New to Carb Cycling..Help!!

mbenj82
mbenj82 Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi Everyone.. I am brand new to carb cycling and looking for some input. I get confused as to how many calories I should be eating to reach my goals and what my macros should be at. I am 5'7" 190lbs. My main exercise will be body beast with extra leg days and an extra day of cardio. My main goal is to build muscle and lose fat. I try not to focus too much on the scale but rather how my clothes fit. Does anyone have any input as to where my calories should be sitting and how many hi/low carb days I need.. and how do I figure it all out? Lol.. Thanks in advance!!
Mandie

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    edited October 2015
    Did you use the beachbody calculator or the equation in the book (use phase 3s calc for loss). Also, you cant really build muscle and lose fat concurrently (outside a few lbs of noobs gains or if you are obese). But what you can do is gain strength through neurological adaptations, help maintain muscle and lose fat.


    Also, have you tried calorie counting first? Carb cycling isnt going to provide much of a benefit with the program you are using. Its mainly for the use on adding more carbs on lifting days. For body beast thats 5 days.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    Ps calories based on the harris benedict formula would be around 1800.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    OP have you read this?

    http://www.muscleforlife.com/the-definitive-guide-to-carb-cycling/
  • alexjvolk
    alexjvolk Posts: 22 Member
    My favorite articles:
    this tells what to eat
    http://www.elitefts.com/education/picking-the-right-carbs-on-your-high-and-low-days/
    and this tells when and how depending on your goals
    http://heidipowell.net/2713/carb-cycling-101/

    good luck!
  • mbenj82
    mbenj82 Posts: 4 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    Did you use the beachbody calculator or the equation in the book (use phase 3s calc for loss). Also, you cant really build muscle and lose fat concurrently (outside a few lbs of noobs gains or if you are obese). But what you can do is gain strength through neurological adaptations, help maintain muscle and lose fat.


    Also, have you tried calorie counting first? Carb cycling isnt going to provide much of a benefit with the program you are using. Its mainly for the use on adding more carbs on lifting days. For body beast thats 5 days.

    In my first round of Beast which I finished in June, I used the calculations in the book and lost 3lbs and several inches. Got side tracked with life and gained 10 lbs and feel like death. It seems the added weight is also causing my back issues. Someone recommended carb cycling with another round of Beast but it all confused me lol. It may be easier for me to just follow the plan in the book again. ;) I just want the best results possible.
  • mbenj82
    mbenj82 Posts: 4 Member
    alexjvolk wrote: »
    My favorite articles:
    this tells what to eat
    http://www.elitefts.com/education/picking-the-right-carbs-on-your-high-and-low-days/
    and this tells when and how depending on your goals
    http://heidipowell.net/2713/carb-cycling-101/

    good luck!

    Thanks!!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    mbenj82 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Did you use the beachbody calculator or the equation in the book (use phase 3s calc for loss). Also, you cant really build muscle and lose fat concurrently (outside a few lbs of noobs gains or if you are obese). But what you can do is gain strength through neurological adaptations, help maintain muscle and lose fat.


    Also, have you tried calorie counting first? Carb cycling isnt going to provide much of a benefit with the program you are using. Its mainly for the use on adding more carbs on lifting days. For body beast thats 5 days.

    In my first round of Beast which I finished in June, I used the calculations in the book and lost 3lbs and several inches. Got side tracked with life and gained 10 lbs and feel like death. It seems the added weight is also causing my back issues. Someone recommended carb cycling with another round of Beast but it all confused me lol. It may be easier for me to just follow the plan in the book again. ;) I just want the best results possible.

    Based on BodyBeast routine, you won't effectively be able to do carb cycling because your low and very low days would still be on lifting days. And there really is no advantage from a weight loss perspective to do carb cycling (albeit some people believe their is). Personally, I believe in KISS). When you start incorporating a bunch of rules, it then increases the chance of failure.

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