Carb Cycling queries from a beginner!

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lc63
lc63 Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys, just starting carb cycling this week after hitting a slump and my weight loss just stalled. Hopefully this will shake it up a bit! Just a couple of questions from a beginner -
1. In general how long do people keep up carb cycling? I am under the impression its not a long term thing and
2. On low carb days do you all avoid carbs (beit refined or complex carbs) completely and only use your carb allowance on non starchy foods? For example, my daily allowance on low carb day would be 50g but for that 50g I could fit in half a potato or something with dinner BUT am I better off using this allowance on veg and avoiding obvious carbs completely on low days?

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  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
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    From what I gather ketosis can start in a week or two but becoming keto adapted can take up to 3 months. Once y I u are keto adapted you can slip in and out of ketosis and the return to ketosis only takes 24 hours or so. I'd you aren't keto adapted yet it can cause a stall.
  • julielh72
    julielh72 Posts: 92 Member
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    Are you just looking to carb cycle around your workout days? So low carb on rest days and then have carbs before and after training>
  • lc63
    lc63 Posts: 19 Member
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    Thanks for your replies. Maybe ididnt explain correctly. I am alternating my carb levels day to day so low carb day/high carb day etc etc in general high carb days will be worked around my training days. I am not looking to go in to ketosis, totally different thing!
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
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    1. In general how long do people keep up carb cycling? I am under the impression its not a long term thing.
    As long as you want really - generally you carb cycle when cutting or maintaining - or at least i do.

    2. On low carb days do you all avoid carbs (beit refined or complex carbs) completely and only use your carb allowance on non starchy foods? For example, my daily allowance on low carb day would be 50g but for that 50g I could fit in half a potato or something with dinner BUT am I better off using this allowance on veg and avoiding obvious carbs completely on low days?
    50 gr allowance is fine - what carbs, all depends on your macros / caloric allowance.... the lower spectrum of it i'd suggest filling up with greens - low on calories and fills in your plate and eventually stomach.
  • casccw
    casccw Posts: 17 Member
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    Hi yes I'm back carb and calorie cycling - I do count cals and macros I follow
    The burn the fat feed the muscle program where I do low carb on rest days (under 50 gram) twice a week then medium days about 150 gram carbs with only 1 high about 250 gram a week at the moment until I lean out more. I've used it to cut previously and is effective. I go for a conservative half a kg per week loss. Some weeks I don't drop scale weight but still drop fat. The high day I eat about 20% over TDEE and medium days 500 cals under TDEE same with rest days. Fat stays about 50 grams and protein about 150gm which is 1gm Per pound of body weight. The leaner you get the more high days to incorporate
  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
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    lc63 wrote: »
    Thanks for your replies. Maybe ididnt explain correctly. I am alternating my carb levels day to day so low carb day/high carb day etc etc in general high carb days will be worked around my training days. I am not looking to go in to ketosis, totally different thing!

    Why are you trying to do that then?

    Real carb cycling has to do with glycogen shifts, and requires muscle glycogen depletion, which likely isn't happened absent being in some form of ketogenic diet. Basically you get INTO ketosis by using up your body's glyogen reserves, and it starts metabolizing fats instead. Eating low carb for a long time causes muscle glycogen depletion, which hurts a lot of people when they work out. Doing carb refeeds (or carb cycling) is what helps them keep on doing workouts while maintaining an overall low carb diet.

    Not that it really matter WHAT you actually do, as long as you're staying in your overall loss window.

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