For those who are considering a carb cycling/timed carb diet, this should help get you started.
Keep in mind there is no 100% right or wrong way to design your cycle. Creating your cycle with two low/no carb days back-to-back is ideal for rapid fat loss becuase the less insulin present, the more fat your body will oxidize for energy. If, on the other hand you are trying to maintain/gain lean mass while burning fat using carb cycling, and you do not like, or can not tolerate having back to back low/no carb days, there are many different ways to utilize a carb cycling/timed carb diet.
It is also important to make certain your will be replenshing glycogen post WO (expecially after weight training). And thus, heavy training days (such as legs, back, chest) should be done on high-carb days. You may also find that lifting in the AM after a high carb day works well, then eat carbs in the two meals following the AM training sessison and then switch to protein and fat for the remainder of the day. This is a variation of carb-cycling/timed carb diet for that particular day. There are other factors involved, btu I am trying to keep this simple.
I have tried many different cycle vairations of low,no,high days. These provided the most rapid fat loss. I have also tried (and currently using) a carb cycling/timed card pseduo diet by eating carbs in my first 3-4 meals, and then fats and protein only for the remainin 2-3 meals. Here is some basic information on the subject. I also like the way Iron Addict (Wes) explains his theories on the subject. Links to his website and my carb cycling thread are listed below. I have also included a post I made on my carb cycling thread (listed below) entitled Carb Cycling 101 to get you started...
My Carb Cycling/Timed-Carb Diet Thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=457715
Another nice viewpoint on TCD from Iron Addict (Wes):
http://www.ironaddicts.com/More%20timed%20carb.html &
http://www.ironaddicts.com/timed%20carb.html?t=1761
Carb Cycling 101
Use this calculator to figure what your daily caloric intake needs will be based on your goal (i.e maintenance, weight loss, rapid weight loss). http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Next, take this daily kcal amount, and plug into this calculator http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nut...calculator.htm to determine macronutrient (carb, protein, fats) needed to hit these totals.
As for the macro ratios to use, some basic suggestions would look like this:
No-Carb Day
15% of kcals from Carbs
45% of kcals from Protein
40% of kcals from fats
Low-Carb Day
30% of kcals from Carbs
45% of kcals from Protein
25% of kcals from fats
High-Carb Day
45% of kcals from Carbs
40% of kcals from Protein
15% of kcals from fats
Keep in mind the following:
1 gram of protein = 4 calories
1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
Example: For bodybuilder whose maintenance level is 3,000 kcals and is looking to lose weight slowly to ensure minimal muscle loss. His target daily kcal intake is approximately 2,500 kcals per day...
Hi-Carb Day: (2700 Calories)
40% Protein x 2700 Calories = 1080 calroies from protein (approx 270g)
45% Carbs x 2700 Calrories = 1215 calories from carbs (approx 303g)
15% Fats x 2700 Calories = 405 calories from fats (approx 45g)
**Hi-Carb Note: Allow for a few extra total calories because of hi-carb intake and the fact that you do not want to sacrafice any protein intake**
Low-Carb Day: (2500 Calories)
45% Protein x 2500 Calories = 1125calories from protein (approx 280g)
30% Carbs x 2500 Calories = 750 calories from carbs (approx 185g)
25% Fats x 2500 Calories = 500 calories from fats (approx 55g)
No-Carb Days: (2500 Calories)
45% Protein x 2500 Calories = 1125 calories from protein (approx 280g)
15% Carbs x 2500 Calories = 375 calories from carbs (94g)
40% Fats x 2500 Calories = 1000 calories from fats (approx 111g)
The next step will be choosing the right foods in each of these groups to hit the desired totals. Not all carbs, fats and protein are created the same. I recommend researchign insulin sensitivity also for anyone who is not familiar with the importance of creating this within your body.
Here are some good choices in each macro:
Carbs:
Sweet Potatos/Yams
Long Grain Rice
Oatmeal (I prefer rolled oats)
100% Whole Wheat Bread (if you need bread this is the best choice. darker the better)
Beans/Legumes
Granny Smith Apples
Melon (very alkaline; helps keep ph lower)
Trace carbs found in dairy products.
Protein:
Tuna (drained well)
Salmon
Chicken (skinless)
Turkey
Lean Beef/Steak
Whey
Cottage Cheese/Caseinate
Skim Milk
Peanuts
Fats:
Sesamin/Sesam Seed Extract
Flax Seed/Oil
Fish Oil
Hempseed
EV Olive Oil
Natural Peanut Butter
Walnuts
Cashews
Almonds
Pecans
Fibrous Greens: (fiber is very useful in shielding carbs from being idgested. is also useful in aiding satiety; i.e. "feeling full".
Spinach (raw)
Broccoli
Basically anything dark green, save cucumbers (water) and avacoados (fats).
