Carb Cycling & Workouts - HELP!***

torrance86
torrance86 Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Do I need to align my workouts with my eating plan. I work out 6 days a week (5am) - M-W-F weight-resistance (Les Mills Body Pump & CX Worx) and T-Th-Sat cardio (Les Mills Body Combat, Step or Attack). Usually follow up each morning workout with a mile walk. I'm currently 49yo, 5'6 at 147 lbs. I just started Carb Cycling 3 days ago, alternating low carb/high carb every other day with Sunday as rest day. I do low carbs on M-W-F (weight days) and high carbs on T-Th-Sat (cardio days). After reading several Carb Cycling articles I'm realizing there is no consistency. I'm confused! Some say to do low carbs on cardio days and high carbs on weight days. Wouldn't you want to feed (fuel) your body with carbs the night before weight lifting? Or am I doing it wrong? Thoughts? Suggestions? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

Replies

  • dunkut
    dunkut Posts: 50 Member
    I carb cycled for a long time and I always lifted on high carb days. I can slug through cardio without the carbs, but they were critical on lifting days for me. That's just my experience though.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Wouldn't you want to feed (fuel) your body with carbs the night before weight lifting?

    You have a large store of carbs in your body in the form of glycogen - more than enough to fuel your workouts. Enough for 2hrs of intense cardio exercise as an approximation.
    Weight lifting is also a far lower calorie burner than cardio remember so really not an issue.

    Carb loading before an event is done by endurance athletes where you want to carry the maximum amount into a multi hour event.
  • TulipsFx
    TulipsFx Posts: 1 Member
    I'm too 49, 5.6, and weigh 146lbs. Just started carbcycling , I use Mon-tue-Thu-Fri low carb/ Wed high carb/ Sat cheat day/Sun 45C/25P/30F(normal low cal ... see how it works;) I do 30 min workouts 4days a week (21dayfixextreme) and walk 10,000 steps a day.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    torrance86 wrote: »
    Do I need to align my workouts with my eating plan. I work out 6 days a week (5am) - M-W-F weight-resistance (Les Mills Body Pump & CX Worx) and T-Th-Sat cardio (Les Mills Body Combat, Step or Attack). Usually follow up each morning workout with a mile walk. I'm currently 49yo, 5'6 at 147 lbs. I just started Carb Cycling 3 days ago, alternating low carb/high carb every other day with Sunday as rest day. I do low carbs on M-W-F (weight days) and high carbs on T-Th-Sat (cardio days). After reading several Carb Cycling articles I'm realizing there is no consistency. I'm confused! Some say to do low carbs on cardio days and high carbs on weight days. Wouldn't you want to feed (fuel) your body with carbs the night before weight lifting? Or am I doing it wrong? Thoughts? Suggestions? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

    What do you hope to accomplish from carb cycling?
  • torrance86
    torrance86 Posts: 12 Member
    The first thing is to get my healthy eating back on track. My goal is to lose the extra inches of fat I've gained over the belly, hips, thighs during the past 6 months. Basically slim down while continuing to sculpt muscle.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    edited August 2017
    I carb cycle on a 7 day schedule (1 super, 1 high, 3 medium and 2 low days - developed by Eat to Perform); my rest day tends to be a super day and then my heavier workouts on the days following - because it allows the glycogen to be stores for used, rather than depleting and replenishing the day of (does that make sense)

    I've had some of my best long runs on low days - low day for me is 260g carbs right now, compared to my high of 380g)
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited August 2017
    There really is no scientific point to carb cycling. I suggest your read the recomposition threads in the Maintenance forum, as you are already at a healthy weight for your height. Recomp would be perfect for your goals.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

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