Carb Cycling

[RNP]

Does anyone have a carb cycling protocal they like to follow... I've searched the topic and they're all so different.

[Northman]

Does anyone have a carb cycling protocal they like to follow... I've searched the topic and they're all so different.

I do carb cycling as a method after the fact that I have been on straight carbs every day and lost the most weight I can loose that way.

Here is a good example of a carb cycle. I used this same protocol to get in my best shape last year. Keep in mind though, carb cycling will leave you a bit moody.


5 lows days followed by a high refeed day, then a zero carb day and repeat




Last year my final cycle was 100 100 100 100 100 300 zero repeat


You need to start higher then that to allow for plateau's fyi

[stephaniewicked]

Does anybody else do this differently? I'm curious to know what everyone considers to be a high and low carb day (how many grams/carbs per pound of body weight)?

Would love to hear from more people!

[MikeS]

Does anybody else do this differently? I'm curious to know what everyone considers to be a high and low carb day (how many grams/carbs per pound of body weight)?

Would love to hear from more people!

I started cho cyclling last week and did this baring in mind my normal intake of cho is 250g:

200
130
90
80
450
250
200
repeat

I think personal preference how you wanna do it. For example I did 3 low days before where I went down to 60g per day but I think I lost muscle that way and took about 3 days to carb back up as opposed to 1 or 2

[stephaniewicked]

I think that's what's interesting to me... I notice that some people do high/low days and some people incorporate zero carb days. I'm trying to figure out the best approach... keep it low (which I have no problem doing) or have 1-2 days per week where I cut them completely.

Also, for anyone who does zero carb days, do you work those in so that they fall on days when you don't train? If not, what do you have post-workout? I normally like to have my whey shake and either a rice cake or 1 oz. sweetened dried cranberries post-lifting/pre-cardio.

[sassy69]

When I've done carb cycling in the past, I've tried to schedule my lifting to the carb cycle. If I"m on a prep schedule, the carb cycle is more important than whether or not a heavy training day lands on a low carb day. Its the consistency of the cycle that you need to leverage in order to get the cycling fat burning. If leg day happens to land on the low day, tuff shit. Suck it up & lift. There's a point where the PWO carb / recovery stuff doesn't matter because you're not on a diet that is going to build / preserve a lot of muscle and cutting is your focus.

I've done many diff flavors of carb cycle but generally I go 150-100-50-0, repeat.

[KBigz81]

I've also heard that if you choose to do carb cycling, to have your high carb day on an off day. Its an article by Dr Joe on bb.com. I guess it helps w/recovery and also your body will maintain the stored glycogen for your workouts that week. But I've also heard to do the high carb day prior to a body part that you have trouble with. There are so many ways of doing it. I've done 3 low and then 1 high early in a contest prep and the closer I got I would only do 6 low to 1 high. On the high day I lowered my protein to my body weight with minimal fats to keep the calories from going to high.

[RNP]

During contest prep using carb cycling, how does the last week typically work.

[KBigz81]

I did a slight carb load starting saturday...but I am carb sensitive
Sun 150
Mon 120
Tues 80
Wed 50
Thurs 50
Friday no carbs in the am and started my carb load at 9p Friday night before the show. As I said before I am carb sensitive so it doesn't take much for me to fill out. I loaded on rice cakes and sweet potatos. 5am had a sugary protein bar, then I ate 4oz sweet potato w/either chicken or steak every 2-3 hours. Hour before I got on stage I had half a sub from Jimmy Johns.
I did not modify my water and did a slight sodium load through the week. I actually drank over a gallon of water day of the show. Need the water to pull the carbs into the muscles.

[RNP]

Thanks for the reply!! I'm planning on doing a show in march 2010, i'll try using your protocol..I'm also a natural competitor and carb sensitive so it sounds great