But where do I find more specifics on this cycling? I think I would need a bit more concrete information in order to do this correctly don't you think?
I mean, so far for me this WOE seems very complicated. I have realized that in order to loose and even after to mantain you must ALWAYS keep a log of what you eat. How many carbs/cals/fat. That is a lot of work for me. Figuring out how much is this and that. What I do presently is plan my meals the day before. But even that means I have to take some time to sit and figure out what I want. I don't miss the sugar, pasta, not even the chocolate bars that were my best meal replacements. I do miss deciding what to eat on the spot. SO, please help me with a little guidance. Maybe I need more info in order to grasp the whole concept. I do appreciate each of you for posting so much here. It has been so awesome to find this place and all of you to help out. Thank!!

I don't keep a log. It becomes more and more natural as you move along. I eat about 6 meals a day, and I eyeball the portion sizes - a half cup of meat or other protein rich food has about 20g of protein, a half cup of cooked starchy food has about 20g of carb... I pack stuff in zip lock baggies and mix and match to throw my meals together. Carby days get between one and 4 baggies of starch, non carby days don't get any. I get in my 6 portions of protein either way, and on low-carb days, I eat more fat. On higher carb days, I keep the fats down. Veggies are EVERY day. Fruits are only on carbup days. You get to where you can do it without thinking.

Pick an amount to use for carbups, and try it for a while. It's the only way you'll know. I started by adding in an extra 20, then 40, then 60 g of carb to see how my body responded, and it will vary from person to person and also with the amount and type of activity you are doing.

Ok I wanted to try cycling last month but really found it hard to control the carb up and basically set myself back a month, gained 5 pounds and took all month to get it back off. I do believe it can work, and I know I can do it. However, logging everything inot fitday will be a chore. I can do it but I have a question about fitday. Is there a way to set it to automatically subtract your fiber from your carbs or do you just do it yourself in your head? Also on carb up, can u eat any kind of fruit, I really miss bananas could I have a medium banana? TY for all help and input.

I think you have to do it in your head.

Would eating a banana trigger cravings? I think that should be the deciding factor. You don't want to set yourself back another month.

Since this is a long thread and some folks may not have had the chance to read it right from the beginning, I'm adding the LCanita's - she's the author -comments here as to what her version of carb-cycling is.

Karen

Built,

Funny, but you raise an obvious point that I wasn't really considering as I get into position to try a carb cycle. Could you or Anita give me an idea of the percentages--fat/carb/protein--you strive for on a carb up and the same for a carb down? For my first attempt, I've got the broad brushstroke of about 1500 cals/40-50 carbs and for carb down about 1200 and 10-15 carbs (net). But the percentages would help too, so I don't add more fat than I should on carb up.

Ideas?

Best, Sona

I don't know how LCanita does it, but I go as high fat as I need to for satiety during the low-carb portion (over 60% of calories from fat) and as low fat as I can manage for the carb up portion - ideally, probably under 20% of cals, although personally I have trouble with hunger if the fats get this low.

This isn't the only way to do it. I believe LCanita does a smaller carbup than I do, so the fats don't need to go as low.

I have to be VERY careful to make sure I stick to low GI carbs for the carbup or I get out of control hunger, so no sugar for me.

I'll make low fat oatmeal muffins, but sweeten them with splenda, and I make sure I get a large portion of slow-digesting protein (no whey shakes) with each of my 6 daily meals - no snacking on carbs. Actually, I don't snack at all. If I'm hungry, it's probably time for a meal, so I eat one.

I'll eat fruit, but never by itself - it's always eaten with one of my servings of protein, and sometimes with additional high-fiber carb such as brown and wild rice depending on how much carb I'm eating for that meal. And like I said, I measure everything into 20g carb or protein servings and toss 'em into zip loc baggies so I can easily mix and match without having to track everything.

Very, very useful info, Built. Thanks a lot!

