This is my first adventure in carb cycling and I feel great!

Are there others out there that have done carb cycling? Maybe we can all get together with our ideas and tips to help us reach our goal weight.

I am looking for a plan I can live with for life. This may be perfect for those of us who look to "cheat" only after a few days of very low carb intake (and I find very low carb to be hard on my digestive system, even with adequate water intake).

I have lost 5.5 pounds and 4 inches in the first week and will be weighing in this Friday again. My clothes are fitting better everyday also--hooray! It has been a long time since I woke up each day feeling "thinner". I hope this trend continues, and I think it will. I have read that many bodybuilders use carb cycling to decrease body fat while maintaining muscle mass (and muscle helps maintain a higher metabolism - a bonus for us!).

I actually did quite a bit of research and came up with my own easy to follow plan...anyone interested? (And you don't have to be a bodybuilder either!)

1. Multiply your present weight by 0.6: this is your carb intake for lower carb days
2. Multiply your current weight by 1.4: this is your carb intake for higher carb days
3 Eat your body weight in grams of protein to maintain/gain muscle mass/tone for increased metabolism (I weigh 146 pounds = eat 146 grams protein per day--this is hard for me to do and I usually eat much less... but it does seem to help my blood sugar remain level and decreases hunger and I am not as moody/irritable as on very low carb restrictions)
4. Don't worry about fat intake (similar to Adkins), but incorporate protein when you intake fat (a good amount of protein on your salad since you are having dressing on it).

Lower carb days:
-On lower carb days, no breads, etc
-Get my carbs from veggies mostly
-Allowed to have some lower carb fruit like grapefruit or blueberries
-In a pinch on a extra busy day at work, I may have a higher protein frozen dinner with 20-40 carbs
-Focus on eating close to your protein requirement and you will find you often don't reach your limit on carbs
-Drink 8 8oz glasses of water daily

Higher carb days:
-I pick two non-consecutive days to go higher carb each week, for example, Saturday and Wednesday
-On my higher carb days, I still do not eat any sugar type products (ie, cookies, etc.) or desserts, may add in extra fruit or some toast/pasta/rice etc. I try not to go crazy overboard and stay within limits
-Still focus on your target protein intake - this way you will fill up on higher quality foods and naturally eat less carbs
-Drink 8 8 oz glasses of water daily

***Once every two weeks I am planning to let myself have a dessert of my choice-I will probably split a dessert with my DH after dinner so I have enough protein in me to avoid a hypoglycemic "crash".

Ok, it took me a bit to find this thread again LOL. I've been down with a migraine for a few days so I haven't started my carb cycling yet. I've set my date for Saturday, need to get some fruit and other supplies for my higher carb days.

Hey, I was wondering where you were at...glad you are feeling better! I will be weighing in on Saturday. Will be the end of week four for me. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Okay, week four update of carb cycling...

I have lost 7 pounds. I have lost 2% body fat. I have lost 11 inches total. I measure the following areas:

-chest
-waist
-hips
-lower hips
-each thigh
-each calf
-each upper arm

Other good observations: My clothes are more comfortable. I feel better in my skin. I am not thinking about food as much as I used to. I am not craving sweets in the evening as much as I used to. I no longer think each meal needs to be followed by something sweet. I have not been craving/obsessing about what dessert I will eat when my DH and I go out to dinner.

Wow, those are some huge mental shifts for me.

New goals for this month: Exercise more, increase my running mileage more consistently. More interval training when I run. Increase duration of weight training, up my weights a little on arms and legs.
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Week Five update of my carb cycling journey...good results!!

