Modified Atkins...? ? ?

[gbrice75]

GB... you gotta link for that?

thanks

Not sure what you mean... like a 'how to' on carb cycling?

[Times Roman]

Not sure what you mean... like a 'how to' on carb cycling?

yeah. I just don't get the whole concept of "carb cycling" since it takes a couple of weeks (Atkins calls it an induction phase) to ween your body off carbs and start metabolizing fat. Atkins teaches that an infusion of carbs (as in a carb cycle) resets the body's desire for carbs, and therefore you have to go through another induction phase. the body is very sensitive to carbs, prefers carbs, and really hates the hassle of having to metabolize fat. By omitting carbs, the body has no choice but to metabolize fat.

So i'm just not sure how a carb cycle is supposed to work, physiologically i mean? I've got a pretty good grip on the theory behind the Atkins, and cycling carbs seems to fly in the face of what i've learned.

[gbrice75]

yeah. I just don't get the whole concept of "carb cycling" since it takes a couple of weeks (Atkins calls it an induction phase) to ween your body off carbs and start metabolizing fat.

This isn't true. It DOES take some time for your body to switch over to a complete fat burning metabolism, such as in keto when no carbs are present, but reaching ketosis isn't the goal of carb cycling.

Your body can always burn fat, just not ALL fat because glucose and/or glycogen will almost always be present.

Atkins teaches that an infusion of carbs (as in a carb cycle) resets the body's desire for carbs, and therefore you have to go through another induction phase.

That's why with what i'd consider 'quasi' keto diets (CKD, Palumbo, etc), people never reach a 'deep' level of ketosis - at least not from what I've seen with others, nor with my own experience. However they do get to a point where enough fat is being burned efficiently. IMO, CKD, Palumbo etc. are more along the lines of carb cycling rather than keto - but for whatever reason they've been lumped in with keto diets.

the body is very sensitive to carbs, prefers carbs, and really hates the hassle of having to metabolize fat. By omitting carbs, the body has no choice but to metabolize fat.

Agreed the body prefers glucose, and whenever present, it will be burned and the likelihood of fat being burned simultaneously is slight. However I wouldn't say the body hates burning fat; the body can burn fat rather efficiently, and even in the case of ketosis, ketones are a very efficient fuel source.

So i'm just not sure how a carb cycle is supposed to work, physiologically i mean? I've got a pretty good grip on the theory behind the Atkins, and cycling carbs seems to fly in the face of what i've learned.

Fairly simple in principle. Note there are many different 'ways', but i'll use what i'm doing as an example:

3 moderate carb days - keep glycogen stores topped off, workouts have intensity, muscle tissue is maintained and/or repaired/grown

3 zero carb days (fibrous veggies only) - deplete glycogen stores, workouts are more 'cardio' intense to deplete stores faster, burning fat becomes the focus

1 high carb day - off day - comes immediately after the 3 no carb days. Rest, repair, grow, completely replenish glycogen stores

Make sense?