Carb Cycling

[Debu]

ok, I think I'm getting the hang of this....from SW's last post and W6's response it is confirmed if you are lifting in the pm it is ok to have some carbs (20-30ish) post workout if you are lifting HEAVY the next day. No carbs if you are only going to do cardio. But what about a LIGHT weight day?

Also, if the next day is Heavy legs and you are in the middle of 3 day low carb rotation so you up it for that one day do you have to start over with going low 3 more days? I guess does the magic lie in having those low days 3 in a row? Or do you just go on to whatever the next day in the rotation supposed to be? I know, I know I'm probably making this more difficult than it needs to be but I'm a woman!

 

[Debu]

I thought the point was to go low several days in a row but what do I know! I'm still learning!

 

[wilson6]

Low carbs for more than 2 days, 3 max will make you flat. You have to time this around workouts. Light workout days are OK with low carbs, heavy workout days either that day or what's coming the next day are going to require some carbs. The most important factor is mechanical loading. If you can't push the weight, then you lose muscle mass.

SPAT, what you did for legs is what I'd recommend.

No magic in three days. A 3:2 or 2:2 ratio (high:low) will work fine early on. As you get closer to contest then go to a 2:3. Experiment and see what works.

For heavy workouts, try what SPAT outlined, and don't worry so much about keeping the days exact. Taylor the diet around your workout as best as possible to maximize both lifting strength and fat loss.

There is no perfect method for everyone because everyone has such different schedules.

W6

 

[CrystalChick]

Please Help

Help please I was wondering If I can PM my diet and routein to somebody and they could help me stagger my carbs a little better

Thanks,CC

 

[luv2workout]

Just FYI

recently I started playing around w/cycling my carbs according to wkt. schedule....until I did this (I am now writing down every morsel that goes in my mouth) I had no idea how bad my carb cravings are in the evening....keeping the eating log has opened my eyes, I wish I would have done this a long time ago

 

[Debu]

Now going with the 2g carbs/kg for a high day and .5g/kg for a low that puts me at 114g of carbs on a high and 28 for a low. I was planning on trying 150 high and 75 low. Do you think that would be ok? I guess what you all are going to tell me is to try and see but I diddn' want to waste any time on error I'm not competing just trying to play around with my body to see what it does.

 

[Debu]

I got those numbers from a post of W6 and SW. I like yours better! If my normal daily carb intake is around 100-150 do you think using that number for a high day would be effective?

 

[Debu]

OOPS my mistake, SW was quoting what MS told her, W6 replied that was OK. My apologies for misquoting


http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=98484:(

 

[SteelWeaver]

No, no, wrong! You didn't misquote. W6 DID say that later on in the post.

Originally, when I was on a gaining plan, MS told me to have 2g carb/kg body weight POST-WORKOUT, spreading the rest over the day.

Then I asked if this number still applied on a cutting diet.

In response to that, W6 gave those numbers for post-workout carbs: 2g/kg body weight on a high carb day, or 0.5g/kg body weight on a low carb day.

Then, when I told him I wasn't cycling my carbs because MS somehow gets shredded on a 40/40/20 diet (and wins competitions), he wanted to know how hard 3 high days of 2g/kg of bodyweight and 2 low days of 0.5g/kg body weight really is. All I can say is it's impossible to make a decision with those two heavyweights having completely different systems.

I assume from the posts that this is W6's system for carb cycling, and that ALL carbs for the day are taken post-workout. I'm also assuming that the protein and fat would look a lot like spatterson's. W6 - this is correct? Could you come back and fill in the rest of the numbers?

But what I'd REALLY like to know is how you came up with those carb numbers, spatterson, if you've never heard of W6's system?

 

[Debu]

WOW all that was for the post workout? I totally misread that one.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Uhh ... wait a sec. I just reread it, and to be honest - I don't know. That's what I thought at first, but looking at it again, he's not specific. I thought he was answering the post-w/o carb numbers question, but he just gives those numbers for carbs without saying how many post-w/o.

