Thread: Carb Cycling Question

I have been carb cycling for about three months now. I am down about 30 lbs.

If I were you, I'd have one more no carb day. My schedule is:

Sun-No
Mon-Low
Tues-High
Wed-No
Thurs-Low
Fri-No
Sat-High

I am at 295 lbs and I eat TWICE what you do on no-carb day. Your protein needs to be 1 gram per pound, so I'd double your protein.

Originally Posted by Pepper

I have been carb cycling for about three months now. I am down about 30 lbs.

If I were you, I'd have one more no carb day. My schedule is:

Sun-No
Mon-Low
Tues-High
Wed-No
Thurs-Low
Fri-No
Sat-High

Thanks Pepper, I was going to add another one but didn't want two days back to back...thanks for your schedule...I think I will throw another day in there. What is your typical diet? I'm just not sure where to get more calories from...968 calories seems like it might send my body into 'emergency' mode...

I'll post my No Carb day..just had one yesterday:
3 eggs/3 egg whites
2 large tins tuna/2 tbl light mayo
6 oz chicken w/lo-carb wrap.
2 scoops protein shake (Sustain)
9 oz chicken/2 cups veggies
2 scoops Sustain with Lo-Carb milk (last night i just did water)

2275 cals/350 P/50 C/75 F
Hope that helps.

I am not really an expert in this, I have some very qualifed help. When he told me to eat 2200 cals on NO CARB day, I almost freaked. But it is working.

I eat about 3000 cal on Low Carb day and 4,000 on HIGH carb day.

Yeah, I know...but I won't argue with the results.

Originally Posted by Pepper

I'll post my No Carb day..just had one yesterday:
3 eggs/3 egg whites
2 large tins tuna/2 tbl light mayo
6 ox chicken w/lo-carb wrap.
2 scoops protein shake (Sustain)
9 oz chicken/2 cups veggies
2 scoops Sustain with Lo-Carb milk (last night i just did water)

2275 cals/350 P/50 C/75 F
Hope that helps.

that helps alot! I'll be tweaking mine a tad to get those calories up...thanks!

I just turned 40, so we are similarly situated.

Nitpick: wrong forum.

Originally Posted by Pepper

Your protein needs to be 1 gram per pound, so I'd double your protein.

At the very minimum. How do you get the protein in? I'm at high weight too, and cant stomach eating by the end of the day.

Originally Posted by nero36

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I can definitely use some advice.

I'm 36 years old, 5'8", 270lbs...typical Endo/Meso combination and I use to hit the weights hardcore. I can put on muscle quick but carbs are my worst enemy at this point.

My goal: 215 lbs of lean beef.

I want to try carb cycling and this is my current dietary schedule:

Monday - no carb
Tues - low
Wed - high
Thur - no
Fri - low
Sat - high
Sun - low

Here is my typical diet for no carb days:

6am - 4 hardboiled eggs (2 with yolks, 2 whites only)/ 20 oz of water

9am - 4 oz lean chicken (white meat) and 1 cup of leafy spinach/ 20 oz of water

12pm - Boca 'soy protein' Patties (2), 1 cup spinach /20 oz of water

3pm - 4 oz lean chicken (white meat) and 1 cup of spinach /20 oz of water

workout

PO: 8 OZ Whey

7 pm - .5 cup of cottage cheese

Total macronutrient breakdown for the day:

Calories: 968
Fat: 27 g (approx. 9 from sat fat)
Carbs: 32 g (give or take, dietary fiber offset)
Protein: 138 g

Here are my questions:

I know the calorie load is way low...How can I increase it without impacting carbs and fat? what food should I add?

I am averaging about .5 grams of protein per lb of body weight...I read it should be at least 1 gm per pound...but I am also not a hardcore bodybuilder. I have my routine, followed by cardio and then I am out. I work out hard while I am there and leave it all in the gym, but I am not going 2 or 3 times a day....so I figured .5 was enough without storing excess as fat.

Any advice? I really want to make this work....


thanks!

no 0.5 not enough at all....1-1.5 ......increase your cals much than that your goal will take long and if you drop your cals extremely you won't be able to follow your diet due to cravings and your metabolism will slow down and you won't lose weight...decrease your calories by 500 after calculating your maintanance.........

Sorry to but in here, but is carb cycling more effective than a standard clean diet of 5 small meals a day?

Originally Posted by ABCs

Sorry to but in here, but is carb cycling more effective than a standard clean diet of 5 small meals a day?

That is something you are going to have to try and figure out for yourself. We all react differently to different diets.

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

That is something you are going to have to try and figure out for yourself. We all react differently to different diets.

Haha, I guess I am the I WANT IT NOW type. I'll give it a go but as of right now, the standard diet and lots of workingout are just what the Dr. ordered. Carry on gentlemen.

Ian's right. No body is the same unless you're probably a twin.

Originally Posted by assassin

no 0.5 not enough at all....1-1.5 ......increase your cals much than that your goal will take long and if you drop your cals extremely you won't be able to follow your diet due to cravings and your metabolism will slow down and you won't lose weight...decrease your calories by 500 after calculating your maintanance.........

My metabolism will slow down even though on low and high carb days my calories will increase?

My plan was:

Monday - Low
Tues - No
Wednesday - high
Thurs - no
Friday - low
Saturday - high
sunday - no

Calorie Content:

No carb days: approx. 1000
Low Carb days: approx. 1500
High Carb: days: approx. 2000

With my calorie content bouncing around like this I would think my metabolism would get a significant boost and always be 'guessing'.

Today is No Carb and my macros were thus: 1024 cal/20.25 F/22.36C/158 P.

With the amount of training I do (35 min for lifting/30 minutes of HIIT biking) 270 grams of protein seems just too much to be utilized without storing as fat, especially considering the average competitive swimmer training moderately for a meet requires .5 gm of protein / lb of bodyweight.

I'm confused

Your Cals are way too low for Carb Cycling.

Please read about TP's Carb Cycling. Guide to Cutting, Bulking & Maintenance

Protein intake each day should be a bare minimum 270 G's

Fat intake is around 50-60 g

No Carb day Carbs = minimal just fibrous veggies Total Cals should at minumum be 1700
Low Carb day = 1g per lb of bw so around 270 grams Total Cals at minimum should be 2700
High Carb day is to eat till satisfied with carbs.

Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by juggernaut

At the very minimum. How do you get the protein in? I'm at high weight too, and cant stomach eating by the end of the day.

Lot's o' tuna! I have a couple of protein shakes a day too. You can get it in!

Originally Posted by ABCs

Sorry to but in here, but is carb cycling more effective than a standard clean diet of 5 small meals a day?

I think it is. YOu can read TP's articles as they will do a better job of explaining, but...this diet is easier to handle mentally. No Carb days are a bitch but they are bit easier knowing that tomorrow you can have some carbs.

I have found it much easier to handle.

I think "carb" cycling puts the emphasis on carbs but, really, you are CALORIE cylcing. Since your Protein is fixed and you always want to keep fat low, to cycle calories, you pretty much have to manipulate carbs.