T Nation

Top Carb Cycling Technique

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

The recent article on carb-cycling ( http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/researchapproved_carb_cycling ) outlines different approaches to cycling carbs, with different combo’s of low/medium/high days. What do you think is the best carb cycling method to cut some fat, but without losing much muscle from a drastic overall calorie drop?

Would having just medium carb/calorie days ( around 2300 cals/220 g carb) and a couple low carb/calorie days (~1700 cals/120 g carb periworkout) a week be sufficient to burn some fat, or is it necessary to have very low calorie/carb days mixed with very high days?

  • If it helps, I’m 20 years old, 6’0 - 206 lbs, about 4 years of training exp. I’m looking to cut some fat slowly before summer time, obviously hoping to sustain as much muscle as possible.

Thanks for any input

#2

and if it helps, I generally train 4 days on, 1/2 days off, (chest/tri’s, back/bi’s, legs, shoulders)

#3

What’s best, is what works best for you. Each approach will have different results for different people. Try them, and find out what works for you. I’ve found carb backloading to be one of the better methods for me, where some have found traditional methods more advantageous.

#4

lower cal/low carbs 5 days a week, high cal/high carb 2 days a week. Works for me.

#5

[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:
What’s best, is what works best for you. Each approach will have different results for different people. Try them, and find out what works for you. I’ve found carb backloading to be one of the better methods for me, where some have found traditional methods more advantageous. [/quote]

i’d really like to know more about this the price of the book seems pretty damn high though

#6

[quote]paulieserafini wrote:

[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:
What’s best, is what works best for you. Each approach will have different results for different people. Try them, and find out what works for you. I’ve found carb backloading to be one of the better methods for me, where some have found traditional methods more advantageous. [/quote]

i’d really like to know more about this the price of the book seems pretty damn high though
[/quote]

The price of the book is indeed high, especially for an e-book. That being said I think Kiefer’s work is worth the money, though a large part of the reason I bought it when it first came out was to gain access to the software that will be coming out. As a coach, software that can help with building nutritional plans for a wide variety of people will be big since I coach about 190 kids and it’s hard to find the time to really manage that many diets.

There are some articles on EFS that outline it, and there is a discussion thread here but the book is helpful.

#7

[quote]cfws1992 wrote:
The recent article on carb-cycling ( http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/researchapproved_carb_cycling ) outlines different approaches to cycling carbs, with different combo’s of low/medium/high days. What do you think is the best carb cycling method to cut some fat, but without losing much muscle from a drastic overall calorie drop?

Would having just medium carb/calorie days ( around 2300 cals/220 g carb) and a couple low carb/calorie days (~1700 cals/120 g carb periworkout) a week be sufficient to burn some fat, or is it necessary to have very low calorie/carb days mixed with very high days?

  • If it helps, I’m 20 years old, 6’0 - 206 lbs, about 4 years of training exp. I’m looking to cut some fat slowly before summer time, obviously hoping to sustain as much muscle as possible.

Thanks for any input[/quote]

Yes. Try both approaches. In fact, if you stick to your plan with 100% adherence, I’m pretty sure you’ll see amazing results with both approaches. It also helps to first figure out if you have properly calculated your maintenance intake level. 2300 for a medium day might be on the low side if you weigh 206.

If you don’t know for sure, it’s better to start on the higher side. Starting too low could lead to quick failure and an incorrect conclusion that the approach didn’t work.