how long should you carb cycle for?

[jklipouse]

Was wondering how long you should carb cycle for I've had good results with carb cycling been running this about 8 weeks 175ish around 14%...was thinking 10-12 weeks than maintenance for 2 weeks than back on... until goal is reached? (10-12%)...what is you guys thoughts on time of the year timing for cutting/bulking? For example if i hit my goal 10-12% in april or may! Should i just maintain thro the summer and start bulking in winter? Whats your guys thoughts on this thanks.....dam dieting is confusing

[Gaspaco]

I wouldn't do more than 6weeks.

[Back In Black]

There's no harm doing it indefinitely, you can use it to bulk or cut.

A lot of people (even non lifters) will use a similar style of dietary lifestyle with no long term effects. You should always account for you calorie intake over several days in any event. So some days you eat less, some you eat more.

Whatever fits in your lifestyle!

[jklipouse]

There's no harm doing it indefinitely, you can use it to bulk or cut.

A lot of people (even non lifters) will use a similar style of dietary lifestyle with no long term effects. You should always account for you calorie intake over several days in any event. So some days you eat less, some you eat more.

Whatever fits in your lifestyle!

Stem, haven't looked into carb cycling for bulking but sounds interesting! Account for calories for the week?

[jklipouse]

Stem, haven't looked into carb cycling for bulking but sounds interesting! Account for calories for the week?

Ok so should i carb cycle to maintenance for 2 weeks and than go back to a calorie restriction...being that i been cutting for about 8 weeks? Or just keep cutting until i hit goal

[Back In Black]

Stem, haven't looked into carb cycling for bulking but sounds interesting! Account for calories for the week?

Work out your tdee. Multiply by 7. That's your cals for the week. Then you just need to work out how those cals are best used on what days and in what macro split. So, cutting or bulking yes.

[Back In Black]

Ok so should i carb cycle to maintenance for 2 weeks and than go back to a calorie restriction...being that i been cutting for about 8 weeks? Or just keep cutting until i hit goal

Where are you now and what's your goal?

[jklipouse]

Where are you now and what's your goal?

Iam 175 about 14-15% iam 5"11...looking to get to 10-12% been carb cycling for 8 weeks...

[Back In Black]

Do you have a time period? Plenty if cardio. I always reckon that 0.5% per week is doable to 10% or so.

Seriously, if it fits in your lifestyle go for it. Most folk use carb cycling when under 10% but no harm in doing it to get there.

So, do you continue? Yep, if its working. It'll do you no harm at your current stats.

Are your workouts geared around your diet ok?

Can you give me a quick detail on amounts of carbs in your high/medium/low days and in what order they are?

[jklipouse]

no not really a time period! the soonier the better progress has slowed up thats because i have been slacking on the cardio!! really .5 per week WOW thats great...weight hasnt really been changing much but i look alot leaner and feel leaner! guess the mirror dont lie! just mess with your head! (could this be due to gaining muscle?)... this was how i came up with mine! 150x15=2250-500= 1750 60/20/20



1750 maintance
200p=800cal
150c=600cal
38.8f=350cal


non carb days 1350
200p=800cal
50c=200cal
38.8f=350cal


high day 2350cals

200p=800cal
300c=1200cal
38.8f=350cal


depletion day 1:

flat bench
rows
shoulder press
curls
tris
leg press
leg curl
calves

depletion day 2:
incline bench
lats
dumbell shoulder lateral and front raises
curls
tris
leg press
leg curls
calves


10-12 sets for: chest, back, leg press, leg curl

5-6 sets for: arms, shoulders, calves

keep in mind this is 10-12 sets (major muscle groups) and 5-6 sets (minor muscle groups) over the 2 days so each day would be 5-6 sets for major muscles and 2-3 sets for minor muscles per day..

thanks to (405) then on mod days i do chest/tri/bi/abs/shoulder spilt into 2 days legs on high carb day

[jklipouse]

what i have noticed by wednesday iam beat! i have been having a hella time trying to up weight from week to week during this cut is this normal?

[Back In Black]

How many days of each high/mod/low per week?

Your 60/20/20 split is a little confusing. 60% protein of 1750cals should be 262.5g unless I am missing something or being stupid?

[jklipouse]

How many days of each high/mod/low per week?

