Do you periodically carb cycle during off season

[Pbfanatic321]

Is it a must to carb cycle during off season when carbs are kept high? I've read that keeping carbs high for too long can make you hit a plateau, but I've also read that's false. Who here cycles their carbs off season? My carbs have been high for a while now.

 

[ajdos]

I dont know if its a must. But I think its a better way to do the offseason, especially for those who compete.

I cycle mine for a little less than 3 weeks then switch to a low carb diet for 10-12 approximately before switching back. Each phase primes the other, so I dont get too fat or lose too much size in either, but as its 'off season' for me that means time to gain, so my gaining period is longer than my diet period, each bi-cycle encompasses close to a month, Ill do this for approximately 3-4 months before switching back to a low carb 5 low 2 high intra week cycle.

 

[ricky23]

its definitely not set in stone, some will suffer from a decrease in insulin sensitivity with carbs kept elevated for prolonged periods.

the way i see it is growth is never linear, nothing is in bodybuilding. you wont keep growing in linear fashion so it just makes sense to create the most effective possible environment for growth when the body is primed for it -

one of the ways to do this is increasing insulin sensitivity and this can be done by having a maintenance or fat loss period of 4+ weeks where carbs are kept low or cycled.

being in a cal deficit/ energy expenditure with carbs reduced will create a great rebound period for growth, the best gains most competitors get is right after a show - insulin sensitivity is high, leaner body means better nutrient usage and less aromatose activity from gear.

i keep carbs high for around 6 weeks when using insulin. then i take a break from insulin and reduce carbs and cals for 4 weeks, then repeat.
but if youre growing beyond 6 weeks, dont cut it short. best thing anyone can do imo is listen to their body and adjust accordingly.
no reason to cut carbs if youre still growing.

 

[Omega-Red]

The best thing i have ever done in terms of progress with my physique, has been to "phase" periods of higher calories and periods of lower calories, the calorie addition and subtraction has been from carbs.

Using the mirror and common sense I am bigger, leaner and making the best results i ever have.

 

[Pbfanatic321]

Thanks for the response guys, you all brought some valid points. During the off season, what kind of carb cycling would you recommend each day. Like a high, moderate, low, then repeat type cycle?

 

[Stayinfit]

From what I gather from reading and listening to podcasts, off days lower to zero carbs, Shelby mentioned on a podcast on his off days he doesn't take in any carbs except what's in veggies. I've heard guys taking more carbs or less depending on the bodypart they were training that day. Legs is high, back is high, arms lower etc. Don't know how well that all works but it sounds good.

 

[Erichuup]

Is it a must to carb cycle during off season when carbs are kept high? I've read that keeping carbs high for too long can make you hit a plateau, but I've also read that's false. Who here cycles their carbs off season? My carbs have been high for a while now.

people think to much about the carbs and now the fa in the diet.

take some carbs ouy and replace the carbs cals with fat cals

 

[kingquery123]

I've cycled carbs before with decent weight loss results. It's just hard to say what works for one works for another . our bodies are so different.

 

[kscowboy]

Im not as big as i used to be but for me my body doesn't need much carbs at all to keep my size and stay lean, and I'm only on TRT now. i found that my body likes the fats and protein much better than carbs. I probably only eat 50-75grams of carbs at a time (Not counting veggies) and most of the time i only eat carbs 2-3 times a week and that is only after my workouts. Point being, i wish i would have listen to my body more when i was younger and then i would have been able to hear what it was telling me instead of what i thought it needed. When i was younger granted i could stand more carbs with no adverse effects but i should have cut my carbs down a few years ago instead of only the past year.

SO all in all, listen to what YOUR body is telling you and react from that.

 

[GreenTLB6]

I have been going low to zero carb on off days from training with fasted morning cardio. That's usually 2-3 times a week so technically a form of carb cycling. For the most part I have a training day diet with most carbs around my workout and an off day diet where I'm pretty much zero carb. My training day diet has enough carbs so that the zero carb days don't deplete me much if at all and I'm steadily gaining this way while stayin fairly lean.

