# Does Carb Cycling Work???



## ddawg (Apr 5, 2006)

I've been trying to get that flat stomach for a long time and I've tried the traditional 40/40/20 split as well as a 35/35/30 split but neither worked.  I was thinking about trying a carb cycling type diet.  I'm 20 yrs. old, 6', and 176 pounds.  I'm skinny fat and have a lot of fat especially when I sit but standing isn't bad.

Would something like this work: eat low to moderate carbs 3 days a week (about a 23/34/41 carb/protein/fat split), a low carb day twice a week(8/48/41 carb/protein/fat split), and then 2 straight carb up days(35/35/30 split).

This is how it would look

Monday,Tuesday,Thursday,Friday (Workout days/med carb)
2600 calories, 118g fat, 154g carbs(mainly after workout), 222g protein

Wednesday and Saturday(Off Days/2 times per week)
2100 calories, 112g fat, 42g carbs (veggies), 216g protein

Sunday
3000 calories, 96g fat, 276g carbs, 250g protein

Would this (a 4 medium, 2 low, and 1 high) be better or would a 4 medium, 1 low, 2 high work better?


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## Tough Old Man (Apr 5, 2006)

Right now I'm taking in about 250 grams of carbs on trainig days. Non training days about 125 carbs. Then I reload carbs at about 400-500 grams on sun


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## Jodi (Apr 5, 2006)

Have you read Twin Peak's Carb Cycling program?  There is a link located in the stickies title Guide to cutting etc........

I have used carb cycling several times with great success.


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## MJH (Apr 6, 2006)

I'm doing it now, so I'll definitely keep you posted on how it works for me.


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## ddawg (Apr 6, 2006)

Ok, thanks for the advice guys.  One more quick question.  If I workout on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and then have off days on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, how should I arrange my high(275g carbs), low(140g carbs), and no carb days(40g carbs)?


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## FishOrCutBait (Apr 7, 2006)

Jodi said:
			
		

> Have you read Twin Peak's Carb Cycling program?  There is a link located in the stickies title Guide to cutting etc........
> 
> I have used carb cycling several times with great success.


Twin Peak's carb cycling works like a freakin charm,  coupled with HIT and HIIT, the fat seriously just melts off. Now, keeping the dedication is another issue


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## GFR (Apr 26, 2006)

Jodi said:
			
		

> Have you read *Twin Peak's Carb Cycling program?*  There is a link located in the stickies title Guide to cutting etc........
> 
> I have used carb cycling several times with great success.


That link is dead.


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## The13ig13adWolf (Apr 26, 2006)

are you not planning on training on your high day(s)?

if not, how come?

i've set it up like this in the past (just an example of something that's worked well for me):
M - high/training
T - med/training
W - low/cardio
Th - high/training
F - med/training
Sa - low/cardio
Su - low/off


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## Seanp156 (Apr 26, 2006)

ForemanRules said:
			
		

> That link is dead.



Here: http://www.mindandmuscle.net/forum/i...howtopic=21334


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## Dale Mabry (Apr 26, 2006)

I prefer hitting carb-ups on off days, IOW, do nothing training related.  This is to ensure it is stored as glycogen.  If you look, you can find that glycogen yields more energy than glucose since the glucose released from glycogen is already phosporylated, requiring no ATP to become active.  Glucose requires ATP to become active.


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## P-funk (Apr 26, 2006)

Dale Mabry said:
			
		

> I prefer hitting carb-ups on off days, IOW, do nothing training related.  This is to ensure it is stored as glycogen.  If you look, you can find that glycogen yields more energy than glucose since the glucose released from glycogen is already phosporylated, requiring no ATP to become active.  Glucose requires ATP to become active.




i carb up on off days too.


...basically, i do everything that dale does.  i want to be just like him.


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## Jodi (Apr 26, 2006)

Here is all of them.
http://www.mindandmuscle.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=21334


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## GFR (Apr 26, 2006)

Thanks Jodi...Seanp


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## Tha Don (Apr 26, 2006)

okay, stupid question to hijack a thread time.. (i apologize in advance)

can you use carb cycling when bulking?

the reason i ask is something about when you body drops carbs it starts utilising them more effectively (targeting muscle stores opposed to fat), hence why after a long period of low carb, if you up your carb intake for a day or two, muscles look very pumped and full, so i'm wondering if this method can be utilised on a bulk also, for example going low carb for a couple of days every fortnight/month or whatever just to help get the carbs going to the right places again?


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## BigNaturalBrock (Apr 26, 2006)

imho any type of diet plan works, wether for gaining or cutting, what works best depends on the individual, as some may benefit from doing an hour and above every other day, while others may only need 30 mins 3 times a week or so at low pace.


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## Jodi (Apr 26, 2006)

Tha Don said:
			
		

> okay, stupid question to hijack a thread time.. (i apologize in advance)
> 
> can you use carb cycling when bulking?
> 
> the reason i ask is something about when you body drops carbs it starts utilising them more effectively (targeting muscle stores opposed to fat), hence why after a long period of low carb, if you up your carb intake for a day or two, muscles look very pumped and full, so i'm wondering if this method can be utilised on a bulk also, for example going low carb for a couple of days every fortnight/month or whatever just to help get the carbs going to the right places again?


Read those links, it's in there


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## Jodi (Apr 26, 2006)

BigNaturalBrock said:
			
		

> imho any type of diet plan works, wether for gaining or cutting, what works best depends on the individual, as some may benefit from doing an hour and above every other day, while others may only need 30 mins 3 times a week or so at low pace.


I 100% absolutely positively completely disagree with this statement.  I am living proof that not "any" diet works.


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## Dale Mabry (Apr 26, 2006)

P-funk said:
			
		

> i carb up on off days too.
> 
> 
> ...basically, i do everything that dale does.  i want to be just like him.




As well you should.


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