Carb Cycling

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studiog608
studiog608 Posts: 27 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello. I am carb cycling to lose the last bit of lazy fat. I'm at 20% bodyfat right now. Macros are 20-40-40 with 1580 calories on low days and 2100 calories on high days. High carb days are every 3 days. I drop fat intake on high days and a drop a little protein on high days, too.
Anyone else carb cycle and or had past experience with it?

Also, I don't eat a lot of animal meat, so it's quite challenging to get enough protein! Lol.

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  • JaxxieKat
    JaxxieKat Posts: 427 Member
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    My experience with carb cycling, thus far, is that I feel really great on low-carb days, but on my higher carb days my weight loss goes stagnant and I really get to craving starchy bread products. I'm vegan, so I can say that going low-carb is possible, but I wouldn't aim for a state of ketosis. I rely heavily on foods like tofu, walnuts, and nut butters. TMI, I also find when I'm going higher protein/fat and lower carb I get constipated.
  • studiog608
    studiog608 Posts: 27 Member
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    Thanks for your input. :)
    I've been wanting to transition to vegan, but I am confused how to get it right since I'm into bodybuilding and seeking muscle gain. I bought the book Shred It, and so far it's pretty good. A lot of conflicting info on the internet, so that confuses me. Lol.

    I love tofu!! It's my breakfast since I can't tolerate eggs anymore. I have eliminated milk, eggs, poiltry, pork, and almost beef. Still on fish and whey because I need the protein numbers to reach my daily intake.

    I don't crave bread unless it get a small taste of it then it becomes painfully hard to resist. My downfall is chocolate and night time munchies.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    I do, but I don't follow a specific pattern. I base it off of how I look and feel. Protein stays at 50% roughly, and carbs/fats kept inversely proportional to each other. Most days are pretty even, but if I am looking flat/feeling weak I up carbs and drop fats. If looking puffy, up fats and drop carbs.
  • mellowadam
    mellowadam Posts: 114 Member
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    I'm not using a specific carb cycling plan but I am incorporating some of the basic tenants.

    I just have 2 refeed meals a week. On those days I eat closer to mantinence and let my carbs go up over 300g. Protein and fat stay about the same.

    I don't think this really doing much for weight loss. I'm trying to recomp right now. But it is definitely helping psychologically with adherence to a deficit while strength training.

    I know I need a high carb day when I reach in my fridge and the thought of eating a pre measured tupperware of baked chicken and broccoli just makes me feel like I'm gonna die. I'll usually have a refeed meal for dinner on those days. I can usually get by for 3 to 4 days until I need a real nice starchy meal. Like a chipotle burrito. It makes being on a bro diet a little more tolerable.

    I've basically been on MFP for five years and found that a straight linear deficit doesn't work for me. I'm stalled out and still have a gut. I've been taking diet breaks intuitively around vacations for the past year. I will say I think I've slowly got my mantinence up to where I can eat a lot of food.

    So yeah. I dig calorie and carb cycling but it's probably just because it makes CICO easier for me. I don't know if I buy into to the claims that it magically shifts your hormone levels and make leaning out easier.



  • studiog608
    studiog608 Posts: 27 Member
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    I count carbs for fibrous vegetables in my daily plan. Just found out fibrous vegetables shouldn't be counted for daily carbs. Is this right? Very confused now.

    I don't eat any starches for meals 4 to 6. Starches stop after meal 2, and my protein shake is meal 3. Veggies and protein for meal 4 and protein and fat for meal 5 with protein last meal.

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