Carb Cycling

DesiraeLynn24
DesiraeLynn24 Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello All,

I did a quick search and noticed there were a lot of questions on carb cycling but no real answers. A simple Google search will bring you up a bunch of sources but this one is my favorite:

http://www.cutandjacked.com/Carb-Cycling-Made-Easy

In a nutshell, carb cycling allows your body to go into a carb deficit and use your stored energy sources (aka fat if done right).

During carb cycling your caloric needs are still what you need them at in order to loose your desired amount of weight in your desired time frame.

You break down a majority of your calories to healthy fats and proteins for your low carb days. Theoretically you fuel you body to function but your body will pull the added energy from storage (like when you train). Now your body isn't stupid. Muscle quality energy is greater than that of typical fat storage but as you build muscle through weight training your muscles will also burn calories.

On your high carb days, this will replenish your muscles provide energy and keep you from starvation bad nutrition and general unwanted feelings/results. On these days your meal plan will look a little more "normal". Depending on your goals you can also use your high carb days as your cheat meal day. Treat yourself to some "normal" food or have a clean cheat (quest bar, protein pudding ect)

I am a personal lover of the carb cycle and will tell anyone who listens how this is the best meal plan. With proper discipline, application and attitude this can be your new normal and not a crash diet. I use the 3:1 low carb:high carb ratio. Currently I am only allowing myself 1 cheat meal that is outside of my daily macros. I am human fell off and now getting back to the grind. But when I was at my best on carb cycling, I drank (every other weekend or less), had a "cheat weekend" (ate 70-90% on plan but I had a life) and was building muscle. I can tolerate very low carbs and not be grouchy or too sluggish so my break down for me is a little on the extreme side. However I have made meal plans (as requested by friends and family I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL) for others and they have worked well on a carb cycle plan as well.

If anyone has any questions or wants to know a little more about my experiences please do not hesitate to ask! :smile:

*Tons of science, formulas and smart big words to back this up. If you want that do the research yourself as you should before taking on any major change in your life. This is just what I have picked up along my journey
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Replies

  • sweetaerobabe
    sweetaerobabe Posts: 3 Member
    I'm going to try this. I too am getting back into the swing of things and I'm having a hard time getting the scale to keep moving in one direction. Right now I am set to 20% Carbs, 35% Protein and 45% Fat. I'm not a huge meat eater, so Chicken for breakfast is not gonna happen. I plan on using liquid egg whites because it just seems like a waste of good farm fresh eggs to throw the yoke away. :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    if person A is in a 500 calorie deficit and eats 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) and person B carb cycles and is also in a 500 calorie deficit, who will lose more weight? Person A, or Person B?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    oh and cut and jacked is not a peer reviewed source..just saying...
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,470 Member
    Carbs are a good choice if you cycle a long distance. :)
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Carbs are a good choice if you cycle a long distance. :)
    Laugh on loudly
  • sweetaerobabe
    sweetaerobabe Posts: 3 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    if person A is in a 500 calorie deficit and eats 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) and person B carb cycles and is also in a 500 calorie deficit, who will lose more weight? Person A, or Person B?

    If your asking me, I have no clue. The more I read about eating healthy and losing weight, the more confused I get. I am eating cleaner then I ever have. I cut sugar out, eat veggies, and try to eat only grass fed meat. I seem to be stuck after gaining (and not logging) during the winter. I don't train hard because of joint and bone pain after breast cancer treatments 5 years ago, but I'm trying to get moving again. I just need a good macro plan that will help the weight to keep coming off. I seem to change macros every week with each new documentary I watch or article I read. :/
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    sweetaerobabe wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    if person A is in a 500 calorie deficit and eats 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) and person B carb cycles and is also in a 500 calorie deficit, who will lose more weight? Person A, or Person B?

