How many carbs should i be taking in on a cutting phase?

[Burning_Inside]

I'm currently cutting up. I'm doing about almost an hour and a half worth of cardio a day about 5 days a week on an empty stomach, I start off doing sprint intervals, for maybe like half hour, then do an hours worth of a karate type workout, just kicking, stretching, jumping, etc. So there, that's my cardio routine.
I'm drinking about 3-4 liters of water per day. Sorry, I can't drink anymore, i don't think I need a gallon a day anyway. I think 4 liters is fine. My piss is always clear. Decent sign that i'm well hydrated.

Anyway, I want to know abit about this whole carb thing. i eat about 6-7 times a day, depending on how long I'm awake, and i eat about every 2 hours or so. Now, some people say don't eat too many carbs, and eat a ton of protein, some say keep it all balanced at 40/30/30

So, what's the majority here on the carbs? I mean here's the deal, ok, the body can only metabolise around 30 grams of protein per sitting, correct? Ok, that equals out to a protein drink or a can of tuna. That's only 720 calories total a day from that. My BMR is around 2000 cals. I'm keeping my lean bodyweight x11 as total calories per day, so that equals about 2200 cals a day. Now what percentage of the rest of the calories do you all think should come from carbs?

I"M NOT DOING KETO AGAIN SO DON'T MENTION IT, it does not work for me, case closed. So don't tell me to eat 20 grams of carbs or less per day, hint hint you know who you are

Ahem...Anyway..

I mean, should I eat more protein anyway and get the rest of the cals from the protein? If that's the case, what I want to know is, if the body can only metabolise 30 grams or so at a sitting, what happens to the rest if you eat more? Does it just pass though your system wasted? What the hell does it do? It has to, otherise it's being metabolised for SOMEthing.

Ok, people, please help me out here, I need to get my head straight about the diet. I have until July 4th (my personal goal date), and I want to see at least some definition in my abs by then. So let me see you people argue

 

[Enock]

Theres been debate on how much the body can metabolize worth of protein and not much proof supporting any of the arguments. For one thing, If I ate only protein all day, (some sort of strict protein diet) but I ate as much as I could possibly eat but only ate for 10 hours a day. That means I could take in 6000 calories or more if I could stomach it of protein but would only be able to digest 1,200 of it. I would actually end up in starvation mode while eating 6,000 calories!. The body can definitly handle a larger matabolization of protein. Besides Lets say it could only use 30 and hour. If you ate 60 in one hour the other 30 would sit around in your stomach untill it was able to be metabolized. Thats why fats make you feel fuller longer. They are slow to metabolize, we don't just excrete what fat we couldn't metabolize within an hour, otherwise we would have alot less obeisity. Its just stays in our stomach longer untill it is.


There is a point at which the body can't handle the amount of food it takes in but its quite high. Thats why after say a thanksgiving day meal you need to goto the bathroom. Because the body is passing out what it couldn't possibly metabolize. (that and the fact that you now full stomach is pushing on you bladder, and what ever holds the other stuff)


Now in the case that the body can only use 30protein for muscle building but it can use excess for energy. Lets say thats true. Lets say after eating 60grams of protien the body used 30 for muscle build and 30 for energy at a 50/50 ratio. Now if you only ate 30 grams of protein I don't believe the body would use all 30 of that even if you ate 30 carbs along with it. I bet it would still metabolize a portion of it for energy say 70% for muscle and 30% for energy. You see even if the body can only prepare 30grams and hour for muscle building you could still probably use more than 30 grams in your system since its most likely that it doesn't use it all for muscle building. Also if you took in the portien only it may only be like 60% for muscle 40% for energy. meaning you got more protein for your muscle because you needed less for energy because you also ate carbs, hence why carbs are considered protein sparing. But then again eating 60 grams of proetin you end with a better ratio nothing is more protein sparing than protien as they say.

Of course all these ratios change based on, gear or if after you just worked out and your muscles are in higher demand for recovery goods. Or if you just did alot of cardio and all the body gives a rats ass about is fuel not building muscle ect...


As a final say, Don't worry to much about the bodies ability to absorb protein it works out in the end.

 

[Rudee34]

"..I'm doing about almost an hour and a half worth of cardio a day about 5 days a week."

Why so much cardio? Cardio is catabolic. Even on a 2200 calorie/day diet, you're walking a thin line of catabolism if you're not careful.

"..what I want to know is, if the body can only metabolise 30 grams or so at a sitting, what happens to the rest if you eat more? ."

Some of the protein molecules will be used by the body for repair and growth of muscle tissue, while other protein molecules will be processed by the metabolism for energy. The 30gm figure has been disputed for years.

"..I mean, should I eat more protein anyway and get the rest of the cals from the protein?"

If you are eating 6-7 times/day and getting in roughly 30gms/meal, you're doing extremely well. However I do recommend you cycle your protein intake every 4th day or so.

Remember, you metabolism up-regulates or down-regulates your metabolism according to your daily caloric intake. Your body has a setpoint for the amount of calories it feels it's going to need to keep you alive. If you drop below that setpoint, the body adjusts metabolism to compensate.

Don't let your calories drop below 2000/day and you'll be fiine.

 

[Burning_Inside]

ENOCK thanks for the words.

RUDEE:

reason why i'm doing so much cardio, well, I Dunno, i like it. I have goals now with the sprinting that i want to accomplish, i want to try and eventually push a 30 second all out sprint, I'm currently at 15 now. Plus I do the karate just because I like doing that. I need the stretching, and I used to be in karate years back and I miss doing it. So it equals out to about an hour - hour and a half.

Now let me get this straight, If I'm 215 lbs, say about 15%-18% bodyfat, how many calories should I be taking in per day , should i shoot for the 12x my bodyweight? 14? And how much of a percentage from protein , carbs and fat?

your opinion.

 

[Rudee34]

If you don't want to go low carb or cyclic ketogenic, then stick with 40/30/30, 11cals/lb.

 

[Burning_Inside]

OK thanks, i think i will actually throw my body off and do a day or 2 a week of low carb low fat, high protein. Think that'd be bad or what?