise too much, or you'll end up dropping muscle mass too.

You should not decrease calories or increase exercise as long as your are slowly losing fat, 1 or 2 lbs per week.  Even if you are not losing any weight, if you are looking more and more ripped every week, then don't change anything.  Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

If you notice that your body has adapted and you are no longer making progress, that's when you cut calories or increase exercise.  You can cut 25g carbs if your diet is low fat, or cut 11g fat if your diet is low carb.  Or instead you could increase exercise intensity or duration.

Some bodybuilders cut 25g carbs or 11g fat every two week or so, whether or not their diet is still working.

If your diet is low fat to begin with, then decrease calories from carbs only.  Do not cut dietary fat if it's already low.  Likewise, if your diet is low carb to begin with, then decrease calories from fat only.  Do not cut carbs if they are already low.

Never cut protein, especially if you are a natural bodybuilder.  Keeping your lifts relatively heavy and your protein intake relatively high is what helps naturals keep muscle mass when dieting.

Again, there are more than one way to do this, and the above are simply suggestions that have worked very well for me and for other natural bodybuilders.

Good luck!

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2013, 02:42:06 PM »
thanks for the response. my diet is a 50p/30c/15f at the moment. when I did my first show this past july I started at 50p/15c/15f. but that ended with carb cycling and eventually no carbs. I'm not a natural so I did manage to maintain during the diet. I didn't jump too high in the offseason since dieting down with no carbs sucks. and would like to avoid that if I can. I'll see how my body responds to the these macros with daily cardio.

WOOO

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 18158
  • Fuck the mods
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2013, 06:20:55 PM »
20 weeks? sounds like a lot of fat to lose...

diet's gonna suck

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2013, 01:20:23 PM »
im thinking 20weeks so I can ease into prep. and possibly keep carbs around until nearly the end. I'm sitting around 15%bf. not natural either so makes it a bit easier.

Borracho

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 8215
  • Waking up is possible if ur tired of the dream....
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2013, 01:59:31 PM »
Yeah everyone's different...its hard to tell people what to eat especially someone who competes that should know their body better than anyone else.

But damn, 15% is pretty high for a competitor... I would modify your offseason diet so you don't have to lose so much fat next time around. I mean yeah, some guys get around that bf but its not necessary to build muscle...especially since you use.
1

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2013, 10:54:30 PM »
yeah. I know it's high. I have only done 1 show but plan to do another 1 obviously. I don't eat that much, just carb sensitive. my bf jumped 10% in 4 months with no more than 150g carbs daily. except for my weekly cheat meal. used a coach last time too. funds aren't there so I'll have to go at it alone this time.

WOOO

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 18158
  • Fuck the mods
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2013, 03:20:04 AM »
yeah. I know it's high. I have only done 1 show but plan to do another 1 obviously. I don't eat that much, just carb sensitive. my bf jumped 10% in 4 months with no more than 150g carbs daily. except for my weekly cheat meal. used a coach last time too. funds aren't there so I'll have to go at it alone this time.


don't want to be an asshole here but that doesn't make any sense

carb sensitive sounds like a marketing ploy

and if you are gaining weight you either eat too much or don't move enough

try keeping a foodlog and fitness journal...

Borracho

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 8215
  • Waking up is possible if ur tired of the dream....
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2013, 03:49:10 AM »
yeah. I know it's high. I have only done 1 show but plan to do another 1 obviously. I don't eat that much, just carb sensitive. my bf jumped 10% in 4 months with no more than 150g carbs daily. except for my weekly cheat meal. used a coach last time too. funds aren't there so I'll have to go at it alone this time.