Seven pounds lost only still...thankfully I have been monitoring my measurements. 13 inches total lost and I feel much better, my clothes fit better and my energy level is up. My body fat has dropped by almost 4%. I will say I don't feel as deprived or like I am cheating on the high carb days...I don't go crazy, but fruit sure feels like a treat on those days. On high carb days I go lower fat, I need to lose the calories somewhere. I try to eat 100g protein daily, or at the very least 1/2 my body weight in grams protein so I am able to build the muscle I need for weight training. Some programs even recommend eating 1.5 times your body weight in grams protein, which I find very difficult personally. I have been eating in reality about 50 grams or less of carbs every day, since the 0.5 times my body weight seems like a lot. I do not have any unruly cravings either. I think the protein level keeps the cravings at bay.

All in all, very happy with the results so far and I will keep going. This WOE is fitting in very well with my lifestyle and schedule. More updates to come...
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I am really interested in this. I am roughly 146lbs too. I fluctuate of course. I am interested in hearing more. I am trying to find something that can have my occasional pasta or bread.

Gosh... I hope I don't bore you LOL!

I was recently on Atkins and lost a tremendous amount of weight. I went off and tried a weight watchers type diet and lost more but it wreaked havoc on my digestive system. I felt sluggish and just found I was hungry a lot more often... due to carbs of course.

I tend to eat on the healthier side. I started working out by lifting weights the beginning of December with great results. BUT I find myself on a slippery slope, so to speak. I usually eat good during the day and eat what I want at night. Never anything like french fries or fried chicken... Sometimes I eat low carb and other times I will eat pizza or lasagna. Those meals are becoming more frequent. I definitely crave. Since I haven't gained any weight and am sort of maintaining I guess I feel like its ok. I know working out helps me maintain because I am sure my metabolism burns more. I recently had a birthday and had a little pc of cake. I never eat things like that... I find myself craving this but don't give in. I don't like this at all and I know I need to go back to low carbing.

I like Atkins, but do not want to restrict myself that low. Actually, I love Atkins if I could have my Activia and the occasional chips and salsa LOL. But that isn't going to happen anytime soon! I have been reading about all different types of low carb plans. I really am interested in Dr Barry Groves as this seems like I could live with it (Eat Fat Get Thin). I lived with Atkins for 1.5 years and plateaued. When I began changing things up it broke my stall and I have lost 10 lbs. But know I am stuck again.

Ok... sorry about the rambing. LOL! BUT I really think carb cycling would be good. I have been reading on this and calorie shifting. When you carb shift where do your calories generally fall? Do you have upper and lower limits for those as well?

Ugh... I just keep going back and forth with what I want to do. I feel good and I am 'satisfied' with the way I look. BUT I want to lose about 10lbs. I do continue to work out and wont stop but need some structure.

So sorry for the winded story...

Hi dlynn, Sounds like you have done really well--strike that-- you have done excellent so far.

If you look at my journal on the first page, you will see what type of plan I started with originally. I did find it hard to keep the protein intake so high, so now I aim for about 0.5 grams of protein per pound I weigh, up to 100 g protein per day. I was afraid to do so many carbs since I do not have the option of doing very much exercise and weight training this semester. I usually limited my carbs to under 50 on low carb and about 200-300 on high carb.

I will be really honest, I do not count calories, but on carb up days I do not go crazy on breads or fats, just increase fruit and maybe a piece of toast. On low carb days I consistently eat protein and veggies, minimal fruit like blueberries or other low carb fruit. I do not eat bread or pasta. I find my cravings are much less if I have a good amount of protein intake, as this levels out our blood sugar level. As far as carb shifts go, from what I have read, you need to decrease fat intake to make up for the higher carbs. That makes sense, calories need to balance somewhere. Unfortunately that means no high fat, high carb desserts or meals on any kind of regular basis.

I have had what I would call good results in the inches category, but only losing 7 pounds in 6 weeks. I am now going to intensify my efforts, and follow close to what is recommended in the Carb Cycling Works Like Magic for Me thread and see how that goes. They describe on that thread low carb days as 20-25g and high carbs only adding fruit, eating more veggies and maybe some yogurt.

