Bulking - carb cycling

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joelacy11
joelacy11 Posts: 42 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi, just wondering if anybody has done / is doing a carb cycle whist bulking? Im currently at 11-12% BF and my cals macros are as follows...
Training day cals 3150 C 443g P 197g F 70g
Rest day cals 2650 Cals 2650 C 265g P 197g F 88g
Im cycling carbs and fats to trick my body into using fat as fuel whilst staying in a positive cals balance. Has anybody tried this? Im at 73.1kg now and goal is 0.6kg gain per week. I now fat gain is going to happen just want to keep is as low as poss so its easier to cut.

Any suggestions welcomed!

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,393 MFP Moderator
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    Carb cycling won't do that. Ones body will have enough glycogen to support a workout. And realky until you get into a point of extended endurance workouts will it make a difference.

    But if you like extra carbs on lifting days and feel better then more power to you.
  • joelacy11
    joelacy11 Posts: 42 Member
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    Whilst doing a cut I always cycle my carbs, find that I cut bodyfat a lot faster than eating the same number each day during a deficit, I like to keep my body guessing in turn making it burn fat as fuel.

    Its the first time that I have done a 'bulk' really so just experimenting with different ways of putting on muscle. Bit of a nightmare so far! Find cutting down so much easier!
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    I'm not sure that having a low of 265g for a day or two counts as carb cycling. Also, @psulemon is correct, carb cycling doesn't cut fat any faster and in a surplus I would have to wonder why you even worry, carbs are your friend on a bulk since you will raise your IGF-1 levels and that is what you want. Also, please do some research on how the body really works. Statements such as keeping your body guessing indicate that you have a lot of gaps in your knowledge of the basics.

    I certainly know how much of a head game it is when you bulk, particularly if you lost a lot of weight recently, but just stick with it and adjust your calories as required.
  • joelacy11
    joelacy11 Posts: 42 Member
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    'keeping my body guessing' refers to switching up what is uses as fuel. carbs or stored bodyfat
    Actually one of the many good article's I've read on this is one written by Andy Morgan - I suggest you read it... just in case you too have any knowledge gaps about how the body works that need filling in.

    But thank you for you're input I'll take the advice on board.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,393 MFP Moderator
    edited January 2016
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    joelacy11 wrote: »
    'keeping my body guessing' refers to switching up what is uses as fuel. carbs or stored bodyfat
    Actually one of the many good article's I've read on this is one written by Andy Morgan - I suggest you read it... just in case you too have any knowledge gaps about how the body works that need filling in.

    But thank you for you're input I'll take the advice on board.

    Your body switches energy sources throughout the day based on activity level. Overall, if you held calories constant and macros over a week constant, weight loss is equal regardless of the timing of those nutrients.

    The timing of those nutrients literally has zero impact on weight loss or gain. It might, and this is very personalized, have an impact on your training. But if you are eating over 200g of carbs a day, you can almost bet that it wont.

    When most people talking cycling, they low carb on non lifting days (sub 140g) and high carb on lifting days. But that is in hopes of influencing ones ability to lift higher weight during to glycogen levels.

  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    joelacy11 wrote: »
    'keeping my body guessing' refers to switching up what is uses as fuel. carbs or stored bodyfat
    Actually one of the many good article's I've read on this is one written by Andy Morgan - I suggest you read it... just in case you too have any knowledge gaps about how the body works that need filling in.

    But thank you for you're input I'll take the advice on board.

    You aren't switching your body's fuel source, that's the point. You are always burning carbs, fat and even protein all the time. The only difference is the amounts and that's determined more by activity level than by diet unless you are doing seriously low carbs for an extended period and become keto adapted. Besides this, burning stored fat is relative to caloric surplus or deficit since your body is constantly storing and releasing fat, it doesn't just store it unless you run out of carbs, that's not how things work.

    So if you are in a surplus you won't lose fat no matter what you do in the diet side. I hope this helps.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    joelacy11 wrote: »
    'keeping my body guessing' refers to switching up what is uses as fuel. carbs or stored bodyfat
    Actually one of the many good article's I've read on this is one written by Andy Morgan - I suggest you read it... just in case you too have any knowledge gaps about how the body works that need filling in.

    But thank you for you're input I'll take the advice on board.

    you can't "switch it up" or "trick your body"

    for fat loss you need a calorie deficit along with high protein to keep as much mass as possible..

    for muscle gain you need a calorie surplus along with a structured lifting program, meeting macro minimums, keeping carbs high, and hitting micros...

    you are over complicating a simple concept.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
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    Ah the confusion is real. Still.
  • joelacy11
    joelacy11 Posts: 42 Member
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    @Springfield1970 It sure is! Had the cutting part in the summer nailed... the bulking part whoever is proving to be a little frustrating!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    joelacy11 wrote: »
    @Springfield1970 It sure is! Had the cutting part in the summer nailed... the bulking part whoever is proving to be a little frustrating!

    what is so hard about bulking? Eat in a surplus of 250 or 500 calories, hit micros and macros, and follow a structured lifting program. You are the one complicating it with carb cycling and back flips that you don't need to follow.

