Carb cycling

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ElleBoogie1982
ElleBoogie1982 Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,
Just wondering if anyone has had any experiences with carbohydrate cycling. I'm trying to drop my body fat percentage as it is too high and I've read that carb cycling can help kick start it. Any thoughts?
:)

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    I don't know where you've read this information, but don't read that.

    Going low carb or carb cycling doesn't make your weight loss any better, it just makes you lose water weight.

    Count calories; eat in a caloric deficit.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Have you tried to just eat at a your deficit? There is no "kick start" tricks. The only thing this will do (in my experience) is drop water weight, but if you are wanting to do ketosis then this is a different beast.

    You need to eat at your deficit that was given to you by MFP and do that for about 4 weeks and be spot on with accurate logging of both nutrition and exercise ((you have to weigh and measure you food amounts). If after a few weeks you do not notice anything you need to make sure your logging is correct. 90% of the time, folks overestimate or even under estimate the food intake and over estimate the exercise calorie burns so they are eating too much...

    FYI, I tried low carb for three weeks and it sucked. I did not do low low carb (like under 75). I did 80 to 100 and personally it was terrible. But I also work out so low carb (under 80) did not work and I dared to go below that for another 3 weeks.

    My husbands and my workouts suffered but it was only three weeks.

    There are low carbers in this community but my suggestion is to eat at a deficit that MFP gives you for a while and eat your carbs. You need carbs, fats and protein... All three are very important..

    Be patient, this is a journey. Do not sprint to the finish line..
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    I've been trying carb cycling for a while now.

    I like it. I feel like it gives me more energy on my lifting days. It gives me more room to fit in tortillas which, even if that were the only difference, would make it awesome.

    I didn't do it to kick start anything -- I'd already been eating at a deficit for nine months -- and the issue is ultimately still one of eating fewer calories than you burn, but I don't know of any good reason why you couldn't or shouldn't try it to see how, or if, it works for you.
  • ElleBoogie1982
    ElleBoogie1982 Posts: 13 Member
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    Thanks for the feedback! I'm certainly not looking at having a permanent low carb lifestyle as I don't think carbs are bad and I realise they are vital for brain and body. I was a bit curious about how it relates to decreasing body-fat. As you've mentioned my first priority should be to eat fewer calories. I'm just getting started with my tracking, which isn't perfect. I need to weight things so I have a better idea of portion size.
    How long do you reckon it took you to become accurate with the food diary?
    Gia07 what id ketosis? Have you done this before?

    Thanks again for the help!!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    gia07 wrote: »
    Have you tried to just eat at a your deficit? There is no "kick start" tricks. The only thing this will do (in my experience) is drop water weight, but if you are wanting to do ketosis then this is a different beast.

    You need to eat at your deficit that was given to you by MFP and do that for about 4 weeks and be spot on with accurate logging of both nutrition and exercise ((you have to weigh and measure you food amounts). If after a few weeks you do not notice anything you need to make sure your logging is correct. 90% of the time, folks overestimate or even under estimate the food intake and over estimate the exercise calorie burns so they are eating too much...

    FYI, I tried low carb for three weeks and it sucked. I did not do low low carb (like under 75). I did 80 to 100 and personally it was terrible. But I also work out so low carb (under 80) did not work and I dared to go below that for another 3 weeks.

    My husbands and my workouts suffered but it was only three weeks.

    There are low carbers in this community but my suggestion is to eat at a deficit that MFP gives you for a while and eat your carbs. You need carbs, fats and protein... All three are very important..

    Be patient, this is a journey. Do not sprint to the finish line..

    Same here, i can keep it up for a day or two, but that's it! I love my fruit and milk too much...

    Gia did it bother all of your husbands, or just the one? :tongue:
  • KCoolBeanz
    KCoolBeanz Posts: 813 Member
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    I've tried it, and it's honestly not for me. I do much better (mentally) on taking a cut from my TDEE. I think long-term sustainability and developing healthy habits are better in the long run.

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