You seem to be maintaining well. I did this for several years, and maybe that is what you are ready for right now. It has taken me a long time to decide I was ready for the next phase of weight loss and a new baseline weight. Good to hear from you and let us all know how you progress.

Thank you for your reply!!

I have started with low carb again this morning. My ultimate goal is health... AND to lose just a little more to be at a desirable weight for my height, etc. I have starting reading Dr. Barry Groves book (Eat Fat Get Thin!) and all he has done is just confirm that low carb is really a healthy lifestyle I am at high risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol due to genetics so I am really aiming to be as healthy as possible. I do not plan on restricting my intake to 20g as I did before... but maybe a ball park of 50-60. I will see. I will carb cycle because I think it plays a part in keeping the body "wondering" what is going on... at least for awhile. The body is an amazing adaptive thing! LOL

Thanks again!!!!

PS: Keep me posted on your success... I will post mine too!

dlynn,

Start a journal also so we all can see how you are doing and we can check in from time to time.

Are you going to use 50-60 carbs for low carb days? What will you be using for high carb days? I guess I shouldn't complain about "only" losing 7 pounds since I have lost 13 inches overall as well. We do get impatient don't we???

I am keeping track of what I am eating on The Daily Plate... I will start a journal too.

I am aiming for 50-60. So far today I have only had 21. But my calories are high... what do you average a day?

Since I don't have a lot to lose... I am wondering if calories matter. I assume no. What do you think?

Oh... I also have read that the last few pounds are stubborn LOL.

I started low carb today so when should I shift up? Maybe Thursdays and Sundays? I know that the body "evaluates" every 72 hours of what is coming in the body and every 48 hours for what is going out (exercise etc.) Its always trying to adapt. So maybe I should low carb at least 3 days and then switch it up on the 4th day? LOL

I have lots of questions! lol sorry.

No problem, I think we all have lots of questions so we can find the magic formula that will work (wish I could find the perfect answers!!). When I am doing really low carb, like 20-25, no I do not count calories. It seems like what I am eating in protein keeps me from being too hungry and I will say I do not overeat really. For the past six weeks, yes, I would carb down for about 3 days and carb up for one. That way I usually have a carb up day on the weekend, and I do not feel so deprived. What say you about the calories?

I ate 2,337 calories and 27 carbs yesterday. Today I hae had 1440 calories and 28g carbs. I did workout tonight so I feel pretty good. I dont want to go into ketosis... ugh. I will start feeling it soon if I do. I have noticed an increase in energy too... that's always a plus.

What I need to do is cook some food in advance. It is a lot of work to cook for every meal! LOL That sounds silly but as many moms do... I juggle lots of things. I work, my kids are homeschooled (Husband and I work around each other) etc etc. I usually take a Smart Ones to work and pop it in the microwave or take left overs.

I am really down on myself because I am up to 149lbs. I think its because I had a slice a cake last Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Sun!!!!!! My bday was Thursday. No excuse huh? Ugh... not worth it. It tastes good but makes me feel bad.

Anyway... just trying to get back into the groove of low carbing. I had high cals yesterday because I had fried chicken wingettes last night. BOY did I MISS them! lol I know calories don't matter when you are real low carb.

Apparently, according to Dr Barry Groves, even at levels of 50-60 grams of carbs you don't have to really watch calories. He says that you can expect to eat anywhere from 2000-3000 cals a day!

You say you are down on yourself for being 149#, but you have come soooo far from your starting weight--and stayed there for a long time---congratulations to you!

Thanks for the update on your carbs. Today I ate 24, and did not calculate the calories. I am not familiar with Dr Barry Groves, will have to look him up.

dlynn...hope all is going well for you. Are you going to start a journal, would love to check in on you once in a while.

I have lost another pound, that's a total of 8.5, and after measuring today, a total of 15.75 inches. I feel sooo much better in my skin, and it is only getting better by the day!

Muskokagal...how are you faring these days? Will check out your journal.