 

[NY Muscle]

Related to this topic and something I have never really figured out is which day is best for the higher carbs. It would make sense if it was a workout day and this is rather normal thinking but I have always pondered if that's the right method.

I feel as if you get by with as little carbs as you can for your workout days and then the next day when your muscles are recovering (or still primed from the previous day a workout) is when you up the carbs. The day after you up the carba you train (low carbs again). This is is especially good if you train in the morning as you will have some good glycogen stored from the previous days higher carbs.

Just a thought.

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[rhyno9]

I do not carb cycle religiously in the off season, but I will for a couple weeks here and there just to make sure I stay in check and mess with my body a little.

 

[ryanbCXG]

Related to this topic and something I have never really figured out is which day is best for the higher carbs. It would make sense if it was a workout day and this is rather normal thinking but I have always pondered if that's the right method.

I feel as if you get by with as little carbs as you can for your workout days and then the next day when your muscles are recovering (or still primed from the previous day a workout) is when you up the carbs. The day after you up the carba you train (low carbs again). This is is especially good if you train in the morning as you will have some good glycogen stored from the previous days higher carbs.

Just a thought.

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I end up doing this as its jsut easier for me to eat less on workout days because it takes a nice large chunk of my day up plus work and what not leaves me less time to worry about hunger and or food. Weekends or slow days i can eat a lot more easily

 

[275bills]

I digest meat way better without carbs in the meal. So by default I carb cycle lol

 

[bensif]

I drop carbs on my off days in favour of fats, around 180-220g mark. Protein stays the same, calories come down a bit. Slin only on workout days, 5 days a week.

I find depleting then filling my glycogen stores a much better way to grow. I also cardio in my offseason.

Carbs are somewhat cycled depending on body parts trained but only by 100g. High days in the 600g region.

I believe the diet is the same whether growing or dropping fat, the volume of food just changes. This is what works for me.

If I start looking too soft or watery I drop carbs a little further for 1-2 days and increase cardio. Just have to read your bodyz

 

[Sandpig]

I eat fairly clean even in the off season. In general I drop the carbs a bit on off days. Right now that's every third day.

That said, if I feel like eating a pizza or something like that and it happens to be an off day, I eat it.

I just get back on track the next day.

 

[sammy555]

I can't carb cycle for Shit as I just end up binging out before bed if u gi below 400. What u du line to do is throw in s couple of calorie deficit days a week. This sends ti neo my sensitivity real high even though I'm taking in 600-800 carbs most days and using slin post workout. A little cardio helps too but to be honest I've always held real good insulin sensitivity regardless of diet so long as I stay lean. My last cut I kept carbs at 500 all the way through and got ripped real fast

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[Stayinfit]

Related to this topic and something I have never really figured out is which day is best for the higher carbs. It would make sense if it was a workout day and this is rather normal thinking but I have always pondered if that's the right method.

I feel as if you get by with as little carbs as you can for your workout days and then the next day when your muscles are recovering (or still primed from the previous day a workout) is when you up the carbs. The day after you up the carba you train (low carbs again). This is is especially good if you train in the morning as you will have some good glycogen stored from the previous days higher carbs.

Just a thought.

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And that ^^^^^ reminds me of what Lee Priest said in a video when asked about carb intake and legs. He said something to the affect of one should worry about what they ate the day before so...

 

[sammy555]

Related to this topic and something I have never really figured out is which day is best for the higher carbs. It would make sense if it was a workout day and this is rather normal thinking but I have always pondered if that's the right method.

I feel as if you get by with as little carbs as you can for your workout days and then the next day when your muscles are recovering (or still primed from the previous day a workout) is when you up the carbs. The day after you up the carba you train (low carbs again). This is is especially good if you train in the morning as you will have some good glycogen stored from the previous days higher carbs.

Just a thought.

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Im a huge Beliver in more carbs the day before a heavy session and more food in general thst day. I never eat less than 700 carbs and 5000 calories the day before legs no matter how hard im cutting. I live a big bowl of musily with protein powder and a Greek yogurt just before bed if I've got heavy session next day. Might even throw some rice krisbies in the yogurt for more carbs and sone crunch

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