Note: There are many other choices which would fit in the above. This is just a base list.
Keep in mind there is no 100% right or wrong way to design your cycle. Creating your cycle with two low/no carb days back-to-back is ideal for rapid fat loss becuase the less insulin present, the more fat your body will oxidize for energy. If, on the other hand you are trying to maintain/gain lean mass while burning fat using carb cycling, and you do not like, or can not tolerate having back to back low/no carb days, there are many different ways to utilize a carb cycling/timed carb diet.
It is also important to make certain your will be replenshing glycogen post WO (expecially after weight training). And thus, heavy training days (such as legs, back, chest) should be done on high-carb days. You may also find that lifting in the AM after a high carb day works well, then eat carbs in the two meals following the AM training sessison and then switch to protein and fat for the remainder of the day. This is a variation of carb-cycling/timed carb diet for that particular day. There are other factors involved, btu I am trying to keep this simple.
I have tried many different cycle vairations of low,no,high days. These provided the most rapid fat loss. I have also tried (and currently using) a carb cycling/timed card pseduo diet by eating carbs in my first 3-4 meals, and then fats and protein only for the remainin 2-3 meals. Here is some basic information on the subject. I also like the way Iron Addict (Wes) explains his theories on the subject. Links to his website and my carb cycling thread are listed below. I have also included a post I made on my carb cycling thread (listed below) entitled Carb Cycling 101 to get you started...
My Carb Cycling/Timed-Carb Diet Thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=457715
Another nice viewpoint on TCD from Iron Addict (Wes):
http://www.ironaddicts.com/More%20timed%20carb.html &
http://www.ironaddicts.com/timed%20carb.html?t=1761
Carb Cycling 101
Use this calculator to figure what your daily caloric intake needs will be based on your goal (i.e maintenance, weight loss, rapid weight loss). http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Next, take this daily kcal amount, and plug into this calculator http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nut...calculator.htm to determine macronutrient (carb, protein, fats) needed to hit these totals.
As for the macro ratios to use, some basic suggestions would look like this:
No-Carb Day
15% of kcals from Carbs
45% of kcals from Protein
40% of kcals from fats
Low-Carb Day
30% of kcals from Carbs
45% of kcals from Protein
25% of kcals from fats
High-Carb Day
45% of kcals from Carbs
40% of kcals from Protein
15% of kcals from fats
Keep in mind the following:
1 gram of protein = 4 calories
1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
Example: For bodybuilder whose maintenance level is 3,000 kcals and is looking to lose weight slowly to ensure minimal muscle loss. His target daily kcal intake is approximately 2,500 kcals per day...
Hi-Carb Day: (2700 Calories)
40% Protein x 2700 Calories = 1080 calroies from protein (approx 270g)
45% Carbs x 2700 Calrories = 1215 calories from carbs (approx 303g)
15% Fats x 2700 Calories = 405 calories from fats (approx 45g)
**Hi-Carb Note: Allow for a few extra total calories because of hi-carb intake and the fact that you do not want to sacrafice any protein intake**
Low-Carb Day: (2500 Calories)
45% Protein x 2500 Calories = 1125calories from protein (approx 280g)
30% Carbs x 2500 Calories = 750 calories from carbs (approx 185g)
25% Fats x 2500 Calories = 500 calories from fats (approx 55g)
No-Carb Days: (2500 Calories)
45% Protein x 2500 Calories = 1125 calories from protein (approx 280g)
15% Carbs x 2500 Calories = 375 calories from carbs (94g)
40% Fats x 2500 Calories = 1000 calories from fats (approx 111g)
The next step will be choosing the right foods in each of these groups to hit the desired totals. Not all carbs, fats and protein are created the same. I recommend researchign insulin sensitivity also for anyone who is not familiar with the importance of creating this within your body.
Here are some good choices in each macro:
Carbs:
Sweet Potatos/Yams
Long Grain Rice
Oatmeal (I prefer rolled oats)
100% Whole Wheat Bread (if you need bread this is the best choice. darker the better)
Beans/Legumes
Granny Smith Apples
Melon (very alkaline; helps keep ph lower)
Trace carbs found in dairy products.
Protein:
Tuna (drained well)
Salmon
Chicken (skinless)
Turkey
Lean Beef/Steak
Whey
Cottage Cheese/Caseinate
Skim Milk
Peanuts
Fats:
Sesamin/Sesam Seed Extract
Flax Seed/Oil
Fish Oil
Hempseed
EV Olive Oil
Natural Peanut Butter
Walnuts
Cashews
Almonds
Pecans
Fibrous Greens: (fiber is very useful in shielding carbs from being idgested. is also useful in aiding satiety; i.e. "feeling full".
Spinach (raw)
Broccoli
Basically anything dark green, save cucumbers (water) and avacoados (fats).
Note: There are many other choices which would fit in the above. This is just a base list.
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