Carb Cycle in bulking prog??

Can I use carb cycles in bulking mode to increase the insulin sensitivity??

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    edited December 2017
    Can I use carb cycles in bulking mode to increase the insulin sensitivity??

    You can certainly bulk with carb cycling, but whether or not it will increase IS is hard to say. Generally weight gain increase IR, but if you aren't becoming overweight, than it's a non issue.


    I guess the bigger question is why do you feel you need to increase IS, especially considering how lean you already are?
  • My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday
  • psuLemon wrote: »
    Can I use carb cycles in bulking mode to increase the insulin sensitivity??

    You can certainly bulk with carb cycling, but whether or not it will increase IS is hard to say. Generally weight gain increase IR, but if you aren't becoming overweight, than it's a non issue.


    I guess the bigger question is why do you feel you need to increase IS, especially considering how lean you already are?

    I think that I need to increase IS cause the increase in body fat percent rate is very high comparing with low increase rate in muscles weight
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 905 Member
    My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday

    Judging by your profile pic I’d be suprised
    If you’d be gaining more than 3-4lb of muscle per year,
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday

    If you are gaining more fat than you'd like, it is mostly going to be a result of too high a surplus, and/or poor training. While it is important to get adequate nutrition and fibre from certain carbs, there is nothing wrong with fitting in some candy or treats.


    Don't over complicate it. I use calorie/carb cycling when I'm cutting, so lower carbs on non-lifting days. You can use it to bulk but because you are in a surplus it's not going to be as much benefit as during a cut (on hormones to refeed etc) unless it helps your workout performance or something. So basically it isn't some magic that is going to keep fat gain at bay if you are still hitting the same calories over time.

    How high is your surplus (and how much are you gaining per week?) What program are you running?


  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Can I use carb cycles in bulking mode to increase the insulin sensitivity??

    You can certainly bulk with carb cycling, but whether or not it will increase IS is hard to say. Generally weight gain increase IR, but if you aren't becoming overweight, than it's a non issue.


    I guess the bigger question is why do you feel you need to increase IS, especially considering how lean you already are?

    I think that I need to increase IS cause the increase in body fat percent rate is very high comparing with low increase rate in muscles weight

    Unless you are going regular blood test, you have no way to evaluate that or baseline to suggest that.

    How much weight are you gaining per week and what does your training look like?
  • watts6151 wrote: »
    My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday

    Judging by your profile pic I’d be suprised
    If you’d be gaining more than 3-4lb of muscle per year,

    Is that really bad!! And if so what can I do ?
  • sardelsa wrote: »
    My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday

    If you are gaining more fat than you'd like, it is mostly going to be a result of too high a surplus, and/or poor training. While it is important to get adequate nutrition and fibre from certain carbs, there is nothing wrong with fitting in some candy or treats.


    Don't over complicate it. I use calorie/carb cycling when I'm cutting, so lower carbs on non-lifting days. You can use it to bulk but because you are in a surplus it's not going to be as much benefit as during a cut (on hormones to refeed etc) unless it helps your workout performance or something. So basically it isn't some magic that is going to keep fat gain at bay if you are still hitting the same calories over time.

    How high is your surplus (and how much are you gaining per week?) What program are you running?


    Around 200 cal surplus .. if you mean training program .. I am following upper and lower now.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    watts6151 wrote: »
    My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday

    Judging by your profile pic I’d be suprised
    If you’d be gaining more than 3-4lb of muscle per year,

    Is that really bad!! And if so what can I do ?

    I think they mean since you look fairly big already, that your ability to gain muscle is going to slow down.
  • psuLemon wrote: »
    watts6151 wrote: »
    My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday

    Judging by your profile pic I’d be suprised
    If you’d be gaining more than 3-4lb of muscle per year,

    Is that really bad!! And if so what can I do ?

    I think they mean since you look fairly big already, that your ability to gain muscle is going to slow down.

    But I still 12%PBF and I think it still appropriate for bulking
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    psuLemon wrote: »
    watts6151 wrote: »
    My PBF is 12% and I started bulking from two months ago when I was 9% .. so I think IS is responsible for the fast fat increase .. due to high carb (complex carb) intake in bulking mood..

    My question is .. do I need to make alow carb days through my week?? Or maintain on my plan .. high carb intake everyday

    Judging by your profile pic I’d be suprised
    If you’d be gaining more than 3-4lb of muscle per year,

    Is that really bad!! And if so what can I do ?

    I think they mean since you look fairly big already, that your ability to gain muscle is going to slow down.

    But I still 12%PBF and I think it still appropriate for bulking

    Yes it would be. But if you have gained a lot of mass in the past, then your gains will slow. Its natural.0
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