How many low carb days?

[clsupnorth]

How many consecutive low carb days can one go before they should throw in a high(er) carb day?

My low carb days are at set at 80 g carbs, 139 g pro, 76 g fat. My high days are 213 g carb, 71 g fat, pro is the same. I used to have Med days in there, but that setup wasn't giving me much of an average calorie deficit, so I thought it might be a better idea to toss out the med and stick with just low/high. My high day is the same day as my cheat, so they end up being one and the same.
The rotation I have now gives me up to 5 consecutive low days - is this a bad idea?

[CraveMuscle]

good question. I thought of doing something similar where I had 4 really high carb days and 3 no-carb days appropriate to training such that my weekly average was at a good deficit for leaning out.

[clsupnorth]

I can't IMAGINE doing no-carb days!

I guess I could keep calories the same on the low days, but see-saw my carb/fat totals - but I wonder if that is a sucky idea, too.

[CraveMuscle]

well, would you be able to get an appropriate weekly deficit?

[strongchick]

When I did it, I had no carb days with only fibrous veggies. three of them, with two medium days and two high days.

I would find it difficult to do any good lifting with too many lower carb days....

[smuggie]

I don't think it's a good idea to toss out the medium days. You'll be defeating the purpose of carb cycling if you do.

[clsupnorth]

How so? I'm technically still cycling my carbs - 80 grams up to 213 grams.

[Blondell]

With 5 low days in a row, when are you training?

[Leah]

Originally posted by clsupnorth@May 16 2006, 01:59 AM
How so? I'm technically still cycling my carbs - 80 grams up to 213 grams.
But you're not cycling, you're just keeping it low for 5 days and then having a cheat day.

Sounds more like a CKD than carb cycling

[clsupnorth]

Originally posted by Leah@May 16 2006, 06:26 AM
Sounds more like a CKD than carb cycling
Oh - I definately don't want to do CKD. Not my style.

Ok, so then perhaps I'm a mite confused. In order to have a 15-20% average weekly deficit, and I've got high and maint days, does that mean I'd have to make my low days REALLY low calorie, not just low carb?

For example, out of a week, if I've got
3 low days @ 1558 cals
3 maint days @ 1948
1 high @ 2045 (or more - it is a cheat day)

Then that averages out to only an 8% deficit, or roughly 150 cals/deficit/day down from maint. At that pace, it'll take me forever to lean out.

So, should the low days be REALLY low, like 1200 cals? Yikes.

I have still been training on low days, but at 2/3's my usual program, so just enough for maintenance.

[strongchick]

Why have maintenance days? When I did it, my medium day was already below maintenance. High was a bit higher, and low much lower. It averaged out to below maintenance.

[Blondell]

What's CDK?

[strongchick]

Originally posted by bdd814@May 16 2006, 08:52 PM
What's CDK?
CKD: Cyclic Ketogenic Diet

[clsupnorth]

My med day is at maintenance level. Sorry, I should have specified that.

Wait - you mean I could have a med day that's NOT at maintenace? Like a low day, and a low(er) day, and a high day?

[Leah]

It looks to me like you're not really taking advantage of the benefits of carb cycling :shrug:

Why train on a low day when you can train on a high or medium day.

And I think your calories are too high for your low and medium days

[Leah]

Originally posted by clsupnorth@May 16 2006, 08:53 PM
My med day is at maintenance level. Sorry, I should have specified that.

Wait - you mean I could have a med day that's NOT at maintenace? Like a low day, and a low(er) day, and a high day?
Your medium day is still supposed to be at a deficit.

[clsupnorth]

It looks to me like you're not really taking advantage of the benefits of carb cycling :shrug:

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, too - but when I originally figured out my carb cycling routine (here (http://z13.invisionfree.com/ExtremePhysique/index.php?showtopic=230)), I got people pointing out that there wasn't an appreciable deficit, so it wouldn't make a good cutting diet.


Why train on a low day when you can train on a high or medium day. Because the way I have it set up now I only have 1 high day - I can't train just one day a week. I'm realizing more and more I need to go back to the way I had it....


And I think your calories are too high for your low and medium days
Can you take a looksy then at the setup I have (here (http://z13.invisionfree.com/ExtremePhysique/index.php?showtopic=230)), and let me know what you get? I tried to follow Erik's carb cycling calculations for this...

[clsupnorth]

Originally posted by Leah@May 16 2006, 07:58 PM
Your medium day is still supposed to be at a deficit.
OMG - you're right! I just re-read the article and realized I missed that crucial piece of info. Wow, what a dumbass.

Great... all that math and now I have to start all over.

[Leah]

Originally posted by clsupnorth@May 16 2006, 09:06 PM

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, too - but when I originally figured out my carb cycling routine (here (http://z13.invisionfree.com/ExtremePhysique/index.php?showtopic=230)),

Because the way I have it set up now I only have 1 high day - I can't train just one day a week. I'm realizing more and more I need to go back to the way I had it....


Yes...I got that part....I'm suggesting it's not the most effective way to do it :p

Part of the benefits of carb cycling is that you can diet (i.e. lose fat) w/o really having to feel the effects of common dieting (i.e. not enough energy to train properly, sub-optimal PWO feedings, etc)

On your low day...you do nothing...or just SS cardio....take advantage of your "diet" days and the fact that you don't have to train while starving.

On your medium days, get some weights or cardio, maybe both if you have to do that much cardio lol...but point is, you're not training on empty and you still get to take advantage of proper PWO nutrition.

Your most intense training days fall on your high days and yeah...they kick your ass but you get to eat lots to compensate

[clsupnorth]

I had a hunch something was wrong because I WAS feeling those effects (not enough energy..)

Ok, I'll go back to the way I had it - with low/med/high days, but I'll correct my numbers. Gawd - I was wondering how everyone was managing, now I realize it's because they were doing it right, and I was not.

Thank you!!!!!! :happy: