Carb Cycling Question

x311sublimex
x311sublimex Posts: 40 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
So I just recently started to do a carb cycling program and was wondering if I should count fruit and vegetables towards my carb count for the day. I've read that I should only count complex starches and also read that carbs are carbs and another article stated that I should subtract my total fibers for the day from the total carbs to get the "true" number.

Replies

  • tmiller1414
    tmiller1414 Posts: 1 Member
    I would count net carbs in all foods. I plan to stay on a Ketogenic or low carb diet. This means keeping my carb intake at about 50 grams or less per day. Shooting for 20-25% carbs.
  • x311sublimex
    x311sublimex Posts: 40 Member
    tmiller1414 wrote: »
    I would count net carbs in all foods. I plan to stay on a Ketogenic or low carb diet. This means keeping my carb intake at about 50 grams or less per day. Shooting for 20-25% carbs.

    That's kind of what I've been doing just hard to not eat fruits or vegetables on my low carb days. My number is around 80grams on my low carb days.

  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    edited September 2016
    I have done low carb for 30 months count your fruit it has significant carbs the below 50 is really low I stayed below 100 and counted everything. Now at Maintenance I can eat anything I want too..

  • x311sublimex
    x311sublimex Posts: 40 Member
    Michael190lbs wrote: »
    I have done low carb for 30 months count your fruit it has significant carbs the below 50 is really low I stayed below 100 and counted everything. Now at Maintenance I can eat anything I want too..

    Yea for me I probably won't do anything less than 80 grams on my low days. And this is where carb cycling gets confusing because I see different approaches on what to count carbs vs net carbs.

  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    Realistically, you should count it however it is sustainable for you to do so. If you find that one method isn't producing results, then consider trying another one, but if you are able to ignore fruit and still get good results with carb cycling, then there's no reason to change your method.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    load up with carbs one day every two weeks or when muscles look flat. Its a learning process going through it now myself
  • x311sublimex
    x311sublimex Posts: 40 Member
    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    Realistically, you should count it however it is sustainable for you to do so. If you find that one method isn't producing results, then consider trying another one, but if you are able to ignore fruit and still get good results with carb cycling, then there's no reason to change your method.

    I'm probably go with that first. Trial and error on myself because there is too much information one way or the other and I'm sure neither one is really "wrong" just depends on how it is for each individual.
  • x311sublimex
    x311sublimex Posts: 40 Member
    Michael190lbs wrote: »
    load up with carbs one day every two weeks or when muscles look flat. Its a learning process going through it now myself

    My current method is High and Low. High on gym days so 3-4 times a week and low for the days in between. It did say not to do a high carb day back to back, have at least one low in between. By low right now I'm doing is 80 grams max that's including all carbs not just starchy carb and see how that goes. I just want to lean out a little more without losing muscle mass so hope this gets me a little bit closer to those magical abs!!
  • adamblake007
    adamblake007 Posts: 3 Member
    tmiller1414 wrote: »
    I would count net carbs in all foods. I plan to stay on a Ketogenic or low carb diet. This means keeping my carb intake at about 50 grams or less per day. Shooting for 20-25% carbs.

    I would suggest only counting net carbs as suggested here...and making sure to get as much of it as possible from good vegetables. When it comes to that magic combination of high in nutrients/low in calories, veggies are the clear winner.

    Fruit can be a little more tricky...and if you are dead set on losing a few stubborn pounds, should best be saved for post workout feedings only.
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