Count total or net carbs when cutting

[Mcginnm1]

When cutting, and your goal is say to have only 30-50g carb a day, does it count if a person eats like 125g carb but does 300 cals worth of cardio? Thanks

[magician27]

lowest i ever go down with carbs is 250 grams @ zero cardio. you only cut carbs as much as you need to, its not gonna do anything magical if you are already cutting calories down unless you got bad metabolism, calories > macros

[digistp]

Are you trying to do keto?

[Mcginnm1]

No, carb cycling, I'm already pretty lean, but I wanna get leaner. And I hear carb cyclings great. I do 3 days low 30-50g, and 1 day high 330-350g. I eat 125g but do 300 cals worth of cardio.

[gbullock32]

Carb cycling is more preferential, it wont speed things up any more than a standard deficit; may yield more water weight fluctuations which makes tracking weight harder. Count total IMO, but in the end as long as you are consistent with either method it wont make much difference unless trying to keto.

[Mcginnm1]

thank you all for your responses, I've tried being consistent and hitting 30-50g if carb a day, but after like 3-4 days, I start to feel like absolute garbage, and I don't want my body getting used to functioning on that low of carb. So I think I have to do a refeed every 3-4 days.

[AFC96]

I don't get it.

So are you doing Keto? or are you just not eating carbs?

[Mcginnm1]

Not keto, just low carb, I'm really eating 125g on low days bc I heard anything lower than that is bad for health, but I'm doing 300 cals of cardio to make it 50g. What I'm wondering is, do I count the total (125g) or the net (50)? I'm willing to make the total 50 if that's what it takes.

[gbullock32]

Not keto, just low carb, I'm really eating 125g on low days bc I heard anything lower than that is bad for health, but I'm doing 300 cals of cardio to make it 50g. What I'm wondering is, do I count the total (125g) or the net (50)? I'm willing to make the total 50 if that's what it takes.

Since doing cardio does not negate carbs... count it all, I thought you were asking about fiber being counted or not.

If low carb does not work for you do not do it; you gain no advantage from it and if it hurts your performance than it is not worth trying.

[AFC96]

You are misinformed about nutrition.

Start reading the stickies.

[EjnarKolinkar]

Not keto, just low carb, I'm really eating 125g on low days bc I heard anything lower than that is bad for health, but I'm doing 300 cals of cardio to make it 50g. What I'm wondering is, do I count the total (125g) or the net (50)? I'm willing to make the total 50 if that's what it takes.

You count what you eat. Its really simple.

[lee__d]

Not keto, just low carb, I'm really eating 125g on low days bc I heard anything lower than that is bad for health, but I'm doing 300 cals of cardio to make it 50g. What I'm wondering is, do I count the total (125g) or the net (50)? I'm willing to make the total 50 if that's what it takes.

Don't subtract calories burned from your intake. Lower than 125g is not 'unhealthy'. Some might not even call that 'low'. I mean, I don't see a point in eating an almost keto inducing amount of carbs, but not quite.

[SuffolkPunch]

Plenty of people contest dieted to extremely low bodyfat % without fiddling around with carbs of "carb cycling". OTOH becoming keto adapted is a worthwhile thing IMO - but that requires about 2-3 weeks of very low carb intake - you have to push through the times when you feel bad. After that you can reintroduce them - going by feel as to what gives your best feelings of energy / alertness.

[Mcginnm1]

Faakk lol yeah I was def misunderstood, didn't realize cardio doesn't negate carb intake! now I know. Thank you all for your help

[saw7988]

OTOH becoming keto adapted is a worthwhile thing IMO

Why?

[SuffolkPunch]

Why?

In conditions where you are short of food you may feel more energetic because your body finds it easier to metabolise stored body fat. This is purely anecdotal BTW.

[saw7988]

Ah interesting alrighty, thanks!

[gbullock32]

Faakk lol yeah I was def misunderstood, didn't realize cardio doesn't negate carb intake! now I know. Thank you all for your help

Why would it? It can be used to negate calories by creating more of an energy expenditure but does not reduce the intake of any particular macro...

[Mcginnm1]

Idk, carbs are the body's preferred source of fuel right? I thought they'd be the first to go when burning calories.