to Ms Fit about carbs

[Val THOM]

Hi there ! This is to ask to Ms Fit (hi cajun cousin, here Val the French ! remember ?) what you mean when you answer Nooch about his wife : you say "have her rotate her carbs". I'd like to get rid of 25 years of bulimia/anorexia/self induced vomiting/perfect body obsession( I'm 40 ! time to become an adult !). I'd like to do as bolybuilders do, without having the results. I workout 10 hours a week, 2 hours every week day, mixing cardio and weights. I am 5'8" and 125 lb, 20 % body fat, with wide hips and derriere, cellulite... that's my problem. I think the culprit is food, and I get mad everytime I eat carbs. So maybe carb rotation would be for me. What is it exactly ? And if you have further good advice, fell free ! I like my PT a lot but he's not very hot on nutrition ! Thanks.

[Iron-T]

carb rotation or also the 'zig-zag' diet is an excellent ( in my opinion the best ) and safe way to lean out while perserving muscle !
basically you mix high carb with low carb days. Say you want to burn fat and add muscle : try eating low carbs ( focus on fibrous veggies ) for 4-5 days and then double up your carbs for 1-2 days ( complex carbs, such as oatmeal, sweet potato, whole grains ..) . Your metabolism will thus have no time to adjust , so it will remain elevated . On the days you go very low on carbs bump up your intake of lean protein a bit.
Remember to divide your meals into 5-6 smaller ones and drink loads of water throughout the day.

By the way 5'8 and 125 pounds is a healthy weight, do noy aim to go lower.
Give the carb rotaion a try, keep a log on how you feel and after a few weeks you can finetune or change .you'll know best how your body responds.

hope this helps a bit..

[Val THOM]

Thanx a lot Iron T, i do it straightaway !

[Iron-T]

keep me posted on your progress !

[Val THOM]

I'll keep you informed, promise !
Just one detail : I imagine the best is to have the high carbs days when you workout hard (for me during the week), rather than on week-ends (when I can't workout). Seems obvious, but maybe it's not that simple ? Cheers !

[Iron-T]

You are on the right path. Just use common sense..when you expect to hang out on the couch all day..don't eat heavy, keep the frequent feedings up , but cut down on your carb and calorie intake. On days you work larger bodyparts, say legs and back it would be wise to fuel your muscles ..it will help your workout and recovery !

[MsFit]

Originally posted by Val THOM
Hi there ! This is to ask to Ms Fit (hi cajun cousin, here Val the French ! remember ?) what you mean when you answer Nooch about his wife : you say "have her rotate her carbs". I'd like to get rid of 25 years of bulimia/anorexia/self induced vomiting/perfect body obsession( I'm 40 ! time to become an adult !). I'd like to do as bolybuilders do, without having the results. I workout 10 hours a week, 2 hours every week day, mixing cardio and weights. I am 5'8" and 125 lb, 20 % body fat, with wide hips and derriere, cellulite... that's my problem. I think the culprit is food, and I get mad everytime I eat carbs. So maybe carb rotation would be for me. What is it exactly ? And if you have further good advice, fell free ! I like my PT a lot but he's not very hot on nutrition ! Thanks.

*waves at fellow Cajun* How's it going cher? :D

Carbs are a double-edged soward just as fat can be. The trick with carbs is know how to apply and balance them. A good trick to employ without having the crash-and-burn effect is to cycle, or rotate them. This method will allow you to continue eating carbs, shock the metabolism and not feel deprived.

There are several methods of applying this technique. Some I've used in the past are:
Day 1 - 250 carbs
Day 2 - 125 carbs
Day 3 - 63 carbs/add 1-2 servings of natural fat
Day 4 - 0 carbs/add 2 servings of natural fat
Day 5 - 0 carbs/add 2 servings of natural fat
Day 6 - Repeat

The added fat is for necessary energy and to keep the calories up to some degree. It will also sit on your stomach giving you a satisified feeling and reduce the appetite, especially for sweets or carbs.

Another method: For 6 meals a day:
Day 1 - 6 carb meals
Day 2 - 5 carb meals
Day 3 - 4 carb meals
Day 4 - 3 carb meals/add 1 serving of a natural fat
Day 5 - 2 carb meals/add 2 servings of natural fat
Day 6 - 1 carb meal/add 3 servings of natural fat
Day 7 - Repeat

This can also be done on a weekly rotation for longer, sustained, gradual weight loss. I use the weekly method for contest prep.

The natural fat choices should be flax, olive oil, various nuts (excluding peanuts), natural peanut butter, fish oils....

Of course, protein should be in every meal, and consume at least a gallon of water a day. Taking in 16 oz between meals should be enough so you don't have to dread that damn gallon of water staring at you. ;)

Be careful with carbs. These days, most people are carb resistant due to carb abuse. Your body produces insulin based during your last meal (carbs). If you ate a lot of carbs you will produce a lot of insulin. If you've been eating a lot of carbs for many years, your body produces insulin mater what you eat because it lacks balance. You can get this under control by changing your eating habits. You need to lower your starchy carb intake, mainly the white carbs and replace them with more fibrous choices. Fiber will remove toxins and aid in weight loss. Be sure to rotate and don't over eat carb. Excess carbs (fuel) is stored as fat.

Make small adjustments weekly on your nutrition and you'll soon be on the right track.
MsFit

[Sugar]

I have never tried this before but it sounds excellent for me and the way I like to eat!! I'm going to try it too and I'll let you know how it goes.

[Val THOM]

Yes zigzag seems excellent for me too : I want to maintain current weight and add muscles, without starving. I started stacking my diet on a diary, and try to find which method could be best for me. These days, I try to find info on the amount of carbs for a high carb day and for a low carb day. If you know the answer... I tried Ms Fit method with 250, 125... but it was too hard, I was starving and was without energy (it seems that Ms Fit too when doing so)....I need more, after all I am not in pre-contest prep, since I never contest ! Sugar, let's be in touch if you want to exchange our points of view. Good luck to you !