Carb cycling & PWO meal

[mousetraps]

I am doing a carb cycling routine as below:

Mon-high, tues-no, wed-low, thurs-low, fri-high, sat-no, sun-low

My question revolves around the low and no carb days, and the pre workout meal for these. All the research I've done says no carbs for this meal. I usually get dizzy/faintish if I don't consume carbs before a workout. Does anyone have any tips for this? Thanks

[M302_Imola]

Your carb cyclying plan looks pretty good although I think this would be better: mon-high, tue-low, wed-no, thur-high, fri-low, sat-no, sun-low, then repeat. I had great success with this plan cutting over the summer. You need pre and post workout carbs on your high and low carb days. Steady state low intensity cardio only on your no carb days (lifting weights on these days would be counter-productive. The key to the low days is to only consume carbs in your 1st meal, pre, and pwo. I hope this helps.

[mousetraps]

thanks that does help.

I thought that its best to have your no carb day right after you high carb day?

[M302_Imola]

thanks that does help.

I thought that its best to have your no carb day right after you high carb day?

I guess it's a matter of preference but I like the way I suggested because you have a high carb day right after a no carb day. So the high carb day helps the body get out of starvation mode (that can be induced by a no carb day with fairly low cals).

[mousetraps]

Alright, I've switched to your Mon-Sun schedule, with the high carb days right after the no carb days. I actually did this the whole week and I like it.

I've been carb cycling for two weeks now, and while weight has only gone down 3-5lbs, I am tracking all the food I eat, and I am (mathematically) losing about 1 lb. a week. Right now I am lifting 3X a week with no cardio. I am doing this I guess because I don't want to burn out on this cutter like I have in the past. I think I may actually stick with the 3X a week, and add morning cardio from here. Probably 3 days a week for starters.

My high carb days are coming out around 3000 calories, my low carb days are around 2500, and my no carb days are around 2000 or so. I feel like 3000 calories is about my BMR, even though its based on no real information whatsoever. I am 6'1 and 203 lb as of today. Hopefully the results keep coming with this plan. I am real interested to see how much I can lose doing this before I start to plateau.

[M302_Imola]

Keep up the good work! Losing 1 lb. a week is ideal, that way you are not losing to much muscle as you shed the fat. Your cals look good just stay with the plan until you plateau. I am assuming you will run into a sticking point here fairly soon and cardio is the answer. Mix up your cardio, some pre-breakfast steady state low intensity cardio, as well as pwo steady state low intensity cardio, and HIIT cardio on non-workout high or low carb days (you will need pre and post carbs with HIIT cardio.

[mousetraps]

For high carb days, the last meal of the day I am usually doing protein coupled with a tbsp of flax seed oil too... cant bring myself to eat carbs before bed.

[M302_Imola]

For high carb days, the last meal of the day I am usually doing protein coupled with a tbsp of flax seed oil too... cant bring myself to eat carbs before bed.

You got it right. I never have carbs before bed even on my high carb day. As long as you are getting in 4-5 meals you are good to go.

[mousetraps]

Here is an update. I am down to 200lb this morning. Carb cycling is going great. I haven't lost a lot of weight persay (6-8lbs) but most of it seems to be fat which pleases me. no, my sweater doesnt come in v neck

[M302_Imola]

Here is an update. I am down to 200lb this morning. Carb cycling is going great. I haven't lost a lot of weight persay (6-8lbs) but most of it seems to be fat which pleases me. no, my sweater doesnt come in v neck

damn you are a hair bastard, j/k! Keep up the good work! Is the sweater coming off this spring?

[mousetraps]

some girls like a treasure trail... I offer a pleasure highway.

I may shave it off in the spring, but I will wait until it's like tank top weather here in MN. gonna be a while.

Here is my workout scheme (sets) right now BTW. I have been doing this for the 3 weeks that I have been carb cycling so far, and it seems to bee keeping muscle while losing fat. This morning I just did my first fasted cardio of the diet. I am going to try to add 3 days a week @ 40 minutes, to see where that gets me. I will report back soon. I would say that in about 2 weeks time I will be as lean as I've ever been, in which case I'll have to really lean on some of your expertise to help me into unknown territory. Thanks

Mouse

Monday
---------

Dips max,max,max,max,max
Pull-Ups max,max,max,max,max
Inc. Dumbell Press
10,10,10,10,10 (70 lbs or so)
Pulldowns
10,10,10,10,10
Dumbell Pullovers 6,6,6,6, 6 (50 lbs or so)
Ab Rope Pulldowns 20,20,20,20,20
Clean and press 6,6,6,6,6
Reverse Rope curl
10,10,10,10,10


Thursday
_________

Standing military press 4,4,2,2 (135-155lbs or so)

single Dumbell clean & Press
10,10,10,10,10 (60 lbs or so)

Single Dumbell Snatch
10,10,10,10,10 (60-80lb or so)

Preacher Curl
6,6,6,6,6 (70 lb)

Skull Crushers
6,6,6,6,6 (70 lb or so)

Forearm Curls
10,10,10,10,10
Reverse Forearm Curls
10,10,10,10,10




Sunday
________

Squats
5,5,5,5,5 (225 or so)

Deadlift
5,5,5,5,5 (315 or so)

Leg Extension
10,10,10,10,10

Dumbell Swings (kettle bell style)
10,10,10,10,10 (45 lbs or so)