I'd probably go for 1g/kg post-w/o on a high day, and try to have almost all of them on the low day post-w/o.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Thanks spatts. That gives me a little bump. Sigh. I know I haven't given much of an impression of this lately, but I do have some common sense.

The thing that is starting to come through most clearly right now is that all along I planned this May competition to be a trial run for my main event this year, which is the Gay Games in November. Then everything suddenly seemed to get so complex, and I started panicking, convinced that I've left everything too late, and tunnel-visioned in on May. Then my girlfriend reminded me today that it's only supposed to be a practice run. I'm so obsessively perfectionist, I couldn't see the woods for the trees.

I'm gonna run with this and see where it takes me - I know how to adjust 100 calories up or down, or 100 carbs up or down! I can do that!

 

[wilson6]

Relax Steel, you're being too anal about all this. In fact, many on this board are far too anal with diet and training. Quit wasting time planning so much and just try something for a while, record what you do and the results, then make modifications in a couple of months if necessary.

No need to get your diet to 1/2 a gram. Just be consistent and record changes, ask others (that will be honest) for input on how you look.

It takes a long time to figure out what works for you.

W6

 

[VooDoo Lady]

Relax Steel, you're being too anal about all this. In fact, many on this board are far too anal with diet and training. Quit wasting time planning so much and just try something for a while, record what you do and the results, then make modifications in a couple of months if necessary.

It takes a long time to figure out what works for you.

W6, I'm surprised to hear this from you. How many times has the experts on this board said DIET IS EVERYTHING?? Therefore I would expect to see MORE DIET questions than anything else because that's the component that is going to have the biggest impact on our physiques.

Is it possible that you have forgotten that you are a man and we are (for the most part) women? And we HAVE to watch our diets more closely than you do? My damn husband stops eating McDonalds for a week and loses 10 pounds...it a little more complex for me...

 

[wilson6]

"My damn husband stops eating McDonalds for a week and loses 10 pounds"

See it is simple.

Seriously, what I'm trying to say is, don't make it harder than it is. Yes for women it is much harder, the curse of estrogen. But, 1/2 gram here and there isn't going to make that much difference.

Same with when to carb up for workouts. Sure you'd like to stay on a rotation, but the workouts should be the priority. Ask New@ about this mornings arm/shoulder workout. I'll pulled her into a short group when she didn't have any carbs and was planning on only doing cardio. It was much harder.

The way I see it, you'd burn most of the additional carbs you would take in just before going to the gym if it is a heavy lifting day, even if it were a low carb day to start. So, from a fat burning perspective, it probably makes no difference. Most of what you burn during a heavy lifting session is carbs, not fat.

W6

 

[new@gettinbig]

Hmm lets see...no carbs...and it was a little bit tough to push the weight and have the energy....all you need to do is keep a journal..write down everything you put in your mouth...keep track of it daily..write down when you are working out...what you are training..heavy/light and monitor your progress...stick to whatever you are doing for at least 4 weeks to see how it is working..dont try changing things to quick..then you dont give it a good chance to do anything for you. Carb ratios are pointless for any of us to give out for help...

we are all different and are bodies require differently so what works for me, may not work for you..you have to play w/ your ratios and find one that works for you..be consistent w/ it...take meausrements..weigh yourself..bodyfat..and so on...every 4-6 weeks to keep up to how you are progressing...I think we make this a little bit tougher than it really is...to much emphasis is put on what is your ratio..how many calories..how many grams of this or that? If I tell you I take in x amount of calories..that means nothing to you..how active are you? How do you train? Do you do cardio? OUr lifestyles are different so you will require a different amount..your metabolism is not the same as mine..you may react differently to certain types of foods...its ALL INDIVIDUAL..find your thing and then just work w/ it..make changes as you go and need to..