View Full Version : Carb Cycling quick introduction


Matthieu
Fri, February 22nd, 2008, 10:50 AM
Hi,
I will try 1 month of carb cycling, as the last straight line of cutting before my bulk. This will start in March for may 100 Challenge.
I've read this interesting article (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par30.htm) about carb cycling and I have made a sort of summary (a set of rules for carb cycling) that could be interesting for newbies (like me:lol:).

Please comment and help my to optimize my last cutting phase.

Protein:
1g/pound,
1/6 of daily protein in each meal (minimum: If one meal has more, don't have less with next).
4 meals : lean protein source (10% of calories from fat max (so 5% fat in mass)
2 meals: fat protein source (up to 20-25% cal from fat (so 10-12% fat in mass).
Can replace a fat protein meal by a lean protein meal + 10-15gr of good fat.

Fats:
10-20gr fish oil per day, split up equally among meals.

Carbs:

Hi Carb Day:
on 4 meals (carb meals): as many carbs as needed (until I don't "want" more (eat protein first)). + 1 small fruit (50-100 cal).
Meal before and after workout must be carb meals. (meal before WO: sufficient time before WO, or limit carbs).
2 other meals: Protein only.

Lo Carb Day:
3 meals contain carbs. (+ small piece of fruit)
PWO meal is a carb one.
1 gr or carb/pound split on the 3 meals. (other rule: stop when you'd like to have more, but don't "need" it).

No Carb Day: eat protein and fat only

General rule : 3 meals per day (whatever the day) must include 1 cup of green veggies (50cal per cup (250cm3))


Other rules: always go on the scale at the same moment (end of no carb day for example).

Approved Lean Protein Sources (A)

* Chicken (white meat)
* Turkey (white meat)
* Tuna Fish (can)
* Fish (flounder, tuna (fatty or not), salmon, shark, etc.)
* Shellfish (all types)
* Protein (preferably whey post workout, and casein before bed; MRPs must be low-carb)
* Lean beef (including lean cuts of steak)
* Cottage Cheese (0 or 1% fat)
* Egg whites (egg beaters)

Approved Higher-Fat Protein Sources (B)

* Chicken (dark meat)
* Turkey (dark meat)
* Eggs (half whites, half whole eggs)
* Steak and other meats (not exceptionally high fat cuts)
* Cottage Cheese (Whole Milk)

Fat Sources (an amount equal to 10 to 15 grams of fat).

* (Natural) Peanut Butter
* Flax Oil
* Heavy Whipping Cream
* Mayonnaise
* Hemp Seed Oil
* Olive Oil

Approved Carbohydrates:
* Brown rice
* Oats (Slow Cooked Preferred)
* Sweet potatoes or Yams
* Fiber One (All Bran) Cereal
* Starchy Veggies (corn, peas, etc.)
* Beans/Legumes

Approved Yet Limited Carbohydrates (only for HI Carb day, and only for 1 meal per day).
* Whole-wheat pasta
* Whole grain breads, pitas, etc.


One cheat meal per week, on Hi or Lo carb day.

Today I'm doing 20/40/40, with 1000 cal deficit (well in fact I'm not very strict, so the deficit must be less than that, but I'm constantly loosing fat, so it's OK for me. I just want a bigger margin for bulking).
So basically, I think my lo carb day is what I eat right now, and then I just have to take my carbs off my no carb day and put them on my hi carb day, that should do the job.

The other change will be to arrange the meals correctly along the day (make sure to have proteins at each meal, and surround WO with carbs).

Mon: Hi Carb. Chest
Tue: Lo Carb. Back
Wed: No Carb. Rest
Thu: Hi Carb. Legs
Fri: Lo Carb. Shoulders
Sat: Lo Carb + cheat meal
Sun: No Carb

I will post my 3 days diet on my 100 Challenge.

Thanks for reading!
Matthieu

Maya
Fri, February 22nd, 2008, 11:04 AM
Everything looks pretty good. I have also been carb/calorie cycling in this manner with great results.
The only thing I do differently is I have my cheat meal on the HI day, and I make it "leg" day.

1000 calories deficit sounds like a lot mind you. Are you low carbing today? 20/40/40 split you mentioned is p/c/f?

Matthieu
Fri, February 22nd, 2008, 11:55 AM
Everything looks pretty good. I have also been carb/calorie cycling in this manner with great results.
The only thing I do differently is I have my cheat meal on the HI day, and I make it "leg" day.
Yes that sounds better to keep the cheatmeal for a big WO day...
But cheat meal = week end for me, as I'm more in the mood for party :) And I train during the week so .... :)

1000 calories deficit sounds like a lot mind you. Are you low carbing today? 20/40/40 split you mentioned is p/c/f?

Today I'm not carb cycling (I've never been yet...).
1000 deficit is theorically (my BMR is 3000 and I plan to eat 2000 to loose 1 pound a week), but practically, my weight loss is more like 1 pound every 2 weeks, so I guess my real deficit is 500 (as I said, I'm not 100% strict, specially in the evening).

I've read that weekly calories should remain the same when card cycling and when not, so I guess that if I have as many Hi carb days as No carb days, that should be ok ?

20/40/40 is my fat/carbs/proteins split for my current diet (no carb cycling).

Maya
Fri, February 22nd, 2008, 05:58 PM
I've read that weekly calories should remain the same when card cycling and when not, so I guess that if I have as many Hi carb days as No carb days, that should be ok ?




Usually 1-2 high carb days are recommended, 2-3 medium/low carb days and 2-3 no carb days.... It all depends on the goals and body type;
The more endomorphic tendencies one has the less often one needs to re-feed.. the more ecto one is the more high carb days one might have.