Your 60/20/20 split is a little confusing. 60% protein of 1750cals should be 262.5g unless I am missing something or being stupid?

Dam stem your right! Should i change this to 262.5 p 85.7c 38.8 f

[jklipouse]

Dam stem your right! Should i change this to 262.5 p 85.7c 38.8 f

3 low 1 high 3 mod

[Back In Black]

Dam stem your right! Should i change this to 262.5 p 85.7c 38.8 f

If your aim is 60/20/20 yep.

And Di some cardio, you'll be amazed how it helps over the next few weeks!

[digsy1983]

looks like stem has sorted you out.

on your high carb day id go for more than 300g of carbs. its all about glycogen replacement so you can work it off again on the moderate days and build the muscle you have (or proabably have) lost during the low carb peroid. i followed the UD2.0 plan by lyle mcdonald and i was eating 1200g of carbs on the high day. later i changed it down to 800g as i thought 1200 was a bit excessive. although he says its fine due to you glycogen stores going into supercompensation with being glycogen starved. i just felt too sluggish eating 1200g in a short period. but your body has space for aprox 500g of carbs without supercompenastion so even 500g would mean nothing would go to fat, all energy to burn off in the gym.
maybe aswell up the moderate carbs up slightly to 200-250, but depends on your training goals.

also, i dropped working calves in depletion workouts. id persoanlly swap for dead lifts or squats, nothing too heavy tho.

[Super-Chump]

I carb cycle all year long. When I'm cutting low carb days are ~150c whereas when I'm bulking they are ~350c (at the peak of my bulk).

There is really no need to go too crazy when carb cycling, just do it slow and steady

[Bio-Active]

I carb cycle during my cut for the first 6 weeks

[jklipouse]

looks like stem has sorted you out.

on your high carb day id go for more than 300g of carbs. its all about glycogen replacement so you can work it off again on the moderate days and build the muscle you have (or proabably have) lost during the low carb peroid. i followed the UD2.0 plan by lyle mcdonald and i was eating 1200g of carbs on the high day. later i changed it down to 800g as i thought 1200 was a bit excessive. although he says its fine due to you glycogen stores going into supercompensation with being glycogen starved. i just felt too sluggish eating 1200g in a short period. but your body has space for aprox 500g of carbs without supercompenastion so even 500g would mean nothing would go to fat, all energy to burn off in the gym.
maybe aswell up the moderate carbs up slightly to 200-250, but depends on your training goals.

also, i dropped working calves in depletion workouts. id persoanlly swap for dead lifts or squats, nothing too heavy tho.

yea i started reading it made it half way thro it and never finished the book!!! gonna go back and read though it!!! wow 1200g of carbs how the hell did you manage this ? all complex? i find it hard to consume 300g on carb days !! digsy what did your protein and fat intake look like on high and mod days? i take it you where upwards around 6,000 cal on high days?

[--->>405<<---]

why would u make 2 threads of the exact same thing???????????????

[jklipouse]

posted from moblie and didnt load right away and didnt now how to erase one sorry

[digsy1983]

yea i started reading it made it half way thro it and never finished the book!!! gonna go back and read though it!!! wow 1200g of carbs how the hell did you manage this ? all complex? i find it hard to consume 300g on carb days !! digsy what did your protein and fat intake look like on high and mod days? i take it you where upwards around 6,000 cal on high days?

I only ate minimal amounts of protein on my high carb day. I aimed for roughly 125-150g, enough to cover the amount needed for protein turnover. (minimum recommendation is 1g per 1kg of bodyweight) your not in an anabolic state and you don't workout on your high carb refeed (or at least I didn't) so you don't need alot of protein. As for my fat intake that was basically just what came in my carbs and fish oil capsules.
It was mainly complex carbs but I did eat some cereals and milk. It depends on how strict you want to be, some people seem fine eating simple sugar carbs and then cutting them out again but I found when I had a lot of fast carbs I craved them for days after. I just had to take the mind set of it still being a diet and that it wasn't an excuse to pig out during the refeed.

I'd highly advise finishing the ud2.0 book as it all makes sence why and what you are doing. You seems to have it nailed down tho by how you've set your plan up, just a few minor tweaks could prove very beneficial.