Diet Help... Carb refeeds

Hey Guys,
I’m just looking for some experienced advice. I’ve been cutting weight since Dec 3rd(haven’t had a cheat meal since then) and I’m down from 206 on Dec 3 to 198 at 15% now. My diet has been pretty low in carbs, Green veggies for fiber and the negligible amount in protein powders and some cheese is adding up to well under 100g/day. So I’d like to add in some relatively clean carb refeed days, I don’t want to add an all out cheat until I’m below 10%. So I wonder for anyone whose done a low carb diet what carbs did they reintroduce for refeeds, in what quantity and how frequently?

More information

How many calories are you consuming?

What’s your training like?

Hi Thunder,

Calories are relatively low at about 1500/day
Training is CT’s Canadian Ascending-Descending (trying to lose weight but stay strong for athletics)
1 days/week conditioning with kettlebell and sled
1day/week sprints

Anecdotal alert–but I’ve experimented with many carb-up foods, and my favorite is sushi…I stay away from the fancy stuff–like the ones with fried things in them, or sauces–and concentrate on the basics…tuna, salmon, yellowtail, etc., with a couple pieces of unagi (which has a sugary bbq sauce) as a treat.

LS

How are tuna, salmon and yellowtail carbup foods?

Ummm…where are the carbs in sushi?? In the nominal white rice it is rolled in?

Johnny boy-

If you want to carb up clean, stick with natural and stay away from refined/processed. Yams/sweet potatoes rule. Also, amaranth, bulgar, spelt, steel-cut oats…whole grains in general (just make sure you are actually buying the whole grain. Many products are advertised as whole but have been processed.)

In the rice, of course. I focus on the rolls, and about 65% of the meal ends up being rice. Order a supplemental bowl if you want more, or a few veggie rolls.

The sushi works for me as other carb-ups have given my heartburn when I run the next day. YMMV.

LS

Thanks Guys,
Yeah I guess the Sushi carb up could also be called the rice carb up???

I think I’m gonna start with 2 days/week adding gatorade to during/post workout drink and then the next post workout meal I’ll have a lean protein with some brown rice, oats, potato or maybe even a little pasta and see how that goes.

That’s some awfully low calories. Are you dieting with some ‘assistance’? If you’re not, I think you’re undereating.

I’d stick to just once per week for now, but would give myself the full day and then adjust accordingly from here. If you want to play conservative, give yourself only eight hours. But if you’re consistently dropping the fat, up it to 16, or increase the frequency. As you get leaner, I would increase the frequency of the overfeed/carbup. You could get it up to every four - five days and still drop fat successfully.

In terms of foods, some do choose to go all out and not worry about it. If you want to keep it to more of a ‘clean carb up’, I wouldn’t worry about sticking with low GI foods. Just pick foods that are low in fat and eat until you’re full.

Things like:
bagels
bread
cereal (a favourite of Vain’s)
pretzels
pasta
rice
potatoes
flavoured rice cakes
fat-free cookies, etc

You get the idea. The list could go on and on. Experiment with different foods and guage your progress by your weight on the morning of your carb up every week.

Hey thunder,
No ‘assitance’ but I am taking amino tabs and BCAA/glutamine between every meal so that is how I’m able to actually gain strength and cut cals so much. Alot of people bash those ‘old supplements’ but I like 'em.

Thanks for the tips.