Carb cycling?

[alfie2000]

I'm new to low carb as I've always done low cal and low fat. I'm finding that doesn't really work any more.

On low cal I was on 1200-1300 cals per day and would always have one day per week at about 1800 cals so my body wouldn't think that was all I needed.

I'm now on 50-60g of carbs per day plus counting calories - 1200-1300. I'm guessing I need to have one day per week where I do higher calorie and about 100g carbs per day.

Advice please.

 

[Chook]

I wish you lots of luck with combining low carb and low calorie - thats HARD!

If I were you I'd stick to either one or the other and (if low carb) stick to your chosen limit as, sometimes, if you go over with the carbs it might be difficult to get back on track for a day or two - carbs are so addictive.

The best thing to do is use your meter to find out how many carbs a day (or even per meal) suits you best - some people can't tolerate carbs in the morning but are fine with them later in the day.

 

[Brunneria]

I agree that varying calories will help a low cal diet, but my experience of low carbing is that introducing extra carbs at weekends, or once a week is not helpful. Extra fat and protein to shake the calories up would work for me Bouncing the carb amounts would not. But then I get carb cravings and need to stay fat adapted, to be comfortable on low carb, so I suspect it may be different for other people.

If a person doesn't experience carb cravings, then they tend not to believe they exist for those of us who DO get them.

 

[keitjones]

Why doesn't it work anymore?

 

[Oldvatr]

I'm new to low carb as I've always done low cal and low fat. I'm finding that doesn't really work any more.

On low cal I was on 1200-1300 cals per day and would always have one day per week at about 1800 cals so my body wouldn't think that was all I needed.

I'm now on 50-60g of carbs per day plus counting calories - 1200-1300. I'm guessing I need to have one day per week where I do higher calorie and about 100g carbs per day.

Advice please.

Many here on a low carb diet are doing the opposite of carb cycling since it does not make sense to push up the carbs artificially. We find Intermittent Fasting works well with an LC diet, and there are many discussions on the Forum on using IF. Many Success Stories will be associated with IF and LC since this combination seems to work well for both bgl and weight control, And few of us seem to calorie count when low carbing, I don't even carb count either, since I use my meter to tell me what works best for me.

After a while experience will take over and you will know by instinct what has high carbs [and to be avoided]

 

[AM1874]

Hi @alfie2000 ..
I agree 100% with the comments above from @Chook @Brunneria and @Oldvatr ..
I would also ask why you think that you need to have one day per week with higher calories and about 100g carbs per day .. that's not really LCHF. You might find the following links helpful ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

 

[alfie2000]

I wish you lots of luck with combining low carb and low calorie - thats HARD!

If I were you I'd stick to either one or the other and (if low carb) stick to your chosen limit as, sometimes, if you go over with the carbs it might be difficult to get back on track for a day or two - carbs are so addictive.

The best thing to do is use your meter to find out how many carbs a day (or even per meal) suits you best - some people can't tolerate carbs in the morning but are fine with them later in the day.

I would go overboard if I just tracked carbs and not calories as well. I tried this for a week before I went on a one month holiday I just returned from. I didn't feel hungry, even when I was at 1200 calories with the high fat and low carbs. Just started again this last Saturday and so far so good.

Maybe I'll just increase the calories then on one day and do my upper limit of carbs which is 60g.

 

[alfie2000]

Why doesn't it work anymore?

I've gained and lost too many times in the past 25 years (I'm 65) so it's harder and harder to lose. It just doesn't work well any more. I lost 5lbs in one week when I tried low carb/low cal before just to check it out.

 

[alfie2000]

I agree that varying calories will help a low cal diet, but my experience of low carbing is that introducing extra carbs at weekends, or once a week is not helpful. Extra fat and protein to shake the calories up would work for me Bouncing the carb amounts would not. But then I get carb cravings and need to stay fat adapted, to be comfortable on low carb, so I suspect it may be different for other people.

If a person doesn't experience carb cravings, then they tend not to believe they exist for those of us who DO get them.

Thanks. That makes sense. I found a couple of websites that suggested this but wasn't sure if I trusted their advice. It was a bodybuilding site and I do a lot of muscle work.

 

[alfie2000]

Hi @alfie2000 ..
I agree 100% with the comments above from @Chook @Brunneria and @Oldvatr ..
I would also ask why you think that you need to have one day per week with higher calories and about 100g carbs per day .. that's not really LCHF. You might find the following links helpful ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

Thanks. As I replied above, when on low cal I had increase calories at least once a week or I'd hit a plateau that wouldn't shift. I thought I'd need to do the same with carbs as suggested on a website I found.

 

[alfie2000]

From research I've done I decided 50-60 g per day is good for me. I need to lose about 25 lbs. Not diabetic.

I do cardio and muscle work with weights 3 times a week, so am very active.