Carb + Calorie Cycling

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Romans624
Romans624 Posts: 822
in Food and Nutrition
I have heard of them individually but not necessarily together. I know carb restriction works for me but I don't enjoy it much.

Do you do one, the other, none or both? I've read about a lot of people having success with it in steady losses, breaking through plateaus, etc.

Some links for those who might not know what these terms are -

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hugo19.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/369567-carbohydrate-cycling-to-lose-weight/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/129304-calorie-cycling-lose-weight/

Replies

  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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  • hipbonesthighgap
    hipbonesthighgap Posts: 111
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  • kraig1967
    kraig1967 Posts: 4
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    I've been doing both for just over three months, was a struggle at first but have now managed to get a good grasp on the low carb/high protein diet and can honestly say its worked well for me.
  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
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    I've been doing both for just over three months, was a struggle at first but have now managed to get a good grasp on the low carb/high protein diet and can honestly say its worked well for me.

    Do you do low carb/hi protein on the lower calorie days or on all days? I will probably have to mess with it but I went really low on cals and carbs 10/24 so will do "at goal" today or tomorrow and "surplus" on the other day (what I missed from yesterday). I don't know if I want to do low carb all the time. Thanks for the response :)
  • kraig1967
    kraig1967 Posts: 4
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    I've been doing both for just over three months, was a struggle at first but have now managed to get a good grasp on the low carb/high protein diet and can honestly say its worked well for me.

    Do you do low carb/hi protein on the lower calorie days or on all days? I will probably have to mess with it but I went really low on cals and carbs 10/24 so will do "at goal" today or tomorrow and "surplus" on the other day (what I missed from yesterday). I don't know if I want to do low carb all the time. Thanks for the response :)


    Usual days intake

    Supplements - Centrum Advance, Glucosamine 1500

    Breakfast - 30g Special K original with 125ml soy milk (160cals)
    Mandarin orange(18cals)

    Lunch - 300ml Musashi Growling Dog shake(154cals)
    Medium banana(110cals)

    Mid Arvo - High Protien Low Carb snack bar(270cals)

    30mins before excercise - 150ml Body Science Hydroxy Burn Pro shake(112cals)

    During excercise - 750ml Body Science Fuel 02(182cals)

    After Excercise(within 20 mins of finishing) - 300ml Hydroxy Burn Pro shake(224cals)

    Dinner - 200g of Lean meat or fish, steamed, with as many steamed veg as I want(320cals approx)

    I try and ride every other day, between 40-75km at an average speed between 32-38kmh depending on terrain burning at least 1000 cals on the shorter rides to 1600 on longer ones. There is some variation on the diet but I try to steer away from all unrefined carbs and sometimes will have wholewheat pasta or brown rice instead of veg.

    I never tend to have a Low Calorie day, I try and get more calories from protien rather than carbs and hardly ever eat extra to make up the defecit.

    I assume its about finding a happy medium for you and your body.

    hope this may help you
  • djdelano
    djdelano Posts: 30
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    Hi,

    I've been a member of this site for quite a while, but one of my first posts. I took a look at your provided links as well as reading your initial question, and well, I simply advise caution.

    A couple of your trigger words are what concerns me; mainly surplus.

    The carb/cal cycling is effective for people who have pretty intensive workouts. You didnt mention anything about your workout routine so that's what is triggering my response.

    Simple Carbs are essential to performance in the gym when it comes to WEIGHT training.

    My nemesis is carbs and I have done the Atkins diet to the letter including induction. It works. I went from 255 to 210 on it. But I also made the consious decision that I was going for fat loss and cardiovascular health and not building a lot of muscle.

    If you are looking to increase muscle mass, and or improve strength, you need carbs. However if you are on more of an even keel workout program such as running, aerobics where you do some sort of cardio vascular exercise daily, cycling your carb/cals isn't going to help you very much.

    In fact, it's quite possible that you'll surplus a bit too much. If you down a bowl of pasta thinking your are going to have a hard work out, then something comes up that blocks your work out, well, you see what I'm getting at.

    Summary: Cycling your carb/cal will benefit you if you are weight training, consistent exercise plans should be accompanied by consistent diets.

    I'm sure you know better, and I'm probably preaching now, one could read your post and think that for example: well since I was 600 calories under yesterday, it should be ok for me to be 200 over today, that's a no no.

    I wish you success,
    -D.
  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
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    Hi,

    I've been a member of this site for quite a while, but one of my first posts. I took a look at your provided links as well as reading your initial question, and well, I simply advise caution.