    If your asking me, I have no clue. The more I read about eating healthy and losing weight, the more confused I get. I am eating cleaner then I ever have. I cut sugar out, eat veggies, and try to eat only grass fed meat. I seem to be stuck after gaining (and not logging) during the winter. I don't train hard because of joint and bone pain after breast cancer treatments 5 years ago, but I'm trying to get moving again. I just need a good macro plan that will help the weight to keep coming off. I seem to change macros every week with each new documentary I watch or article I read. :/

    I am asking OP….
  • DesiraeLynn24
    DesiraeLynn24 Posts: 12 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    if person A is in a 500 calorie deficit and eats 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) and person B carb cycles and is also in a 500 calorie deficit, who will lose more weight? Person A, or Person B?

    I am not a professional or a Brofessional. So since this just a general question on two people I have no idea on any of their fitness, nutritional or health background your guess is as good as mine.

    As with life in general: to each their own. I can only speak on what I have been self taught and what worked for me.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    edited June 2015
    DesiraeLynn24 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    if person A is in a 500 calorie deficit and eats 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) and person B carb cycles and is also in a 500 calorie deficit, who will lose more weight? Person A, or Person B?

    I am not a professional or a Brofessional. So since this just a general question on two people I have no idea on any of their fitness, nutritional or health background your guess is as good as mine.

    As with life in general: to each their own. I can only speak on what I have been self taught and what worked for me.

    the answer is...

    C) neither, they will both lose approximately the same weight.

    so you are not a professional but you post a bunch of stuff about carb cycling and ask people to ask questions, and when someone asks one, you try to passively aggressively name call them and have no answer?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    if person A is in a 500 calorie deficit and eats 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) and person B carb cycles and is also in a 500 calorie deficit, who will lose more weight? Person A, or Person B?

    Good question - where's the clinical trial that answers it ?

  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,650 Member
    Sorry, that carb cycling sounds like way too much fuss. I love eating in a caloric deficit because I can eat any & everything I enjoy, and lose weight.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    DesiraeLynn24 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    if person A is in a 500 calorie deficit and eats 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) and person B carb cycles and is also in a 500 calorie deficit, who will lose more weight? Person A, or Person B?

    I am not a professional or a Brofessional. So since this just a general question on two people I have no idea on any of their fitness, nutritional or health background your guess is as good as mine.

    As with life in general: to each their own. I can only speak on what I have been self taught and what worked for me.

    But you missed the point ...he said both were in calorie defecit of 500 ..so fitness, nutrition, health makes no odds ..they both achieve a 500 calorie defecit so they both lose the same scale weight on average

    That's not guesswork

    I don't get why everyone tries to make it so complicated
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    This was interesting

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2001.113/full

  • DesiraeLynn24
    DesiraeLynn24 Posts: 12 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    This was interesting

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2001.113/full

    This is very interesting and I've read similar studies on high fat to carb diets. On these diets the idea is to give your body a surplus of fats (ideally healthy fats) moderate protein and very little carbs. With the surplus of fat your body will try to readjust and burn your stored body fat in order to reach a balance. I have tried this style of cutting/bulking/maintenance however I just did not like it. I felt sluggish and fat more than anything. Thank you for the article.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited June 2015
    Sorry but that, admittedly old, report says there's a limited body of data to support assertions re low carb / VLCD diets and that clinical trials are needed

    Not sure what you read

    "Summary and Recommendations
    Caloric balance (calories in vs. calories out), rather than macronutrient composition is the major determinant of weight loss. However, what is not clear is the effect of macronutrient content on long-term weight maintenance and adherence. Furthermore, it is not known whether maintenance of weight loss and dietary adherence is related to psychological issues (and brain neurochemistry), physiological parameters (e.g., hormones involved in body weight regulation such as insulin and leptin), physical activity, energy density, or some other factor(s).

