ANYBODY hear of carb cycling???

reneeot

There seems to be various ways to do it!! Wondering if anyone has had any success with it!

:-)

adplus7

Is that like riding a stationary bike and munching?

jrich1

I wouldnt do anything outside just eating normal to lose weight

Raynedancer

Is that like riding a stationary bike and munching?

ROFLOL...that is so funny. Thanks for the laugh :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

TheKitsune6

I wouldnt do anything outside just eating normal to lose weight

That doesn't answer the question.

I found this website, it seems interesting.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Low-Carb-Cycling-for-Weight-Loss-and-Maintenance

reneeot

Thanks for link, I'll check it out. I researched already on-line. I was just wondering if anyone on MFP had tried it!!!

:-)

sassiebritches

I wouldnt do anything outside just eating normal to lose weight

That doesn't answer the question.

I found this website, it seems interesting.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Low-Carb-Cycling-for-Weight-Loss-and-Maintenance

This is great info! Thanks

TateFTW

I'm carb cycling at the moment. I do 1 high carb day (atleast 300 grams) followed by 3-4 low carb days (75-150 grams/day). I'm doing it after reading a ton of info about bodybuilders using it. I believe coompletely that it effects your metabolism. Day before yesterday was my 4th low-carb day, and I wasn't hungry all day. I ate my meals out of routine, never hunger. Then yesterday I had a high carb day, and now today I was hungry all day. I woke up REALLY hungry, so I know for a fact that my high-carb day stoked my metabolism. Today I'll eat less then 80 grams of carbs, since I didn't work out (normally I have a cup of high-carb low-fat chocolate milk after my workout to stimulate muscle recovery).

As for if it's working or not for weight loss, the jury is still out. I want to stick with this for atleast a couple more weeks (I'm a couple weeks in), then if I'm not sure if it's working I'll go back to sticking to my MFP numbers and see if that changes my results.

BTW, I almost always stay under my calories on my high-carb days. The only number I disregard is carbs, but if I have to go a little over on my cals to get my 300 carbs I will.

reneeot

As for if it's working or not for weight loss, the jury is still out. I want to stick with this for atleast a couple more weeks (I'm a couple weeks in), then if I'm not sure if it's working I'll go back to sticking to my MFP numbers and see if that changes my results.

I went ahead and started Jay Robb's fat burning carb cycle.
Low calorie bkfst -
low carb lunch -
high carb dinner

He condensed his 3 day carb cycle into 1 day cylce. So far lost 1.5lbs the first week. See what happens next week.

TateFTW

As for if it's working or not for weight loss, the jury is still out. I want to stick with this for atleast a couple more weeks (I'm a couple weeks in), then if I'm not sure if it's working I'll go back to sticking to my MFP numbers and see if that changes my results.

I went ahead and started Jay Robb's fat burning carb cycle.
Low calorie bkfst -
low carb lunch -
high carb dinner

He condensed his 3 day carb cycle into 1 day cylce. So far lost 1.5lbs the first week. See what happens next week.

I don't see how that could possibly have the same effects as carb cycling, because after a high carb day the metabolism stays up for 3-5 days, and some of the carbs you eat on your high-carb day get stored as muscle glycogen. You have to use the glycogen you eat on your high carb day the next day, then you have from that point until your metabolism slows down to use stored fat for energy. Your metabolism won't go up and down enough in a single day to have the effects of carb cycling.

By the way, my carb cycle is totally working. After averaging under 1 lb/week lost by sticking to my 500 cal deficit and the same numbers every day, I dropped 3 lbs. in a week when I started really carb cycling. The trick, I'm thinking, is to also cycle cals along with carbs. I stay a little more under my cal numbers on low-carb days, then stick right around my cals on my high-carb days.

kelsully

Are you referring to a system in which you only eat a certain carb each day..ie Monday is rice day..no wheat, corn, etc...Tuesday would be wheat ..WEdnesday could be corn...etc?

I did this for a while about 10 years ago. I was dealing with some food intolerances that were exaserbated by some other envronmental allergies. It was a pain at first to get started but like anything else in a few weeks time I figured out good options for me for each rotation. It can be a very healthy way to eat and you will definitely get yourself to a Health Food store to explore new grains etc

Firesign

bump

reneeot

I don't see how that could possibly have the same effects as carb cycling, because after a high carb day the metabolism stays up for 3-5 days, and some of the carbs you eat on your high-carb day get stored as muscle glycogen. You have to use the glycogen you eat on your high carb day the next day, then you have from that point until your metabolism slows down to use stored fat for energy. Your metabolism won't go up and down enough in a single day to have the effects of carb cycling.

According to Jay Robb (since I"m no expert, smiles). His quote ' I have compressed the complete fat burning cylcle/glycogen loading cycle into a 24 hour cycle. When you consume a low cal breakfast, low carb lunch and high carb dinner. During the day you will burn fat at maximum rate, in evening you reload glycogen." Jay Robb.

