Counting Carbs In a Cutting Diet

**bigsd67** · 12-08-2003, 05:42 PM

Before I ask my question here's a few stats: 5'9, 195lbs, 11-12% fat, training for almost 10 years.
Currently I'm doing a cutting diet which consists of 100g carbs on workout days and 70g carbs on off days. Everything else is in check. My question has to do with my workout days...do you think i would benefit by raising my carb intake to around 125-130 from another PWO meal after my shake?

If i do this should i lower my carbs to 50 on non-workout days? OR should i just keep it at 100g Carbs on workout days but just eliminate my oats in the morning for the second PWO meal?

Let me know whatcha guys think...the reason i eat carbs for breakfast is because i know glycogen levels can be pretty depleted after an 8 hour fast...

Also you should probably know that i work out 3 days a week, do cardio 5 days on an empty stomach in the AM, and carb up on Saturday. Any opinions would be great. Sorry for the long winded post...oh and i do separate carbs and fat and know all about that too. Thanks guys

**majorpecs** · 12-08-2003, 07:30 PM

From all i've researched, and all the advice from reputable bro's like SwollCat...i'd say those 25-30 extra carbs would be very beneficial IF they are in a PWO meal.......

**SwoleCat** · 12-08-2003, 08:22 PM

Yeah, stick w/oats in meal 1 of your day (with protein and no/very little fat here) and the rest of your carbs in the form of 2 post-workout meals, one liquid and one solid. Remember the R-ala, biotin, and VS in each of those carb meals, no VS in the morning meal, not needed.

~SC~

**bigsd67** · 12-08-2003, 08:33 PM

good deal....the only fat i get from meal one is the ones in the oats so that's no problem...thanks fellas

**xenithon** · 12-09-2003, 09:52 AM

bigsd67 - it will benefit - and that is from experience with the EXACT same situation. I was having around 100g a day, having 30g in the morning from oats, 30g dextrose PWO and 30g low GI PPWO. The other 10 came from salads and veges. I changed to around 150g. Its made up of 50g in the morning and 90g total during PWO and PPWO.

A question which I still don't have a definitive answer to yet is how much carbs to have in the PWO shake and how much in the PPWO meal (especially since my body stores sugars very easily). I am not sure if it has to be 50/50 (eg. 45g dextrose PWO and 45g low GI PPWO an hour later) or if it can be lobsided to reduce my sugar intake (eg. 35g dextrose PWO and 55g low GI an hour later). Any opinions or advice on that?

Good luck! And remember - watch your body and listen to it - its the only way to tell if something works for ya.

**bigsd67** · 12-09-2003, 11:42 AM

xen that answer is a good one..experience with the actual numbers is nice...as for the dextrose i would gauge it to workout intensity...if you really pounded the weights and ur just shot to **** i think the increased amount of sugar would be very beneficial PWO....if you do an arms workout then adjust to less dextrose and more Low GI PPWO...as for my i do a lot of compound lifts so the increased sugar is necessary after my workouts.

**xenithon** · 12-10-2003, 01:41 AM

To be honest - most of workouts end up being very intense (intensity is my main focus). They are around 40-45 minutes, with 15-20 minutes cardio after. This way has been working for me. I know in total I will get around 80g carbs total after a workout, and I am not worried too much about getting too little in in the PWO shake - I believe around 35g will suffice. However I just wanna make sure that having the substantially larger intake of low GI carbs an hour later is okay (like 50-55g), or if it may have an unbalancing or spillover effect.

**fugi1** · 12-13-2003, 10:49 AM

Can anyone tell me the benefits of doing cardio on an empy stomach? I do about 25min on the stepper after every workout five days a week, haven't lost any weight yet (it's been three weeks) and my daily intake of carbs is between 50 to 80g a day

**SwoleCat** · 12-13-2003, 10:51 AM

You burn PURE FAT after 15-20 mins of 65-75% of MHR when you are on empty or no sugars in the blood. So, going for 45 a.m. at this pace can change you quickly, IF your diet is spot on.

~SC~

**fugi1** · 12-13-2003, 11:45 AM

Thanks, can you advise me on how much carbs/protein i should be consuming a day? I weigh 190lbs. Also sometimes i consume a high carb meal in the evening, should i completely avoid this?

**bigsd67** · 12-13-2003, 12:10 PM

Fugi i would ESTIMATE about 1.5g protein per pound of lean mass, carbs around 100-150 on workout days, and around 40-70 on non-workout days...also read the post on the newbie cutting questions...tried to give a few easy pointers.

**fugi1** · 12-13-2003, 01:04 PM

ok, but why do i need so many carbs on workout days? Surely i just need some before and straight after workout?

**SwoleCat** · 12-13-2003, 02:55 PM

More activity = more need for proper nutrients to assist in recovery, repair, preparation for growth, positive nitrogen balance, etc.

Eat for your activity and find the amounts for you as an individual through either a prepared program or experimenting on your own. Animals are great at this and are some of the most fit species on earth.

~SC~