Need Some Carb Cycling Help

[falco21]

I think I am going to switch things up a bit to get past a plateau I am currently stuck on. Gonna start doing Carb Cycling and needed a few questions answered. I am going to do Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as my High Carb days, days of my workout. Then Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday I will eat none to under 20g of carbs. These are my off days.

For the high carbs day, I was thinking that for Breakfast and Post Workout would be my major carb load meals. Breakfast would be some type of oats and post workout would be a moderate carb protein shake. The rest of the day would involve carbs such as brown rice, sweet potatoes or yams, oats, beans, starchy vegetables, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain breads. Does this sound right for the high carb days?

For the low carb days I was going to involve lean sources of protein and foods similar to that of a ketogenic diet. Cardio will also be done on an empty stomach on my off days, at a moderate pace in my target heart rate zone.

How does all of this sound? This is my first time doing this type of diet. Need a little help and motivation. I appreciate it!

[gbrice75]

You have the food choices right. You might as well make the distinction of carb days vs. non-carb days instead of high/low since your low is basically no carbs at all. On carb days, i'd focus the majority of those carbs (50%) in your pre and pwo meals. Another 30% at breakfast, and the final 20% scattered across the other meals, with the possible exception of your bedtime meal.

On non-carb days, incorporate alot more fibrous leafy green veggies. These will keep you full, along with some healthy fats to keep calories from being too low what with the missing carb macro.

Not a right or wrong, just my approach.

[FireGuy]

This is the 2nd carb cycle post where I see guys scheduling 3 high carb days a week. While GBrice is correct is saying there is no absolute right or wrong way of doing things, you are totally defeating the purpose of a carb cycle by running it like this. From personal experience I would say 2 high days a week is the absolute max you can get away with, once every 4th or 5th day is probably optimal.

[falco21]

Ok so say I cycle my carb days every four days, it wouldn't be smarter to make my workout days the carb days? Another words, I am doing the Slingshot Training Program, and I am starting tomorrow since I wasn't able to start today. The workouts are 3 times a week, while the other days are going to be my cardio days. It wouldn't be smarter to do carb days on my workout days which is 3 times a week?

[gbrice75]

This is the 2nd carb cycle post where I see guys scheduling 3 high carb days a week. While GBrice is correct is saying there is no absolute right or wrong way of doing things, you are totally defeating the purpose of a carb cycle by running it like this. From personal experience I would say 2 high days a week is the absolute max you can get away with, once every 4th or 5th day is probably optimal.

FG, do you still feel this way although the OP will have practically no carbs on his 'low' days? Just curious.

I personally think it all comes down to what one considers 'high'. If you're talking 500g carbs, I agree with FG 100% - no way 3 times a week will provide the benefit of a carb cycle plan. What kind of overall calories are we talking about here?

Ok so say I cycle my carb days every four days, it wouldn't be smarter to make my workout days the carb days? Another words, I am doing the Slingshot Training Program, and I am starting tomorrow since I wasn't able to start today. The workouts are 3 times a week, while the other days are going to be my cardio days. It wouldn't be smarter to do carb days on my workout days which is 3 times a week?

Make your workout days your carb days, yes... but they don't all have to be high. Here's my current setup (again, just my preference, not a right or wrong):

Monday (workout day) - high carbs (when I say high, i'm talking 250g)
Tuesday (workout day) - moderate carbs - 150g
Wednesday (cardio only) - low carbs - < 50g
Thursday (workout day) - moderate carbs - 150g
Friday (workout day) - high carbs - 250g
Sat and Sun (OFF) - low carbs - < 50g

I have it set up this way for a reason. Monday is a high carb day because a) i'm coming off of 2 days with virtually no starchy carbs, and b) it's my heavy leg day. Good place to have carbs IMO. Friday is a high carb day as a precursor to the 2 low days ahead. So i have workout days that still have carbs (Tues and Thurs) but they don't all need to be high.

My .02

[falco21]

Your high is what I am talking as well. My workout is 3 days a week though. Would it be beneficial then if I do one high then one none? I don't want to intake carbs on non workout days. That would be kind of redundant.

For example: Breakfast will be Oats/3 Eggs/3 Slices Turkey Bacon (408 Calories/35 Carbs/25.5 Fat/28 Protein)
Pre Workout and Post Workout Shakes (900 Calories/132 Carbs/9 Fat/78 Protein)

Total: 1308 Calories/167 Carbs/34.5 Fat/106 Protein