Carb cycling

[khulk]

Read a couple of things about carb cycling. Carbs only on weight training days, no carbs or very little on cardio days?

 

[AllTheWay]

so much of this depends on what your overall goals are. im not a competitor so i have never done any severe thing with my diet. i try to keep a pretty consistent 40/40/20 ratio with my macros and just drop my total calorie numbers. (not that it happens all the time but that is the goal) i have recently ventured into powerlifting training and can say that i need to increase my carbs on training days as i havent had the energy i need for training. starting next week when i get back im going to increase my complex carbs for my first meal and then place a high protein meal about an hour before my workout. after my workout, i will cut back on what i am usually consume. this way i can use my calories for training be keep my total calories low enough to keep from getting too fluffy!

 

[ajdos]

Khulk, the premise is a number of days on a low carb system followed by a number of days on a high carb system.
So say 5 days low followed by 2 days of high carb, then repeat.
Sets the body up hormonally and takes advantage of improved insulin sensitivity.
I have known people who did 4 low 3 high as well, but I found my best results on 5 low 2 high.

 

[Glycomann]

Khulk, the premise is a number of days on a low carb system followed by a number of days on a high carb system.
So say 5 days low followed by 2 days of high carb, then repeat.
Sets the body up hormonally and takes advantage of improved insulin sensitivity.
I have known people who did 4 low 3 high as well, but I found my best results on 5 low 2 high.

That's good information right there. if more people understood carb intake control and insulin sensitivity there would be less fat asses sucking up the air supply.

 

[ritch]

Khulk, the premise is a number of days on a low carb system followed by a number of days on a high carb system.
So say 5 days low followed by 2 days of high carb, then repeat.
Sets the body up hormonally and takes advantage of improved insulin sensitivity.
I have known people who did 4 low 3 high as well, but I found my best results on 5 low 2 high.

that pretty much sums it up. But I think you could get good results with what you first said. I recently did something similar and it worked very well.

 

[tommyguns2]

Khulk, the premise is a number of days on a low carb system followed by a number of days on a high carb system.
So say 5 days low followed by 2 days of high carb, then repeat.
Sets the body up hormonally and takes advantage of improved insulin sensitivity.
I have known people who did 4 low 3 high as well, but I found my best results on 5 low 2 high.

AJ, I agree with this. On my 5 low days, I don't drop carbs to zero, I just eliminate the simple carbs and limit myself to green veggies and the like. I find that by the weekend, my glycogen stores are pretty much depleted and whatever I eat over the weekend just goes to replenish glycogen and my body stays in a fat loss mode. Works very well.

If you keep your calories and fat pretty high, your energy levels don't completely tank.

 

[elizabethwhite]

I think carb cycling def. helps when dropping body fat(and gaining).. I have done that going into many competitions. It's easy to tell if you drop to low for to long, muscles look"flat", getting a good pump is hard, energy drops. That's when a hIGH carb day is needed..and then back to low. Stay with clean carbs,veg. no sugar .(unless gaining-sugar helps). I purposely plan the higher carb days for leg and chest day. When I am in diet mode to drop fat, I go from 125 carbs to 50. A lot does depend on the ind. how active you are, how fast/slow metabolism is...For me , may start 125, 75, 75 50 50 50 125..change as i progress.

 

[elizabethwhite]

Also, to add to the previous post,I increase protein and healthy fats on low carb days.

 

[ajdos]

Also, to add to the previous post,I increase protein and healthy fats on low carb days.

YES that is a crucial point.

 

[lymbo]

since you're discussing carb's you should check out "Arrow Root powder" it has amazing benefits, a very fast acting carb that breaks down instantly...Happy muscle cells are carbo-loaded!
You can buy it at the grocery store cheap...I add it to my post protein shake and make all my carb snacks and power bars with it..