Best, sona

Okay, I'm having a problem calculating the appropriate (approximate) totals/percentages for a carb up for me (personally). The goal is 1500 cals (m/l) and 50 net carbs (m/l); percentages are 20% fat. Now, working backward (kind of), I don't seem to be able to meet these parameters unless my protein grams go way high-- for instance, I'm already at 148 protein grams (with 47 net carbs and 22% fat, which is 24 grams of fat)--and I'm only at 1,070 calories! I have 500 cals more to add, but if I add more carb calories, I'll get above the 50 net carbs and if I add more fat calories I'll get above the 20% low-fat limit (the limit is there because I'm adding a higher-carb content). Protein is the only food group left, but I'm already at 148 grams!~

Ideas?

Best, Sona

On my carbups, I have about 150-200g carb, so I go very low fat, and I do go higher carb than I do on keto days. On a lower carb carbup, fats will be a LOT higher - like, 40-60% of cals. Does this help?

I see. So in other words, Built, if I'm aiming for a much lower carb count on my carb up (much higher for me than normal, but lower than what you would go)--I can go higher than 20% fat? If, then, I'm aiming for 50 net carbs, would 30% or 40% fat be acceptable?

Best, sona

Eat as much fat as you need to feel satisfied, but no more. This will vary from person to person. I'm finding it a LOT more manageable to go low fat, high carb if I keep the GI down, no sugar, lots of fiber, lots of protein, 6 meals a day.

Bump for LCanita!

Sona: I really don't pay attention to percentages at all. Like Built, I am sure to have protein ANYTIME I eat. I NEVER have carbs without protein.

Seems like on carb down I'm at about 70% fat, on carb up I'm closer to 60%. The reason I'm so different from Built on carb up is because I don't have nearly as many carbs on carb up as Built, so I end up with a lot more fat. That's OK! As your carbs go up your fat % must go down, so I agree with everything that Built is saying.

Keep researching and see what seems best for you. There are lots of ways to do this.

Built: What does "bump for LCanita" mean?

Karen: Thanks for posting those reminders. Probably not too many newbies care to wade through all these posts!

mrsqrn: This really needs to be controlled. If you cannot control the carb up portion, consider whether this program is a good fit for you.

Personal note: Last week I carbed down Mon-Wed and up Thurs-Sun. I'm starting carb down again today at 147.2, which is only 1/2 pound above my low weight. This seems to be a good fit for me. It seems to be working, AND carb down on Mon-Wednesday is a good schedule for me, with carb up Thurs and through the weekend. I end up being carb up more than carb down, which is closer to what I was doing at the beginning of my carb cycling journey. For me, for now, this is working. I'm trying to lose at least one pound a week, but probably not more than 1.5. I'll be happy with that!

This morning I weighed 151, so after a 5 day carb up I will start a carb down today. I'm thinking it will be for 3 days but we'll just see what happens.
Julie

So, I had planned to not be up for too long, but I had some bad days and instead of 2 days up as I had planned, my whole experience with carb cycling has gone something like this so far:
3 days up (end weight: 143.5)
7 days down (through TOM and with a little LC icecream) (low weight: 142)
2 days planned up (weights fluctuated between 142.5-143)
2 days planned down (144 high, 143/145 low... the scale was confused)
4 days up... 1 unplanned, 3 pseudo-planned (145 the whole time)

Today I start carb down. This morning I weighed in at 144.5 despite all the junk I ate yesterday. This carb down I'm doing at least until Friday (at least 5 days) and I'm actually going to stick to both my carb and calorie goals. Calories need to be around 1200 and carbs can be no higher than 20, especially for the first 3 days.

To really keep me accountable, let me say this: I will not eat any of the pumpkin custard in my fridge. I also will not eat any nuts while on carb down. Nor will I eat any fruit. I can live without these items for 5 days. I'm going to do this gosh darnit... especially knowing my monthly goal weigh in is coming on the 1st of October!!!