    I just bulked from 175 to about 192 with zero carb cycling and am now slow cutting…its not complicated, unless you make it so.
  • joelacy11
    joelacy11 Posts: 42 Member
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    Like I've said, I want to limit fat gain - and before you say it I know fat gain is inevitable, I realize than most likely every pound of muscle I gain I will gain a pound of fat. But I wouldn't feel comfortable walking around with a gut just cause I was bulking and ramming calories in.

    Hence why I was asking the question about cycling during a bulk - to see if anybody out there had tried this and if they had how did it go. Never realized these forums had so much anger in them...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    joelacy11 wrote: »
    Like I've said, I want to limit fat gain - and before you say it I know fat gain is inevitable, I realize than most likely every pound of muscle I gain I will gain a pound of fat. But I wouldn't feel comfortable walking around with a gut just cause I was bulking and ramming calories in.

    Hence why I was asking the question about cycling during a bulk - to see if anybody out there had tried this and if they had how did it go. Never realized these forums had so much anger in them...

    if you want to minimize fat gains then eat in a 250 calorie surplus. A surplus is a surplus is a surplus, it does not matter if you carb cycle, calorie cycle, or whatever, if you are in a caloric surplus then you will gain fat, NO WAY AROUND IT…


    IF you are so concerned about fat gain then run a recomp for a year and don't bulk...
  • joelacy11
    joelacy11 Posts: 42 Member
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    Thanks for your input
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    joelacy11 wrote: »
    @Springfield1970 It sure is! Had the cutting part in the summer nailed... the bulking part whoever is proving to be a little frustrating!

    Actually, she wasn't saying it's complicated she was noting that we have a lot of confusion due to the BS in the diet and fitness industry that confuses people when really it's a lot more simple than the gurus want to make it. It's so simple, in fact, that no one would make money off the truth since everyone pretty much already knows what makes us gain and lose weight. They, the diet and fitness industry gurus, try to complicate things to sell more books and products you don't need.

    Keep it simple and enjoy the ride.
  • GUARDiAN_GUiLD
    GUARDiAN_GUiLD Posts: 163 Member
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    joelacy11 wrote: »
    Hi, just wondering if anybody has done / is doing a carb cycle whist bulking? Im currently at 11-12% BF and my cals macros are as follows...
    Training day cals 3150 C 443g P 197g F 70g
    Rest day cals 2650 Cals 2650 C 265g P 197g F 88g
    Im cycling carbs and fats to trick my body into using fat as fuel whilst staying in a positive cals balance. Has anybody tried this? Im at 73.1kg now and goal is 0.6kg gain per week. I now fat gain is going to happen just want to keep is as low as poss so its easier to cut.

    Any suggestions welcomed!


    It's different with everyone but optimal for me. I do a complete depletion workout and then load up on carbs (at least 800-1000 g per CCD) twice a week. I usually structure the carb-load a day BEFORE legs or back or chest. by the 3rd day or so is when I feel a bit sluggish and weak. Some people can go a 10-14 days with minimal carbs (I'm talking 20 g or less per day) before they load up on carbs.

  • stephxo1
    stephxo1 Posts: 191 Member
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    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    joelacy11 wrote: »
    @Springfield1970 It sure is! Had the cutting part in the summer nailed... the bulking part whoever is proving to be a little frustrating!

    Actually, she wasn't saying it's complicated she was noting that we have a lot of confusion due to the BS in the diet and fitness industry that confuses people when really it's a lot more simple than the gurus want to make it. It's so simple, in fact, that no one would make money off the truth since everyone pretty much already knows what makes us gain and lose weight. They, the diet and fitness industry gurus, try to complicate things to sell more books and products you don't need.

    Keep it simple and enjoy the ride.

    I agree with David and the others on this one. Please try to enjoy your bulk as much as possible and don't get too wrapped up in adding on some fat. You won't get a gut unless you are in a seriously high surplus or your lifting program isn't up to par to utilise the extra calories. I'm in my second bulk cycle and enjoying it so much more this time around now that I'm not so hard on myself about getting a bit fluffier. The result when you go to cut will be worth it regardless of carb cycling, etc. And like you say yourself, you have the cutting part nailed so stop worrying about minimal fat gains, you can strip this off when the time comes. Relax and enjoy those extra calories and strength gains, I know I am!

  • joelacy11
    joelacy11 Posts: 42 Member
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    Yea, got my head around it a little more this week - certainly enjoying the extra calories
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Enjoy the bulk. Done accurately and consistently the fat will barely show. If you're careful and get out at the right time you won't get a gut.

    Oh, and the others were right, there's so much confusion out there. Just listen to the peeps on this forum, they've been there done it and got the tshirt. So have I.

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