You mean insulin resistant. I'm the same way man, it took me a long time to find the best method for me to gain weight without turning into fat shit quick. What works for me is intermittent fasting everyday with high cals(over 15x bw in lbs) very low carbs...as low as possible getting in only trace amounts and focusing more on protein and fats. Every 4th day or so I'll have a big carb day to replenish glycogen stores but still the same, intermittent fasting day in day out.
1

WOOO

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 18158
  • Fuck the mods
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2013, 04:19:46 AM »
IF is cool... i have been doing a full day fast once weekly for the last 2 years... only failed to do it a few times

i aim for 30hrs with nothing but water (no stimulants, nothing)...

it's actually way easier than you would think

Borracho

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 8215
  • Waking up is possible if ur tired of the dream....
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2013, 04:33:48 AM »
IF is cool... i have been doing a full day fast once weekly for the last 2 years... only failed to do it a few times

i aim for 30hrs with nothing but water (no stimulants, nothing)...

it's actually way easier than you would think

Eating actually makes me hungrier. There's some studies around here on it by necrosis if anyone wants to look over them.

Just quickly for beans21...

Quote

The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

    Aside from removing your cravings for sugar and snack foods and turning you into an efficient fat-burning machine, thereby making it far easier to maintain a healthy body weight, modern science has confirmed there are many other good reasons to fast intermittently. For example, research presented at the 2011 annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans4 showed that fasting triggered a 1,300 percent rise of human growth hormone (HGH) in women, and an astounding 2,000 percent in men.

    HGH, human growth hormone, commonly referred to as "the fitness hormone," plays an important role in maintaining health, fitness and longevity, including promotion of muscle growth, and boosting fat loss by revving up your metabolism. The fact that it helps build muscle while simultaneously promoting fat loss explains why HGH helps you lose weight without sacrificing muscle mass, and why even athletes can benefit from the practice (as long as they don't overtrain and are careful about their nutrition). The only other thing that can compete in terms of dramatically boosting HGH levels is high-intensity interval training. Other health benefits of intermittent fasting include:

Normalizing your insulin and leptin sensitivity, which is key for optimal health    
Improving biomarkers of disease
Normalizing ghrelin levels, also known as "the hunger hormone"    
Reducing inflammation and lessening free radical damage
Lowering triglyceride levels    
Preserving memory functioning and learning


http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/28/intermittent-fasting-health-benefits.aspx
 
1

WOOO

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 18158
  • Fuck the mods
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2013, 06:28:25 PM »
Eating actually makes me hungrier. There's some studies around here on it by necrosis if anyone wants to look over them.

Just quickly for beans21...



i hear you... severe calorie restriction feels punitive... but no calories is somehow liberating

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2013, 01:13:49 PM »

don't want to be an asshole here but that doesn't make any sense

carb sensitive sounds like a marketing ploy

and if you are gaining weight you either eat too much or don't move enough

try keeping a foodlog and fitness journal...

I was stating if I eat any carbs I put on bf fast. my macros are 50p/30c/15f at the moment. not high at all. precontest I was at 50p/15c/15f. and that dropped to no carbs to lose weight. I have a labor intensive job so I move enough. And I train 4 times a week. cardio was recently added 5x a week. for 30minutes. I log my training and monitor my cardio heart rate. 

Montague

  • Moderator
  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 14614
  • The black degelation does not know this nig - V.G.
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2013, 02:15:41 AM »
carb sensitive sounds like a marketing ploy


Carb-sensitivity usually refers to a person's individual response to carbohydrates in terms of body composition.

There are those select few who can get away with consuming substantially more carbs than others...lucky pricks.

WOOO

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 18158
  • Fuck the mods
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #14 on: December 04, 2013, 04:40:57 AM »

Carb-sensitivity usually refers to a person's individual response to carbohydrates in terms of body composition.

There are those select few who can get away with consuming substantially more carbs than others...lucky pricks.

they are called skinny people...

people who can't eat "as many carbs" are called fat people

"metabolic syndrome" is good old soft bodied fatness

if you live at 10% BF or less there are no issues...

porkers who live at 20%+ and pretend they're at 14%... wait, that's most of getbig....

nvm.... preaching to the deaf

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #15 on: December 04, 2013, 05:38:22 PM »
how I look on the right as of now. I'm assuming around 15%. left was 4weeks out.. Ill prob get flack for gyno but oh well.

