Carb cycling? Is it beneficial to weight loss?

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ladybug4233
ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
edited July 2023 in Health and Weight Loss
I have seen a lot of information about carb cycling and people claiming it is a sure fire way to lose weight. Does anyone have experience with it? I lost weight a few years ago strictly doing calories in vs calories out. I have been doing the same thing and just not seeing the results this time.

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  • herringboxes
    herringboxes Posts: 259 Member
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    Since carbs lead you to retain water weight, carb cycling simply helps you retain and then dump water. So every few days you see a drop when you let go of the water.

    If it’s fun, go for it.

    It doesn’t have anything to do with fat loss, though.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Carb cycling was never really designed for weight loss... it was more designed for endurance athletes who wanted super high carb days prior to intense training and the lower carb days to kind of... offset it, for lack of a better word.
  • ikalujny
    ikalujny Posts: 68 Member
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    ladybug4233 wrote: »
    I have been doing the same thing and just not seeing the results this time.

    Its probably because you don't have much to loose. Calories in/out is the only thing that matters tbh (keto boosted fat metabolism is just a bonus)

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,594 Member
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    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    Carb cycling was never really designed for weight loss... it was more designed for endurance athletes who wanted super high carb days prior to intense training and the lower carb days to kind of... offset it, for lack of a better word.
    Exactly this. Also if someone was trying to make weight for a category like boxing or wrestling.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
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    Are you using a food scale? Are you tracking regularly? How compliant are you?
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Fatloss is a product of a consistent weekly calorie deficit over time. Calorie or macro timing has nothing to do with it. Some people that are low carb will have some carbs before going to the gym or exercising for energy but past that, no, carb cycling has no direct benefit.

    Some serious bodybuilders use it before a contest to manipulate glycogen for fullness in the muscles however for Joe average fitness person it isn’t a factor.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,387 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    Carb cycling was never really designed for weight loss... it was more designed for endurance athletes who wanted super high carb days prior to intense training and the lower carb days to kind of... offset it, for lack of a better word.
    Exactly this. Also if someone was trying to make weight for a category like boxing or wrestling.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Yep, I did it recently to make weight for a competition as I needed to make sure I weighed over a certain amount. I carb and salt loaded for a few days and gained a kilo of water. Conversely I would have lost water weight if I’d cut out salt and carbs. But that isn’t fat and it’s not long term - it will come and go with normal eating fluctuations.
  • ladybug4233
    ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
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    Thank you for all of the responses. I was out of town sorry for the delay of response. I will keep trying. Carb cycling sounded like a lot so I wanted to ask.

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