low carb diet/metabolism/carb cycling

[imcleish]

Hi,
So I have read a few places that a prolonged low carb diet (without a proper refeed) can drastically lower metabolism. I am wondering if implementing carb cycling would help get the metabolism back to normal.
I know no one can forcast how long this may take, but I am also wondering if anyone can ballpark it.

My goal is fat loss and I pretty much ran a low carb diet (<50g/day) for a year w/one cheat meal/week. I started to gain wt and didn't know why, despite cutting cals. Anyway, I started carb cycling this past week. 3 days of low (<100 g), 2 days moderate (<200 g) and 2 days high (300-400 g). Protein is 230-260. Fat is around 60-70 g except for the high days.

Carb sources are oats,sw potatoes, white rice, potatoes, occasionaly cream of wheat and whole wheat pasta at night on high days. Oh and no cheat days.

Training 4 days/week. Horiz push pull, hamstring dom, vert push pull, quad dom. I run hills, sprints or push my prowler 3 days/week for cardio.

I appreciate any feedback...

 

[tucker01]

Prolonged calorie deficit can have an impact on Metabolism yes. The Amount of Carbs isn't a factor.

What was your avg. Daily calorie intake over that year?
how big was your cheat meal?

 

[imcleish]

Daily cals were probably 2300/day. Cheat meal probably brought my cals for that particular day into the low 4000s, so avg daily intake was probably like 2500-2700. Bw is 184, bf was 10% last time I had it done.

 

[tucker01]

Cals seem pretty decent.

Just assuming some numbers here. for your daily intake

250 g of protein = 1000 calories
50 g of carbs = 200 calories
120g of fats = 1080

= approx 2300 a day

Have you made any significant changes to your diet?
How old are you?

 

[imcleish]

I'm 32. No, no significant changes to my diet. I read somewhere (can't find it now) that when carbs are low, glucagon is released and that prolonged release of glucagon can cause the metabolism to slow. That would make sense I guess, but I always thought the same as you said, that cals, not carbs are the deciding factor in that.....

thanks for your replies by the way.

 

[tucker01]

Short of going to the Doctor, to get some blood tests.

I would bump up calories to maint. for a bit. However the calories you listed don't seem that bad.

Has there been any change in your activity level?

 

[imcleish]

Well, I've bumped it up a bit. I was dealing with adrenal fatigue for a few months there and seem to be out of the woods w/that now, so my activity level is back to normal. My naturopath indicated that the real low carb diet probably contributed to the A.F. and that when carbs are that low, your body can burn thru cortisol to keep blood sugar up.

 

[tucker01]

I can't say I know much about adrenal fatigue. But it can be associated with weight gain, or problems losing weight.

Adrenal fatigue seems to be a stress related problem.... I am not sure how low carbs would impact that.

 

[imcleish]

well, i was doing alot of crossfit type workouts. Super high intensity, poor programming, not enough recovery lead to too much stress on my body. My understanding is that that type of stress (overtraining) will increase cortisol levels. Low blood sugar apparently may also call upon cortisol to raise blood sugar. That much output eventually depletes cortisol levels and you end up w/adrenal fatigue.

I think you are right though and that A.F. is/was the problem. I suppose I'll stick w/my carb cycling plan and eventually it should lead me back to where i'd like to be....I mean you can't go wrong w/clean foods.....

nice name by the way. Same name i have, although mine is spelled "Ian".....

 

[imcleish]

I should also add that i went to see the Dr. a couple months ago and everything was fine: test, thyroid, etc.