    A couple of your trigger words are what concerns me; mainly surplus.

    The carb/cal cycling is effective for people who have pretty intensive workouts. You didnt mention anything about your workout routine so that's what is triggering my response.

    Simple Carbs are essential to performance in the gym when it comes to WEIGHT training.

    My nemesis is carbs and I have done the Atkins diet to the letter including induction. It works. I went from 255 to 210 on it. But I also made the consious decision that I was going for fat loss and cardiovascular health and not building a lot of muscle.

    If you are looking to increase muscle mass, and or improve strength, you need carbs. However if you are on more of an even keel workout program such as running, aerobics where you do some sort of cardio vascular exercise daily, cycling your carb/cals isn't going to help you very much.

    In fact, it's quite possible that you'll surplus a bit too much. If you down a bowl of pasta thinking your are going to have a hard work out, then something comes up that blocks your work out, well, you see what I'm getting at.

    Summary: Cycling your carb/cal will benefit you if you are weight training, consistent exercise plans should be accompanied by consistent diets.

    I'm sure you know better, and I'm probably preaching now, one could read your post and think that for example: well since I was 600 calories under yesterday, it should be ok for me to be 200 over today, that's a no no.

    I wish you success,
    -D.

    Kraig thank you very much for that info.

    D, thank you also. My workouts are mostly cardio, with some light weight training. I say light, because right now I am more about losing fat than building a ton of muscle underneath. Also, I have DVD's that incorporate both, and I don't quite know how to add training on top of that. So it seems safer (since I can't afford a trainer right now) to just do the strength in the dvds and add as much cardio as I want. I believe the author of The New Rules of Lifting For Women mentions in the beginning of the book that cardio is more efficient for great amounts of fat loss, and he also makes a comment about how, for certain types of individuals, including those with a lot to lose, he would suggest a low carb diet. He said this as an exception to what he normally reccomends

    My apologies about the word surplus. What I meant was a surplus over the other days. My days I think will total to 1500 or 1600 - as MFP suggests, but one day would be 1200, another more, another less. But at the end of the week the math would still add to 1500 or 1600 a day. (I don't mind if I go under 1600 some because I see women with 20 lbs to lose etc doing 1200, so that seems to be where I will be eventually anyway.

    So, I have read about carb cycling or calorie cycling for weight loss and also for weight training. To break through a plateau. I am less familiar with the bodybuilding aspect, and more interested in keeping my body guessing for fat loss. I don't plan to eat excessively, and although i know me and will occasionally go over my goals (if I am dedicated), I plan to fit things into my calories.


    I fell asleep last night when you responded... so I hope you don't think I didn't care about your responses. I was just soooo tired. I still am. I don't know why I can never sleep well. Thanks for your input.
  • djdelano
    djdelano Posts: 30
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    Hi,

    I wouldnt expect an immediate response anyway, or any response if you so desired, it's a forum I don't anything on here personally. :)

    Lowering your carbs is a solid idea for most of us. Very few of us on this site are body builders, and frankly if you have a low percentage of body fat and working on building a crushing physique this really isn't the site for it.

    I think you're on a good track, and as you said as long as you are not exceeding daily recommend maxes you'll end up just fine.

    One common misconception that people have with cardio is that the body will continue to lose weight as long as I stick to the same routine and not falter. This will lead to disappointment.

    If you say ran 3 miles a day, on the exact same route, your body would quickly build up tolerance to this exercise. Our bodies are amazing machines, with good memories, that's why it's essential to "keep the body guessing" but don't do it with food, do it by breaking the routine.

    My cardio involves: running, p90X routines, karate, grappling, and random acts of dumbess around my home. Climbing trees, chasing the dogs, and racing the kids. My body NEVER knows what's going to happen next for exercise, but it never worries about not having enough food, and that is essential.

    A body that gets the food it needs (not necessarily wants) will not hesitate to burn the excessive calories. A body that is routinely starved, like you purposely go way under goals the same days weeks over weeks, your body is going to remember that and make the necessary adjustments (store calories) you don't want that.

    Your routines sound varied like mine, but consistent in terms of 4 - 5 days a week. Sounds to me (opinion only) your best bet is everyday be slightly under recommended max.

    Don't kill yourself over lost days, I don't even track weekends sometimes. You have to allot yourself "some" cheat or you'll go bananas.

    -D.

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