Borracho

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 8215
  • Waking up is possible if ur tired of the dream....
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #16 on: December 05, 2013, 06:36:37 AM »
A lot of people have gyno but will never get as lean as that to know it. Looking great man.
1

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #17 on: December 05, 2013, 11:03:32 PM »
thanks man. If only I knew what I know now when I started with aas. I'd be gyno free lol. I'm aiming for that look further out this time. around 6-7 week out mark. the show I intend on doing is a lvl 4 npc show. and I have to bring my A game.

trapz101

  • Getbig IV
  • ****
  • Posts: 2707
  • team 'THE CORN'
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #18 on: December 06, 2013, 12:42:06 AM »
how I look on the right as of now. I'm assuming around 15%. left was 4weeks out.. Ill prob get flack for gyno but oh well.

yeah right if that's 15% then i'm 30% now lol

looking good btw
T

Borracho

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 8215
  • Waking up is possible if ur tired of the dream....
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #19 on: December 06, 2013, 06:15:55 AM »
Yeah looks much less than 15%...but better to do as he does and overestimate imo.

And the gyno is bound to happen sooner or later if there's a predisposition. Sure, there's aromatase inhibitors but if you're a lifer/competitor it's not something I'd wanna constantly worry about and set aside some money for surgery. My only concern is people saying it can grow back if you don't get the whole gland removed, and that not all surgeons are willing to do that. Definitely wanna go to the most experienced titty doctor one can find and be willing to spend the cash for it.
1

WOOO

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 18158
  • Fuck the mods
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #20 on: December 06, 2013, 06:23:29 AM »
serratus is showing... lower than 15% in a skin fold test...

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #21 on: December 06, 2013, 11:36:56 AM »
Yeah looks much less than 15%...but better to do as he does and overestimate imo.

And the gyno is bound to happen sooner or later if there's a predisposition. Sure, there's aromatase inhibitors but if you're a lifer/competitor it's not something I'd wanna constantly worry about and set aside some money for surgery. My only concern is people saying it can grow back if you don't get the whole gland removed, and that not all surgeons are willing to do that. Definitely wanna go to the most experienced titty doctor one can find and be willing to spend the cash for it.

I've been saving money for it. Im saving enough to go to a top doctor. don't want a messed up surgery and have a half ass removal. lol

Borracho

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 8215
  • Waking up is possible if ur tired of the dream....
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #22 on: December 06, 2013, 11:42:37 AM »
serratus is showing... lower than 15% in a skin fold test...

Not the best pic but looks no more than 12% to me. Appears to be holding water so he's probably closer to 10...


I've been saving money for it. Im saving enough to go to a top doctor. don't want a messed up surgery and have a half ass removal. lol

You get what you pay for right...

If I were you I'd get it done right after a competition that way you can get the whole gland removed and forget it about it forever. I've been told the chances are higher of the nipple concaving the fatter you are....

1

beans21

  • Getbig II
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #23 on: December 06, 2013, 12:20:36 PM »
I guess thinking I'm fatter than I am is a good thing ha. unfortunately my glutes/ hamstrings never came in for my show and I was still holding water. I was still drying out after prejudging. Trial and error I guess. I didn't know not being lean for the surgery could cause it to concave. good to know.

WOOO

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 18158
  • Fuck the mods
Re: where to start carbs at when dieting?
« Reply #24 on: December 07, 2013, 04:23:57 AM »
Not the best pic but looks no more than 12% to me. Appears to be holding water so he's probably closer to 10...



agreed... always a bit tougher to gauge is someone is on gear but that is relatively lean... skin fold testing should not be confused with actual BF % though... gotta jump in a bodpod or a hydro tank to get that shit...

but IMO a skinfold test of 14% or less is good for life... 10-12% is optimal... above 14% is delusional (just fatness)...