I would say obviously in 1 meal I'm not eating the same amounts of carbs you do Tate for the high carb day(300 carbs). I'm trying to eat in 1 dinner meal the amount you eat on your low carb days (minimum 75 carbs). Eating unlimited lean protein, unlimited non starchy veggies, unlimited complex carb & 1 serving of furit & 1-2 serving of fat/oils at dinner.

I don't eat between meals and I stop eating between 6-7pm. Supposively around midnight (3-4 hours after eating diner) my body stops its anablolic cycle processing my high carb meal to storing carbs as glycogen and building/repairing muscle. It goes into catabolic state (buringing fat). All through night into the day because of the low cal bkfst and low carb lunch. Not going into to anabolic cylce until I eat my high carb dinner.

I use to FEAR carbs!! But now I believe in good carbs to eat and thats why I was compelled to try JR concept of when to eat carbs. With my shakeology I had completely changed my eating habits and view of food. But my body was losing weight/inches at an extremely painful slow slow rate. 6 months - 6 lbs. And it wasn't til June that when I lost a 1 lb it would stay gone.

So I"m pleased to have dropped 1.5 lbs in 7 days. Since that was taking me a month before. Eager to see what the scale says next week!!!

For me never would I have eaten so much carbs at one time. It's been different. But very very easy to follow.

Tate, please keep your progress updated with carb cycle here and I will do the same!

TateFTW

I'm definitely interested in hearing how it goes for you, and I'll let you know how my cycle works. It's high carb day, so I'm off to subway! Then Moe's for dinner. God I love high-carb day.

Lyadeia

I am a firm believer in carb cycling. Along with cycling carbs, I also cycle calories. When I want to increase my fat loss while keeping lean mass, I do this.

Normally for fat loss, I eat approximately 1500 calories in a 30% protein, 50% carb, 20% fat ratio. When I am carb and calorie cycling, it looks more like this:

3 days of 1400 calories (45% protein, 30% carbs, 25% fat)
1 day of 1800 calories (30% protein, 50% carbs, 20% fat)

That one day in between gives your metabolism a kick in the rear by not allowing it to go into starvation mode (too few daily calories) and not allowing it to be too low carb all the time. Not only does it prevent me from going into starvation mode, but it increases my energy and allows me to perform better at my exercises. It is NOT a low carb thing for an extended period of time. I hate low carb diets and refuse to follow them. But, by cycling my carbs and calories this way, I am basically keeping my metabolism revved high because it never has a chance to get used to anything abnormal. This helps me lose fat by giving me more energy for workouts and not losing lean muscle mass which steady state diets and steady cardio exercise can lead to (even if you lose weight, you could be losing lean mass as well).

I never keep up the cycling for an extended period of time either. Normally, what I do is cycle for a couple of weeks and then go back to my normal intake for a couple of weeks.

But, from my experience, I have seen increased fat loss even when going back to my regular way of eating when I carb and calorie cycle.

ejgreene

I do this alot when I'm powerlifting (body builder in progress) but generally speaking most of its effects are simply hype such as "resetting your bodies metabolism". Generally I find that it keeps me sane since usually its a cheat meal of the week. I choose one meal for one day out of 7 and eat whatever I want at that time (within reason).

I used to do it as 1 whole day I would eat around 300g-500g of carbs out of 7-10 but as I mentioned I'm not as strict at this point. As far as body weight, I would fine the day after I would probably weigh about 1-2lbs lighter but then restabilize by the next day. Again though I was using this specifically during long weight lifting intervals where my protein intake was around 180g a day or so.

TateFTW

I don't think it's hype at all. As I said earlier, I can actually tell the difference in appetite. I'm very hungry the next day after a high-carb day, then my appetite lessens on the subsequest days. I've also heard of people cycling by going by weight. They go low-carb and weigh daily, having another high-carb day once weight loss stops. Personally I go by appetite.

It definitely does have a psychological affect, keeping one sane and all, but bodybuilders are in intense bunch and I don't think they would "cheat" if it's only upside was mental.

reneeot

Down another lb!!

3 lbs in 11 days!!! Pretty sweet since it took me 6 months to lose 6lbs!! :-) Lets see if the moment keeps going!!!!!!!!!!:bigsmile:

TateFTW

Still doing my 1 high-carb day followed by 3 low. Didn't lose much this week, but I'm thinking it might be partially because of my use of post-workout carbohydrates. I'm reading new research that says maybe these aren't helping, so I'm waiting 1 hr after workouts then eating a balanced meal this week. Should allow me to cut even more carbs on low-carb days. We'll see.

chrisdavey

no carbs PWO makes me get terrible DOMS!

And subscribing also

TateFTW

My workouts are so crazy and different every time that I'm always sore anyways. I'm used to it now. I've been reading that a spike in blood sugar basically shuts down HGH production and doesn't really do much of the good it's claimed to do.

BTW, I realized that the reason I hadn't lost when I weighed in was because it was after 2 days rest. I hit my legs hard yesterday and was down 2 lbs. today from last Saturday. So it seems to be working.