This all so interesting. Thanks for all the info. I will consider carb cycling more in a regular way if I stall without treats (so far most stalls are easliy idenitifiable to extra eating .

And Jen114, when i talk of increasing carbs, I'm talking about starchy ones (bread, pasta etc) since dairy and fruit and nuts are a normal part of low carb eating for me, except for the beginning when I tried to be more strict on fruit and dairy. If the weight doesn't come off, I will start to be more strict with that again, as I did for a few days before vacation when I wanted it to come off a little faster, but for enjoying variety and for nutrition, I'm not comfortable giving them up fpr long periods of time.

Latté Lover

I think it's very interesting too. I'm not doing it right now because I am slowly, but surely losing on low carb. However, I am almost excited to stall again so I can try it again.

Latte Lover-(I'm a latte lover too)
I really don't think it matters which carbs you add as long as you keep the fat down and don't go overboard. I just love fruit so that's what I want to eat the most of to get my carbs up. It's for psychological comfort more than anything I think.

It seems to be that the worst part is trying to get back to low carb after the carb up is over, but I'm pretty good about being strict with myself and was very proud last time. Also, if you don't eat unhealthy food on the carb up, you still feel like you haven't cheated which makes it easier to carb back down.

If any of you guys try this again, let me know how it goes. Hey and good luck to you guys no matter what you do.

If anyone else has tried this, please let me know. I am just gathering info. right now, but I'd love to hear more stall breaking success stories.

Jen

Thanks for all the informative info from this thread.

I am gradually getting back to eating right again and I'm looking to follow a carb cycling plan in hopes this can be my life-long eating style.

I hope this is not completely inappropriate, but does anyone change their exercise habits when they carb up vs carb down?

I'm a weight lifter, but don't change my exercise habits although I'm familiar with the concept. The Metabolic Diet has detailed instructions on how to do this for the maximum muscle growth. Basically, you do a hard workout, then start the carb up immediately after for two days.

From everything I can gather, you lift on the carb ups and cardio on the carb downs.

I've been stuck for four days now on low calorie, low carb. I am freezing to death all the time so I know my metabolism has slowed way down. I also live in S. Dakota so it's not exactly warm, but I'm freezing in my 73 degree house.
If the scale still says 156 tomorrow, I am going to carb up for 3 days. I just bought a bunch of low-fat, higher calorie foods and I am ready to roll. We'll see how it goes.

156 again. Started carbing up today. I'm not following any CKD plan exactly, but I did my lifting before I started my carb up. I've been doing good keeping the fat down, but I can't get enough calories. It's almost 4:00 and I'm only at 500 calories. I'm not sure what to do exactly. I get stuffed from an apple. I'm just gonna try to get as many carbs as I can before 8:30 or so. Tomorrow, I should be able to eat more when my tummy's a little bigger and ketosis is totally gone.

Down to 155 today, so wierd. Gonna keep carbing up through Sat. because I'm going to my sister's house this weekend.

Let us know when you start back low carb if you get that immediate big weight loss like I did. One thing I noticed trying to eat only carbs during my 5 days is that made it easier to keep the total calories down. I never exceeded my calorie limit. I think it is much healthier to go low carb, obviously, but this carb-up thing seems to reset your body's metabolism.

You bet I will Pointcove.

I was up to 158 this a.m., but still wanna give this carb-up a full chance to work. I have not worried too much about calories (between 1500 and 1800 though), but I have kept my fat gm's below 20 each day so I won't gain a bunch of weight.

It is definitely working, I am so warm I actually sweat again.

It's interesting to me that you mentioned to carb up but without protein or fat. Montignac, Somers and the other "food combiners" use that same technique - eating carbs (wholegrains, fruits, etc.) but not at the same meals with proteins or fats. Montignac allows a little fat.
Great thread. Where did everyone go and how are you doing now?

I'm not "carb cycling" per se, because usually people that do what they refer to as carb cycling never go two days in a row without carbs, but I have been playing around with a variation on the CKD that bodybuilders use. It's a similar, albeit more drastic, concept. You go 'X' number of days with almost no carbs at all, then you do a really strenuous workout and for 24 - 36 hours immediately after that you carb load, eating about twice as many calories as you usually would to maintain weight and having about 70% of those calories come from carbs (low GI carbs at first, ending with higher GI carbs). Then you go back to no carbs. Except for the carb loading phase, you always try to get around 1 g of protein per pound of lean body mass too.

I lift weights and work out MUCH more than the average person, but not as much as professional bodybuilders, so I'm staying in ketosis longer than they do. They usually stay in keto for 5 days, then load for the next day to day and a half on the weekend. I just stay in ketosis until I eventually notice that I can't do as many reps with heavy weights or can't lift quite as much weight if I get up near my max.

I haven't been doing this long, but I've been very encouraged so far and have been able to shed fat while maintaining (or maybe even gaining) muscle. I'm sure I must be burning some muscle when in ketosis, but keeping my protein high keeps it to a minimum and then the carb loading and workouts right after the carb load build that muscle back up and maybe more. I'm going to play around with TKD and traditional carb cycling too, but I want to let this CKD run its course for another 2 - 4 weeks before playing around with those.

Carb cycling will work for anyone if you do it right. Any diet will. All a diet needs is a negative energy balance. Some find carb cycling diets to be easier to stick to and find results while others lie to themselves and use the carb up periods to pig out and then complain and say it didn't work for them.

I will echo what has been said that carbs (in larger amounts) work better for low carb dieters who lift a decent amount. You have to really deplete the glycogen in muscle tissue to get the benifits of these plans. Sedentary adults mainly don't ever exert themselves to the extent that causes them to deplete muscle glycogen (liver glycogen is anothe story, but that is really only about 30g of carbs in there).

Those who just exercise (ie cardio, some light circut work) could try carb cylcing, but I think it would be best to start the carb ups small and see how the body responds. Maybe a could breakfasts with oats or some starchy carbs a couple mornings a week and then back to meat and veggies the rest of the day. This could prove useful.

Stalling on a diet is usually just caused by dropping calories too low. Maybe just increase low carb eating for a few weeks and then slowly start making the portions smaller. On another note, i think too many are looking at the scale day after day and freaking out for no reason when they've been 160 for the last few days. Look at the big picture. Weigh in monthly or weekly.

That's some good info to know msundi83. I reached my "goal" weight a couple of weeks ago and then started researching the carb cycling to use more as maintenance(maybe lose a couple more #'s in the process). After a week of trying it with what info I have gathered, I feel impressed with it. I am pretty disciplined when it comes to carbs, so I feel like it could be the answer for me.

I don't lift "heavy", but I do lift to stay toned, strong and fit and I do aerobic workouts every day so I'm very active.

I am glad to have your input as you have experience with it.

Thanks!

no problem, you look good so keep it up. I find myself often switching diet plans too fast and soon enough i realize i have been doing it as a means of relaxing my discipline more than anything else. Experimentation is very helpful, but sometimes others as well as myself can stop focusing on their progress and instead focus on trying new things which cost them their results.