    Controlled clinical trials of high-fat, low-CHO, and low-fat and VLF diets are needed to answer questions regarding long-term effectiveness (e.g., weight maintenance rather than weight loss) and potential long-term health benefits and/or detriments."
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    But you missed the point ...he said both were in calorie defecit of 500 ..so fitness, nutrition, health makes no odds ..they both achieve a 500 calorie defecit so they both lose the same scale weight on average

    That's not guesswork

    I don't get why everyone tries to make it so complicated

    Here you are merely restating your belief, which may be the same as the guy who asked the question.

    Has it been tested ? We know that different % proteins have different outcomes for example, don't we ?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    From the, admittedly old, report I posted above - please post other links if you have more up-to-date information to hand, I for one would be very interested.

    This is from the summary statements and I've only reordered it to show the statements that have supporting data (see study for parameters) and the statements that are worth ignoring / discounting (in my opinion)

    Evidence Category A. - eg decent data to back it up
    (A = Evidence is from endpoints of well-designed RCTs (or trials that depart only minimally from randomization) that provide a consistent pattern of findings in the population for which the recommendation is made.

    Caloric balance is the major determinant of weight loss. Diets that reduce caloric intake result in weight loss. In the absence of physical activity, the optimal diet for weight loss contains ∼1400 to 1500 kcal/d, regardless of macronutrient composition.

    Overweight individuals consuming moderate-fat, balanced nutrient reduction diets lose weight because they consume fewer calories. These diets can produce weight loss when consumed ad libitum.

    Evidence Category B - few trials, small in size, inconsistent results - eg limited data so IMO pinch of salt category
    (B = Evidence is from endpoints of intervention studies that include only a limited number of RCTs, post hoc or subgroup analysis of RCTs, or meta-analysis of RCTs. In general, Category B pertains when few randomized trials exist, they are small in size, and the trial results are somewhat inconsistent.)

    Overweight individuals consuming low-fat and VLF diets lose weight because they consume fewer calories.

    Weight loss on VLF diets may be the result of lifestyle modification, which may include decreased fat and energy intake, increased energy expenditure, or both.

    Evidence Category C - as far as I'm concerned you might as well ignore it
    (C=Evidence is from outcomes of uncontrolled or nonrandomized trials or from observational studies.)

    Free-living overweight individuals who self-select high-fat, low-CHO diets consume fewer calories and lose weight.

    Overweight individuals consuming high-fat, low-CHO, low-calorie diets under experimental conditions lose weight.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    the link is a statistical trawling exercise and large scale review, I would be interested to see a comparison of carb cycling vs consitent intake done in a metabolic chamber for example so I'm looking for an RCT that addresses the OPs specific point. Or for that matter the subsequent question about diet composition.

    We can see here the sort of thing I refer to - that with the same % macros and energy intake the effect of dairy protein content and calcium on energy balance was not significant. Something like this but with different macros.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    the link is a statistical trawling exercise and large scale review, I would be interested to see a comparison of carb cycling vs consitent intake done in a metabolic chamber for example so I'm looking for an RCT that addresses the OPs specific point. Or for that matter the subsequent question about diet composition.

    We can see here the sort of thing I refer to - that with the same % macros and energy intake the effect of dairy protein content and calcium on energy balance was not significant. Something like this but with different macros.

    so that's your definition of statistical trawling exercise? I saw it as a review of scientific papers published and a categorisation based on whether there is supportive data which was interesting to me

    and yes I agree .. solid research is needed before certain assertions are made
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    edited June 2015
    Reviews and meta studies are subject to a high level of author bias. The categorisation of evidence is indeed useful, as are the links, but the conclusions drawn and the selection of materials for inclusion is often somewhat subjective. This was demonstrated in the "sugar" area where meta-analysis of the effect of sugar sweetened beverages had different outcomes depending on the funder, largely through selection bias.

    I don't know if anyone has done what I outline, http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/81/4/762.long compares fat vs protein at same calories and carbs but doesn't quantify energy out other than REE. NS difference in fat loss but the difference between intake and REE was 58% higher in the LP group.

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